KYLESA, Circle Takes The Square, Ken Mode @The Temple 20/2/12

When RTM walks into the Temple there are three beardy blokes on stage setting up.

They don’t walk off stage at any point and it is only when the lights go down that you realise that these men are Ken Mode. The no frills approach encapsulates their sound too, they just plug in and play half an hour of songs that basically sound the same. A kind of melding of prog metal, stoner and metalcore, they posses monstrous riffs, but next to nothing that is memorable.

“We are Ken Mode, Circle Takes the Square are next” is the entire communication with the audience, and, as such we have no idea what the songs were they played – and to be honest, there is no reason to seek them out much further anyway.

The same goes for the aforementioned CTTS. The foursome from Georgia have recently become active again after a hiatus and, in a similar way to bands like Between The Buried and Me, their remit is to take chances. As such, if you “get” them they are probably a satisfying band, but the blend of screamo, post-hardcore and punk leaves us a bit cold.

The crowd is, on the whole, bored and bemused as the set goes on and on – again no communication with crowd doesn’t help - and by the end of the 45 minutes attention for the most part has all but totally wandered.

So its left to Kylesa to pick things up and the band – like CTTS from Savannah, Georgia – set about doing that. Their’s a unique sound, based not just around the headline grabbing front duo of Laura Pleasants and Phillip Cope, but also two drummers, Carl McGinley and Tyler Newberry and bassist Eric Hernandez (who recently made the move from the kit to stage front) who drive the evening on the back of a huge wall of sound.

It doesn’t seem like two years since the brilliant “Spiral Shadows” dropped, but it is and they play four songs from it tonight – including set highlight “Tired Climb.” 2009s “Static Tensions” is well represented too, with opener “Said And Done” particularly impressive.

Kylesa is a band you suspect that doesn’t want the limelight and a band, rather like Crowbar, where the music matters more than money, but that doesn’t necessarily make for a thrilling live spectacle.

There is a tiny break at the end of the set to allow for an encore, not it seemed because they needed the adulation, but rather because that’s what bands are supposed to do and they delve into their back catalogue for “Where The Horizon Unfolds” before a quick wave and they are gone.

Not a bad evening by any means, but one which never got anywhere to being exciting.

SHINEDOWN. Halestorm @Institute 17/2/12

When RTM was a lot younger, Skid Row were the first band I ever saw live, back in 1991 at the NEC. As such, it is immensely gratifying to know that their influence still lives on.

Or, at least it does as far as Halestorm are concerned. The Pennsylvania four piece owe something of a debt to Snake, Rachel and the rest. But at least they have the good grace to acknowledge this explicitly by including the title track from the “Slave to the Grind” album in their set.

There is nothing remotely approaching original about Halestorm, but that doesn’t stop them being entertaining. The band is built around brother and sister vocalist and drummer duo Lzzy (her spelling) and Arejay Hale. The former possesses a fine voice – although her unaccompanied rendition of “Crazy On You” did get a bit full of American Idol histrionics for RTM’s taste.

They are friends of, and regular touring partners for, the headliners and the crowd laps them up. Indeed by the time they have finished their confident set with “I Get Off” such is the adulation it doesn’t seem long before they are back here with their own name on the top of the poster.

Shinedown are one of those bands that only can be produced in the US. They have sold six million albums worldwide and the “Sold Out” signs are up tonight. Arena stars in their homeland; they can easily cope with 1400 Brummies.

They begin with the title track of their 2008 breakthrough album “The Sound Of Madness” from which most of tonight’s set comes, but they are soon playing “Enemies” a track from their upcoming CD “Amaryllis,” due next month. Perhaps surprisingly, the big hit “Devour” soon follows – most bands would leave the single to the encore, but such is their belief in their abilities Shinedown don’t feel the need to wait. 

So it is that for 90 minutes they are on stage playing American radio hard rock of the type that bands like Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses et al used to do in the 1980s. Singer Brant Smith says he grew up watching his heroes on MTV and it is abundantly clear that songs like “The Crow And The Butterfly” and the real lighters-in-the-air-moment of  “Second Chance” are designed with bigger stages than this in mind, and judging by the near hysteria down the front they will be getting them even over here next time around.

So a total triumph then? Well no actually, because it’s all a little too slick. There are moments when the band – although playing live – are clearly doing so over backing tapes and it gets a to be off-putting, especially with the drum sound. The low point is when they play a track in the encore – the new single “Bully,” which sounds like it was designed to be a teen anthem by a focus group. This is for Middle America to lap up, not Middle England. Almost on cue stools come out for an acoustic version of Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” before set closer “From the Inside” rounds things off.

If you like your rock music to be safe, corporate and clean-cut then Shinedown are the band for you. They are the musical equivalent of a Cadburys Mini Roll. Light, fluffy, pleasant and inoffensive, but never going to be your favourite cake and it will never change your life if you eat one.

MASTODON, Dillinger Escape Plan, Red Fang @Brixton Acdemy 11/12/12

You know it’s been a good gig when Salt N Pepper’s 1980s pop nonsense “Push It” starts up as exit music and four thousand heavy metal fans join in. But such was the sheer unbridled enjoyment of the evening, which is exactly what happens as Mastodon finish their UK Tour in fine style tonight.

Rewind about three and a half hours and it falls to Oregon stoner mob Red Fang to kick things off – a job they do very, very well. Veterans of opening for Mastodon, you can see why they were chosen for the task. A heavy, riff led, groove based metal band with two vocalists, they plough the same furrow as the headliners and the sheer number of people who have made it to the Academy to see them shows they have made an impression.

Twin guitarists David Sullivan and Aaron Beam carry their half hour on the back of gargantuan riffs, amply showcased on the outstanding “Throw Up” and they are a very enticing proposition.

Dillinger Escape Plan – like Red Fang, friends of the headliners – are next up and they aren’t messing about. They don’t arrive on stage as much as charge at the crowd ready to attack before launching into “Panasonic Youth”. This rather sets the tone, as the five men race about, jumping off speakers, kicking things over and sliding around.

Which is all very well – and the crowd loves them – but for my money there is a little too much energy and too little focus on the songs. Singer Greg Puciato has an impressive range, soaring high notes and death metal grunts abound, but by the time they have dismantled what remained of their equipment during “43% Burnt” it was a rather unfocused 45 minutes.

Which brings us to Mastodon. RTM has a confession. I’ve seen Mastodon before – supporting Slayer and Metallica, but I never quite got the appeal. Even when my best mate (metaldonnie.blogspot.com) kept on and on about the “Crack The Skye” album being the best since Maiden stuck out  “A Matter Of Life And Death” I just sort of shrugged. Then last year the four piece from Atlanta released “The Hunter” and all of a sudden I understood what the fuss was about.

A slice of proggy-stoner brilliance, it won album of the year in the three metal magazines I buy and is the reason I am making my first trip to the Brixton Academy to see them (the Dream Theater gig clashed with their Birmingham show and I was at a sporting event in the capital earlier that day).

Starting off with “Dry Bone Valley” – one of nine “…Hunter” tracks aired during in a 90-minute set – they add enormous album opener “Black Tongue” to the mix next up before mining their back catalogue for “Crystal Skull” and “I Am Ahab.”

Not the most effusive of men, it is the songs that shine tonight. The vocal interplay between guitarists Bill Kelliher and Brant Hinds and Bassist Troy Sanders makes for an intriguing prospect, and if the chat is kept to a minimum, the same is not true of the light show, which would put many an arena rock band to shame. The sound too, is magnificent, which allows the guitar intricacies to really come to the forefront.

A career- spanning set ends with a raucous “March of the Fire Ants” before all three bands are back on stage, balloons are let off and “creature Lives” becomes one part jam and two parts celebration.

And with good reason, tonight’s show – which was being filmed – was, as drummer Brann Dailor explains at the end, Mastodon’s biggest ever headlining show – and they more than delivered. In my case, tonight, the band was preaching to the (newly) converted.

Cue Salt and Pepper…. after three….“Push it Real good.”

DREAM THEATER, Periphery @Wembley Arena 10/2/12

It’s a tough gig opening for a band like Dream Theater in the UK. Rather like Iron Maiden, Motorhead or Slayer, the fans are there only to see the headliners and you had better be damn good if you want a response.

If Washington six-piece Periphery didn’t know this before the start of this tour, they probably do now. They try – and hard – during their 40-minute slot, but a largely disinterested sea of faces greets them.

Periphery do have the advantage of public endorsements from DT men Labrie and Petrucci, and they are far from awful – indeed songs like “Icarus Lives” and epic set closer “Caravan” hint at immense talent, but the big stages aren’t quite for them at this point in their career.

The same is not true of the world’s biggest – and best – Prog Metallers. Dream Theater. They recovered from the shock loss of drummer and founder member, Mike Portnoy, in rather stunning fashion. First they recruited sticksman extraordinaire Mike Mangini and then unleashed their “A Dramatic Turn of Events” record last autumn. And in case you thought Portnoy might be just too big a void to fill, their show at Wolves Civic Hall last July was one of the great gigs of the 21^st century and if tonight’s festivities don’t quite measure up to that then you have to say its pretty close.

Kicking off with “Bridges in the Sky,” one of six songs aired from their new opus, the New York are on stage for over two hours of nigh on flawless metal.

Rather like last year it is (almost) a career spanning set, but as if to emphasise the quality and depth of their material, it features only one track (“On The Backs Of Angels”) that was played on the last jaunt.

Particular highlights are many, but “6.00” from 1994’s “Awake” album, “The Root of All Evil,” and “Outcry” sounded superb. However, it was perhaps “War Inside My Head” and “The Test Stumped Them All” that showcased the peculiar talents of the group best of all. Both these tracks originally featured as part of the 45-minute title track to “Six Shades Of Inner Turbulence” but here, separated and used as stand alone songs, they are phenomenal.

It hardly needs saying that the band are technically flawless musicians, but aside from Mangini’s jaw dropping drum solo and Petrucci’s blues licks to usher in a triumphant “The Spirit Carries On” they are content to allow the songs speak for themselves.

Frontman James LaBrie flexes his pipes during the short acoustic section, while keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess, perhaps the most extrovert of the group, performs his mad-conductor’s role with some aplomb – and of course bassist John Myung keeps his head down throughout and just gets on with the job.

The evening climax’s with “Pull Me Under” – the bands one big US hit – and whilst you can, if you like, have some minor quibbles – nothing from the “Black Clouds and Silver Linings” album is played and it could have been a touch louder, one thing cannot be argued about: Dream Theater are the best in the world at what they do, and tonight they were all but perfect.

EXIT TEN. The Trews, Raven Vandelle @The Institute 7/2/12

Pointing to the massive backdrop behind him, Exit Ten singer Ryan Redman notes wryly, “It says here we are the next big thing. So watch out.”

For you see, this gig is part of the HMV Next Big Thing Tour, a series of gigs to showcase up and coming talent, which is fine, except that no one seems to have told the gig going public of Birmingham, who had no interest in braving the cold for this one, which means that Redman says this to about 30 people.

Which is a pity because the gig puts two bands – Exit Ten and The Trews – who RTM has a lot of time for and adds Walsall mob Raven Vandelle to complete the bill.

Vandelle are a hotly tipped four-piece who have been making waves recently, Classic Rock made them band of the day last year and they have secured a series of reasonably high profile opening slots (including Jettblack, who RTM saw them with last year)

When vocalist/guitarist Dave Taylor opens his mouth, though, it is hard to shake the feeling that they are 15 years too late – in fact it is hard to shake the feeling that you are listening to Chris Cornell. Even their song titles “Breathe,” “Disease” and set closer “Revolution” scream mid 90s grunge. They are fine musicians and craft some excellent songs – although personally, RTM doesn’t need to hear covers of nonsense pop like Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.”

The lasttime Canada’s The Trews were in these parts it was for a rather ill fated show downstairs in October, when a combination of an awful sound and the band being….well…in a mood didn’t help the enjoyment levels of anyone.

This time round they are much, much better and a good deal happier. Opening with the superb “World I Know,” they showcase their new “Hope and Ruin” opus in the shape of its title track and “Misery Loves Company.” They also turn “Poor Broken Hearted Me” into a jam of epic proportions and generally underline the fact that their take on Stones-esque rock, while never going to re-invent the wheel, is a damn fine one.

Speaking of bands that have just played The Institute, it is barely three months since ExitTen were here on their album release tour. Essentially tonight they play the same set kicking off with standout tune “Life” and following it up with “Curtain Call,” the punchy one-two from their “Give Me Infinity” album.

The Reading five piece have an assured confidence that comes with touring pretty much relentlessly over the last few years and by the time they close their set with “Lion,” the improvement in the band is palpable.

 Whether any of these bands is, in fact, the Next Nig Thing, remains to be seen – and indeed if any of them breaks through to the mainstream our money is on Exit Ten – but all three in their own way is an entertaining proposition.

The problem is that no-one seems to be aware. It must be soul destroying to be The Next Big Thing and still have no one turn up.

MISFITS, Juicehead, Those Furious Flames @The Ballroom 3/2/11

There is a real feeling of de ja vu was RTM walks into the Birmingham Ballroom.

There were many great nights here in the late 90s and mid 2000s when it was the Academy, but this is my first visit to the place since it’s re-opening as The Ballroom last year. So it is something of a shock to find things almost exactly the same as when I was last here three years or so ago.

It is a retro feel that suits Those Furious Flames perfectly. The Swiss band – at least they will feel at home in the freezing cold conditions in the cavernous main room – play rock with a distinctly “classic” feel. They have songs called “Hell Yeah,” “Hot, Hot Baby Rock” and “I’m Alive” and they are extremely entertaining.

They are also the type of band that would be better off supporting a band like The Answer rather than The Misfits, but that’s not their problem.

Juicehead by contrast are a straight-ahead punk band and fare much better. It is, apparently, the first time the Chicago three piece have played outside London and its only their second trip to these shores.

If they make a return I will be avoiding them as they offer little of any great interest and their songs – which all merge into each other anyway – are easily and quickly forgotten. *

So to The Misfits. With a band like The Misfits you know what you are going to get. The last time RTM saw them (just over four years ago) they belted out over 30 songs in 90 minutes and tonight is just the same.

Jerry Only, front man of the venerable New Jersey triumvirate strolls out, shouts “1,2,3,4” and gets on with playing “All Hell’s Breaking Lose” which effectively and neatly sets the tone for the evening.

They have a new CD out called “The Devils Rain” and they give its stand-out track, the quite magnificent “Father” an airing – along with, in fairness, quite a few others.

After 35 songs they come to set closer “Die, Die My Darling,” and what conclusion can be reached? Well you can hardly come and see The Misfits and moan about the speed of the songs, so it seems that there’s a reason that Rock The Midlands is called Rock The Midlands and not “Punk The Midlands.” This stuff is not my thing.

“You were a so-so audience,” sneers Only, in his best, sub Sid Viscous way at the end. That’s ok, Jerry, you front a so-so band.

Not a great night. I should have gone to see Edguy and Voodoo Six up the road…..

*for a much fairer review of Juicehead check out www.metaldonnie.blogspot.com as he loved them!

BIOHAZARD, Heights, Lionheart, Dripback @The Institute Library 2/2/11

London Hardcore/Grindcore crossover merchants Dripback are a five piece, not that you would know tonight, as sound problems ruin their set and rob them of a guitarist for most of it.

There is some potential in their brutality, but as they acknowledge themselves “we’ve had a mare tonight, ain’t we.”

Hopes were higher for Bay Area mob Lionheart, but they too endure a mixed evening. First, the sound is terrible again (the band at one points looks for the “scrawny dude who is on monitors – and you assume it wasn’t for a friendly chat) and second they rather ruin the flow of their short set by cajoling us to “step the fuck forward” or “get the fuck up” a little too often – and quite why they played a snippet of “Sad But True” is anyone’s guess.

Next up are Heights. The hotly tipped southerners received a 5K review in Kerrang for their debut album. Which probably explains why I haven’t bought Kerrang for years. Their lumpen and extremely dull, British take on Hardcore offers nothing new and impresses about five people at the front (who we assume knew the group in some way). If this is the future of heavy music then RTM is sticking distinctly retro.

Things have got to improve, and luckily, pretty much the second Biohazard hit the stage they do. Evan Seinfeld might have gone – amid talk he never actually liked playing live anyway – but  Bobby - Hambel and Billy Graziadei are very much still there and the band sounds revitalized.

Comback album “Reborn in Definance” is a stone cold stormer and they play “Reborn, ” "Vengeance Is Mine” and “Come Alive” from it, and whilst the new songs sound great, it is the older tunes like “Chamber Spins Three,” “Love Denied,”  and set closer “Hold My Own” which perhaps generate the best moshpit action.

That is not to say that even Biohazard are a total triumph, the sound problems which have dogged all the bands have resurfaced for the headliners meaning Hambel’s guitar sound is virtually undetected.

Then there is a problem with the security for the venue. This being ostensibly a Hardcore Punk gig the crowd are encouraged to share the stage with Biohazard which some do, but most are stopped from doing so by the bouncers, forcing Graziadei into the crowd himself for the last track.

So, it ended up being a decent night when it could have been a great one, but for some appalling choices of support band and a truly dreadful sound mix.

Unfortunately, as happens sometimes at The Institute the real winner was the venue. A shame.