Concert Reviews
BlueRidge Rock Festival 2022: Review


Another year has passed along with another BlueRidge Rock Festival. Most of the media and personal accounts of this festival are going to on how horrible it was and all the missteps of the promoter, management and the festival as a whole. Do some things need to be changed for next year: absolutely yes? Do us Photographers and media need to be treated a little better: once again yes.
Remember we are the eyes and ears of the people who are on the outside looking in and the sounding board for those who were there. We are essentially a part of your staff and your promotional machine. that are not getting paid and control the media world, with our voices we can make or break things very easily)
That’s enough of all the negative vibes, except one last thing: Fuck that Hill (aka Kate Bush). That hill of death put a huge damper on how many bands I was going to cover this year because I myself am not an Olympic walker/hiker/mountain explorer.

Instead of going into all details about each day and every band I saw and all that normal blah blah blahs. I figured I would do something a little different. They say a picture is better than a 1,000 words: I took well over 4,000 photos and covered 44 bands in 4 days and walked about 30 miles in those 4 days. I’m sure you get that picture.

Some of the highlights for me were 100000% the following: Kittie, Shadows Fall, Ice Cube, Tenacious D, Alice Cooper and getting to see Mushroomhead during the daylight, althought it rained on us during their set. There were so many bands from different genres and all kinds of different strokes for all those folks. That is one of the main reasons I love this festival. It offers such diversity with the selection of artists. It did kinda suck not being able to photograph STP or Slipknot (this years Five Finger Death Punch) but “What you gonna do brother?” (sorry a little Hulk Hogan came out of me)

I’ll would like say this now and hold myself to it. I would love to and keep supporting this festival and cover it every time they need me to (with some tweaks, hopefully). Despite the weather change from too much sun, to too much rain, long walks, not enough water/food provided for us, I had an amazing time. I got to see some killer bands and watch a few sets of some old friends, and made some new ones too. That’s one of the most endearing qualities of the metal community. It’s all about taking adversity and making it work for them, however I’m just one guy who’s opinion will most likely ge lost in the echoes of “woke” culture. I’ll end with a poetic quote from a modern day renaissance poet, Mr Corey Taylor.
PEOPLE=SHIT.



























































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Concert Reviews
Paleface Swiss Pittsburgh Show Review

A packed crowd gathered outside the Roxian Theater in Pittsburgh tonight, for The Cursed Tour featuring Paleface Swiss, Stick to Your Guns, and Nasty. The crowd were lined upacross the front of the venue and several blocks down the street with all types ready to get out their weekly frustrations this Friday eve. Hardcore, Deathcore, and Beatdown will be the soundtrack to usher in the weekend for all attendance tonight.
Nasty would kick off things, this band comes from Belgium and has a metalcore/beatdown sound to them. Nasty also released their latest EP on March 14th, called Black My Heartwhich features a single with tourmates Paleface Swiss entitled‘Talk.’ From the first note Nasty cranked the energy to 11, heavy riffs and fast heavy vocals coming right down the barrel. The pit was going hard and fast with bodies careening into each other for the whole set. The band we just as energetic pacing the stage while performing, running across the stage; Vocalist Mathias even jump down into the crowd for a part of the set.
With the crowd now primed and firing, Stick to Your Guns took the stage next. This Californian Hardcore outfit dropped an album in early 2025 entitled Keep Planting Flowers. Their high energy set had this Pittsburgh crowd bouncing to every song. The pit kept turning as crowd surfers were starting to come over the barricade now. The band played through many of their hits Invisible Rain, Keep Planting Flowers, and Spineless before wrapping up.
Paleface Swiss took the stage in a fury of angst. As soon as the lights rose after Un Pobre Nino Murio finished the venue was in chaos. Vocalist Marc Zelli Zellweger ripped right into Hatred pacing the stage as the crowd whipped into a frenzy. The music was fast and heavy as security had their hands full, with moshers, crowd surfers and occasional injuries along the way. The band played through Nail to the Tooth, The Gallow, and Rivers of Sorrow before throwing the crowd into another gear with Please End Me. The pace was unrelenting as the band came back out for an encore closing out with the single Love Burns.
If you are looking for a fast-paced heavy show, mark off the calendar to see The Cursed Tour. These bands came to play their asses off and you won’t be able to stand still the whole show.










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Concert Reviews
KIM DRACULA/Hanabie SilverSpring Maryland Show Review


AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN COLLIDE TO BRING THE USA SOME KICK ASS MUSIC AND FUN.
Kim Dracula alongside Hanabie and Crystal Lake came into the Filmore in SilverSpring Maryland and brought the right kind of entertainment that we so needed.
Crystal Lake put on a super intense and chaotic live show. With super insane riffs and brutal drums Crystal Lake opened up the show perfectly getting the crowd into a frenzy. This was my first time seeing the band and they brought the fierceness of the metal genre with them.





Hanabie was next and this was my second time getting to see them, I saw them last year when they toured with Jinjer. They are a perfect mix of metal, k pop, and all around fun. These girls not only know how to entertain and put on a show, they also play their instruments with perfection. Such a great blend of vocals from sweet and innocent playfulness to gutteral growls. The crowd was loving them and they have such a huge following in America and I only see them getting even bigger.









Kim Dracula was the headliner and this was my first time seeing the band. I’m kinda new to the whole Kim Dracula scene, but have jumped on board right away with their mix of music and odd and weirdness they bring to the stage. I’m an old head so for the younger generation the closest I could say is that Kim Dracula reminds me of Mr Bungle with a new generation twist. The show was fun and damn is Kim such a phenomenal persona. Not only just amazingly entertaining but also what an amazing voice. Kim Dracula goes from metal screams, to deep voice talking, to crazy fast raps, to singing high chops like Rob Halford. I was surprised to hear not one but two covers. Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” and Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi”.







Not only do you get this amazing music and musicians on stage but then all of a sudden the song breaks out into a saxophone solo. WHAT?? So I encourage everyone go see Kim Dracula when they tour in your area, you won’t be disappointed.









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Concert Reviews
TERRIFYING NORTH AMERICA

Terrifying North America Tour featuring Aborted,Ingested, Peeling Flesh and Extermination Dismemberment at Preserving in New Kensington Pa 3-2-2025
It was a bitter cold Sunday, a biting cold as death metal fans lined the sidewalk in front of the old church which is Preserving Records in New Kensington Pa. Tonight the Terrifying North America tour brings death metal veterans Aborted back to the Burgh. Aborted have frequented the Pittsburgh area over the last few years having played the Roxian, and buildinf a solid fan base within the city. Along with Aborted is English death metal act Ingested. Also a season veteran in the genre, Ingested returns to the states with new vocalist Josh Davies and new guitarist Andrew Virrueta. Also opening up the tour is Extermination Dismemberment and Peeling Flesh, two bands making thjer rise in the scene.
Extermination Dismemberment kicked off the show. This band didn’t waste anytime, grinding and slamming out of the gate, the pit was churning immediately. The band welcomed everyone for coming and made everyone aware they came from Belarus to kick their asses. The songs were filled with double bass, snare blasts, and fast paced grinds; enough to make any hardcore enthusiasts ears perk. When the band kicked into Corpsepit the crowd was jumping up and down in unison before breaking out into chaos. The band closed out their set with Omnivore.
Peeling Flesh was up next, this band has been gaining quite a bit of attention in the scene lately. Having appeared on the Garza Podcast and hitting the road hard has helped in growing their following. Another slam from the start and count the bodies later band, Peeling Flesh came out in a fury. Pit churning, limbs flying as straight out the game the band was bringing heat. Mr. Nasty Time, 12 Gauge Autopsy, and Bodega Bloodbath really got the crowd moving. The band will throw samples and hip hop beats in at times, then like whiplash head into another slamming breakdown. Snare bombs going off, and bodies careening, it islike watching a car crash unfold.
UK death metal veterans Ingested took to the stage opening things up with Titanomachy. New Vocalist Josh Davies is full of energy and fits well into the shoes of former vocalist Jason Evans. The band sounded mean, slams and fast paced breaks kept the crowd on its toes. These veterans know how to work a crowd, as surfers we now making their way onto the stage. Newest single Alter of Flesh, really got the bodies moving, the band kept up the energy ripping through Invidious,and CrematedExistence, before closing with a wall of death on Skinned and Fucked.
Closing out the night was Aborted. The crowd was all fired up and eagerly have been awaiting these masters of macabre to take the stage. Vocalist Sven De Caluwe, paced the stage as a mad man, known for his high energy live shows, this crowd wouldn’t get a rest during the set. The bands set list was filled with heavy hitters, Retrogore, Dreadbringer and Death Cult made the pit sway and churn. The band continued the mayhem playing through The Shape of Hate before ending with Hecatomb.
Pittsburgh was such a gracious host for the Terrifying North America tour. The crowd was enthusiastic and the energy never dropped. If you are looking for a heavy death metal show to get the blood moving, this is the tour for you.















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