Live Review: The Smashing Pumpkins at Santa Barbara Bowl

There are some venues out there that are absolutely magical. When you get to see one of your favorite bands and one of “those” types of venues, don’t hesitate, go see them there. It will be one of those shows in your memory that will always live on and be played in your head. The Santa Barbara bowl is a mystical place. The way it’s nestled inside the hill and the fact that it feels so intimate even being 1/3 the size of the Hollywood Bowl is just icing on the cake. Not to mention the sound at the venue is impecable. I’ve had the pleasure to see a few of my favorite bands there like Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiciton, Stone Temple Pilots, Depeche Mode and now The Smashing Pumpkins.

Over the past few years (pre-pandemic) I rediscovered my love for The Smashing Pumpkins. I remember how it happened too. I was listening to the radio late at night after a long day and night, I couldn’t think of anything to put on so I just went with whatever the radio had on. At that moment, as soon as I turned to the pre-set on my car stereo, the beat for “1979” started and that was that. The song ended just as I got home and that set in motion what would make me fall in love with this band again.

Seeing The Smashing Pumpkins during their 2018 “reunion tour” was magical all on its own from the set list, the visuals, and then some. This night was different then that show. Not only did they pick one of the most absolutely perfect set lists, they were on fire all night long. Songs from the beginning till now made everyone in attendance singing along and dancing. It was amazing to look over the crowd and see how many people were enamored with the brilliance of The Smashing Pumpkins.

Starting off the set was “The Color Of Love” from their most recent and underrated albums in CYR (seriously, it will grow on you and the songs live sound amazing). Then they hit the crowd with “Bullet With Butterfly Wings.” From that point, it was on, the next blast of songs included “Today,” “Ugly (which I’ve loved for years. Even had a few tears of joy drip from my eyes during that one),” “Drown” and “Quiet.” Now I don’t know about you but, what a way to kick off the show. Throughout the night even more great songs were played including “Eye,” “Ava Adore,” “Zero” “Cherub Rock,” Stand Inside Your Love” “1979” “Disarm” and one of the best performances of “Tonight, Tonight” I’ve ever seen with just Billy and James Iha playing. They even played their cover of The Talking Heads “Once In A Lifetime” and that was tremendous. Towards the end of the show two more surprise songs got me good though. “Telegenix” from CYR was played and that just happens to be my favorite song on that album and to close out the night (due to curfew) “X.Y.U.” One of the most fun moments during the show was when Billy put down his guitar to sing and his dance moves were a bit contagious as he had many in the crowd following his moves. Maybe one day we can get some Jimmy Shimmy like in the CYR video.

The Smashing Pumpkins are officially back. Sure they had their ups and downs over the years just like any band does (theirs was a bit more public) but, this renewed sense of the band has them on absolute fire. I highly recommend going through their catalog and the b-sides and discovering all the greatness that is The Smashing Pumpkins. It’s truly amazing that a band like this who has been around for over 30 years can still put out quality music, shows and still be inspired. When The Smashing Pumpkins come back to your town, don’t hesitate, GO SEE THEM LIVE!!!

Set List:

01) The Colour Of Love
02) Bullet With Butterfly Wings
03) Today
04) Ugly
05) Drown
06) Quiet
07) Cyr
08) Once In A Lifetime (Talking Heads Cover)
09) Solara
10) Eye
11) Ava Adore
12) Tonight, Tonight (Acoustic: Billy & James)
13) Stand Inside Your Love
14) Cherub Rock
15) Zero
16) Telegenix
17) FOL
18) 1979
19) Disarm
20) If There Is A God
21) X.Y.U.

By: Brian Lacy

New Release: Cowboy Destroy- Dirty

One of my favorite new, up and coming LA bands, Cowboy Destroy just released one hell of a rockin new song in “Dirty.” If you haven’t had the chance to see Cowboy Destroy live yet, I highly suggest it. Their music is a blend of garage rock, indie rock and the right amount of the 90’s. Live they are one hell of a fun band. Their energy is contagious and throughout their set you will find yourself eventually singing along and compelled to start dancing a bit. The video for “Dirty” is an extension of the bands humor and personality. What a great combination. Be on the look out for Cowboy Destroy shows!

Cowboy Destroy- Dirty:

Band Of The Week: So Hideous

Mixing genres to create something interesting is always a gamble. If you put the wrong combinations together the end result can put you on the wrong path. One band that I’ve recently been intrigued by that mixes genres is So Hideous. Mixing post-rock, atmospheric black metal, and a bit of an orchestral film score type vibe, So Hideous have put together a recipe for something that will hit you on impact. The bands new album, None But a Pure Heart Can Sing is a new and astonishing piece of work from this adventurous band. Still raging as hard as ever, still expressing the extremes of torment and beauty, None But a Pure Heart Can Sing sees So Hideous incorporate new sounds and rhythms into its approach. When discussing the thematic elements of the record Brandon Cruz said “The record is about rediscovering the freedom to share your passion, whether it be your art or your own voice, without any angst, anger or second thoughts. We talked a lot about the times we used to get into a room to play when we were 16 or whatever and the only barometer was if it ‘felt right and sounded good.’ When you see little kids they just extemporaneously break out into song and dance. They don’t care who’s watching. I had this idea of someone in some form of captivity, yearning to be free and sing her song.” Based on that, I couldn’t agree more. This record is pretty damn good!

So Hideous- None But A Pure Heart Can Sing:

Those 80’s Songs: INXS- Devil Inside

One band from the 80’s that I’ve always enjoyed is Australia’s INXS. I remember being a little kid watching MTV and seeing the video for “Need You Tonight” and really liking the song and wanting a leather jacket like Michael Hutchence had in the video. Their album KICK, is one of the best of the 1980’s and it still holds up quite well today. That album produced so many hit songs (“Need You Tonight, “New Sensation,” and “Never Tear Us Apart.”) and one in particular “Devil Inside” has always stuck out to me. Released as a single in Feb of 1988, it hit number 2 on the Billboard 100 for two weeks. The video for the song was directed by Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, Flatliners, Falling Down, Batman Forever). This song is incredible and it’s one of those that should always be played loudly.

INXS- Devil Inside:

Those 90’s Songs: 311- Down

I woke up this morning with a song stuck in my head that I haven’t heard in a very long time. The song was “Down” by 311. I do find it to be a coincidence that this song pops in my head on March 11 (311 day). I remember when this song came out. I was in 7th grade and 311’s self titled album was popping. I heard this song on the radio and after school that day I had my parents take me to the record store to buy the CD. I jammed that album for a good part of 7th grade. I still think the riff for this song is badass. It’s also one of those perfect 90’s songs that instantly takes you back to when it came out.

311- Down:

Cover Song: Billy Corgan (Neil Young)- After The Gold Rush

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on one hell of a Smashing Pumpkins kick for a while. Soon, I will go into all that and explain why you really need to take the time and delve into the catalog of the Pumpkins as well as Billy’s solo work. Though, like I said, that’s for another day. Today however, I want to share a really cool cover that Billy did while a guest on The Howard Stern Show a few years back. It”s not easy to cover and do Neil Young justice but, Billy was able to and it feels right too. Take a couple mins and let this one soak in!

Billy Corgan (Neil Young)- After The Gold Rush:

Album Anniversary: Down- NOLA

It’s crazy to think that 25 years have passed since this now legendary debut album was released. There are lots of debut albums that I’ve heard that have stuck with me but, this one in particular is one that will always blow my mind every single time I put it on. I’m talking about the first Down album, NOLA. This album is one of the all time greatest debut albums EVER!

Before we get into the album itself, the history of the band should be discussed. Down formed back in 1991. The group was started first by Philip Anselmo and Pepper Keenan. Kirk Windstein and Jimmy Bower would join not long after along with Todd Strange. Their shared interests in bands like Black Sabbath, Trouble, St. Vitus and others would serve as the inspiration for the music they would soon begin to write. NOLA was written mainly by Anselmo and Keenan over the course of a few years and jam sessions. The band would record 3 different demos and then pass them around to friends asking if they’ve heard of this band “Down” without ever saying who was in the band. Eventually, the original demo tape was distributed throughout the United States and Down played a small concert in its home town. A record executive from Elektra Records was attending the show. When he found out who the members of the band were, he signed Down to a recording contract. Talk about a real grassroots way of getting the name out there. Now, on to the album.

The moment the first note plays there is absolutely no denying that what you are about to experience is pure and unrelenting. There is not one song on this album that feels out of place or doesn’t fit within the context of the vibe. The riffs alone on this album are astonishing. I could list all the songs but, why take away from the pleasure you’d get from listening and letting you take it all in. I’d like to take a minute and get into the overall vibe of the album. There is obviously a “metal” sound to it but, there is so much more. It’s got a southern charm to it as well as a bit of blues and a very cool sludgey sound and at times almost dare I say “grunge” sound too. The sum of all these parts not only makes this album a true standout but, one that has gone on to influence and inspire so many other bands. For all the heaviness there is also a wonderful element of ambience too. For example, just listen to the song “Jail.”

Down is a band that stands out not because of who is in the group but, rather because of the great music they created. Ever since I first heard Down in the late 90’s, I’ve been a fan. I take a lot of crap from people for this opinion but, that’s fine, Down is better than Pantera. I just think that Down is better. They have better riffs, songs, rhythm, and overall vibe. I read somewhere a long time ago back about the NOLA album and it said something to the effect of this is a landmark album that combines the talents of dedicated rock musicians, and should be included in any collection of heavy metal music. That statement is 100% true. Not only that but, this album should be in every record collection as well. Here’s to 25 great years of Down’s amazing debut!

 
Down- NOLA:

New Release: Deftones- Ohms

The wait is finally over. Deftones have announced their new album, Ohms, will be released on September 25. The first single from the new record is the title track and it’s quite good. Sure there might be some bias on that since it has been a while that we’ve had new tunes from the band. Based on the sound of this track, it seems to bridge the gap between White Pony and their 2003 self titled album. Check out the song.

Deftones- Ohms:

 

Against The Grain: Umbra Vitae

As a musician and artist, when you have the chance to tap back into a genre that you’ve been away from for a long while, the end result is something that often times feels refreshing and reinvigorating. That being said, while in rehearsals for Wear Your Wounds, Jacob Bannon, Sean Martin and Mike McKenzie, began messing around with some heavy riffs. After realizing what they had, the three of them recruited Greg Weeks (The Red Chord, Labor Hex) and Jon Rice (Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Job For A Cowboy) for the rhythm section to back their aggressive riffs and thus Umbra Vitae was conceived.  Taking their name from a poem by Georg Heym, The music and and words are as haunting as it’s namesake. Their debut album, Shadow of Life (out May 1st via Deathwish Inc.), was recorded and mixed by Kurt Ballou. The album one that will pummel the listener with unrelenting force and unpredictability. As well as providing self affirming mantras to give it even more of an edge.

Vocalist Jacob Bannon has gone on to say about Umbra Vitae “After reading the piece from Heym, I immediately felt connected to it. Later, while working on the previous Wear Your Wounds album, my love for Death Metal was rekindled. This was likely a reaction to working on non-aggressive music for such a concentrated period. As these songs started to form, the ominous nature of that original poem came to mind.”  He continues, “In many ways it embodied the character of what we were all creating together. For me, Umbra Vitae is darkly confrontational and my own internal struggles are nested within each song. At this point in my life it is of the utmost importance to use this art and music as the vehicle for a healthy purge of emotion. By design, even in something this intense, there is righteous intent to be a better human through the process of creating it.” Umbra Vitae definitely is a band to look out for and hopefully will continue as time goes on.

 

Umbra Vitae is:

Jacob Bannon: Vocals, Lyrics (Converge, Wear Your Wounds, Blood From the Soul)

Mike McKenzie: Guitars, Vocals (The Red Chord, Wear Your Wounds, Stomach Earth)

Sean Martin: Guitars, Vocals (ex-Hatebreed, Wear Your Wounds, Twitching Tongues)

Greg Weeks: Bass (The Red Chord, Labor Hex, etc)

Jon Rice: Drums (ex-Job for a Cowboy, Uncle Acid, etc)

Umbra Vitae- Return To Zero:

 

 

 

New Release: Nine Inch Nails- Ghosts V: Together & Ghosts VI: Locusts

Today, saw a surprise release of two new Ghosts albums from Nine Inch Nails. In a statement released by Trent and Atticus, they had this to say about the release.

“FRIENDS-

WEIRD TIMES INDEED…

AS THE NEWS SEEMS TO TURN EVER MORE GRIM BY THE HOUR, WE’VE FOUND OURSELVES VACILLATING WILDLY BETWEEN FEELING LIKE THERE MAY BE HOPE AT TIMES TO UTTER DESPAIR – OFTEN CHANGING MINUTE TO MINUTE. ALTHOUGH EACH OF US DEFINE OURSELVES AS ANTISOCIAL-TYPES WHO PREFER BEING ON OUR OWN, THIS SITUATION HAS REALLY MADE US APPRECIATE THE POWER AND NEED FOR CONNECTION.

MUSIC – WHETHER LISTENING TO IT, THINKING ABOUT IT OR CREATING IT – HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE THING THAT HELPED US GET THROUGH ANYTHING – GOOD OR BAD. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE DECIDED TO BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL AND COMPLETE THESE NEW GHOSTS RECORDS AS A MEANS OF STAYING SOMEWHAT SANE.

GHOSTS V: TOGETHER IS FOR WHEN THINGS SEEM LIKE IT MIGHT ALL BE OKAY, AND GHOSTS VI: LOCUSTS… WELL, YOU’LL FIGURE IT OUT.

IT MADE US FEEL BETTER TO MAKE THESE AND IT FEELS GOOD TO SHARE THEM. MUSIC HAS ALWAYS HAD A WAY OF MAKING US FEEL A LITTLE LESS ALONE IN THE WORLD… AND HOPEFULLY IT DOES FOR YOU, TOO. REMEMBER, EVERYONE IS IN THIS THING TOGETHER AND THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN SOON.
BE SMART AND SAFE AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.

WITH LOVE,
TRENT & ATTICUS

 

DOWNLOAD LINK: https://store.nin.com/products/ghosts-digital-download

 

Nine Inch Nails- Ghosts V: Together & Ghosts VI: Locusts: