Tag: dare

Down the Rabbit Hole: Bad Rabbits at the Echo

Rob Shepyer February 9, 2020

I’m gonna go out on a limb and state very matter-of-factly that Boston’s power funk band, Bad Rabbits, are the best concert you could ever see in a club. This opinion isn’t based on the high that I’m still running on since their Echo performance for the 10 year anniversary of “Stick Up Kids”, my favorite of their albums, it’s based on simple addition. Their style, energy, songs, vibe, feel, audience, looseness, tightness, synergy, chemistry, the artists they booked as support, the venue they chose, everything added up to make this show incredible. They sounded so good, in a way that tickled your nerve endings to dance and vibe along, because this music was undisputedly cool. Bad Rabbits’ recorded material has so much swagger and substance and live it translated to a crisp, clean sonic experience that down right SLAPPED. The live versions of these songs were not far departures from the records but in the best way, it still felt spontaneous and present, with the freshest vocals and riffs. Bad Rabbits chose the supporting acts to represent the different sides of their own music. The night began with Chicago singer Nikki Hayes injecting the evening with some R&B. Nikki’s

Boston Calling: Sound and Fury 2019

Rob Shepyer July 24, 2019

Words by: Rob Shepyer Photos by: Albert Licano, Anthony Mehlhaff, and Veronika Reinert I feel like every year I go to Sound and Fury, I end up thinking it was the best Sound and Fury I’ve ever been to. 2018 was the festival’s first time at the Belasco, with California’s beloved Rotting Out reuniting to headline Friday, Ceremony closing out the main fest and Iron Age reuniting for an after show at the tiny Resident. Before that, 2017 had Incendiary headline the Regent but also play Five Star Bar the night before, along with Nails, for an after show that had chairs and real punches swinging in the pit. My first Sound and Fury, 2016 featured an unforgettable Ceremony set and was the only time I’ve ever seen my favorite black metal band, Taake, at an after show. related content: Sound And Fury Hardcore Festival Comes Of Age All Across Los Angeles And yet, taking all of these experiences into account, I still feel Sound and Fury 2019 is the undisputed champion. Why? Simply because Have Heart created a concert atmosphere that was so crazed, I’ve never seen anything like it, nor probably will ever again. Seeing it happen in the

L.A. Buffs Up: Angel Du$t at the Lodge Room

Rob Shepyer April 4, 2019

This was one of the concerts I was anticipating most in 2019. As soon as the first couple singles off Angel Du$t‘s latest album dropped at the end of 2018, I knew this band would climb to new peaks while also changing the game around them. Once we entered 2019, the band released a four track preview of the album with Lil Buff, further forming this new image of what the band could transform into. Once “Bang my Drum” and Pretty Buff finally came out, Angel Du$t became my favorite band of 2019 and Pretty Buff my favorite album of 2019. related content: Nature World Night Out At The Regent: Building Bridges Between Hardcore And Hip Hop Since their inception, Angel Du$t was a hardcore band that had an affinity for melody, hooks, and clean vocals that other bands didn’t dare play with but because their hardcore cred was unquestionable, the hardcore kids fell in love with the songs. This was every hardcore kid’s outlet for enjoying music about fun and love while staying in this scene. Now, the band made what is basically a pop punk album but with more authentic feeling and style than any of the 90’s pop punk

Janky Smooth Top 25 Artists to Watch in 2019

Janky Smooth Central Command December 29, 2018

Ah, the much anticipated and revered artists to watch article, how we’ve awaited you. The artists on this list vary in genre, age, ethnicity, region, and popularity. What they all have in common though, is that between January and December of 2019, something special is expected to happen to each of them. This list is not just to identify the smaller bands you need to know about but also to point out the bands you know and should be watching closely. Think of these artists and bands as heroes in their own stories, in the year 2019, a pivotal narrative moment will occur in each story. The Manx The Manx put on a show you couldn’t forget if you tried. Combining all sorts of styles from rock, to zydeco and polka, The Manx stir this musical stew until its reduction doesn’t resemble any of the ingredients used to create it, winding up with a mutant sound that’s totally original and shocking. With oddball instrumentation that utilizes banjo and accordion, the Manx don’t have any problem getting nude and covering themselves in multi-colored slime so that the show is a off-the-wall as the sound. This band is so strange that the

L.A.’s Best Festival is Sound and Fury (imo). Here’s Why:

Rob Shepyer July 19, 2018

There are many qualities that make Sound and Fury Los Angeles’ best festival. I will try to touch upon them all in this article and also review every band that played the festival and after shows. You will want to attend the festival after reading this and not because I’m novelizing the experience but rather, what actually takes place at Sound and Fury is so uniquely incredible that the only reason a fan of heavy music wouldn’t want to attend is because they don’t know the festival exists. So, consider this your introduction: Sound and Fury is a hardcore music festival that began in 2006 in Ventura, California. Hosting legendary sets by underground hardcore artists whether they be in warehouses or the back of a U-haul like for Trash Talk in 2009, the festival’s momentum kept growing and growing until moving to the Regent Theater in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, the festival had expanded to the point that it could upgrade to the Belasco Theater. related content: The Most Complete Sound And Fury 2017 Review On Earth Gathering bands from all around North America (and one from Finland) to perform on two stages in the Belasco or at various

Nature World Night Out At The Regent: Building Bridges Between Hardcore and Hip Hop

Rob Shepyer March 3, 2018

Nature World Night Out is musical proof that there is more variation within the groups we separate ourselves into than between those groups. On the surface, Hardcore music and Hip Hop may seem on opposite poles of the musical spectrum but after a little bit of inspection, you realize they both have similar bounce, fashion, and both originated from the streets. Whether you’re black, brown, or white; male or female, there were artists in the Hardcore or Rap categories performing at this festival for you to project yourself onto. I remember my first Nature World Night Out, two years ago back when it was a one night event at Union Nightclub with Trash Talk and Soulja Boy co-headlining. The night was also my introduction to Antwon, Hip Hop’s ambassador to Hardcore and one of the festival organizers. Needless to say, that first NWNO was amazing and to this day, I still regret missing the second NWNO with Cam’ron… these guys booked Cam’ron to play on the same stage as Jesus Piece and No Warning for God’s sakes. related content: Trash Talk, Ratking, and Pangea: Slam Dance 101 At The Echoplex This year’s third annual installment migrated downtown to the Regent