Posts Tagged ‘House of Blues’

*Footage & photos by Kenny Howell

THE CULT stopped at the House of Blues in Boston on Saturday, September 12^th for their highly anticipated “LOVE” LIVE TOUR.

I am starting to enjoy these cliché concerts where a band plays an album in its entirety because you can time your bathroom breaks and beer runs around the songs that you do not really care for, but with THE CULT, choosing a song you do not care for is a challenge.

The LOVE album is regarded as THE CULT’s paramount album – from the unmistakable opening notes of “Nirvana”, through BILLY DUFFY’s wah-wah chording guitar on “Phoenix”, to the velvet vocals of IAN ASTBURY’s on “Black Angel.” THE CULT gave birth to an album that still resonates 25 years later and it marks the band’s evolution from its Goth roots to a lean-mean arena rock machine.

THE CULT delivered an extravagant production, with theatrical effects, using state-of-the art video technology. The back of the stage was encompassed by a movie screen that displayed colorful expansions of 60’s psychedelia leaving me to wonder if I was watching ASTBURY front THE CULT or THE DOORS. It complimented the chill vibe and rain that had been falling outside non-stop for two days.

I have been seeing THE CULT since 1988 and four times within the last four years and this show was definitely the highlight – it sounded phenomenal, and reminded me how truly great LOVE is, an album that usually gets sidelined to ELECTRIC and SONIC TEMPLE.

To coincide with the band’s “LOVE” LIVE TOUR, they will be releasing two different editions of the album in September.

SETLIST:

In addition to playing the complete LOVE album they played the following:

• Electric Ocean
• Wildflower
• Sun King
• Rise
• Firewoman
• Dirty Little Rockstar
• Love Removal Machine

For more information visit THE CULT

For more footage visit us on YOUTUBE

*Footage & photos by Kenny Howell

STRYPER kicked off their 45-city 25^th ANNIVERSARY TOUR in Boston to a packed House of Blues on Friday, September 11^th in support of their latest release and best effort to date, MURDER BY PRIDE.

I guess you could get away with calling it a hometown show for the native Orange County, California band since they rehearse and record on Cape Cod which is also the home of lead singer MICHAEL SWEET.

Audience banter was kept to a minimum aside from SWEET talking about the bands roots in Boston and playing for the first time in 1985 at the now defunct Channel — “We have so many ties here. We are pretty much based here. We are not from Boston but I live on Cape Cod  were we rehearse. Should I give you guys the address? You can come down for coffee.”

The show offered the first glance at the new stage clothes by designer Ray Brown who created the classic outfits for TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL and IN GOD WE TRUST.  I was a little apprehensive about seeing color coordinated stage outfits but they were toned down from previous designs with a modern flair and edge.

When you are considered a 80’s band there is a thin line between being timeless and being dated but STRYPER proved throughout their 90-minute set that they stand on the timeless side of the line.

The show launched to a pitch-perfect intro of “Soldiers Under Command” by SWEET who then handed the vocal duties off to the crowd and they did not miss a syllable. Working out the rust was still evident as the band missed the cue to launch into “Soldiers Under Command.”

After blasting through tunes from SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND and THE YELLOW AND BLACK ATTACK — “The Rock That Makes Me Roll,” “Loud N’ Clear,” “Reach out” — they chipped away at the  critically acclaimed and   impressive newbie’s, “Murder By Pride,” and “4 Leaf Clover” frequently looking at one another  to anticipate the myriad mid-song changes.

The usual suspects filled in the remaining holes including the delicate and melancholy classic “Honestly,” “The Way,” and “To Hell With The Devil.” One of the night’s most exhilarating moments was the guest appearance by TOM SCHOLZ and GARY PIHL of BOSTON for a cover of, “Piece of Mind.”

Rarely has a band been unfairly pilloried as STRYPER and while truths in music may depend on who’s listening, STRYPER proved that even after 25 years in the music industry, as long as you can still bring it live you really don’t have  to worry about what others are saying.

For more information visit STRYPER

For more footage visit us on YOUTUBE

For more photos visit us on FLICKER

*Footage by Kenny Howell & photos by Susan Koutalakis

Since their emergence from Seattle in the early 1980s, QUEENSRYCHE has set themselves apart from other artists by epic concept albums and on the AMERICAN SOLDIER tour they will highlight three of those albums including, RAGE FOR ORDER, AMERICAN SOLDIER and EMPIRE.

The show opened with a suite from the 1986 classic RAGE FOR ORDER, including tracks the band has not played live in over 20 years. This was definitely my favorite of the three suites because the Rage For Order tour was one of my first concerts in 1986 when they opened for OZZY on the Ultimate Sin tour.  They replaced METALLICA due to the tragic death of Cliff Burton.

The momentum became a bit stilted for the second suite of the new epic concept album AMERICAN SOLDIER, which features guest vocal by GEOFF TATE’s daughter Emily who joined him on stage for the poignant ballad “Home Again.” Though there were vivid counterpoints I felt like I was being force-fed having to sit through eight new tracks in a row.

The final suite revisits 1990’s triple platinum opus EMPIRE with performances of some of the band’s most iconic tracks including “Jet City Woman,” “The Thin Line,” and “Best I Can.” The EMPIRE suite seemed to garner the strongest crowd reaction and participation.

For a band that had its commercial heyday in the mid-’90s, QUEENSRYCHE has maintained a steady touring schedule and loyal following. The concert  reinforced the point that they are comfortable at revisiting the past, but very much prove to be relevant and current within their twenty plus years as a unit.

SETLIST:

RAGE FOR ORDER

• Neue Regel
• The Whisper
• The Killing Words
• London
• Walk In The Shadows
• Gonna Get Close To You

AMERICAN SOLDIER

• Sliver
• Unafraid
• If I Were King
• Hundred Mile Stare
• A Dead Man’s Words
• At 30,000 Ft
• Home Again
• Remember Me

EMPIRE

• Best I Can
• The Thin Line
• One and Only
• Della Brown
• Jet City Woman
• Anybody Listening?
• Another Rainy Night (Without You)

ENCORE

• Empire

For more information visit QUEENSRYCHE

For more footage visit us on YOUTUBE