It’s always interesting going to not only a new venue but also seeing a couple of bands that you have very limited knowledge of. Well on Saturday night in Tampa, both of those situations were in play as Beast in Black headlined the new Orpheum with Dance With the Dead as the opening act.
I also wasn’t very sure what size the crowd would be but the venue moved the bands from the smaller inside stage area to the outside larger stage which was definitely needed as the place was packed. It was a great move by the manager as it was a beautiful night in Tampa with the weather finally shifting from the African heat that we have had all summer down here.
What was really surprising though was the number of girls in the crowd especially at the rail. This was a huge difference from what you normally see at a hard rock or metal show and there were also a few interesting characters in attendance, but I’ll get to that later.
Dance With the Dead opened the show and I’m glad I made it to cover them as they were really cool blending hard rock and metal with synch pop sounds. While I was listening to them, multiple band influences for them popped into my head including Satriani, Dream Theatre, and Dragonforce but they also took me back to my days in the rave scene with their beats etc.
I would refer to their sound as Rave Metal and as I watched the crowd throughout their 45-minute plus 14-song set, the fans were bouncing around and head-banging in unison with smiles on their faces.
I was also surprised to find out that Dance With The Dead has been around for 10 years and the duo of Tony Kim on guitar and Justin Pointer on keys and a killer green guitar were joined on this tour by a slamming drummer in John Terry.
Even though the band does not have a singer as there aren’t any lyrics in their songs, the music did not get stale or repetitive during their set.
The crowd and I were super impressed with their songs and ability, and I personally would go see this band again as a fan or cover them from a media capacity as they are that good at the sounds they are creating.
After a short break, Finnish metallers Beast in Black took the stage joined by two female naked mannequins cut at the torso in half in large glowing science experiment tubes. These were some of the coolest stage effects that I have seen in a long time, especially from a band who are doing a club tour in the States as moving them around must be a chore and a half.
The five-piece hit the stage in full metal regalia with leather jackets, trench coats, boots with spikes etc and thankfully for them a cool breeze flowed throughout the outside stage area.
Drummer Atte Palokangas jumped on his Tama kit between the two domed mannequins and had a huge smile on his face throughout the 19-song, 90-plus minute set.
Guitarists Kasperi Heikkinen and Anton Kabenon then joined him and bassist Mate Molnar with the latter having one of the coolest bass guitars I have ever seen.
Vocalist Yannis Papadopoulos strode on stage as the band opened with “Blade Runner” from their 2021 release Dark Connection. All three guitarists were together multiple times during the song and throughout the night bouncing back and forth and thrashing their head in synch ala Tipton, Hill and Downing from Judas Priest.
As the set continued on with “Eternal Fire” and “Die By The Blade” it was evident that Papadopoulos is a complete vocal specimen. His range was fantastic and was able to drop down octaves and then hit screams that only Geoff Tate and a few others could hit in their youth. His stage command and presence were engaging and extremely professional.
What really caught my attention though was the fans not only in the crowd but especially on the rail as they knew the words to every song and I mean everyone, especially the 20 or so girls on the rail. They bounced, thrashed, and sang all night long. It was super impressive, and their smiles were infectious to the rest of the band members.
Heikkinen and Molnar made faces at me in the photo pit and hammed it up to the camera and the fans more than any band I have seen in the 35 years of going to concerts and it looked to me like they were having a blast.
They moved through the set quickly limiting the banter between them and the fans but as the first of the three-song encore in “Cry Out For A Hero” concluded Papadopoulos asked the crowd if they wanted to go to a different country with them tonight. The crowd responded with a huge response of screams of affirmations as Papadopoulos said he was taking them out for “One Night In Tokyo.”
One of the more interesting fans in attendance took an Asian folding fan and started fanning Papadopoulos and Kabanan all the while having a full orange space suit on including a helmet. Another first time event that happened at Saturday Night’s Beast in Black show.
The white helmet had signatures all over it from various bands and EDM performers and Ian was super stoked when the band signed it for him directly after the set.
After concluding their set with “End Of The World” the band and tour manager Sam Chilli took their bows and departed the stage. It was the second time Chilli joined the band as she came out and played a keytar during “Krazy, Mad, Insane.
Saturday night at the Orpheum was a trifecta of success as the venue and both bands now have new fans especially the author of this article as I would definitely go see a show there and check out Beast in Black and Dance With The Dead again.
While the US tour has concluded, Beast in Black is back in full swing with tour dates all over Europe with Glory Hammer and Dance With the Dead will be back on the road soon
With over 10 million albums sold, 15 Grammy nominations, and pupils such as Kevin Cadogan, Steve Vai, and Kirk Hammett, it’s safe to say Joe Satriani not only is an amazing musician, but he knows talent when he sees it. Accompanied by John Petrucci and Phil Collen on the US leg of the G3 tour, these three guitar legends tolled into Saint Petersburg, FL on the 3rd of February.
While in the eyes of many, the Mahaffey Theatre is a venue to take in plays, or more ‘classical’ forms of music, these three shredded their way through a three and a half hour show cranked up to 11.
With Phil Collen (of DefLepperd) taking the opening slot, this show was kicking off with a lot of promise. Chipping away at the chords as if they were kindling, and accompanied by some of his bandmates from Delta Deep, including Debbie Blackwell-Cook, they blistered through a half hour set. This set was nothing more than an appetizer of what was to come. Very limited actual singing, just face melting chords, that left the crowd simply mesmerized.
John Petrucci is literally a legend in his own right. A graduate of the Berkley School of Music, he is also one of the few guitarists to utilize a seven sting guitar as his average axe. To say he takes full advantage of the seventh string would be the understatement of the century.
With some of the fastest picking fingers in music today, an ear for rhythm and arrangement John brings a taste of the riffs of the 80’s back to life. Accompanied by some of his bandmates from Dream Theater including drummer Mike Mangini, John showcased why he has been asked to join G3 almost every tour. Highlights from his set included the main theme from Hans Zimmer’s “Wonder Woman” and “Jaws of Life”
What can I say about Joe Satriani? This is a man who regularly picks his guitar strings with his teeth. A man who is considered to have a PhD in “Whammy Barology”. Suffice to say, when it comes to playing the guitar, Joe is the textbook definition of ‘the man’.
With keyboardist/guitarist Mike Kenneally, bassist Brian Beller and drummer Joe Travers backing him up and keeping up with his jaw dropping tempo changes and riffs, this set left no stone in the jamming spectrum unturned. Going from speed metal to simple melodies, this set completed everything you could expect to end the evening.
The set included 6 songs from Joe’s new release What Happens Next and was closed with 2 fan favorites and classics in “Always With Me, Always With You” and “Summer Song”
But wait! There’s more!! Rolling almost seamlessly right into the full G3 jam session, Joe and his band were rejoined by John, Phil, and Debbie. With the entire audience on their feet the whole time, they played back and forth, while utilizing the incredibly broad vocal range from Debbie.
These three covered a broad spectrum of tastes while keeping up with one another. Yet the most sensational part would be a rendition of ‘Superstitious’ that lasted well over 10 minutes. For such a variety of playing styles and musical backgrounds, they play together like a well-oiled machine. If you only decide to see one tour this year, this would easily be in my top 5 choices. It’s truly hard to beat this type of musical variety, and quality of entertainment on one ticket.
Billy Sheehan (left) and Richie Kotzen (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Largo, Fla.–Admit it. We all have expectations when we go to concerts. Some meet them. Some don’t. Then there are the rare occasions when a show exceeds, or should I say, blows away your expectations. This was the case Thursday night at the Largo Cultural Center. The Winery Dogs were in town to support their self-titled debut that came out in July of 2013. If you don’t know who The Winery Dogs are, you might or should be familiar with these musicians: Richie Kotzen on vocals and guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass and Mike Portnoy on drums, of course. The three of them are very accomplished musicians with their previous bands and together they form a synchronized, well-oiled “Supergroup.”
I have been anxiously waiting for The Winery Dogs show since it was announced that they were coming to Largo. I’ve always loved Billy Sheehan as a bass player; from playing with David Lee Roth on the classic Eat Em and Smile, to his many years in another super-group, the hugely successful, Mr. Big. I have considered Billy Sheehan one of the top two bass players in the industry: The other being Steve Harris of Iron Maiden. Steve Harris-Billy Sheehan, Billy Sheehan-Steve Harris. Either way, you won’t get an argument from me. They both play with a style, a technique and a flair that is undeniably their own and a sound that is as recognizable as Axl Rose’s vocals or Eddie Van Halen on guitar. They also brought the bass guitar out from back half of the stage to the forefront and made the bass attractive for young musicians to play. Cliff Burton could also be included in the top bass players in history discussion, but Harris and Sheehan have been afforded longevity, where, unfortunately for himself and all fans of music, Cliff Burton was not.
Mike Portnoy (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Entering the Largo Cultural Center for the second time in as many months, I noticed there was a big change. There were no seats in the Largo Cultural Center tonight. When Rocket Sports & Entertainment recently reviewed the Red Dragon Cartel Show with Jake E. Lee, the facility was set up with theater-type seating with small floor area in front of the stage. Throughout that show most of the people that were originally seated moved up to the floor with a little push from Eddie Trunk. (The Red Dragon Cartel review with pictures can be read here https://www.rocketsports-ent.com/a-legend-returns-to-shred/)
Richie Kotzen (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Being brought together with a little help from Eddie Trunk of That Metal Show, The Winery Dogs took the stage at 7:40 p.m. and opened up with “Elevate.” “Elevate” was The Winery Dogs’ first single from their debut release, and it has charted better than most rock albums, placing 27th on the US Billboard 200, and has hit these other industry marks:
#3 – Top Alternative Albums
#4 – Top Independent Albums
#4 – Tastemakers
#5 – Top Rock Albums
#8 – Top Internet Albums
#30 – Canada Top Internet Albums
I have noticed a trend by bands recently in regard to their set lists. From a few weeks back at Rockville and with “Elevate” being played first tonight, bands have been getting the crowd going early by playing their most recent single first in their set. Not waiting for the encore which always seemed to be the norm in the past. “Elevate” is one of The Winery Dogs more rocking up tempo songs and was the perfect opener for tonight. Next up was “Criminal” and then “One More Time” with drummer Mike Portnoy addressing the crowd and thanking them for coming out and their continued support.
Mike Potnoy flips the stick… (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
…and makes the catch (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Portnoy is a monster in the percussion business. Having made his mark in Dream Theatre and then as the touring drummer in Avenged Sevenfold, and most recently, recording and touring with a new beast on the scene in Adrenaline Mob, Mike Portnoy continues to evolve as a player and knows when and where to pick his spots. He has once done this brilliantly again by aligning himself with Billy Sheehan and Richie Kotzen. Speaking of Richie Kotzen, I have a new found appreciation of his talent. I was only familiar with his playing from his limited time in Poison, but I always knew how well respected he is in the music community. His range is immense: Not only as a guitar player, but also as a vocalist. From blues to soul to straight up rock, Richie Kotzen transitions with the best of them. Standing alone on stage as a lone blue light shined upon him, Kotzen played “Doing What the Devil Made Me Do,” and emotion oozed from his voice and guitar. The crowd was mesmerized, hanging on his every note. Kotzen could of carried tonight’s show all by himself if he had to, as could all three of them: That’s what makes The Winery Dogs so special. On a side note ( pun intended ) Kotzen didn’t use a pick throughout the entire set…
(photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Portnoy and Sheehan returned to the stage and continued the main set with “I’m No Angel,” “The Dying,” and “Desire.” Afterwards the guys took a small break and returned with their encore in “Regret.” “Regret” once again showcased Kotzen’s versatility as he played a shiny sapphire piano/organ. I didn’t think they were going to close the night with this song as it seemed a little too mellow for tonight’s crowd, and, thankfully I was correct as The Winery Dogs closed their set with the Talas cover, and Sheehan’s landmark song, “Shy Boy.” Most will remember “Shy Boy” not from Talas but from the Eat Em Smile release. This sent the crowd home shaking their heads in amazement. Not only from the individual performances that they witnessed throughout the night, but through the combined efforts by three ultra-talented and humble musicians.
A lot of super-groups come and go. Hopefully with the continued success of their release and sold out venues throughout the country, this will not be the last time that we hear The Winery Dog’s sonic bark.
Setlist: Elevate Criminal * We Are One * One More Time * Time Machine * Damaged * Six Feet Deeper (Including snippet of Hey Joe) * The Other Side * Bass Solo * You Saved Me * Not Hopeless * Doin’ What the Devil Says to Do (Richie Kotzen song) * I’m No Angel * The Dying * Desire * (Encore) Regret * Shy Boy
(photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Billy plays the great sounding and great looking aqua bass (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
(photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
(photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Even in black and white, the still colorful Mike Portnoy (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Mike Portnoy – Adreneline Mob (photo: Travis Failey /RSEN)
Tampa, Fla.–Adrenaline Mob that is. The supergroup made up of Mike Portnoy of Dream Theatre, Russell Allen of Symphony X, John Moyer of Disturbed, and Mike Orlando played the Orpheum in Ybor City on Tuesday night. If the name Mike Orlando doesn’t sound familiar, don’t fret, I hadn’t heard of him either other than the first full length release from the band, Omerta. Mike doesn’t disappoint. He’s a phenomenal player and performer and I look forward to listening to his solo efforts, Sonic Stomp 1 & 2.
There wasn’t a big crowd at the venue and I won’t accept the Tuesday night excuse, but it doesn’t matter. The people who were there got treated to an unbelievable performance by true professionals who are at the top of their game.
They opened up the set with Psychosane and moved seamlessly through it to the crowd favorite, Indifferent. The close out the set was the Black Sabbath’s classic, The Mob Rules.
John Moyer-Adrenaline Mob (photo:Travis Failey / RSEN)
Russell Allen – Adrenaline Mob (photo: Travis Failey / RSEN)
Indifferent is one of my favorite songs from the last five years and was recently played on Sirius’ Octane for a good cycle. Judging by the crowd, it doesn’t look like they built up some traction in Florida but I believe Adrenaline Mob will pick up some steam after they release Omerta’s next single, All on the Line.
All on the Line, according to vocalist Russell Allen, is a song that he wrote with guitarist Mike Orlando. The song’s about Allen’s daughter and their battle with her autism. She was diagnosed with autism at 13 months. It’s a heartfelt song that will move you especially knowing the background of the song.
Earlier in the day, Adrenaline Mob did an acoustic set at a local radio station’s studio, and showcased All on the Line along with Indifferent, Angel Sky and a cover of Duran Duran’s Come Undone.
(photo: Travis Failey / RSEN)
Not only is Adrenaline Mob out touring to support Omerta, but they also recently released a covers album of old school favorites, Coverta. This release features a variety of music and styles ranging from The Doors’ Break on Through, Badlands’ Highwire & Van Halen’s Romeos Delight. If the Van Halen brothers decide that’s it’s time for another change, Russell Allen is the person to call. He handles the vocals on these tracks with precision, but makes them his own. I usually don’t care for cover songs, but the quality of these covers will make you want to hear more. Adrenaline Mob also does a great job on their version of “Barracuda” by Heart. If you are looking to pick up add some great music to your collection, these two releases are must haves.
Mike Portnoy and John Moyer made it seem like these guys have been playing together for years. Both of them are seasoned veterans from their time in their previous bands and Moyer has been with Adrenaline Mob for a little over a year now since Disturbed went on a hiatus. Portnoy is the most known player in the band and is considered one the best drummers by his peers and fans worldwide. To see him play in such an atmosphere in a venue this small, was truly a special event.
Another highlight from Adrenaline Mob‘s set was Omerta’s first single, Undaunted. Undaunted is the definition of an anthem and the crowd did their part singing every word.
After the band closed the set with The Mob Rules, they hung out, took pictures and signed for their fans. These guys are a very grounded bunch and seem to appreciate the people that came to the show to support them.
Opening the night was a local band, From this Fire. I only caught about four of their songs, but when you take a minute to listen, you will continue to. Their melodies and composition are veteran worthy, and they’ve only been together as this group for 3 years. These guys deserved to share the stage with their heroes, Adrenaline Mob.
Traveling with Adrenaline Mob and playing next was Nothing More from Texas. They put on a fantastic stage show utilizing multiple percussion instruments and a swinging bass on a pedestal. They also have a solid vocalist in Jonny Hawkins. He has a great range and also plays the drums and does the programming. Highlights from their set were: Salem & Fell in Love with a Ghost off their debut release:“The Few Not Fleeting”. I’ve been playing this for days now and I find the material to be refreshing in comparison to a lot of new music being released.
This is not your run of the mill, pop rock top 40 band, these guys play with originality and when you witness their performance, you’ll walk away saying “Ive never seen that before.”
All in all it was a great night for fans of this genre of music as they were engulfed with new sounds, interesting performances and superior songwriting by veterans and two up and coming bands in a small venue.
