Concert Reviews

THE ZENITH TOUR

Published

4 months ago

April 13, 2026

It’s been a little while since I’ve been to a true hardcore show with a killer lineup to match. Bleed From Within at Mr. Smalls Theater on April 8 reminded me why these shows are at the forefront of the music community and why they’re still worth going to, even if you aren’t familiar with the bands. Whenever I think of a hardcore show at Mr. Smalls, I know I’m always in for a treat. Oftentimes, I’m not familiar with many of the bands on the bill, but the show always ends with me adding their songs to my library immediately after. Bleed From Within’s current tour sets up support that blends with their own crowd while also exposing audiences to someone new. This way, you know you’re going into the show hearing four bands, all with their own talented details. For this show, the lineup took the crowd through Life Cycles from Texas, Great American Ghost from Boston, and Sylosis from Reading in the UK to join our Scottish headliners. Life Cycles kick off the evening with big energy, which is just the thing you want for a show like this. Frontman Jeremy Cuevas encourages the crowd to two-step and start a circle pit, ensuring a connection is established. With the crowd in his trusted hands, the band builds a base out of harmonic guitars, intricate bass lines, and a steady beat behind it all. Plus, any band that takes a moment to say “Fuck ICE” deserves a cheer in my book. Needless to say, by Great American Ghost, the audience is ready to go as this band takes the stage and the crowd fills in the gaps. More on the metal side of things, this band clashes high-pitched screams with strong singing vocals alongside plenty of shredding. Their use of samples and various sound clips lends to their ability to transport you somewhere entirely new. Their energy is infectious, and before you know it, you’re jamming out to songs you may not even know. Shoutout to vocalist Ethan Harrison for his “This Machine Kills Fascists” jacket, reminding us what this community is all about. Sylosis is on a different level of heavy metal bands. It’s easy to tell how well these four guys meld together to create a consistent and astonishing sound. Drummer Ali Richardson dominates those double bass pedals as guitarist Conor Marshall and bassist Ben Thomas keep in time with the brilliant chaos. Josh Middleton, on lead guitar and vocals, holds the whole thing together, keeping the crowd in the palm of his hand as he spins through heavy hitters. The flawless and simple effort these musicians put into each minute of their set sticks out as a sign of how in sync these four are. By the time Bleed From Within takes the stage, the crowd has packed against the barricade, and the middle crew looks ready to split for a Wall of Death at any moment. If you haven’t heard Bleed From Within before, the best way I can describe them is if Bad Omens weren’t afraid to go heavier in the best way possible. The transition from soft to gritty songs goes without a hitch, and the next thing you know, you’re in deep. These guys, especially vocalist Scott Kennedy, look so truly touched to perform for such a crowd. He, as well as his bandmates, bear a grin in musical breakdown and take extra time to fist bump and connect with each audience member.

Ali Richardson also drums for Bleed From Within, so you know those bass drums are thumping away the whole set. With Steven Jones and Craig Gowans on guitar, the two are able to take turns trading back and forth melodies while bassist Davie Provan fills in the gaps with flair. It’s a set that showcases the uniqueness of Scottish metal and closes the night by fulfilling all your wildest hardcore dreams.

About Author

Kylie Thomas

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Concert Reviews

BRISTOW VIRGINIA TOOK A TRIP ON THE WILD SIDE… SHOUTED AT THE DEVIL. AND ENJOYED THE GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 7, 2026

Ron

MOTLEY CRUE CAME BACK INTO TOWN BRINGING WITH THEM TESLA AND EXTREME FOR THE RETURN OF CARNIVAL SINS TOUR.

Extreme opened up, and not only did they kick ass, but they also took some names, too. Gary sounded amazing on vocals, and of course, Nuno not only rocked the guitar; he gave all the ladies out there heart problems. We got to hear “More Than Words,” “Get the Funk Out,” and “Hole Hearted”.

Tesla was next, and the band always puts on an amazing show. It’s just a good ole rock and roll fun time. We got to hear “Modern Day Cowboy,” “Mama’s Fool,” and “Little Suzi.”

Motley Crue put up the circus tent, and fans were ready for the big top to drop. I was excited because this was the first time getting to see Crue with John 5 on guitar. The stage looked crazy and had things you could look at everywhere, from girls to cages and beyond. Nikki and Tommy looked amazing, and Neil looked healthier than in the past years; he sounded great, and you could see that he was having fun.

I have seen Motley Crue a few times now, but this time I was so close to the stage it was insane. Doing this press gig does come with some perks, and we get to see great bands and get tickets, but this was next level with how close to the stage my tickets were. It gave me such a great experience, not only just being that close and jamming out to songs that I grew up to, but also being with all the Crue fans and just seeing everyone getting excited and rocking out. They were all there for a good time and some kick-ass rock n’ roll.

Motley played a fantastic set too, with some bangers and killer songs from albums up to Generation Swine. Songs like “Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Looks that Kill,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Smoking in the Boys’ Room,” “Live Wire,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” and, of course “Dr. Feelgood” and “Kickstart My Heart.” The show was amazing, and the place was packed and having a great time. This is only the first leg of the tour, so if they come your way, go and see this tour and let yourself go and enjoy live music and rock ‘n’ roll.

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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Concert Reviews

THIS IS WHERE IT FALLS APART… STABBING WESTWARD CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF WITHER, BLISTER, BURN AND PEEL IN BALTIMORE

Published

1 month ago

July 25, 2026

Ron

It has been nine years since Stabbing Westward played in Baltimore, and I was thrilled to see them return to perform my favorite album. They brought along Acumen Nation and Priest as supporting acts. Both Acumen Nation and Priest put on an incredible show, and I loved how they energized the crowd. It’s fantastic to have a band like Acumen Nation, which has been around since 1988, alongside Priest, a newer band, and the fans truly enjoyed both sets.

Stabbing Westward is one of those bands that really resonated with me at a pivotal time in my life. This album was released during my junior year and fit my experiences perfectly. It’s one of those albums I would listen to from start to finish, and then I would just start it over again. I’m excited that the band is releasing a new version of this album, reflecting how they would have approached it if they had the freedom to mix it and create without outside interference.

What we got to hear was amazing. I loved the fresh sound to it but still keeping the core of what that album meant to them and to the fans. Coming out on stage with my 3 favorite songs on the album, “I Don’t Believe,” “What Do I Have To Do,” and “Falls Apart.” But hearing some of the other tracks on that album brought back so many memories of the past, like “Shame,” “So Wrong,” and even hearing the cure cover “Burn” and “Dawn” from the Escape From LA Soundtrack.

The concert was amazing. We were supposed to have an interview with Chris, but because of the Canadian fires, he was saving his voice for the show and meet ‘n greets, but we will have that interview soon for you.

About Author

Ron

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Concert Reviews

THE EX-FACES ROCKED THE REVERB STAGE

Published

1 month ago

July 22, 2026

Ron

I’ve been incredibly excited about the Ex-Faces show since it was first announced. I’m a huge Mushroomhead fan and love that the members of this group have come together to enjoy the music.

It was incredible to see J-Man, Waylon, Stitch, and Lil Dan together again. Adding Gravy and Mr. Murdernickel to the mix—especially since I never got to see him play live despite being a Mushroomhead fan near Cleveland since ’96—made it even better. I love that the guys genuinely looked like they were enjoying being on stage together, celebrating their time in this band and their experiences with Mushroomhead.

Hearing classic songs like “Bwomp,” “These Filthy Hands,” and “Sun Doesn’t Rise” was fantastic, but getting to experience deep cuts like “Eternal,” “1200,” and even the cover of “Crazy” was incredible. The Ex-Faces played 16 songs and could have kept going; the crowd definitely wouldn’t have minded.

I know this band and project are more than likely temporary, but I’m fully down for a few more tours and maybe even some more ex-members joining the trek. Even though I was sad that our stop didn’t have Pig Benis, I was super stoked that we had his OG brother Murdernickel. Go out and see this tour while you can, and let’s all get a little crazy and never let it go.