D.R.I. show!

The pioneers of crossover thrash are making a stop in Kansas City on their first US tour in a while (I think). They will be at the Record Bar (no word yet if it's all ages, 18+ or 21+ yet) on January 24th. That's the same day as Nile and Immolation at the Beaumont Club, unfortunately. :(

New shows: Fang + Ad Astra Per Aspera

A couple of cool shows will be happening at the Jackpot in Lawrence in December!

12/12 - Bay Area Legends Fang will be performing with a myriad of other bands.
12/26 - Ad Astra Per Aspera will be performing their only show of 2009 and opening will be none other than Lawrence's biggest musical export Coalesce.

Skipping Kansas: Overkill

Dang. Overkill will be skipping us on their amazing tour next year. Closest date looks like Oklahoma.

Vader
Overkill
God Dethroned
Warbringer
Evile
Woe Of Tyrants

Apr. 01 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
Apr. 02 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
Apr. 03 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Hall
Apr. 04 - Quebec City, QC @ Imperial de Quebec
Apr. 05 - Montreal, QC @ FouFounes
Apr. 06 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theater
Apr. 07 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
Apr. 08 - Detroit, MI @ Blondies
Apr. 09 - Chicago, IL @ The Metro
Apr. 10 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Apr. 11 - Minneapolis, MN @ Station 4
Apr. 13 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Apr. 15 - Vancouver, BC @ Red Room
Apr. 16 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Apr. 17 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Apr. 18 - San Francisco, CA @ The Grand Ballroom
Apr. 19 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
Apr. 20 - Los Angeles CA @ House of Blues
Apr. 21 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Apr. 22 - Phoenix, AZ @ O.K.'s
Apr. 23 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
Apr. 24 - Farmington, NM @ Gators
Apr. 25 - Tulsa, OK @ Marquee
Apr. 26 - Austin, TX @ Emu's
Apr. 27 - Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
Apr. 28 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
Apr. 29 - Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
Apr. 30 - Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
May 01 - New York City, NY @ Nokia Theater

Get better soon, Dio!

Perhaps one of the best vocalists in metal, Ronnie James Dio (Dio, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell) was diagnosed recently with stomach cancer. He canceled a full European tour. Luckily, the cancer was found in its very early stages. Dio has said he'll do all that he can to be back on stage as soon as possible. Get well soon, Dio!

Skipping Kansas: Kreator (again)

One of the biggest German thrash acts of all time are coming back to the states. However, Kreator is skipping us. Again!

The line-up is:

** March 3-12:

KREATOR
VOIVOD
NACHTMYSTIUM
EVILE
LAZARUS A.D.

** March 13:

KREATOR
NACHTMYSTIUM
EVILE
LAZARUS A.D.

** March 14:

KREATOR
VOIVOD
NACHTMYSTIUM
EVILE
LAZARUS A.D.

** March 16:

KREATOR
EVILE
LIGHTNING SWORDS OF DEATH
LAZARUS A.D.

** March 18-31:

KREATOR
KATAKLYSM
EVILE
LIGHTNING SWORDS OF DEATH
LAZARUS A.D.

"Hordes Of Chaos Part II" tour dates:

March 03 - Jaxx, West Springfield, VA
March 04 - The Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA
March 05 - The Palladium (MA), Worcester, MA
March 06 - Nokia Theater, New York, NY
March 07 - Club Soda, Montreal, QUE
March 08 - Imperial de Quebec, Quebec City, QUE
March 09 - Opera House, Toronto, ONT
March 10 - Peabody's Cleveland, OH
March 11 - Blondie's, Detroit, MI
March 12 - The Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
March 13 - Rave, Milwaukee, WI
March 14 - Block Station 4, St Paul, MN
March 16 - Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO
March 18 - Corazon, Seattle, WA
March 19 - Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver, BC
March 20 - Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
March 21 - Slim's, San Francisco, CA
March 23 - House of Blues, West Hollywood, CA
March 24 - House of Blues, San Diego, CA
March 25 - The Rock, Tucson, AZ
March 27 - Emo's Alternative Lounging, Austin, TX
March 28 - Meridian, Houston, TX
March 30 - The Club at Firestone, Orlando, FL
March 31 - The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA

Cannibal Corpse -- Kansas City, MO -- November 22nd, 2009

A great night! The place was pretty well packed, and people went really crazy for most of the bands. Great crowd, great bands, great experience.

Except for the warm-up band. They're local (I think?) and called Seasons After. They're pretty much the generic hard rock/"metal" bands you hear on the radio. Mudvayne, Stone Sour, etc. It was the generic formula you get from those songs and the singer was horrendous. People were yelling for them to get off the stage by the end of the first song. 2/10

Erik Rutan is the MAN. Third time seeing Hate Eternal and they were fantastic as always. Only a three-piece this time, no second guitarist. But it really didn't matter. Erik was definitely the best guitar player there tonight. Crowd was pretty meh for them. Unbelievable. Oh well, I think Hate Eternal and Mr. Rutan speak for themselves. 9/10

Bringer Of Storms
Behold Judas
I, Monarch
Catacombs (YES, DON'T EVER STOP PLAYING IT, ERIK!)
Fury Within
To Know Our Enemies/The Obscure Terror (I don't remember which!)
The King Of All Kings

I think I am older than every member of Born of Osiris. Seriously, I doubt any of them are above 21. It was funny. I knew I wasn't going to like them, but they were a lot less bad than I thought they'd be. If they got rid of all the deathcore garbage and breakdowns, their twin guitar work could actually produce something listenable! Other than that, it was pretty much 50% breakdowns. Sometimes they'd add keyboards on top, but it really didn't do much. They have potential, but they need to get away from deathcore. Still, probably the best (or least worst) deathcore band I've seen. Miles ahead of Winds of Plague and Whitechapel. 5/10

Unearth. It was my third time seeing them, so I knew what to expect. And to make matters worse, I was smack dab right in front of their douchey guitarist. I knew I was going to get beer spit on me, have him thrust his crotch in my face and whatnot. But you know what I did? I decided to headbang and play along with Unearth for the sake of maybe he wouldn't do stuff to me. And you know what?

It was great.

I know, but they were SO much better than the two times I saw them before. In fact, the guitarist was one of the best parts! He faked out giving me a pick a couple times before he finally gave me one. I got another one and gave it to this kid behind me who was going nuts. Unearth was actually...*gulp*...good. I had a great time. I dunno if I'd pay money to see them headline just yet, but they might be getting there. 7.5/10

Unearth opens for good bands. I saw them open for Slayer, then Testament, and now the mighty Cannibal Corpse. Third time this year for me seeing them, and they are one of the funnest live metal bands ever. "Death Walking Terror" remains the heaviest song ever live and "Hammer Smashed Face" is just fantastic to hear. I headbanged so hard that I had to stop, lest I wanted to vomit on the security guards.

I wasn't on the same side as Alex Webster, but after a few songs, people started chanting his name. He laughed. In fact, Paul Mazurkiewicz got a chant too! And I finally did it: I yelled out "FUCK THE ALLIANCE!" and Corpsegrinder laughed and said "Of course!" No Skull Full of Maggots, but it was still fantastic. 9.5/10

Evisceration Plague
The Time To Kill Is Now
Death Walking Terror
I Cum Blood
Fucked With A Knife
Pit Of Zombies
The Wretched Spawn
Make Them Suffer
Vomit The Soul
Priests Of Sodom
Unleashing The Bloodthirsty
Hammer Smashed Face
Stripped Raped and Strangled

I actually inteded to see most of Hatebreed, at least until they played the Slayer cover, but I was dead. Headbanged harder than ever, except for the last time I saw Skeletonwitch. Great show. Lots of good surprises, and all the bands really delivered.

Alice In Chains - A New Era!

Reactivated grunge metal gods Alice In Chains will be returning to the Midland Theater in Kansas City on February 21st, 2010. If you remember, Kansas City was the last US show AiC played before their singer, Layne Staley, passed away.