From The Vault - SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

UPDATE: Scan of the ticket stub and Mike Muir autograph from their show with Queensrÿche on May 14, 1991 was added.

Suicidal Tendencies is playing in Minneapolis tonight - they always put on an entertaining show so get out and see them. Here's a few things I pulled out of my archives of stuff. The new album, 13, is a good one - check out my review here.

The Welcome To Venice compilation from 1985.

First up are pictures of my copy of the rare vinyl LP Welcome To Venice, a compilation released by Suicidal Records in 1985 that features Suicidal, Beowülf, Los Cycos, No Mercy, and Excel. This was only released on LP and cassette and has never been reissued in any format, so copies sell on eBay in the $50–100 range. I bought this in the mid-80s from one of my cousins, who sold me a stack of punk/hardcore albums including the first Suicidal albums as well as ones from C.O.C., Circle Jerks, Excel, and Descendants.

The first chance I had to see Suicidal was on the tour for Lights...Camera...Revolution opening for Queensrÿche on the Empire tour on May 14, 1991 at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. An odd billing, to be sure, but Suicidal went over surprisingly well with their short set. They mainly played songs from Lights...Camera...Revolution, including "You Can't Bring Me Down", "Lovely", "Alone", and "Send Me Your Money". I think "Pledge Your Allegiance" and "How Can I Laugh Tomorrow" rounded out the set, but I was shocked that nothing from the first two albums was played - they were definitely trying to appeal to a metal crowd. Before Queenrÿche started I spotted Suicidal vocalist Mike Muir on the edge of the arena floor by a dressing room door and was able to get his autograph (above).

Suicidal Tendencies performing in 1998 at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas. Click on the live pictures to see more photos from this show (11).

Their set list changed dramatically the next time I saw them on November 9, 1998 at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas. This was a co-headlining show with Infectious Grooves right before Suicidal released the Six The Hard Way EP. I wasn't a fan of Infectious Grooves, but their live show was impressive. Now Suicidal ignored all their radio and video hits from the last four metal albums and focused on the first two. It was awesome to hear all those songs, and the show definitely signaled a change in the band back towards their punk roots. All of the live pictures here are from this show, and were the best I could get with a crappy old camera in a packed club.

The last time I caught Suicidal was in early 2000 at Cane's in San Diego while promoting the weak Freedumb album. Surprisingly, this is the show I remember the least about. What I do recall were some songs from Freedumb alongside ones from the first two albums. It still was an excellent show, just not a memorable one for some reason. I had an off night with my camera for I just have a roll of film that's entirely out of focus - too bad, because these could have been some great pictures.

Promotional picture from 1999 to promote Freedumb.

Suicidal Tendencies performs tonight, Tuesday, April 16 at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis with support from DRI and Waking The Dead. In Defence plays a free (with ticket) pre-concert show downstairs in The Nether Bar.

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 6, 2012: BANSHEE Reunion, FEAR FACTORY/VOIVOD Shockwaves Tour Cancelled

Minneapolis-based Tooth & Nail recording artist Write This Down have scheduled a show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 10 with support from Red Moring Voyage, Harp & Lyre, Awaken, Imagine The Silence, and Sick Of Talking About It. Write This Down released their new album, Lost Weekend, last month.

Following the announcement a couple weeks ago of major lineup changes to the Shockwave 2012 Tour and co-headliner’s Voivod July 3 cancellation, Blabbermouth reported two days ago that the other headliner, Fear Factory, has also dropped out resulting in the whole tour having the plug pulled. The tour was supposed to start tonight, July 6 in Seattle, and pull into Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, July 12.

Hard rockers 12 Stones return to the area on Monday, July 23 for an all ages show at the North Star Room in Mounds View with Blameshift, Digital Summer, Throwing Gravity, and Sinful Angel.

As Blabbermouthreported earlier this week, the revamped Queensrÿche with new lead singer Todd La Torre will still be playing their scheduled show at Halfway Jam in Royalton, Minnesota on Saturday, July 28. This lineup has played two shows as Rising West, but apparently this will be their first appearance officially as Queenrÿche.

Hardcore/crossover band Media Blitz from California will storm the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis for a special half-room show on Wednesday, July 25 with In Defence, Triple Crossed, Rivit, and Total Trash.

Local metal band Tomorrow Brings New Blood are having a record release show on Friday, July 27 at Station 4 in St. Paul with Beastface, The Atlantis Theorem, Element, and Apothecary. This is an early 18+ show. Tomorrow Brings New Blood will be selling their new, self-titled album for only $5 at the show.

Support for the Taproot and Smile Empty Soul show announced last week at Station 4 in St. Paul on Monday, July 30 has been set. Opening the show will be Severah, 14 Clicks, Requiems’s End, and Terror Overising. This is a 16+ show that starts early at 6:00 pm.

Totally underrated technical power metal band Banshee has reformed with a new singer, George Call (Omen, Aska), and released a new album, Mindslave. Original guitarist Terry Dunn is taking the band out on the road, and they will be playing Station 4 in St. Paul on Wednesday, August 1. I witnessed the first Banshee reunion concert with original vocalist Tommy Lee Flood in 1999 at America’s Pub in Kansas City, and they guys blew down the house. This promises to be another killer show.

Rock band The Classic Crime is making a stop at the North Star Room in Mounds View on Saturday, August 18 for an early all ages show.

Black metal band Abigail Williams has booked a final, lengthy U.S. tour that circles the continent from July 26 in Santa Barbara, California to September 15 in Portland, Oregon. Right now they are slated to play in St. Paul on Thursday, September 6. This show is unconfirmed, but I would guess that it will happen at Station 4. Additional details will be posted when they become available.

Norwegian industrial/electronic band Icon Of Coil are touring North America this fall and hit Ground Zero in Minneapolis on Wednesday, September 12 with [:SITD:}, Gabriel And The Apocalypse, and Dissociate.

Stoner-sludge band Big Business will hit the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Monday, September 17. This is an 18+ show, and tickets go on sale Monday, July 16 at 12:00 noon.

Write This Down was recently added to the list of artists performing on the Shiprocked cruise from November 27 to December 1. The cruise departs Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the Bahamas with an impressive roster of hard rock bands including Godsmack, Five Finger Death Punch, P.O.D., Sevendust, Filter, Fuel, Geoff Tate, Gilby Clarke, Lit, Black Stone Cherry, and In This Moment. You find more information at the Shiprocked website.