Press Play Magazine: February 2011 by Press Play Magazine

FEBRAURY 2011

“The Music Lifestyle Magazine”

V:2, I:2 ®

One-on-One: see pg. 8

pressplaymag.com FEBUARY 2011

FREE

Get your copy today!

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

PUBLISHER | Myke Fay-Z myke@pressplaymag.com EDITOR | Chris Recinos chris@pressplaymag.com

“Pressing Ink”

CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Eric Tabor eric@pressplaymag.com EVENTS COORDINATOR Elvis Adams elvis@pressplaymag.com STAFF WRITERS Heidi Ohmer FEATURED ARTISTS The Autopilots Exhorder Pandemic Pop Evil The Scorseses For advertising information, contact a representative at: ads@pressplaymag.com or Call 818.753.2331

Publisher’s Rewind: “First impressions are important, but permanent impressions are for life.” - Myke Fay-Z Press Play Magazine 10 NBC Universal Studios Plaza 20th Floor Universal City, CA 91608 818.753.2331 O | 818.753.2310 F Press Play Magazine. 2011. All rights reserved. Press Play Magazine (PPM) is a free publication. PPM, unless stated otherwise, claims no right to any third-party content used within the publication. Although PPM strives to maintain a high level of accuracy and validity within its content, PPM, its publishers, contributors, and support staff issue no guarantees to accuracy, completeness, or usefulness. The endorsements, opinions, and information published within PPM do not necessarily reflect the views of PPM’s staff, sponsors, or advertisers. It is the sole responsibility of the Reader to evaluate the information, opinion, advice, or other content available through Press Play Magazine. Under no circumstances shall Press Play Magazine or any other party involved in creating, producing, or distributing of Press Play Magazine be liable for damages of any kind, including (without limitation) compensatory, direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages. This includes but is not limited to reliance by a Reader on any information obtained from PPM or that which results from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files or email, errors, defects, or any failure of performance, whether or not resulting from acts of God, communications failure, theft, destruction, or unauthorized access to PPM’s records, programs, or services. Because some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, in such states liability is limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.

We all know that with the music scene you are going to see some ink. I got my first tattoo in Miami when the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl. The fleur de lis means a lot to me and represents a huge statement of making the impossible possible. Most of us in this industry have a tat or two (or maybe way more). But, in the end, it is yet another way, outside of music, to express our beliefs and feelings that we have experienced throughout our lifetime. I’ve been getting some more work done from my boy Race at Skin Lab in Houma. He hooked up a couple works of art that represent me and stand for what I believe in. Just like music, these tats have similar distinctions about my ideas and my life. My second tat was the concept of the uncapped pyramid with the “over-seeing eye” from the back of the dollar bill. I watched a documentary about its meaning and the uncapped pyramid was designed to represent our great country of America. It meant that America would continuously grow and never be limited, never be capped. The “Over-Seeing Eye” represents God watching America’s past, present, future, and beyond. I felt like it represented me as well, as I am the uncapped pyramid, with different layers of my life, and God overseeing my every move. Of course other people will have different interpretations of the meaning, but that is their issue. My next piece of work was my baby boy’s birthday, 7/12/10, designed in playing cards: including the 7 of diamonds, which stands for luck and riches, the ace of spade which represents a “1”, standing for hard work, 2 of hearts standing for two to love, and the king of clubs, “10”, stands for living life to the fullest. The outline shade of the cards are shaded in purple, which is his mother’s favorite color. These works of art will be with me for life. Anyone with tats has reasons and meanings for what they represent, and that is all that is important. Jessie, my general manager and a close friend, sent me a photo of some tattoo art work that Kelly from Sublime Impressions did. The ink work was vast but the words were powerful. The tat read: “The Bottom Line” FACE IT ‘Nobody owes you a living’ What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime Is directly related to what you do or fail to do. No one chooses his parents or childhood but you can choose your own direction. Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome But that too is relative to each individual. NOTHING IS CARVED IN STONE You can change anything in your life If you want to badly enough Excuses are for losers.

Those who take responsibility for their actions are the real winners in life. Winners meet life’s challenges head on knowing there are no guarantees and give it all they’ve got. They never think it’s too late or too early to begin Time plays no favorites and will pass whether you act or not TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE Dare to dream and take risks... Complete If you aren’t willing to work for your goals don’t expect others to... BELIEVE IN YOURSELF !!

The next time you see someone’s ink, ask them what it means. The answer might surprise you. Long live personal expression, long live the music, long live America! Express Yourself, Myke Fay-Z PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

by Chris Recinos, Staff Writer, Editor Nothing is truer in life and especially in the music industry. From multi-million dollar Location, location, location. Such an important aspect of everything we do. Want to “make it big” playing music? Going to be much harder to do if you don’t play in the major markets. Want to have a successful business? That’s going to be hard if your business in inaccessible (i.e. moats and fire breathing dragons barring the way.) Even applies to where people live. Rent is more expensive the closer you get to the city. If you have to be inconvenienced to do the simple things in life, you’re real estate value probably isn’t that high. As a matter of fact, I used to pick my apartments according to their proximity to the bars I frequented (I guess we all know where my priorities were then.) So basically what I’m saying is that you have to be very conscious of where you are doing what you do. I recently moved back to the New Orleans area, though my hands still reach out to the Houma-Thibodaux area and beyond to Lafayette now. Baton Rouge and parts of Mississippi are within my reach, as well, but my central point to attack from is right here in New Orleans. Now there is something to say about smaller markets in whatever you do. There isn’t as much oversaturation of that of which you are trying to do in the secondary and tertiary markets. It’s the whole “Big fish, small pond” experience. I didn’t realize the extent of that until I moved out to California for a little while. I went from being a giant tuna in a pond to feeling like a guppy in an ocean – but it was a much needed, although humbling, experience. It taught me the value of those smaller markets. The bigger markets wouldn’t be “bigger” if they didn’t have anything to compare themselves to, now would they? As a matter of fact, many agents and managers I deal with love the smaller markets. “They’re not as glamorous, but those are the shows that pay the bills.” So there is absolutely nothing wrong with not being a primary market. I say become the biggest fish you can in your market. If you have higher aspirations, hone your skills in that area and then move on to bigger things as a well oiled machine. Mistakes aren’t as costly when made in smaller markets, so make them there. Once you’ve perfected your art, move on, or become the biggest fish you can in that pond… or even better, find a way to make the pond bigger to fit your ever-growing gills and fins.

15 Questions with… Exhorder’s Kyle Thomas 1) When did Exhorder start? 1985. I stumbled upon them in ’86 at a DRI concert. I started playing with them after a jam session including an Exodus and Storm Troopers of Death cover. 2) When did you all disband? Which time? We’ve done it at least twice. Once in 1987. Then again in 1993. 3) If you could make one band get back together for one concert, who would they be? Corrosion of Conformity – The Animosity line-up, which is actually happening at The Maryland Death Fest that we’re playing at. 4) During your last hiatus, what did you do? I played in Floodgate, Alabama Thunderpussy, Jones’s Lounge, Pitts VS. Preps, Trouble, and did a song with Joey Jordison from Slipknot. Had some kids, too. 5) What do singing in a metal band and having kids have in common? They’re both frustrating, but both give me everything in life that I’ve never had beforehand. The pros completely weigh out the cons. The two things I love the most are my family and my music. 6) Who are your personal biggest influences in metal? Musicianship and writing – Geezer Butler. As far as the physical image that made me want to get on stage, that was Gene Simmons. 7) Who is your favorite nonmetal vocalist? Steve Perry is phenomenal. And Jeff Buckley is really great. 8) Most memorable gig? I’d have to say at this point it would be the Rock Hard Festival in Germany this past year. 4

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

9) Biggest crowd you’ve played in front of? 11,000 people with Floodgate opening for Sepultura 10) Favorite band you’ve played with? The big three for me were Rollins Band, C.O.C., and Agnostic Front 11) Last three bands you’ve listened to? World Beneath World, Magma Rise, and haarp. 12) Last band you saw in concert? AC/DC or the Naked Brothers Band…. Not sure which 13) Favorite thing about New Orleans? It’s always home and you can’t beat the food. 14) When is your next gig? February 19th at The City Club of Houma then Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans afterwards with Rigormortis and World Beneath World. 15) Where can fans go to keep up with Exhorder? www.exhorder.com

Who? Paul O’Brien – Drums Mark Pecoraro – Vocals George Butler – Guitar Isaiah Pierce - Bass What? Melodic Hard Rock from just north of New Orleans with influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to Alice in Chains to Karnivool to Incubus When? February 18th at Click’s in Baton Rouge February 19th at The Green Room in Covington Where? www.myspace.com/pandemic Why? The grass is always going to be greener, but ask anyone about the blossoming hard rock scene in New Orleans before Katrina and they’ll start to reminisce about the good ol’ days – back when bands used to pack venues on a consistent basis. Unfortunately many of these bands disbanded after the storm. Luckily, some of the bandless members got together to form new ones. Thus came about Pandemic. With sharing the stage with bands such as Sevendust, 30 Seconds to Mars, 12 Stones, Trust Company, Filter, and Saliva under their belt, they’ve pounded out tour after tour on their own, creating fan bases across the Southeast.

Who? Vince Ebeier – Vocals David Latino – Guitars Dave Demarest – Bass Chris Noto – Drums Jerell Rodriguez – Keyboards Danny Nixdorf – Saxophone Jimmy Reamey – Trumpet/Trombone Dave Melancon - Trumpet What? Progressive third wave ska band from New Orleans with influences ranging from Rx Bandits to Sublime to Iron Maiden to The Police. When? February 26th at The Parish at The House of Blues Where? www.scorseses.com Why? The best thing about bands breaking up is that the members almost always start new projects, and if you’re lucky, they do something completely different than what you are used to hearing from them individually. This is the case with The Scorseses. These gents came from so many different traditional genres (indie, alternative, progressive, rock) to create the sound you hear today. With an electric non-stop live show including covers of “Minnie the Moocher” and some Sublime tracks, this band is extremely proficient at keeping your attention and body moving. PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

February 2 That 1 Guy 3 Murder By Death Benjy Davis Project 4 Rascal Flatts Southern Whiskey Rebellion, 4-Mag Nitrous, Sons of the South The Wise Guys The Dave Matthews Tribute Band Rockalanche nonpoint with Dirge Witin plus Red Line Chemistry and Seven Ways Gone 5 Earphunk and MacHete Ill Nino, Anew Revolution, Ekotren, Fashion Bomb, slowtheknife Smith Westerns with Yuck Truth and Salvage Co. and Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights Wayne Toups Seasoned Soul 8 Kid Rock Lissie plus Dylan leblanc 9 Meschiya Lake, the Little Big Horns, Pokey Lafarge, the Sout Cody Canana and The Departed 10 Willie Nelson Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas Reckless Kelly Designer Drugs w/ Shanook 11 Bustout Burlesque Appetite for Destruction: Ultimate Tribute to Guns N Roses plus Grunge Factory George Porter Jr. & the Runnin Pardners and Papa Grows Funk Rocklanche 12 Stones 12 Brad Paisley w/ Darius Rucker and Jerrod Niemann Mike Epps Salt n Pepa's Legends of Hip Hop Tour Pop Evil, Seven Ways Gone, and Company Cain The Nobles 14 Glasgow 16 Corey Smith The AutoPilots w/ Black Magnolia and Luke Starkiller 18 Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns The Boogie men Vintage The City Life Chee Weez Genitorturers with Sister Sin plus DJ Sneauxball, DJ Saturnine & DJ Angelle

19 Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra: American Masters Sgt. Pepper's Beatles Tribute Band Exhorder, Blackwater Burial, and Cyanide Smile 20 Grace Potter & the Nocturnals Ratty Scurvics and the Black Market Butchers with Mystic Ponies Aerial 23 Depressed Buttons 24 Keller Willams 25 Tera Melos and Marnie Stern plus Caddywhompus Cline Hines Presents: Prince MC Hammer Stereoside G-Eazy Zoso 26 Rickey Smiley Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour The Scorseses CD Release Party 10 Years, Digital Summer, a Cry Farewell

The Republic House of Blues The Varsity Theatre New Orleans Arena City Club of Houma Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl Shortys at Cypress Bayou Casino The Brickhouse The Hanger One Eyed Jacks City Club of Houma Spanish Moon House of Blues Paragon Casino Resort Shortys at Cypress Bayou Casino CenturyTel Center House of Blues One Eyed Jacks The Varsity Theatre heymann Performing Arts Center Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl The Varsity Theatre The Republic House of Blues The Hanger Tipitinas Hard Racks The Varsity Theatre Lafayette Cajundoome Baton Rouge River Center UNO Lakefront Arena City Club of Houma Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl The Republic Texas Club The Varsity Theatre One Eyed Jacks Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl City Club of Houma The Republic Varsity Theatre The Hanger Mahalia Jackson Theater Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl City Club of Houma House of Blues One Eyed Jacks The Republic House of Blues House of Blues One Eyed Jacks Harrah's Casino City Club of Houma The Republic The Varsity Theatre Mahalia Jackson Theater One Eyed Jacks House of Blues City Club of Houma

New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA Charenton, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA Marksville, LA Charenton, LA Bossier City, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA

House of Blues Tipitinas One Eyed Jacks The Varsity Theatre City Club of Houma House of Blues House of Blues Tipitinas City Club of Houma Tipitinas City Club of Houma One Eyed Jacks Spanish Moon The Republic

New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA Houma, LA New Orleans, LA Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA

March 1 Hot Tuna Blues Josh Ritter Plus Joe Pug 2 The Walkmen with the Head and the Heart 3 Ice Cube 4 Southern Cross Pat Green with special guests Better Than Ezra 5 Better Than Ezra with special guests Big Sam's Funky Nation Galactic, T-Bird, The Breaks 6 The Autopilots 7 Galactic plus Orgone Groovy 7 11 Ra Ra Riot and Givers Baths 8 Bit Anatomy with Billsberry Flowboy

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

One-on-One with Leigh Kakaty of Pop Evil by Chris Recinos, Staff Writer, Editor

Back in January of 2009 I put on my first event at The City Club of Houma, bringing in Saliva to the area. It was kind of a big deal, so people came out in droves for the big event and it sold out the night of the show. Luckily, the tour already had phenomenal support lined up, including a band called Pop Evil. These gents came on and pretty much stole the show. On that small stage they made it seem like the The City Club of Houma was an arena and everyone, including them felt it. The band and the crowd continued to feed off of each exponentially with each song, ending with the eruption of guitar licks, drum beats, and thunderous applause at the end of the set. The only thing you could hear over that wall of noise was the genuine “Thank You’s” delivered by Pop Evil front man, Leigh Kakaty. Pop Evil has since returned to area and will be doing so again this year. Kakaty gave me the pleasure of a phone call and a candid conversation: How did Pop Evil come together in the first place? Well, we kind of came together as a garage band fooling around, one thing led to another, we got bigger and it seems every year things were moving forward. Things got more serious; we got more serious about wanting to record our own original music. We did our thing, played every weekend to save up money to record our CD. Right around 2005, we had the opportunity to record with Al Sutton who produced Kid Rock and it spawned from that. 8

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

Who are the band’s biggest influences? I have to say some of the bigger influences are the Metallica’s, the Pantera’s, the Rage Against the Machine’s, the Guns ‘n’ Roses’... of course all the elite. I think now-a-days we’ve just been driven by singles and hooks; we’re a very hook oriented band. If the hook isn’t really getting us moving, or singing, or humming the tune, we kind of scrap it. We want to write the catchiest stuff we can as well as the most relatable. Which of the aforementioned would be heard on the bus? We don’t really listen to anything on the bus these days. We do so much music that when we can, we try to rest the ears… but yeah we listen to all of them when we do. I think more so when we’re on the bus we probably listen to country or anything but rock because we do it so much for a living. So we try to get some fresh ideas from other genres. So, how long have you all been touring now? We’ve been touring for the past 3 years, but been off for the past 8 months trying to get ready for the new album. We just finished our new record so, obviously, we were getting ready for that to launch. We’ve been off getting that all polished up. Who have you had the opportunity to share the stage with on your tours?

Many names; we’ve had Judas Priest, Tesla, Theory of a Deadman, Buckcherry, Puddle of Mud, Shinedown, and everyone in between. Any Favorites? Tesla, for sure - one of our favorites. They’re such cool guys, they were one of our first tours and they kind of took us under their wing as big brothers and kind of showed us the ropes, it was definitely an unforgettable tour. And you mentioned the new album; it’s coming out when…? It’s scheduled to come out February 8th And the name of the new album? War of Angels Can you compare the first album with this new one? There’s no comparison-- it blows the old one out of the water. When we did the first album, we were part time, juggling jobs, friends, girlfriends, and money problems. But, this record we got the opportunity to... well, we moved to Chicago for 6 months, recorded, and there was nothing on our minds but the music. We demoed 30 songs, and ended up keeping 10. It was really cool for the first time in our careers to be able to devote all of our time to where it should be, on the music. So obviously, there’s a huge difference. It’s very guitar driven as far as the riffs. I went to the drawing board on lyrics and made sure I can hold myself accountable to everything I was saying. I wanted to really delve in and become a better writer. I think it just shows, leaps and bounds, from this album from our last. We feel like we’ve been dealing with so many demons, both on and off the stage in becoming full time musicians that we wanted to showcase that on this record— hence the name War of Angels.

added the addition to the stage, and it was such a small stage. We didn’t know what to expect, we didn’t have any room on the stage because Saliva had all their stuff set up and we had to set up in front of it. We were like “This is going to suck.” We got on, and the fans were just so electrifying, they just totally appreciate rock and to this day it goes down as one of our favorite shows of all time. I mean, Houma has become kind of a second home for Pop Evil and we just absolutely love the people there and the southern hospitality is definitely in full effect every time we come south. We just love it there, we’re definitely at home in Houma and there’s no doubt about it. I was actually about to ask you if it was safe to say that you call Houma your home away from home? Yea, it definitely is. We’re from Grand Rapids, Michigan and for years we’ve called it (Houma) the “baby Grand Rapids” because it reminds us of when we first started to break at home. There’s so much energy... there’s family... there’s just something special there that really doesn’t happen everywhere. It’s one of our favorite places to play, we absolutely love the people, and we’re really excited to come back and play this new album for them. Pop Evil will be appearing again in Houma at The City Club of Houma on February 12th. Tickets are still available at ticketweb.com

At one of your shows I’ve had the pleasure of watching you walk out into the crowd on the hands of your fans. When and how was the first time you ever tried doing that? It’s something I started back in our hometown back in the day when we started getting bigger. We’ve all heard of crowd surfing, but that’s just lame. I wanted to walk on their hands and really let them feel the weight of holding up a band member and letting them feel more connected. I just always felt that being able to hold up a singer of a band you like shows such power that the fan can have...to just have me right in their realm-- they keep me up. If they let me go I fall. I just think that’s such a trust thing to have for your fans-- to let them know that you are there for them. Your strength is with them and I think that’s the most metaphorical thing. The best gift you can give is to let them be able to hold you up, it shows how ironic it is...it’s the fans that have the power and it’s the fans that give the music the ability to connect. Let’s talk about Houma, LA. Tell me about your first time there. Houma was incredible, we weren’t really expecting... we didn’t know what to expect. I remember this was our first time to Louisiana, in general. We were on tour with Saliva at the time. City Club had a small stage at the time, it was before they PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

by Chris Recinos, Staff Writer, Editor 02/02 – That 1 Guy The Republic - New Orleans, LA There is absolutely no way to describe the auditory and visual stimuli you will see, hear, and feel when standing in front of Mike Silverman, better known as That 1 Guy as he performs. Whether it’s from playing his Musical Saw, Musical Boot, or the more common Magic Pipe (a 7-foot-tall collection of steel plumbing pipes and joints, orchestral bass strings, and electronics), the combination of percussive, melodic, and just strange noises that comes off that stage is just a joyful sound to the trained as well as the untrained ear. So, if you’ve seen him before alongside Buckethead or on his own, or if you’ve never seen anything like him, you don’t want to miss this event. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. 02/16 – The AutoPilots The Varsity – Baton Rouge, LA Up and coming artists, The AutoPilots are making a great deal of noise already in the southeast Louisiana area. With a newly Joe and David Stark produced EP leading the way, these gents are plowing their way through to bigger things. With such a relevant sound building from such influences including Led Zeppelin, Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters, and The Black Keys these Houma, LA natives are filling rooms in their hometown and branching out to conquer the rest of the South – to begin with. Black Magnolia and Luke Starkiller open. Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door. 02/18 – Genitorturers The Hangar – New Orleans, LA The self proclaimed “World’s Sexiest Rock Band” are coming back to New Orleans. This Industrial Metal band got its start playing with such bands at Marilyn Manson and The Spooky Kids back in Florida while front woman, Gen, was studying pre-med. Known for their quality of performance and for their

exploits and pornographic show content, Genitorturers have managed to brand their band name into anyone’s memory that has seen them live. Sister Sin, DJ Sneauxball, DJ Saturine, and DJ Angelle open. Tickets are $15 in advance, &18 at the door. 02/19 – Exhorder The City Club of Houma – Houma, LA Formed in 1985, this thrash metal band is credited by many as being the influence for the sound of such bands as Pantera, White Zombie, and Machine Head. These New Orleans natives went on hiatus after releasing the albums Slaughter in the Vatican and The Law, but reunited officially in 2009 playing a handful of shows in New Orleans and Houma. Anyone who knows anything about metal will be in attendance if at all possible. Blackwater Burial and Cyanide Smile open. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

02/20 – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals The Parish at the House of Blues – New Orleans, LA Nominations for the Boston Music Awards, winning a Jammy Award, tours with Gov’t Mule, Black Crowes, and Dave Matthews Band, and appearing on “Almost Alice”, the companion soundtrack for Tim Burton’s feature film Alice in Wonderland are all things that Grace can brag about. Potter also wrote a track titled “Something That I Want”, which was performed on One Tree Hill. In 2010, she re-wrote some of the lyrics and Disney chose it to be featured during the closing credits of their feature Tangled, which in that version Potter sung by herself. Her blend of blues, soul, and rock in addition to her multi-instrumentalist talent (she plays the Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer Electric Piano and electric and acoustic guitars) create a live show that is not easily forgotten. Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights open. Tickets are $16 in advance and $19.50 at the door.

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

Pop Evil - “War of Angels” Record Label: Universal Republic Reviewed by: Heidi Ohmer

High energy. Kick ass music. Unavoidable urges to move. This all describes the band Pop Evil’s introductory album .The band definitely raises the bar on the heavy scale while still staying true to their original sound with their upcoming release War of Angels, which is scheduled to be released February 8th. Being a fan of the band’s previous album Lipstick on a Mirror, it’s safe to say the new direction of the band’s sound is exactly what they needed. The album starts with a bang with the CD’s first single “Last Man Standing.” The song starts of with an in your face guitar riff that is quickly joined with lead singer Leigh Kakaty’s melodic grungy voice that causes almost an aggressive ecstasy. The hostile tendencies stick throughout the entire song and rolls into the next track, “Epitaph”, which begins with another thrashing guitar riff. This confident song delivers the same attitude as the opening track that may leave listeners feeling indestructible. Musically speaking, the heaviness gets even more intense with chugging break downs and screeching guitar solos that eventually lead to a breathtaking melting closure. Don’t worry “100 in a 55” fans, the upcoming tracks are exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Songs “Broken and Betrayed,” “Monster You Made,” and “Let it Out” are all mirror images of the previous album which were established with melodic guitar licks and soothing vocals. Moving onward, “Black and Blue” is a powerful sequel that intermixes the opening tracks. Starting off slow and mysterious, it comes almost as a shock when heavier than usual guitar riffs come screaming at you that eventually transition into the chorus. The blast from the past chorus quickly turns into the new atomic sound once again. Mid song, a breathtaking breakdown is included that proves to the most critical ears that this band creates incredible songs that will hook anyone who is listening. Concluding the CD with an acoustic version of “Monster You Made” was honestly a bold move. Even though some fans may argue this album should have more variety, Pop Evil has once again composed a solid album.

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

The Autopilots - “Get Gone” Record Label: N/A (Independent) Reviewed by: Heidi Ohmer

A fairly new yet familiar sound has re-rooted in a band whose name has become frequent in countless musicians’ conversations. The Autopilots have found a way to intertwine a Led Zeppelin aura with their own contemporary influences to make their sound more than relevant in today’s society. The EP Get Gone was a gift to all fans and newcomers alike when released on December 25, 2010. The EP begins with “On My Way,” which opens with a dirty, grungy riff from both guitars that will satisfy fans from Jimi Hendrix, all the way to The Black Keys. Vocally speaking, Gabriel Delaney’s soaring voice is a perfect compliment that adds an addicting blues element, as does the inspiring, retro guitar solo which is tastefully done to top off the adhesive song. The good times roll on with the song “Get Up and Get Gone.” Good ol’ Rock n’ Roll is clearly back with this track which is introduced with a refreshing guitar riff that sets up the mood for the incoming somber lyrics. The solemn lyrics remain throughout the song despite the sudden instruments’ mood swings, which create an entirely different atmosphere. One of the most impressive tracks off of the album is saved for last. “Cut You Down”, which is a brilliant cover of a traditional folk song, will definitely turn ears. The Southern journey starts off with hand claps that is mixed with a clever non-overpowering guitar lick. This creative blend is eventually joined with Delaney’s low octave voice and a tambourine which gives the song that traditional bluesy feel and will make anyone feel like they are at home. This familiar feel of home is a perfect way to end the EP and will hook anyone who’s listening. Look out Southern Louisiana, The Autopilots are said to be “the next big thing.”

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011

Be featured! Send pictures to: models@vuepink.com

PRESS PLAY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011