Randy Jackson Photo: Andy Laudano You can’t dip Copenhagen in the hospital, Cody! Photo: Kevin White Queensryche’s Geoff Tate Photo: Andy Laudano Doom Daze’ Four Days to Burn Photo: Misty Johnson

“Save The Redneck” Benefit - Rob’s Billiards, 4/20/09
Bands, friends, family and colleagues rallied to help one of the scene’s own with a festive party and awesome live music show. Everybody’s favorite redneck, Cody Carroll (manager and booking agent for Rob’s) survived a close call with severe hypertension that resulted in a lengthy hospital stay and, naturally, thousands in bills. Rob Bryan (owner) hosted a benefit show to help offset some of those costs, and Jerry Flores (X’s Red, Sin Serum, Liquid Swiss Productions) took the reins and made the event a special one.
He lined up several bands, including his own, Lapse Of Sanity, Bryan’s own Bogart Drive (with Rob on bass, Tony Latham on guitar, Tim Sawyer on drums and some guy named Kevin W. on vocals) and a host of all-star jams throughout the night. Members of EKG, Little Green Men and other bands joined in the fun. Flores also designed awesome t-shirts and organized a raffle with prizes donated by a variety of caring friends to raise even more.
All in all, the benefit tallied more than $1200 for Carroll. It was another great example of the scene coming together for a brother in need. Cody was all smiles as he took the stage to thank everyone at the end. He issued his signature, “Git ‘r done!” to the roar of the crowd as he showed his appreciation. (Kevin White)

South Texas Rock Fest, Day 2 - Sunken Gardens Theater, 5/23/09
While everything went fine the previous day for Saxon, Axe and others, day two of San Antonio’s South Texas Rock Fest was severely delayed due to afternoon showers. Luckily the rain stopped, the crew worked hard and the show went on. Following short but sweet sets from Vicious Rumors and Dangerous Toys, The Rods, featuring guitarist/vocalist David “Rock” Feinstein, nearly stole the show. Despite a few technical problems, the recently reunited Keel sounded awesome, especially during “Because the Night” and “The Right To Rock.”
Headliner Queensryche’s set was done in three suites - Rage For Order, American Soldier and Empire. Fans were treated to songs that were rarely, if ever, played live before this tour. Geoff Tate sounded amazing on the RFO material, especially “I Dream In Infrared,” but the show’s highlight had to be his duet with daughter Emily on “Home Again” from the new album. Other favorites were “The Whisper,” “The Killing Words,” “Hand On Heart” and “The Thin Line.” (Andy Laudano)

Judgement Day, Blaze of Glory - Pontiac Garage, 5/28/09
The venue’s first Tribute Thursdays seemed a big success. Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi tribute), opened the show with “Lay Your Hands On Me” Trae Doss, aka Jon Bon Jovi, interacted with the crowd, making everyone feel that he was singing especially to you. Other members of are Roy Lee Nelson (as Richie Zambora, guitar), Wayne Tullos (bass), Boris Korol (keyboards), and Kenny “De Crusha” Schiumo (drums). Favorites included “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “I’ll Be There For You.” “Wanted Dead Or Alive” and ending with “Bad Medicine.”
Judgement Day did an excellent job, taking everyone back a few years with Whitesnake hits such as “Bad Boys,” “Love Ain’t No Stranger,” “Is This Love?” and “Still Of The Night.” This talented, professional, group of musicians is led by the amazing voice of Donny Hart. Other members are Russel Contreras and Dave Harvey (guitars), Alex Martina (keyboards), Brian Christian (bass) and Bradley Noud, who kept the beat strong with his thundering percussion. (Jill Jackson)

Gojira – The Prophet Bar, 5/28/09
A small but very enthusiastic crowd was on hand for the wrap-up for Gojira’s first North American headlining tour. After an energetic, if messy, set by The Chariot, these French death-metallers took to the stage as if they were playing for thousands.
Gojira is a must see for everyday metal fans and musicians alike. Frontman Joe Duplantier and company bounced around and interacted with the crowd while executing their technical and grooving take on the genre. Skinsman and Joe’s brother, Mario, put on a clinic - leaving drummers in attendance green with envy. Highlights included “A Sight to Behold” and “Vacuity” from their current album, The Way of All Flesh. “Flying Whales” was dedicated to their ‘first real American fan,’ who smiled from the side of the stage. The gods of thunder were definitely with Gojira on this Thursday night. And kudos to The Prophet Bar for having $2.50 beers! (D.J. Ivie)

Four Days to Burn (Dallas Doom Daze II) - Across the Street Bar), 5/9/09
No one could have crawled their way out of Four Days to Burn’s thick-bodied quicksand pit of sludge if they wanted to. Offerings of primordial, down tuned, slow-tempo drones were peppered with surprising punk notations. A Leviathan mix like that could send a dormant volcano into an earth-weakening explosion. Members showed passion when performing, especially Jason (guitar/vocals) who constantly rose and fell like that of a tidal wave. It’s really something to experience another sea change in local music, because the first of the fresh waters are always the best. Gaining further notoriety, Ft. Worth’s FDTB will embark on a mini U.S. Tour this summer with stable mates Vaste Burai of Longview. (Misty Johnson)

EKG (Eric Knudson Group) - Bronco’s, 5/30/09
It was a rock and roll party at Bronco’s, with the mighty EKG leading the charge. The beer was flowing, the smoke rolling and the great music pounding all night. The vibe was electric, as the whole crowd seemed to be a part of the show.
Eric Knudson’s stellar guitar work, undeniable charisma and stage presence kept things at a fever pitch. He and über-talented band mates Tony Bradt (bass/vocals) and Mark Lawrence (drums/vocals) ripped through classics from Led Zeppelin, James Gang, Ted Nugent, Foghat, ZZ Top and more. They even let the likes of Tony Latham (guitar) and yours truly join them for a jam or two. The highlight had to be when Skid Dickson (Rob’s Billiards) hit the stage for a rendition of The Beatles’ “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road” - that just had to be seen to be believed. It was a great time from a truly great band. Check them on myspace for upcoming dates. (Kevin White)

Dreadful Hours - Skillman St. Bar, 5/8/09
Dreadful Hours’ dynamics of progressive doom, boldly seasoned with black and death metal, should have had them headlining this night - NOT opening. Even if their stage show had been dull (which it wasn’t), it still would have made sense to attend. Their arrangements and impeccable timing efforts hypnotized the crowd and left no one uninterested. Further aiding the atmosphere, Dreadful Hours produced some virtuous dark, somber guitar tones that blended seamlessly with clean ones. The climax and reliefs in “Sleep” (new song) and “Thousand Years End” was shouldered by foot-stomping tempos. You could listen to this band at ear-splitting volumes - or sleepy-time softness. Plus, how often do you find a band that knows how to balance each instrument to make it important - even the bass? Local group, Dreadful Hours, delivered just that and more. (Misty Johnson)

Impaler - Rockstar, 5/8/09 (180)
Minnesota’s favorite musical macabre band, Impaler, made a pit stop in Ft Worth on their way to the Thunder Gods of Rock Festival down south. This is the first time since 1986 (when they played the old Tombstone in Fort Worth) that they’ve made it “Down” to Texas. Opening with their theme song “Impaler” and playing faves such as “Island of the Damned,” and “Dying to Meet You,” they had the small, yet enthusiastic crowd by the throat.
Celebrating 25 years in the biz, original members Bill Lindsey (spits, screeches and growls), Michael Torok (guitar), and Commander Court Hawley (bass), were joined by Tom Croxton (drums), and Kyle Skogquist (guitars and all around madmen) on stage. Not to be outdone is Dr Corpse, who jumped around and caused all kinds of tomfoolery - like hitting singer Lindsey with a chair during their set closer “Shock Rock.” The singer than ripped out his guts and beat him with them. It was a great show for horror and shock rock fans. (David Dillard)

Torche - Granada Theater, 5/1/09
Huge - that’s the best way to describe the band’s set. Torche had the walls of The Granada shaking from the start. The Miami-based trio opened with a medley from Meanderthal - 2008’s buzz album of the year. Steve Brooks (vocals/guitar) had his massive down-tuned Orange guitar rig screaming, as the band blazed through bits of “Speed of the Nail” and “Piranha.” Often “thunderous” is casually thrown around when talking about a bassist, but Jonathan Nuñez’s riffs were literally chest pounding. Rick Smith, standing at times, wailed on his drums as if he was afraid they were going to float away. “Tarpit Carnivore,” front-runner for heaviest song ever put to tape, was the highlight of the night with its outro, which will shake your brains out of your ears. If you haven’t discovered Torche yet, get someone to slap the shit out you. Then get your ass to the nearest record store. (DJ Ivie)

Opeth - The Scout Bar (San Antonio), 5/19/09
These Swedish gods of progressive death metal delivered one of the tightest, most ethereal sets ever heard by these ears - despite the lackluster venue. Seriously, Opeth and their fans deserved better - there is no reason for a bar that can barely accommodate 200 people to sound like a massive airplane hangar. Mikael Akerfeldt’s usual humorous in-between song banter was lost in the constant muffle and incessant talking in the crowd.
With a discography nine albums deep and an average track length of nine-minutes long, it was impossible for them to hit every favorite within their two-hour set. Sadly, nothing was played from 2001’s insanely brilliant Blackwater Park. The band, however, dug deep and pulled out some older gems, namely “Karma.” If it weren’t for the craptastic venue (it even had terrible viewing options due to the poor layout), this would have been a sublime experience. (D.J. Ivie)

My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult - Granada Theater, 5/11/09
The band, promoting their new CD, Death Threat, played to a full house this night, following opening acts Chant and The Razorblade Dolls. Even though My Life… has been around for 20 years, it was a mostly younger, gothic crowd.
People danced in front of the stage - led by the two dancers on the elevated stage, one with an amazing voice. The show seemed more like a well-rehearsed, polished Broadway musical than a concert. Songs were varied with a wide range of styles. Highlights included “Diamonds and Daggerz,” “The Resurrection of Luna” and “Gay, Black, and Married.” Comical video footage played on a small, home movie type screen, adding yet another layer to the multifaceted show. It was a great night of entertainment. Recently released news - the rest of the tour has been canceled. No explanation, but an apology. (Jill Jackson)

Blood of the Sun - Curtain Club, 5/02/09
After all that rain, the sun finally came out. I’m talkin’ ‘bout Blood of the Sun. With their keyboard player arriving fashionably late, Henry and crew delivered the one, two punch that Blood of the Sun is infamous for. Layer upon layer of very thick, heavy-ass rock, exploding electricity here and there and all points in between. The Blood is constantly delivering the goods. Live from Deep Ellum, it was Saturday night! (Ray Infante)

Chris Cornell - House of Blues 3/28/09
It was nearly 10:30 before Chris Cornell made his entrance onto HOB’s stage, singing “Part of Me,” where a sold-out house anxiously awaited his appearance. But it was well worth the wait. Cornell (former Soundgarden frontman and Audioslave member) gave the crowd their money’s worth with a 26-song set list. The encore began with Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” then closed the night with “Like Suicide” and “Black Hole Sun.” Cornell is on a launch tour for his own recently released Scream. (Jill Jackson)

Zoroaster - Club Dada, 5/24/09
There could not have been a louder band playing in Dallas this night than Zoroaster. The rig they pulled around was unreal. A solid wall of orange and electric amps and cabinets were sturdily placed behind the trio on stage (leaving little room to move around), and that’s not counting all of the pedals, lights and microphones. Songs like “White Dwarf” and “Spirit Molecule” from latest CD, Voices of Saturn, served as menacing down-tuned relics of the night. Their caravan of fuzzed out heroin-driving tempos, accompanied with the loudness left you comfortably numb. The band’s primitive sound was matched only by their delivery. Having fun was clearly what these guys were all about. (Misty Johnson)

Isis - Granada Theater, 5/20/09
It’s difficult to put this show into words. How do you describe a band that’s as heavy as they are soft? Call it post-metal, doomgaze or whatever, but one thing’s for sure, Isis is guaranteed to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. In support of what may become album of the year, Wavering Radiant, these purveyors of droning brutalness went beyond expectations. From opener “Hall of the Dead,” audience members were left in a subdued trance. Even though frontman/guitarist Aaron Turner has received a lot flack about his clean vocals not being up to snuff, on this night he seamlessly blended his Hum-esque singing with his rich powerful growl on choice cuts like “Ghost Key” and “Carry.” The keyboard flourishes and three-layered guitars made for a brooding, album-quality sound that overloaded auditory senses. A random fan best described this mater-of-factly as, “Man, that was intense.” (D.J. Ivie)