ALMOST COOPER Brings Their Nightmare To Minnesota [Review & Photo Gallery]

The one and only Alice Cooper is one of rock’s most adored figures. His legacy of music and theatrical stage shows is nothing short of legendary. The precision of his performance and the way the songs create a soundtrack that play along with the madness on stage is sheer brilliance. Alice Cooper doesn’t live in Minnesota but we have a man, Bobby Jensen, who can amazingly embody Cooper’s spirit and take it to the stage. Jensen took his Alice Cooper Tribute band called Almost Cooper to Myth Live in Maplewood, Minnesota for the Almost Cooper Christmas Fruitcake show. The event is a take on the Annual Alice Cooper Christmas Pudding Show held in Phoenix, Arizona. Proceeds and donations from the event went to the Alice Cooper Solid Rock Foundation and Toys For Tots. Before Almost Cooper played, local acts Fookey and Blue Felix warmed up the crowd. Continue reading

Epicenter Festival Friday Review & Photo Gallery

Korn

The inaugural Epicenter Festival that was held in Rockingham, North Carolina earlier this month was, to most, a major success. Others will disagree, pointing out flaws in traffic congestion for the first two days and the Day 2 headliners, Tool and Judas Priest, among others being canceled due to severe weather. Which I agree was a little inconvenient, but when you understand anything can happen during a festival, especially a festival’s first year as well as a new venue, you take it as it comes. Although there were a few hiccups throughout the weekend (nothing major that would warrant the degree of dissatisfaction that a lot of individuals have expressed) the majority of the festival-goers got their money’s worth and really enjoyed yet another amazing weekend hosted by the Danny Wimmer Presents crew. Continue reading

Review: UPON A BURNING BODY – ‘Southern Hostility’ [Official Videos]

Upon A Burning Body is that one band you never knew you needed until it slapped you right in the face. With 4 crazy albums on their name and another one almost ready to see daylight they are greater than ever. And after getting the first look at the album with pre-released track ”King Of Diamonds” I instantly knew that ‘Southern Hostility’ was about to blow us away!

Continue reading

Nita Strauss On Amy Lee “She Was A Real Trailblazer For Women In Music.” [Video]

 

Nita Strauss is first and foremost known as one of the best guitarists around. From 2011-2015 she was shredding in the all female Iron Maiden tribute band The Iron Maidens. In June 2014, it was announced that Nita would replace legendary guitarist Orianthi as Alice Cooper’s touring guitarist for his 2014 tour. She has since remained the guitarist for Alice Cooper and took the world by storm wowing crowds all around the world and truly making a name for herself as one of rock and metal’s best guitarists. In addition to her work with Alice Cooper and The Iron Maidens, Nita has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings Femme Fatale, video game supergroup Critical Hit. In 2017 she took the stage in front of a sold out crowd in Columbus, Ohio at Rock On The Range and played the National Anthem in support of our nations military. In January of 2018 Nita was officially announced as the first ever female Ibanez signature artist with her own model guitar, the Ibanez JIVA10. She also released her signature pickups, the DiMarzio Pandemonium. April of the same year saw Nita playing WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance music at Wrestlemania in New Orleans in front of an audience of 78,000 fans and millions streaming worldwide, and in the same month she launched a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for her debut solo record ‘Controlled Chaos.’ The campaign reached its goal in two hours, doubled it by the end of the day, tripled the following day and ended up over 800% funded. ‘Controlled Chaos’ released November 16, 2018 and made a huge debut on the Billboard charts at #1 Top New Artist, #3 Label Independent, #8 Top Rock, #8 Top Internet, #20 Top albums, and #7 on the iTunes Rock chart. In addition to her already grueling tour schedule with Alice Cooper this year Nita will also be touring in support of her solo album, the tour kicked off May 14th in Charlotte, NC. The Alice Cooper tour with co-headliner Halestorm and support from Motionless In White will kick off on July 17 in Allentown, Pa. This tour schedule isn’t for the faint of heart and it’s one reason Nita is referred to as Hurricane Nita. She is unstoppable. Continue reading

Beasto Blanco, The Buddz, American Dropouts Slay In Tennessee! [Review & Photo Gallery]

 

Beasto Blanco

I find myself back in Johnson City for what promises to be a great night of Rock N Roll! It’s a short 2.5 hour drive to The Hideaway which is next door to Capone’s were I was photographing two nights before. The Hideaway is a 150 person, standing room only venue, a very intimate setting to see a band like Beasto Blanco! I’d venture a guess and say this is probably the smallest venue they are playing on this tour. Continue reading

ALICE COOPER Dominated The Stage In Bristow, Virginia [Photo Gallery]

Alice Cooper

Finally I had a chance to photograph and review a show of the legendary Alice Cooper, who brought the horror to Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia. This is the third time I’ve seen Alice Cooper in Bristow, and I have enjoyed every single one of them, for there is never a dull moment in his show. Here is a guy who sent bone chilling shock waves through the spines of many a 70’s parents. Alice Cooper has been in the music industry for over fifty years. Here is a guy who redefined the world of shock rock, and is still delivering rock and horror with aplomb to the legion of his fans around the globe. And one can clearly see that here is a guy who truly enjoys being on the road playing in front of his fans. Alice Cooper needs no new spectacle, the classic ones are still as good as they used to be in the heydays of the 70’s. They need no improvisation. The theatrics and the energy on the stage flow effortlessly as it always has, the show is just perfect. All Alice Cooper needs to do is to show up on the stage with his band, and pick up the microphone. Continue reading

ALICE COOPER Are Back With Their Original Line-Up For 2017 UK Tour!

ALICE COOPER, the king of Shock Rock has been doing rounds with the news of his upcoming new album and last month’s one off reunion show. We have some one more massive and exciting news coming your way this time. Now, Alice announces that the three members of the original ALICE COOPER band, bassist Dennis Dunaway, guitarist Michael Bruce and drummer Neal Smith will join him in the UK for a five date autumn tour. 

Last month saw Alice’s performance in Nashville joined by the three original members for a five song mini set, also accompanied by current band members – drummer Glen Sobel, bassist Chuck Garric, and guitarists Nita Strauss and Tommy HenriksenALICE COOPER also announced that his new album, ‘Paranormal‘, will be out on July 28th on earMUSIC, featuring the original members on two songs. Continue reading

Carolina Rebellion: Sunday Review & Photo Gallery

Unlocking the Truth 4

Unlocking the Truth Malcolm Brickhouse

Sunday was the last and final day of Carolina Rebellion. I was able to get a full dose of Unlocking the Truth for breakfast. The band is comprised of 3 teenagers from Brooklyn, New York that was one of the youngest groups to ever play both Coachella and Van’s Warped Tour in 2014. They have been on most tv talk shows like The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon, The View, The Colbert Report and more. The band has been talked about and talked about. Let me go ahead though and tell you now that the hype is real. The band is everything you’ve heard and probably more. Guitarist/Singer Malcolm Brickhouse can shred on his axe like nobody’s business. He requested that the crowd start a mosh pit, and moments later there dust kicking up everywhere from a vicious pit. Unlocking the Truth shared with us their hit song “Monster”, by the time the song ended we were all singing along. The guys in this band are some great musicians, not just for their age but they are better than most musicians twice their age. Continue reading