Dallas in Chains - Skillman Street Pub, 3/10/09
Dallas in Chains put on an entertaining, high energy, theatrical performance this night. Tony Trevino’s flamboyant style drew the crowd in immediately with “Bleed the Freak.” As evident from the name, the band is an Alice in Chains tribute, boosting an impressive repertoire of 40+ AiC songs, 10 of which they performed this night. Among the hits played were “Down in a Hole,” “Killer is Me,” “Man in the Box” and “Rooster,” ending with “Them Bones.” Other members are Chad Barker (backup vocals), Steve “Sookie” Coffaro (bass), Russ Hines (guitar) and Sean Doyle (drums). Dallas in Chains is a polished, professional act that makes for a great night out. (Jill Jackson)

Roc Zombie/OloGY - O’Riley’s, 1/03/09
There was anticipation in the air, as fans anxiously awaited for new local band, Roc Zombie, to take the stage. Regardless of the skeletal masks donned by three of the five, it was a pleasant surprise to recognize Staggercrawl. Frontman Eric Pfiefer snarled at the crowd, marching back and forth across the stage and belting out lyrics in true Zombie style. Other members are Mark Trimmier (lead guitar), Mark “Meco” Hand (bass) and Brian Sumler (drums). Fans rocked along to favorites such as “Welcome to the Planet,” “Devil Man” and “American Witch.” After the masks were tossed aside for the encore, they performed several Staggercrawl originals to perfection. Don’t miss Roc Zombie - they’re one of the best tributes in the metroplex!
Young heavy band OLoGY closed out the night, displaying plenty of raw energy and tearing up the stage. Michael’s powerful vocals are reminiscent of Tantric’s Hugo Ferreira. Originals included “B 4 U Go” and “Carry On,” dedicated to Calvin McMullen. This talented group should have a promising future. (Jill Jackson)

Seventh From Adam - Skillman St. Pub, 1/16/09
A hoard of people always attend SFA shows, and this night was no different. Opening with “The Avenger,” they instantly grabbed the audience’s attention with their brand of rockin’ metal melodies. The three vocalists (Danny Fanta, Stephanie Betts and Jim Lowirmore) mingled lyrics that allowed each to partake and shine equally. Peter Powers (bass) tipped the scale with his style of creative lines. Keeping in sync, Buzz (drums) and Jason Holmes (guitar) helped dig the trench in which SFA plays. The night’s hit was “The Man Show,” defined by the Stephanie’s catchy vocal chorus. (Misty Johnson)

The Lou Gramm Band - House of Blues, 1/9/09
This year got off to a great start for classic rock fans when Lou Gramm, the original vocalist for Foreigner, graced the stage of the Dallas House of Blues. Gramm is fully recovered from the health issues that had put his career on hold a few years back and was ready to rock! After his parents passed away, Lou fulfilled their lifelong wish of having their three sons make music together by forming the Lou Gramm band with brothers Ben (drums) and Richard (guitar/bass). Together with friends Don Mancuso (guitar/bass) and Andy Knoll (keyboards), they played a huge selection of Foreigner’s catalog of classics mixed with a few of Lou’s solo hits. He sounded fantastic, especially during “Midnight Blue” and “Feels Like the First Time.” Other highlights included “Juke Box Hero,” “Hot Blooded,” “I Want to Know What Love Is” and personal favorite “Rev On the Red Line.” (Andy Laudano)

Sex Type Pilots - O’Riley’s, 12/6/08
Sex Type Pilots hit the DFW tribute scene with a bang. The band is a tribute to what else? The Stone Temple Pilots. Members are Christopher Ryle (vocals), Jay Shannon (guitar), Mike Barrett (bass) and Dan Bryan (drums) - also members of area favorite, Ground. Playing to a large crowd, they performed STP favorites like “Wicked Garden,” “Plush,” “Vaseline” and “Sex Type Thing.” They had their act together with killer vocals, mind-bending guitar solos, booming bass and pounding drums and had the place rocking, earning new fans with every song. A delight to see and a top-notch addition to our local tribute scene, they’re a must see for all STP and music fans. (Kim “Kimber” Polen)

Kings X - The Door, 12/20/08
There was defiantly a Black Flag waving over the club this night. Doug, Ty and Terry - the return of American rock royalty indeed. King’s X is alive and well in Texas and as tight as ever. At one point in the show, vocalist/bassist Doug Pinnick talked about following through on your dreams and keeping the faith in rock music.
The band would get louder, and the crowd would get louder. Who was that other bassist on stage? None other than Rex (Pantera). What a way to celebrate my bro Christopher’s birthday. A very special show; a very special American band. King’s X rules. (Ray InFante)

Glen Campbell - Nokia Theatre, 1/16/09
Opening with hits “Gentle on my Mind” and “Galveston,” Glen Campbell proved his voice is still there. He’s also still doing his jazzy phrasings in the extended end break of “Galveston.” The band played many songs from the new album of cover songs including “Walls” by Tom Petty and Green Day’s “Good Riddance.” Glen’s daughter sang a few songs, including Patsy Cline’s classic “Crazy” and harmonized with him on a couple of Everly Bros tunes. Glen showed he could shred with the best of them on “Classical Gas” (Mason Rufner) and “ The William Tell Overture.” He closed the show with John Lennon’s “Grow Old With Me.” You could tell he was having a great time, signing autographs during instrumental breaks and handing out guitar pics. I had a great time too. (Dave Dillard)

AC/DC – American Airlines, 1/23/09
It’s been eight years since AC/DC toured the US, and the sold-out crowd was ready. The show started with an animated cartoon of the band on a runaway train that crashes into the arena. As the lights came up and a huge train emerged behind the drum kit, the band kicked into “Rock ‘N Roll Train.” They played four other tracks from their new Black Ice CD including the classic-sounding “War Machine.” The crowd got what they really wanted and plenty of it with “T.N.T.,” “Back In Black,” “Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be” and “Hell’s Bells.” The extended version of “Let There Be Rock” featured the typical Angus solo, while the show closure “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)” sent the crowd home with ears ringing after canons delivered a 21-gun salute. Angus and the boys have still got it. (Travis Tutwiler)

Gwar — Palladium Ballroom, 12/4/08
Gwar is a stab at the truth mixed with blood. Electile Dysfunction featured a bobble headed Obama, making Pollyanna promises, while the slave entourage ran amuck with chainsaws and body parts. It was easy to spot first timers, as their nice clothes were soiled in a festive green and red.
Show opener “Battle Lust” played like a thunderous war cry preparing for the carcass feast to come, while “Bring Back The Bomb” got Texas war hounds raising fists. Dallas’ Casey Orr returned as Beefcake, smacking fans in the face with his thumpin’ bass grooves. Original member/vocalist Dave Brockie (aka Oderus Urungus) was the glue that kept these sick bastards in check. Excellent show! If you’ve never seen Gwar live, check ‘em out. It’s like a twisted metal opera that you have to see to believe. (Marissa Bruce)