Down: The Music Box Theater at
the Fonda, Hollywood, California
November 23, 2007 By: Dave Schalek
I had five days off for the Thanksgiving holiday and there were a
few concerts to choose from over the weekend. Even though I had to
get up really early on Saturday for an unrelated matter (Malibu was
burning yet again when I woke up the next morning), I chose to see
Southern sludge masters Down, performing by themselves, at the Music
Box Theater in Hollywood on a chilly Friday night.
I arrived an hour and half early to dutifully take my place in line,
as this show appeared to be high on everyone’s priority list. After
making my way into the theater (an old theater near the corner of
fabled Hollywood and Vine) I was hoping that Down’s set would begin
promptly at 8:30 PM as indicated, but by 9:15 PM or so, the
capacity, general admission crowd was getting a bit antsy. Finally,
the house lights come down, only for the crowd to be presented with
about 45 minutes or so of film from Down’s tour of Europe.
Interspersed with some of Down’s tour bus antics was plenty of
archival footage of old bands from the 70s including rare concert
footage of pre- “Alive” Kiss, Free, a Deep Purple clip from the
California Jam in 1974, Thin Lizzy, Black Flag (I’m SURE that Henry
Rollins was in tonight’s crowd, although I didn’t see him), Lynyrd
Skynyrd, and a rendition of “Hole In The Sky” by Black Sabbath.
Interesting, but I was really getting antsy by this point, as was
most of the crowd. Finally, around 10 PM, to thunderous applause,
Down takes the stage. |
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Immediately, the floor crowd really starts to move as I hurriedly
snap video and pictures from my phone while dope smoke is blown in
my face and Jagermeister is dumped all over me. I’m having a
marvelous time! If you check out the videos at
http://metalrunsinmyveins.blogspot.com,
you’ll see that I’m getting shoved around all over the floor. From
the get go, it’s obvious that the negative experiences of the last
few years have changed, at the very least, Phil Anselmo’s approach
to the crowd. Back in 2004, during Superjoint Ritual’s set in
Southern California on the Ozzfest tour, Anselmo spent most of the
time insulting everybody. Not so tonight. Throughout the entire set,
especially during “Learn From This Mistake”, he made a point of
addressing each section of the crowd, mouthed the words “I love
you”, and made appreciative bows and gestures to the crowd. Other
highlights from the set included “Ghosts Along The Mississippi”,
“Mourn”, “I Scream”, and all of the classics from “NOLA”.
Ultimately, Down would perform a nearly two hour set, but,
unfortunately, I had to depart after about 75 minutes or so.
Although disappointed that I had to cut my attendance short, this
was still a great show and well worth it. As usual, you can check
out the lousy film and photos at the blog. |
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Panic Cell +
Speed Theory + The More I See – The Park, Peterborough on 22.11.07
Review by Strawb and Mrs S. Photos by Strawb
For once a concert on our doorstep as one of the local venues, The
Park, bursts back on to our radar with the Headbangers Ball
featuring the above 3 bands. We do have some history with the venue,
when our daughter was living at home, she was let down by her
friends who she wanted to attend a gig with her, and was at the
difficult age where you know the apron strings should be cut, but
not just quite yet. So faced with the option of missing her gig or
going with parents she chose option b and once we had seen the venue
and sampled the crowd the strings were cut and she was a regular
there until the bright lights of Londinium village drew her there.
So with fuel prices now rising faster than a group of teenage boys
on their first trip to Amsterdam, it was good to only have a twenty
minute journey.
Which was probably slightly longer than that endured by
The More I
See. They are a local Peterborough band who took the stage as the
first listed band. And they know the venue and had some of their
fans present. Their start was somewhat blighted by the need to stop
half way through the first track to get the sound as they wanted it,
but much sooner that than a spoilt set. They gave it a lot, plugged
their headline stint at the same venue nearer to Xmas, were given a
decent stint on stage and were good openers to be fair.
Next on stage were the main tour support band,
Speed Theory from
Wolverhampton. They seemed to take the stage to the surprise of the
majority of the audience who were still in the bar, but this was
soon redressed as the main floor filled up and moshing commenced.
There were a fair few of their distinctive band shirts being worn by
the crowd, so again they had contributed to the audience. I have
stated on this oracle before my dislike of vomit rock, and going to
tonight I was unsure just which side of the line Speed Theory would
fall based on my internet research, but once on stage they proved
that despite their two growler line up they were on the right side
of the line as tune after tune was belted out to our delight. They
had some good riffs in their and were tight throughout, and there
was more hair movement than I have seen in many a day. Didn’t get
the full set list, but the closer, Vengeance Is Mine was one of the
belters. The set seemed short, but the watch revealed it wasn’t – I
always find this a good sign of how much I have enjoyed a gig. They
are doing a dual headliner tour with Amanti [who I saw at Hard Rock
Hell] in February so if you cannot catch them on the remainder of
this tour then make a point of seeing them in February. |
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relatively new to this reviewing lark, but let me tell you that even
this far in, the majority of what you listen to is OK, and certainly
better than you will ever hear on any general radio station. Just
occasionally there is a track that stands out on a CD, and less
frequently a few stand out tracks on the same CD. This prompts a
good review, and the hope that you who read this will share our
opinion when spending your hard earned. On a couple of occasions I
have received disks which have been excellent throughout, putting me
in to ‘lets find something to criticise’ mode, and ensuring that the
CD goes on to my shelf of things to play, copy for the car and not
into the storage drawer. One |
| such disk was Panic Cell – What Doesn’t Kill Us. Doubly good as Mrs S.
rated it as well. And then to find out they are touring, and
appearing on our doorstep as well, it just makes you realise that
sometimes life is good. The speakers began to play From Father To
Son and the majority of the audience knew what that meant, and sure
enough, to the applause worthy of the headliners, the band took to
the stage. We were as putty in their hands from now until the last
note. Mainly tracks from What Doesn’t Kill us with a smattering of
stuff from Bitter Part Of Me, notably including Thousand Words which
from what was said, doesn’t often get concert time. The support staff
interfaced and hand signalled back and forth to get the sound to everyone's satisfaction, and once this was done then the product was
there, not exactly as the studio album, but probably even better
live, as this is a band who put their all into the performance, and
generate energy from the crowd. The stage was somewhat small for the
five of them, and somewhat stinted their freedom to express
themselves, so Luke alleviated this by spending a good amount of
time on the floor in with the crowd, even on occasions sharing the
mike with a lucky fan. The riffs were there, the Jagermeister
appeared and was drunk, Harjeet made his views plain on the supplied
beer, the crowd loved every minute, but like all good things there
had to be an end. I have been lucky this year to visit a number of
gigs and more than a few festivals. Everywhere there has been a band
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seem to be
enjoying it as much as the crowd, who seem to please and have that
as their raison d’etre, The Handsome Beasts at Rock
and Blues and Custom, Avenger at Hard Rock Hell, well let me tell
you that Panic Cell are up there with any of these. At the end the
band left the stage, but not to some secluded dressing room, no they
fronted up in the venue amongst the fans, and were still doing so
when I left, chatting and autographing, such is the life of a rock
god.
I spoke to a few of them after the set, but mainly to Luke. They are
a great bunch of guys. This is their first tour as headliners and it
has gone well, mainly playing to audiences of about tonights level
[100-200] but all of them wanting to be there for Panic Cell which
creates the sort of atmosphere enjoyed tonight. It has been hard
work but has its rewards. Some of the band have other commitments
which they will need to address, but there is hope for further dates
together in 2008.
I for one will be reading this site for those dates, because Panic
Cell are a must see live. |
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