Life In A Bungalo

Rancid, Big D and the Kid’s Table
Irving Plaza
August 15, 2008

Rancid took the stage a week or so ago for a five day stint at New York’s prestigious Irving Plaza (only fools call it the Fillmore). It’s been a few years since Rancid’s last visit to the Big Apple, and this time they packed in a larger venue and brought a ton of legendary bands with them–Bloodclot, Sick of it All, Madball.

Alas, I got the bum night and had to sit through Big D and the Kid’s Table and their ska-infused pop punk hooha. They reminded me of a castarated version of the Suicide Machines, but with way more horns and a lot less punk. That said, they covered Morphine, which is always a plus in my book. Too bad no one but me were old enough to care.

Rancid were the stars of the night and truth be told, the band have become legends in their own right. God knows they’ve earned it. While not as intimate as their run at BB Kings a few years back, the plays was packed with kids itching to sing and the band did not dissapoint. Particularly if you’re a fan of “Out Come the Wolves,” from which the band played nearly a dozen songs. It would have been nice if they peppered in some pre-Wolves classics, but alas, they had five nights to fill.

Besides, a fantastic rendition of “Rejected” courtesy of Matt Freeman, the band dipped into their new B-sides collection and pulled out “The Brothels,” “I Wanna Riot,” and “Tattoo.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard them touch those tunes, except maybe Riot during the early Wolves tours.

Other than that, the show was rather paint by numbers with most of the hits accounted for and a single song encore of “Time Bomb.” In all honesty, if you go see the Offspring or Green Day, the chance of them playing a song of their first two records is slim to none, let alone really random B-sides, so this tour ranks pretty high in my book. Good to know there are still bands out there that know there fans weren’t all born after they released their biggest records.

Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead, Testament @ PNC Art Center
Holmdel, NJ

With Ozzfest pretty much hanging it up, there’s not much out there for metal fans in terms of a good rock show. Sure, Motley Crue is lapping up some dough riding the nostalgia train and Poison is milking The Rock of Love, but come on—they aren’t really metal.

Enter Rob Halford. The metal god was able to get the Dio version of Black Sabbath, Testament, and Motorhead together for a 12-date expedition under the monicker The Master of Metal tour and the fans have been pouring into the venues to catch a glimpse of this once in a lifetime event.

Eddie Trunk was on hand at the PNC event to introduce the bands. “You know this is a classic show when Testament is the youngest band on the bill,” he proclaimed. Read more »

Hellbound Glory
“Scumbag Country”
Gearhead Records

Hellbound Glory gets props right off the bat for one of the greatest band names in years. Couple that with an amazing record of country-fried hellbilly rock ‘n’ roll, and you have one of the best package deals of 2008.

“Scumbag Country” is a balls-to-the-wall road ripper with tunes that just chug and chug, and lyrics that are as crack up funny as they are catchy as all hell. The record kicks off with the band’s phenomenal eponymous track “Hellbound Glory,” which secures the band in the annals of kickass rock bands. The song rises like a prayer, ramping up to a twangy rompfest of goodness, featuring some amazing fingerpicking and a chorus that just won’t quit. “Here now I’m riding on a hellbound train/Hellbound Glory, yeah that’s his name,” singer Leroy Virgil cries out throughout the song.

“Chico’s Train” follows suit as a traditional country ditty, bashed in the head with a good helping of honky tonk and rockabilly fun. But the band’s call-to-arms is “The Ballad of Scumbag Country,” a laugh out loud tribute to hard living, coke snorting, rebel rousing scumbags. A true tounge in cheek (I think) anthem to white trash living.

Hellbound Glory are just getting started, but judging by “Scumbag Country” this trio of punkabilly rockers already have the world by the balls. It’s just a matter of time before they take it over and spit it back out like used up chewing tabaco.

Doesn’t Rock l Kinda Rocks l Rocks l Really Rocks