THE DREAMING Vocalist Chris Hall Slams CHEVELLE Version of "It's No Good" as a "Piece of Sh*t!"

At The Dreaming’s show on Monday, July 23, in St. Paul at Station 4 the band performed their cover of Depeche Mode’s “It’s No Good” (from The Dreaming's latest album Puppet) and vocalist Chris Hall (ex-Stabbing Westward) didn’t hold back on his view of Chevelle’s take on the song:

“I heard the Chevelle version of that song yesterday and I gotta say ours is way f**king better than that piece of sh*t! I don’t know what they were thinking when they released that. Holy crap it’s terrible!”

My YouTube account is still suspended so I can’t post the clip, but I do have video of this declaration that can be downloaded here (.mov, 23.7 MG, 12 seconds).


I’ll get a complete show recap posted soon, but in the meantime here’s a couple pictures of The Dreaming and support band Sargent Avenue. Sargent Avenue was pretty impressive, and The Dreaming put on an awesome, 16 song, nearly 90 minute show. The set was heavily focused on material from Puppet along with some Stabbing Westward songs, including “What Do I Have To Do?”, “Shame”, “Save Yourself”, a cool half-acoustic version of “Sometimes It Hurts”, and an absolutely amazing performance of “Waking Up Beside You”.

Chevelle plays at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Friday, September 7 with Throw The Fight.

Concert Announcements - July 27, 2012

The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis just announced a local show with Emergent, Vaudeville, Thira, Whither The Tide, and R.A.G.E. on Friday, August 10.

Hard rock band Saving Abel plays an 18+ show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, August 17. Advance tickets are only $5.

Yesterday it was announced that the Dethklok, Lamb Of God, and Gojira tour was cancelled due to Lamb Of God’s singer Randy Blythe ongoing legal trouble in the Czech Republic, where he continues to be held in jail. All three bands were scheduled to be a part of Knotfest with Slipknot on Saturday, August 18 in Somerset, Wisconsin, and I’ve removed them from the calendar listing. Hopefully replacement bands for Knotfest will be announced.

On Sunday, August 19, Texas Hippie Coalition will play at The Cabooze in Minneapolis.

Blue Felix plays a free show at Neisen’s in Savage on Thursday, August 23.

The Turf Club in St. Paul has instrumental warriors Zebulon Pike along with Jel, Pizza Boys, and Good Morning Gentlemen on Friday, September 14. This show will also feature a drum-off with Dave King, JT Bates, Martin Dosh, and Tim Glenn.

As if having Wino playing on Thursday, August 16 at the Turf Club in St. Paul wasn’t awesome enough – now godly doom metal pioneers Saint Vitus will play at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with Weedeater on Monday, October 1.

GWAR returns to First Avenue on Sunday, November 18 with Devildriver, Cancer Bats, and Legacy Of Disorder. This is an all ages show, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, July 27 at 12:00 noon.

Lastly, rock legends The Who will be performing Quadrophenia (and more) in its entirety at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 27. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 am today, Friday, July 27.

In Concert This Week - July 27, 2012

This weekend has an insane amount of shows, so let’s get right to what’s coming up.

Glam jokesters Steel Panther and Throw The Fight play to a sold out crowd tonight, Friday, July 27 at the newly renamed and renovated Mill City Nights (formerly The Brick) in Minneapolis. There’s also a slew of great local shows tonight, too: Tepetricy, Eden, Blood Root Mother, Windowvyne, and DJ Diesel play the Fine Line in Minneapolis; Tomorrow Brings New Blood, Beastface, The Atlantis Theorem, Element 33, and Apothecary are at Station 4 in St. Paul; and The Cabooze in Minneapolis is hosting New Medicine for a benefit show with Toussaint Morrison, Sheeped, Dr. Wylie, Big Villian, Q’s Junction, and Chrome Lotus.

The Halfway Jam in Royalton continues this weekend with .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, and Blackfoot playing tonight, Friday July 27. Saturday, July 28 features the first show of Queensrÿche with new vocalist Todd La Torre, Stryper, Lynch Mob, and Enuff Z’nuff. There’s also a number of local second stage acts both night as well.

The Cinderella, Sebastian Bach, and Lita Ford show at Myth in St. Paul scheduled for Saturday, July 28 has been cancelled. I haven’t heard a word about what happened – the listing just disappeared from the Myth website and the tour is now scheduled to play at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa instead.

The Bouncing Souls, Smoking Popes, The Menzingers, and Luther play First Avenue in Minneapolis, Saturday, July 28. Also taking place on Saturday: Station 4 in St. Paul is having a free memorial show to honor Allan Wilson with Metal Witch, Mousia, Eternal Voyager, and Minos; Ted Nugent returns to the area for a show at Treasure Island in Red Wing; and Tesla plays Vetter Stone Amphitheater in Mankato with Jason & The Scorchers.

Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon plays a solo show on Sunday, July 29 at the Rush City Tavern in Rush City. That same night Station 4 in St. Paul has a brutal show with Pathology, Enfold Darkness, Fallujah, Fit For An Autopsy, Aegaeon, Apothecary, Beauty Of Decay, and Sadistic Passage.

Monday, July 30 you can catch Taproot with Smile Empty Soul, Severah, 14 Clicks, Requiems’s End, and Terror Overising at Station 4 in St. Paul.

Theory Of A Deadman, Aranda, and Charm City Devils play at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Tuesday, July 31.

On Wednesday, August 1, Bane, Terror, Naysayer, and Rotting Out play the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. The Banshee show scheduled for Wednesday at Station 4 has apparently been cancelled. It’s been quietly removed from the Station 4 Facebook page, so I’ve removed it from the Concert Calendar.

Concert Announcements - July 23, 2012

There’s been little in the way of new shows announced, so this update will be brief.

Hard rock band Trapt will play Station 4 in St. Paul on Sunday, August 12 for a 16+ show.

Monday, August 13 sees the return of local black metal band Teratism with a show at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.

The reunited Broken Hope (with new vocalist Damian Leski) lands in St. Paul at Station 4 on Tuesday, September 18 with Decrepit Birth, Jungle Rot, and Encrust. Although this is smack-dab in the middle of a tour with Obituary headlining, Obituary will not be appearing at this show. There’s been no word on why this is, but hopefully all bands will be able to play longer sets.

Further details are now available for the My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult on Thursday, October 11. Support acts will be Canad’s Left Spine Down (with Front Line Assembly keyboardist Jeremy Inkel) and locals Screaming Mechanical Brain. This is an 18+ show, at tickets are on sale now for $20 in advance or at the door.

Locals Blue Felix, Nuisance, and Severah team up for a show on Saturday, October 27 at G.B. Leighton’s Pickle Park in Fridley.

In Concert This Week - July 23, 2012

Well I completely neglected getting this update posted before the weekend, so here’s an abbreviated rundown of what’s going on the remainder of this week.

Tonight, Monday, July 23 has two shows in the area. First, former Stabbing Westward singer Christopher Hall brings The Dreaming back to Station 4 in St. Paul with Whither The Tide, Sargent Avenue, and Uzza. Check out my previously posted review of The Dreaming’s latest album, Puppet, here. Hard rockers 12 Stones also play tonight in Mounds View at the North Star Room with Blameshift, Digital Summer, Throwing Gravity, and Sinful Angel.

Off the wall band I Set My Friends On Fire play Station 4 in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 24 with support from The Color Morale, Our Last Night, My Ticket Home, Fact, To Release, and From Concept To Chronicle.

It’s a night of hardcore punk at the Triple Rock Social Club on Wednesday, July 25 with Media Blitz, In Defence, Triple Crossed, Rivit, and Total Trash. There’s also a couple locals show on Wednesday with progressive metal band Hollowstone playing with Urn and Cold Colours at Station 4 in St. Paul, while industrial/electronic band As|Of teams up with Christopher J. Wray, Phenetick, and KPT at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis.

Thursday, July 26 has Within The Ruins, Molotov Solution, and Adestria playing Station 4 in St. Paul. Halfway Jam in Royalton begins on Thursday with an evening show featuring Jackyl, Trixter, and Bang Tango.

SCREAMING MECHANICAL BRAIN Album Review

Screaming Mechanical Brain – The Policy Of Unilateral Hate

SMB Laboratories, April 2012

9/10

I didn’t know what exactly to think when lead track “Salt The Earth” first blasted through my speakers, leaving my ears hurting and my mind confused. After a few careful listens I got it. The Policy Of Unilateral Hate, the new album from this Twin Cities-based electronic metal band is pure genius, melding numerous influences and sounds into a crazy, psychotic mix that slams your skull with massive intensity. Screaming Mechanical Brain’s origins go back some 15 years, and numerous releases and hard work since 2001 have resulted in widespread exposure in part due to several national tours with the likes of Mindless Self Indulgence and Psychostick (with whom some members have played with as touring musicians). The most obvious comparison to Screaming Mechanical Brain is Mushroomhead, but there’s also a healthy dose of Sybreed-like aggression. “The Girls Of Nihilism” has some cool layered vocals and sounds like it could have been written by long-forgotten early-90s band T-Ride, while “A Series Of Numbers” reminds me of Kraftwerk. Keyboards are used liberally throughout the album, and vocals are sung in a variety of styles from hoarse screaming to computerized voices. There’s so much going on in each song, but once you have a chance to disgust them it’s fun to listen to all the mayhem. The 11 songs clock in at a comfortable 38 minutes, and a full listen through the entire album leaves you gasping for air. Along with the two previously mentioned songs, other favorites are “Nothing To Believe”, “Conspiracy”, and “How We Became A Monster”. The Policy Of Unilateral Hate is one of the most original albums I’ve heard in a while, and there’s a remarkable amount of depth while retaining a high level of insanity. With the right support and a bit of luck, Screaming Mechanical Brain is poised to make a huge breakthrough.

Screaming Mechanical Brain performs tonight, Saturday, July 14 at Station 4 in St. Paul with support from Brothers Loyalty, If I Ran The Zoo, Molly’s Worst Enemy, Our Judgment, We Follow One, and Pierre.

Concert Announcements - July 14, 2012

This past Thursday night’s Hoobastank show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis was cancelled. According to the Varsity Theater website, refunds will be given at the point of purchase. No reason was given for the cancellation.

Twin Cities band Throw The Fight has been confirmed as support for Steel Panther at their sold old show on Friday, July 27 at The Brick in Minneapolis.

The SoundTown festival scheduled to take place Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28 at Somerset Amphitheater in Somerset, Wisconsin has been cancelled. A post yesterday on the event’s website reads, “unfortunately the ticket threshold was not met and promoters had to make a difficult decision to cancel the event.” Refunds are being issued automatically. There really weren’t any bands of interest to metal fans except perhaps Jane’s Addiction and Weezer, but nevertheless it’s unfortunate to see a big event go under. The bottom line is that there has been such a massive proliferation of all-day and multi-day festivals in the area and greater Minnesota, and there was no way that all of them could be supported.

Former Hollywood Undead singer Deuce will appear at Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, August 9 for an all ages show. Tickets are on sale now.

Kansas City death metal band Ares Kingdom has been added as the headliner to the first night of the 2012 NYDM Annual show on Friday, August 10 at Station 4 in St. Paul. Chicago’s crazy death crew Macabre headlines the second night on Saturday, August 11.

Slipknot’s performance at Knotfest on Saturday, August 18 at Somerset Amphitheater in Somerset, Wisconsin will be broadcast live over the internet at Event View Live. Register now for $14.95 and you will gain access to “Slipknot Saturdays, The Road To Knotfest”, a weekly broadcast of exclusive interviews and live performance clips from their current U.S. tour. The price rises to $19.95 on August 12. Of course why livestream the show when you can witness it live along with all of the other great bands? The great feature is that purchasers can view all postings for up to 30 days after Knotfest.

Canadian melodic death metal band Unleash The Archers make their way to Minnesota for the first time on Wednesday, August 22 at Station 4 in St. Paul. Support will come from local power metal kings Dawn Of Valor and Eternalize, the new female-fronted band featuring keyboardist Jonah Weingarten (Pyramaze, Echoterra, Avian) making their debut non-acoustic performance.

Jonah Weingarten performing with Echoterra in 2010.

Listen to "What I Want" from the upcoming Eternalize debut album.

Pop-punk rockers There For Tomorrow perform an early, all ages show on Monday, September 24 at Station 4 in St. Paul with support from Deaf Havana, Set It Off, Divided By Friday, and This Is Breathing.

Rock band Local H performs Wednesday, October 3 at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. This is an 18+ show, and tickets are on sale now.

Former Minutemen bassist Mike Watt plays the Turf Club in St. Paul as Mike Watt + The Missingmen with Japanese instrumental band LITE on Sunday, October 7. This is a 21+ show, and tickets are on sale now.

Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson are teaming up for a double-headliner tour with support from J Devil that hits the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato on Tuesday, October 9. Ticket information is not available at this time.

Greece’s epic black metal band Septicflesh last played in town in July 2012 as support to Children Of Bodom, and now they return to headline Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, October 19 with special guests Krisiun (Brazil), Melechesh (Netherlands by way of Isreal), Ex Deo (Canada), featuring Kataklysm singer Maurizio Iacono, and Inquisition.

Reformed alternative heavy rock band The Afghan Whigs will be playing the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on Sunday, October 28. This is an 18+ show, and tickets are on sale now. I saw The Afghan Whigs in 1992 or 1993 at The Yacht Club in Iowa City in support of their Congregation album, and they put on a great show.

It’s a thrash fest on Monday, November 12 when Skeletonwitch, Havok, and Mutilation Rites invade the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. This is an 18+ show, and tickets go on sale tomorrow, Saturday, July 14.

Death metal legends Deicide will storm Station 4 in St. Paul on Wednesday, November 14 with support from We Are Legion, Tennessee Murder Club, and Burning Bethlehem.