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Great Awakening

10/7/2014

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Seeing Rise Against Live: My Own Great Awakening

For those of you who are history buffs out there, I’m sure you already are full aware of what the Great Awakenings were. However, for those like me who understand the importance of learning history but have little aptitude in doing so, I shall fill you in.


There have been two Great Awakenings in history. Both were resurgences in religious faith, mainly driven by traveling preachers and religious revisionists. These landmarks in our sacred history resulted in increased church attendance, greater piety among the masses, and an altogether devout fervor among the people.

Many of you are probably sitting behind a screen, reading this, and wondering what this has to do with seeing Rise Against live. It does, in fact, have everything to do with experiencing one of their live shows.

I started this website approximately a year and a half ago, at the beginning of my ever growing interest in rock music. At that time, my obsessions included Rise Against, Affiance, and Linkin Park. I can promise you that at that time I know (and I still do) every word to every song by Rise Against (including, coincidentally, the song “Great Awakening” from The Unraveling, their very first album).

For about a year, I remained in a constant state of revering Rise Against, cycling through all six of their masterful albums (there are seven now). Unfortunately, after someone pointed out to me that Nickelback had no musical skill, I realized that every Rise Against song followed a predictable formula, and that their one true unique quality was their thought-provoking lyrics.

For some reason, this completely turned me off to Rise Against, and even when their newest album The Black Market came out, I showed little interest. This is truly inopportune, considering that now, as I look back on it, The Black Market is truly remarkable.

As many of you know, I attended Monster Energy’s Aftershock Festival in Sacramento a few weeks ago, and baked in the miserable heat while interviewing bands and relishing the music of Seether, Rob Zombie, Dig the Kid, VIZA, Lacuna Coil, and so many other bands.

Among the mind-blowing lineup stood Rise Against, and despite my indifference towards them, I was nonetheless eager to attend their show without the burden of my camera so I could mosh unhindered.

From the very first chord, I realized my mistake in losing faith in Rise Against, and so began my Great Awakening. As song after song was played, I became more and more devout towards the venerable Rise Against.

Genius lyrics accompanied expert musicianship and wove this way and that into their remarkable stage presence and boundless charisma. I was completely and utterly converted back to their music. For days afterwards, I ranted endlessly to my father about the true awakening I experienced during their set. It honestly felt like a religious occurrence.

Not long afterwards, I attended another show of theirs at the Wiltern, a small venue that hosted an arena band. I felt blessed!

I know now, after this Great Awakening, I will not stray from the path. Rise Against will never again lose my faith.

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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GUEST POST- Blackmore at the House of Blues 8.30.14

9/3/2014

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Blackmore at the House of Blues

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Photo taken by Dan Adler
Los Angeles based metal outfit Blackmore celebrated the release of their first studio EP  “Law of Time” by blowing the roof off the House of Blues on Sunset last Saturday night.  Their August 30th EP release party was probably their best show ever, and the joy and excitement that shined on the faces and through the hearts of the band members was only surpassed by the growing enthusiasm of their fan base.  As a long time fan of Blackmore, it was fantastic to watch the audience members there for the other bands caught up with the infectiousness of the Blackmore sound. They, too, were soon dancing and moshing along with the Blackmore fans and wishing they knew the words and could sing along.

Blackmore mixed up their show Saturday night with a very creative introduction. Playing first the mellow-starting “Downfall,” with quiet instrumental and soothing singing by backup vocalists Varsenik Aslanyan and Anna Gevorkian.  It was a great way to entice the crowd, especially those new to Blackmore’s driving metal sound.  Soon, vocalist Adrian Barrios took over and got his marathon-like workout over the next 35 minutes of their set.

The third song of the night, “Backdraft,” is my favorite Blackmore song because it accentuates the incredible talent shared by guitarists Shaunt Sulahian and Vahan Aslanyan. I was at a show a week before watching a band with four guitarists who all played together. Sure it was loud and powerful, but it lacked creativity.  What Sulahian and Aslanyan do so extremely well is play off of each other, creating a powerful sound that goes between playing together, backing each other up, and mixing solos in such a creative and intelligent way that it is clear this is a band with a bright and promising future.

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Photo taken by Dan Adler
Blackmore continued with the songs “Battlefield” and “Beautiful Hurricane,” which were the two songs they had on the demo EP originally hooking me into their sound 18 months ago.  The quality of the performance of these two songs improves with each show, and the comfort the band has with playing together is evidence for just how far they can go over time.  Along with the powerful vocals and intelligent guitar riffs is drummer Vinny Mezian, whose driving metal beat mixed with metalcore influences are not far from the surface. Finally, David Dadoyan is a bassist who drives the band.  He is certainly not a “hide in the back” bassist, but rather is pushing the band with an outstanding bass line that is backed up by a stage presence that has you headbanging and air guitaring…to the bass line.

The final song of the evening, “Animalistic,” was incredible.  By this time everyone in the house was a convert and the whole place was rocking.  I thought the venue was going to come down long before its scheduled closing later this year.  But no, the venue survived another Blackmore onslaught and the audience was well rewarded.

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Photo taken by Dan Adler
In just a few days, Blackmore will perform again, opening for the incomparable Nothing More. Rrom San Antonio, Texas, they are the purveyors of what I consider to be the absolute #1 CD of 2014, the self-titled album Nothing More.  Combined with Sleepwave and Opus Dai, the Nothing More and Blackmore show at the Troubadour on September 3rd has enough talent in one night to qualify as a festival of heavy metal.  September 3rd is the first day back at school for us Long Beach natives.  I know that is something a lot of people aren’t looking forward to, but the Nothing More show, featuring LA band Blackmore should make the pain of the first week fade into a minor annoyance. Don’t miss it.

Thank you Blackmore musicians for a fantastic night of brilliant music.  I am sure there will be many more all over the world in your future.


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Dan Adler was raised in Southern California to a mom and dad, one of whom appreciated Creedence and left wing anti-war politics.  By the teenage years, Dan became obsessed with Black Sabbath, listening to the same seven albums repeatedly for 5 years.  During this time, his favorite concert experience was seeing Metallica open for a bunch of bands that no longer exist and winning the 1st ever Santa Cruz Air Guitar contest.  After several years in Africa listening and dancing to Chimurenga music, Dan returned to have the two best children in the world, one of whom spends a lot of time at concerts with him.   What a lucky dad!
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GUEST POST- La Dispute at the El Rey Theater 8.25.14

8/28/2014

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La Dispute at the El Rey

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Grand Rapids, Michigan, based post-hardcore band La Dispute tore up Los Angeles’s El Rey Theater Monday, August 25th.   Following a show at the FYF Festival on Sunday, and teaming up with Balance and Composure and local band Souvenirs, La Dispute put on a show for the ages; an evening of intense and passionate music-making that rivals anything I have seen this year.

Admission of Bias: I feel that Jordan Dreyer and La Dispute are the single best live act performing in America today.  I can say this without any doubt because while the contest for the second best live band may be tough, La Dispute is in a league of its own.  There is something that happens when Jordan Dreyer takes the stage.  The combination of intensity and depth of emotion is unmatched.  Think of Edgar Allen Poe performing his poetry live.  Think of the intensity of the Sex Pistols.  Then think of the stage presence of Cirque de Soleil.  Put it all together, and you have La Dispute.

Have you sat down and read a really good story recently?  Have you become attached to the character in a book and the author tears him away and you are left sobbing?  This is how intense a La Dispute concert is.  You share the deep raw emotion of painful personal stories told in such a beautiful way, with the power of Dreyer’s vocals and the indescribable emotional sound of the guitar work driven powerfully by Brad Vander Lugt’s drumming and accented perfectly by Adam Vass’s superior bass skills.  


Monday’s show was a departure from some of the other shows I have seen from La Dispute.  There was no “Said the King To The River,” probably the best live song I have ever survived in a moshpit. Also lacking was “St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues,” a complicated song about the decline of a place of worship that parallels the decline of the economy and life of Michigan….only to find out that the song itself is a parable of the struggles we have as humans.  Monday they played a ton of songs that don’t get as much play time: “Damaged Goods,” “Scenes from the Highway 1981-2009,” “Safer in the Forest/Love Song for Michigan,” and “The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit.”

The setlist they did play was put together brilliantly to vary the atmosphere.  From slow, beautiful tunes such as “Woman (in Mirror)” to the devastating “New Storms For Older Lovers,” La Dispute kept the crowd wildly switching between dancing, chanting, and wild moshing.  Jordan Dreyer brought Jeremy Bolm of Touche Amore on stage and they played “How I Feel” and “Why it Scares Me” from their split EP Searching for a Pulse/The Worth of the World, released in 2010.  

Throughout the show what blows the mind of anyone new to a La Dispute concert is the incredible dedication of the fans, who can sing pretty much every word of every song.  Now this might not seem like that big of a deal for those who frequent rock shows.  I love intelligent lyrics, like those written by Tim McIlrath (Rise Against) or Jesse Hasek (Ten Years). But Jordan Dreyer is different.  Every song is an epic poem; think Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, or the Gettysburg Address.  The words are complicated, multi-faceted stories with multiple meanings, both implicit and explicit.  In fact, near the end Dreyer explained that the last two songs dealt with “the pain involved in the inability to break off a relationship [Andria], [and the second] about the beauty of life when you finally move on and realize the beauty of the world that is right in front of your eyes.”  That last song, “Extraordinary Dinner Party,” I thought really was only about the beauty of a morning after a big snow storm, but no, Dreyer insinuated, the deeper meaning was finding beauty when you finally let your past challenges go and move on. 

This is something I wish Dreyer would actually do more of in concert, which is to talk a bit about the songs and what they mean, or mean to him.  Buying a La Dispute CD is purchasing an album of great music, combined with a book of extraordinary poetry.  Seeing a live La Dispute show is something akin to a religious experience, but one where you get to scream, mosh, dance, push, shove and all around have an amazing time.    

From the first time I saw this band, I said I would never miss one of their shows.  This last show Monday was the absolute best show I have seen.  The combination of the diverse setlist and the fact that Dreyer was clearly on his game made this the absolute best La Dispute show I have witnessed.   Like I have written in other articles, La Dispute’s sound and Jordan Dreyer’s singing is an acquired taste, it is like a fine wine; it gets better with age. It is also like a best friend; the more you know about that person and the closer you understand them, the more you love everything about them.  But no acquisition or adjustment is needed for a La Dispute performance; it is, simply put, the best live music.

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Dan Adler was raised in Southern California to a mom and dad, one of whom appreciated Creedence and left wing anti-war politics.  By the teenage years, Dan became obsessed with Black Sabbath, listening to the same seven albums repeatedly for 5 years.  During this time, his favorite concert experience was seeing Metallica open for a bunch of bands that no longer exist and winning the 1st ever Santa Cruz Air Guitar contest.  After several years in Africa listening and dancing to Chimurenga music, Dan returned to have the two best children in the world, one of whom spends a lot of time at concerts with him.   What a lucky dad!
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Guest Blog Concert Review of Van's Warped Tour-The Other Bands

6/28/2014

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Two Days of VAN'S Warped Tour; Pomona and Ventura, CA

Since I had never been to a Van’s Warped Tour, and neither had Zoe, we decided to go twice; once with friends, and once just the two of us, and this turned out to be a good decision because even though Zoe and I have relatively similar music tastes, our favorite stuff is different. 
My thoughts on Van’s:  Pomona is hot!  Ventura is not!  But overall the musical experience was awesome, and I was able to find a fantastic mix of music that satisfied both Zoe and my tastes.  What follows is a quick synopsis of bands you probably don’t know that are really worth checking out.

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CHASE WALKER BAND
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Chase Walker Band - Chase on the right.
Zoe knows Chase Walker, and she had told me he was an amazing guitarist.  My favorite thing in the world to listen to is blues guitar.  Once I was asked, “If you were stranded on a deserted island and had the complete collection of only one artist to listen to forever, who would it be?”  Easy answer….Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Unfortunately, I was too much of a metal snob to see him live at the Catalyst when I had the chance, but I have grown an appreciation of blues guitar as I get older, and there is a definite pathway of generations…Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and now Chase Walker.  Yes, he really is that good.   He belongs in a sentence with those two, and lovers of this genre will hear his name for a long time.  He is incredibly young, but I got to see KWS when he was about 16 or 17 on his first tour with his band, and it was a real treat.  I cannot wait to go see CWB again.
CHUNK! NO, CAPTAIN CHUNK!
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It is well known at my house that screaming needs to be either something teenagers do to their parents, or an accent on the actual music for me to appreciate it.  That is why Chelsea Grin and Attila are bands that I simply have to skip while Zoe hits the pit.  But this French band is simply awesome.  The stage presence of singer Bertrand Poncet and the energy and enthusiasm of the entire band is contagious.  The song ‘Haters Gonna Hate” is probably the most fun song of this entire genre.  Wikipedia claims they are “Pop-Punk” but  Chunk! has metalcore undertones, pop melodies, hysterical lyrics and fun catchy rhythms. The judicious use of screaming only accentuates the emotions of the songs rather than dominating the sound, and Poncet has amazing range and ability to switch back and forth throughout the set and songs.  I will be on the lookout for their tour after VANS and hope very much to see a full set someday.
BEEBS AND HER MONEY MAKERS

This band is simply unrestricted fun.  Not even sure what genre they belong in, but to be in the audience when they play is just a blast.  Seeing fully tattooed, mohawked screamo fans dancing in a peaceful circle pit was in and of itself a blast.  B&HMM is from Ocala, Florida, and if you are an open-minded fan of music, it is time to give them a listen. 
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Their genre is hard to explain, but with a horn section, a great guitarist and a kazoo player, imagination is not enough.  If you are at a future VANS Tour show, get to their stage and prepare to dance, laugh, and smile, because that is what the whole audience is doing.  Beebs at one point joined the general metalcore theme of this year’s Vans and sang one song from her gut, and seeing her in her black and white checkered pants screaming death metal was hysterical. 
THE SKARIGINALS
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The Skariginals first EP
They played at the local stage on Friday in Pomona, and on the Kevin Says stage on Sunday in Ventura, and they again were just a great deal of fun.  With Ska riffs and a fun partying atmosphere, they were a band that captivated their unfortunately small audience.  Their finale, “We’re Monkeys” was a total blast and again sharing a circle pit with people more akin to death metal than monkey dances was an invigorating.
A SKYLIT DRIVE
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A Skylit Drive- Post Hardcore from Lodi, CA
I know they are probably bigger than any of the above bands, but I have to mention them because I thought they did such a great job.  Their ability to blend the sounds of two diametrically opposed voices, while playing hard driving music is awesome.  Plus, they are from Lodi, CA, a place I frequented as a kid (my grandma lived there).  I wonder how many Lodi bands have made it, and really hope someday they do a metalcore cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Lodi."  It “screams” to be done.  
LINKIN PARK 
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Ok, let’s play, “one of these bands is not like the other.”  Yes, you win…..and it is true…Linkin Park played a surprise set in the middle of the day on a special stage set up in the middle of the venue.  They played about 35 minutes of their most famous songs, plus one new song off the new album, and they did it by inviting lead singers up from various bands.  Suffice it to say this was an amazing experience even though it was hard to get anywhere near the stage.  Linkin Park is an incredible band with so much to offer.  And sharing vocal duties must have been a tremendous experience for the many singers they invited up to join them.

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Dan Adler was raised in Southern California to a mom and dad, one of whom appreciated Creedence and left wing anti-war politics.  By the teenage years, Dan became obsessed with Black Sabbath, listening to the same seven albums repeatedly for 5 years.  During this time, his favorite concert experience was seeing Metallica open for a bunch of bands that no longer exist and winning the 1st ever Santa Cruz Air Guitar contest.  After several years in Africa listening and dancing to Chimurenga music, Dan returned to have the two best children in the world, one of whom spends a lot of time at concerts with him.   What a lucky dad!

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Monster Energy's AFTERSHOCK Festival

6/25/2014

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Okay, let's take a look at this lineup: Rob Zombie. Godsmack. Five Finger Death Punch. Rise Against. Seether. Mastodon. Of Mice & Men. We Came As Romans. Black Stone Cherry. Lacuna Coil. Kyng. Black Label Society. Memphis May Fire. Nothing More. Butcher Babies. Anti-Mortem. Eyes Set To Kill. VIZA.
HOLY CRAP!

This incredible lineup will be an absolutely amazing festival! And seriously, every kind of rock is touched upon. Old-new music comes with Kyng. We get Southern rock with Anti-Mortem and Black Stone Cherry. We get phenomenal lyrics with Nothing More and Rise Against. Hardcore, angry music comes in the form of Five Finger Death Punch, Godsmack, and Memphis May Fire. Weird music? We got that, too, with Weezer, VIZA, and Awolnation. Serious screamo? Yup: Butcher Babies, Of Mice & Men, and We Came As Romans. Rap rock comes with Limp Bizkit.

I am super stoked, but don't know every band playing so if you have any advice about who is a "must see" and who is not, comment below! Thank you :)

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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Outrageous Talent at The VIPER ROOM: The Nukes, The Dirty Diamond, & Blackmore – May 10, 2014

5/12/2014

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Outrageous Talent at The VIPER ROOM: The Nukes, The Dirty Diamond, & Blackmore 

Knockout vocals and musicianship were the themes last night at the Viper Room: with Teen Phenoms in The Nukes, with the funky rhythms and versatile zaniness of The Dirty Diamond, and with the precision rock of Blackmore.  The whole night shimmered with good karma: in my crystal ball I see every musician last night living on stage, making music, until the God of Music brings them home in old age.   K’noup Productions promoted this line-up: let’s say that Knoup’s got the knack for knockouts:

THE NUKES

Think of a rocked-out, bleach-blond Shirley Temple: the singer Hunter Taran is that cute.  Wearing kitty-cat ears, a kitty-cat halter-top, a short flared skirt, and Velcro sneakers, I could see her just as easily singing “it’s a good ship lollypop” with virtuosity at the age of 3.   And yet, The Nukes are a kick-ass hard rock band.  Meanwhile, the teen guitarist, Dimitri Nardini, played riffs with effortlessness, reminding me of when I saw Kenny Wayne Shepard when he was 17.  The bassist and drummer were tight.  Loud and intense, this band delighted me most when highlighting Hunter’s vocal range and talent, but then again, I love my female diva singers. 

THE DIRTY DIAMOND

These versatile rockers could drop a funky beat like no one’s business, then switch to sweetness and harmonies, then throw in a little hard-pounding rock righteousness.  I love the lead-singer’s voice quality; it’s the kind of voice we women fall in love with.   I also loved his big, loose-limbed zaniness on stage.  The bear of a guitarist had fine riffs that inspired the audience to shout out and applaud.  The bassist and drummer pulled their weight.  Play on forever, boys. 

BLACKMORE

Blackmore hits my husband Dan’s sweet spot: tight guitars working together with time signature changes (Hubby’s a math teacher.)  But interestingly, when it comes to hard rock, Blackmore hits my sweet spot too:  Gorgeous soaring melodies that a woman can sink into.  I’ve been listening to my husband go on about Blackmore for a year.  Now I get it.  And, like everyone at the Viper Room last night, they are Buena Gente. 

 My Message to the Musicians

Rock on forever!  You deserve to make money at this, and you deserve to be appreciated by great, big audiences.  We will all benefit, and the universe will be happy.

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Eugenie Adler is a high school counselor from Long Beach, CA, and an astute writer.
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RED and Disciple at the Chain Reaction 5.4.14

5/9/2014

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RED and Disciple at the Chain Reaction!

Concert Review- RED & Disciple at Chain Reaction 5.4.14

Parking at this little whole-in-the-wall venue was abysmal. The venue itself looked more like a drug front than a Christian rock music venue.  The walls were covered in age-old bumper stickers and the place was cramped and poorly laid out. The stage sat in the front corner of the tiny room with a hallway-type floor-space leading all the way back to the bathrooms, merch table, and bar.

            We arrived a few minutes after Disciple started its set. Immediately, I worried that there would be no possible way for me to see the stage. Thankfully, I found a little space next to the roadie pit where I had a sideways view of the stage. Not the ideal, but it sufficed.

            Disciple had a very impressive rock sound with solid melodies and accompanying bass lines.  The drummer was clearly deeply skilled and maneuvered the set like he was born with drum sticks in his tiny fists. About forty percent of the crowd yelled out the faith- and grace-praising choruses as the band members enthusiastically jumped around and sang. Approximately half way through their set, Disciple began preaching. I do not condone proselytization and this was no exception. I tuned out the extremely long speech about sins and saints until I heard Disciple start speaking about a project. Disciple and RED are raising money at every concert to pay for surgeries for children in Africa who have deformities that would prevent them from being able to work and learn and succeed. This admirable cause raised my respect for Disciple and I enjoyed the rest of the concert with an open mind.

            At the end of the Disciple set, a good portion of the people flooded out of the venue, so Disciple clearly has a faithful following (pun intended). RED walked on the stage to a haunting recording and began a deeply energetic performance. Every band member created a safety hazard from the pools of sweat they dripped onto the floor yet they still unceasingly put everything they had into every song. The lead singer has an excellent voice on recording and I rejoiced when I heard no difference live. The bassist was very close to wear I was standing and that dude was no normal bassist.  A normal bassist stands there, plays their guitar, and looks stoned. This guy was constantly moving and yelling and jumping. The enthusiasm put into the show clearly infected the audience because by the second song not a single person looked like they ever wanted to leave. A great concert starts, pulls you in, and shocks you when it ends; RED followed this pattern perfectly and I was deeply disappointed when the last note of the encore faded into the air.

This concert was truly amazing. Thank you so much, RED and Disciple.

**Don’t for get to follow TeenView Music on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @TeenViewMusic**

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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La Dispute at the Glass House 3.26.14

4/9/2014

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La Dispute at the Glass House

About a year ago, my father attended a La Dispute concert and after which spent every possible moment talking my ear off about what I missed. I pretty much nodded at intervals and smiled when he spoke a little louder. But I couldn’t help but wonder, What if they really are the best live act out there? So I vowed that the next time La Dispute came to LA, I would see them. This opportunity finally came about two weeks ago and now I have the honor of telling you all about it.

            No, they are not the best live act I’ve ever seen. But, they are way high up there on the list. Oddly enough, they are ranked underneath Imagine Dragons any day and Motionless In White on a good day.  However, I do recommend that if you have the opportunity to see La Dispute, you should definitely take it. I promise that you’ll be glad you did.

            After the opening bands had…awed…us with their music skills, the anticipation of every single person in the crowd rose at a pace so fast that my breath caught in its throat as I looked around at the impatiently bouncing legs and necking couples. I’d never seen a crowd so eager to see a band before; I knew that La Dispute had a passionate following, but this surprised me nonetheless. As Jordan Dreyer walked on stage, the loudest scream rose from every corner of the venue; fists shot in the air and young girls (okay, everyone) began to jump up and down and squeal. The haunting and minimalist chords that differentiate La Dispute from any other band filled the tension and excitement with more and more potential energy until Dreyer broke into song/moaning speech and all hell broke loose. In a good way. I began the fight for my life in what became one of the most intense mosh pits I had ever been in. Somehow, every person in that venue seemed to know every word to every song and could scream it from the top of their lungs while shoving and running and falling and laughing. I swear that I could feel the stress and problems everyone carried with them just lift into the air and dissolve as Dreyer took us all on a journey of the most interesting and deeply meaningful music known to man.

            Dreyer wasn’t the only one involved…that’s what makes La Dispute’s performance so amazing. Every. Single. Band member. Involves themselves and pours passion through their instruments. Lightly strummed minor chords topped with a deliberate bass line and perfectly timed snare hits mixed itself flawlessly with Dreyer’s vocals and the venue came to life. “Said the King to the River.” “Andria.” “New Storms for Old Lovers.” Every person in that venue, on the stage or behind the merch table or standing in the floor space or drinking at the bar lost themselves in the raw emotion that bled into the very syllables of “if I can’t love you as a lover, I will love you as a friend” and “come on lady, pack your things, this place is not your home.”

            The concert completely brought the house down and if The Glass House was actually made of glass, the walls would have shattered from the uncontainable energy. I was, to say the least, awestruck. I will see La Dispute EVERY TIME I get the chance. I suggest you do too. 

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.

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10 Years in Las Vegas! 3.20.14

4/5/2014

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10 Years

When Ten Years first announced their acoustic tour I was so incredibly excited since I could not imagine a band that is better suited for the acoustic setting.  Although 10Years can rock with the hardest of bands, they are also home to the buttery sounds of the best voice in Rock and Roll today, Jesse Hasek.  Combine that with the intricate finger work of Tater Johnson, and you have what could prove to be the perfect acoustic show.

When Ten Years finished announcing the dates for their tour I was so incredibly pissed off since their closest show was in Las Vegas, and as a California resident this just was not real convenient.  Of course things went from bad to worse; it was on a Thursday, ok I can handle that, we will have a family adventure and take off Friday.  Oh, Zoe has a flute show on Thursday, I can go without her.  Wow, I have to work Friday?  That makes things difficult.  Hell if I can handle a Protest the Hero moshpit at 50 years old I can do a Vegas turnaround at 51.  And so it was born; the 16 hour Vegas road trip for Hank and I.

Of course things really took off after Hank posted our plans when we found we got to take Kyle’s girlfriend to Vegas and surprise him….she was smart…she stayed the weekend.  Arie was the greatest of company and spared Hank and I from entertaining each other the entire time.  Good news for Hank…I am just not really that interesting.

At this point you probably want to know if I am ever going to talk about the show, and indeed I am.  But you had to know the context, since despite a 600 mile round trip to the show, Ten Years made every second of that show worthwhile.  I cannot say I have become an acoustic show fan yet (not quite ready for that walker), but what I can say is that I have become a much greater fan of 10 Years after seeing and hearing what they are capable of doing.

Ten Years is probably the most versatile band in rock and roll today.  They can absolutely rock the house as they did at the Key Club last year. They write the most beautiful music and combine that with deep and meaningful lyrics.  And, they can sing the most haunting love songs that tell great stories and move you deeply, such as Forever Fields and Beautiful.   To listen to 10 Years extensively you cannot help but wonder why they are not headlining shows at the Honda Center or Madison Square Gardens.  They are that good.  Jesse’s voice is so incredibly powerful and so movingly sweet all at the same time.  Tater and l.llllllll can make you cry in one song, and make you mosh the next.  And the bass player seemed ready every moment to get up off his chair and start headbanging, where he definitely seems more natural.

Another aspect of the acoustic show that was very enjoyable was the comfort the band members seemed to have together on stage.  Jesse joked with everyone, giving touring drummer Kyle a hard time, then getting the audience to “show his some love”.  Kyle proves to really belong with the band as his drumming and keyboard were as versatile as the band itself.  Tater and Jesse bantered the entire time and  entertained the audience with their comedic whit. 

Finally when it was time for the opening set to end, rather than force a crowd to scream for an encore Jesse sang a capella and finally the band returned to sing two covers.  Now I normally hate cover songs as I really want to hear 10 Years not someone else, but Jesse singing Folsom Blues was a real treat that the audience truly appreciated.  It was just another feather in the cap of, “can this band really do everything, and do all of it really well?”  the answer so far seems to be hell yes….ok except booking shows……ever heard of California?  It is the place I had to drive home to after the show.  I did get home at 4:15 am,  and after a two hour nap I got to have one of those special days at work.  I teach high school, and if you have ever thought 14 and 15 year olds are energetic, try teaching them after two hours sleep.

The good news?  I got to see one of the most amazing bands in history play a truly moving acoustic show.  I got to go to Vegas.  I got to teach class on Friday after no sleep….and I had tickets to see The Sword that very night.  Ahhhhh, middle age kicks ass dude!!! 

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Dan Adler was raised in Southern California to a mom and dad, one of whom appreciated Creedence and left wing anti-war politics.  By the teenage years, Dan became obsessed with Black Sabbath, listening to the same seven albums repeatedly for 5 years.  During this time, his favorite concert experience was seeing Metallica open for a bunch of bands that no longer exist and winning the 1st ever Santa Cruz Air Guitar contest.  After several years in Africa listening and dancing to Chimurenga music, Dan returned to have the two best children in the world, one of whom spends a lot of time at concerts with him.   What a lucky dad!
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Self Help Festival (3.22.14)

4/3/2014

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Self Help Festival

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I’m just going to straight out say that this concert started out shittily. If that’s even a word. My dad spent a good hour and half or more driving up and listening to me babble continuously about just how excited I was to see Memphis May Fire. When we arrived, I expected all my anxiety about being late to dissipate; of course, the very opposite occurred.

The Self Help Festival was sponsored and run by A Day To Remember; the name came from the concept that people listen to screamo/heavy metal music to help themselves deal with problems in life. Anything organized by a band tends to be a bit….disorganized. However, the dysfunctional-ness of this concert rose miles above my expectations. A two-hour line meandered down three or so blocks…FOR WILL CALL TICKETS! And, of course, if you hadn’t bought a ticket yet, there was no line (which basically means that they were punishing the fans). The only respite from baking in the hot sun while (im)patiently waiting for our tickets was some free Jarritos dispensed from a truck by a very smart businessman. Fortunately, we only had to wait for one and half hours before the people running will call gave up and basically handed out free tickets. Did I by any chance mention that it was disorganized? I swear to you that no words can describe the magnitude of my frustration at A Day To Remember; what exactly were they helping us with? Getting a suntan while waiting on the scorching sidewalk?

At that glorious moment when I’d been handed my wristband and could barge into the complex where the festival was being held, a surge of panic almost knocked me over…had Memphis May Fire already played? Thankfully, I arrived to hear the last two songs of A Skylit Drive’s performance (about two hours before MMF played). The only times I’d ever heard A Skylit Drive’s music was the occasional song popping up on Pandora. I definitely liked what I’d heard, but didn’t really know their music super well. This being said, usually when I see a band that I don’t know well, I don’t like it as much. But ASD seemed to be an exception to this rule; their energy and vocal power impressed me.

Next to play was The Word Alive, another band I didn’t know too well. But I can say this: WOW. These guys kicked ass to the extreme. The raw energy of music pulsated through the crowd and infected everyone nearby. Before I could even process what was happening, a huge circle pit formed next to me and I had to begin the ever-present debate of safety versus moshing. After being thrown repeatedly in ever direction, I chose to pry my way to the front and attempt to not suffocate. The audience as a whole was jumping to the music so it didn’t matter whether or not you wanted to jump because all the jumping bodies crammed in next to you basically picked you up. In the last song, a few college students around me decided I wanted to crowd surf (which, admittedly, I did) and I took a ride on the hands of the crowd all the way to the barrier where (thankfully) the security caught me and lowered me to the ground (and gave me a meaningful look that translated to “Scram!”). The performance left me with a little buzz of energy than was quickly quenched when…

Attila played next, and all I’m going to say is, that’s music? Okay, moving on…

Issues. I’d heard a lot of great things about this band and expected a relatively good performance. What I didn’t expect was a massive fan base screaming along to every line ever sung or screamed by the surprisingly fantastic vocalist. Ever member on that staged loved what they were doing and ever person in that crowd loved the music and it created this aura…that’s what A Day To Remember means by “self help.”

Now, the band I’d waited for: Memphis May Fire! Being a 5’1” tall and slight-framed individual, I was able to squeeze my way to the front without pissing off any of the angry and tattooed men in the pit. Excitement built up as the roadies put together the drum kit and tested the mikes; I simply could not wait. Finally, after what felt like the longest wait ever (but was probably only ten minutes), Matty Mullins walked on stage and began one of the most dynamic concerts I’ve ever attended. That dude is a born front man. Screaming filled the humid and hot warehouse we’d been shoved into and the applause echoed off the rusting metal walls. As Mullins leaned down towards the front row and released a scream from the back of his throat, the crowd went nuts. Everyone was so excited that I could hardly contain my own euphoria. It was time to let loose. My dad, who chose to hang back a little bit, had a better glimpse of the stage and remarked that a concert with MMF was one that he’d never want to miss (I happen to agree with this assessment 100%). I had extremely high expectations and definitely wasn’t disappointed.

Next to play was Bring Me The Horizon. I own their album Sempiternal which is actually pretty good, but definitely not review-worthy material. I would have had a few compliments, but Oli Sykes, the lead singer, turned me off completely. He kept yelling at the people in the pit, “Kill each other! Kill yourselves! You suck! You suck! Fuck you! I love you guys.” Like….what? I was really confused. What an idiot!

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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