COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE NAMM SHOW
I’m writing this week’s Crunch from the Anaheim Convention Center where I’ve been covering the NAMM Show, the annual trade show where all the year’s new musical instruments are released. It’s been a crazy four days with too many highlights to mention, but a brief summary would include hanging out with Duff McKagan from Guns N’ Roses/Walking Papers (who are playing Soundwave soon), chatting with Devin Townsend, seeing Periphery do a rare instrumental set, watching The Aristocrats play to their biggest crowd ever, meeting Reeves Gabrels (Davie Bowie’s ‘90s-era guitarist), seeing Monte Pittman play a set of thrash at the Seymour Duncan party (he’s also Madonna’s guitarist but is a big-time thrash guy who has also played in Prong) and so, so, so much more. I’m pretty exhausted a this point so it’s nice to take a few moments of quiet in the press room to write this column.
KING PARROT!
Without a thought of slowing down, King Parrot launch into 2014 with a whole swag of shows, focusing on regional areas and hitting the road with US thrashers Havok and Aussie upstarts Desecrator in February. With a full US tour and SXSW appearances in Texas penned in for March and April, the band is getting their road dog on and burning bitumen all over Australia this summer. King Parrot’s debut album Bite Your Head Off is now out worldwide through legendary extreme metal label Candlelight Records, and the band is getting primed for their first major touring experience outside of Australia. After taking out the crown of ‘Best Heavy Album’ at The Age/Music Victoria Awards and winning ‘Act of the Year’ at the AC/DC Lane – Jagermeister – Cherry Bar awards, the band has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months. To keep fans on the edge of their seats there is an impending video release for the album track Dead End. The band return to the storyboard after the success of the video for Shit on the Liver, and you can expect another quality video to help launch King Parrot into the USA in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! Catch King Parrot on tour around Australia now! They’ll be at The Hi-Fi on Friday February 7, Karova Lounge Ballarat on Saturday February 8, and Barwon Club Geelong on Sunday February 9.
VOYAGER KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN
After a roaring start to 2014 with their Kickstarter campaign reaching its 10K target in three days, Voyager have big things planned, including a new album to be released around mid-year. The first single is a true Voyager-style heavy anthem, Breaking Down: a driving, catchy, heavy and melodic track which features some tasty screams by ex-Tesseract/Skyharbor frontman Daniel Tompkins. The Kickstarter is in its final swing now so get involved.
MATTERHORN PLAY FIRST MELBOURNE SHOW
Adelaide’s ultimate rock/metal tribute band Matterhorn are bringing their much talked about live show to Melbourne for the first time this Saturday February 1at The Central Club Richmond. Playing classics from Iron Maiden, OZZY, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, DIO, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and more, this is a huge show with Melbourne’s British Steel, Horizons Edge and Path of Destruction. For more details go to matterhorn.com.au
METAL AT THE BENDIGO
This Thursday February 30 at The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood catch Havok (USA), Frankenbok, Alkira and Metal Storm.
GIG ALERT: RIFF FIST
Forged in the fires of Mount Dandenong, unlikely Victorian trio Riff Fist have emerged to unleash sonic doom on all non believers! Riff Fist have spent the last two years building a solid live reputation around Melbourne’s finest rock venues with their energetic, booze fuelled, fuzz laden sonic attack. Drawing influence from the great riff lords of ‘70s heavy rock right through to the modern day legends of stoner rock, doom and sludge, Riff Fist bring a unique and fun energy that is undeniably all their own. Following on from their debut EP Fistful of Riffs last year, Riff Fist are set to release their new 7″ For a Few Riffs More on Friday February 7. It features the meaty Riff Stew and the as yet unreleased Master Of The Grove. Catch them at The Tote with Swidgen, Borrachero, Kaleidoscope and DJs Hand Of Doom and Pilot The Dune. Plus a free BBQ from 8pm!
WRESTLEROCK RETURNS
After two long years, WRESTLEROCK returns to the Corner Hotel for a night of hard-hitting, bone-crushing, pile-driving live pro-wrestling action! On Saturday February 1 at the Corner Hotel, all your favourite professional wrestlers from around the country will wage war yet again for ultimate supremacy as we kick off 2014 with a bang! With a long history in providing some of the wildest pro-wrestling events ever staged locally, the stage is set as over 20 professional wrestlers will step foot again into the Corner Hotel on February 1 with two of Australia’s loudest bands providing the rock ‘n roll portion of this mega-event. In the huge double main event, current and reigning WRESTLEROCK Champion “The Pitbull” Craig Cole will team up with Rocky Menero to face “The Natural” Mike Petersen and “The Playboy” Elliot Sexton in a Tag Team Match. Whilst two of Australia’s very best will do battle as WRESTLEROCK original “Slex” will face newcomer “Adam Brooks” Music will be provided by The Mercy Kills and Los Amigos.
