Rai Lazerc- I've seen these guys twice now and unfortunately both times I wasn't able to fully listen to them. The first time I got to the show in the middle of the last song they played. This time there was some "set interruptions".
I was standing at the bar ready to grab another beer when I saw the drummer get up and leave mid song angrily followed by the bassist. I don't really know exactly what happened. Everything that I've heard about the incident seems to be rumor and speculation so I'm not going to act like I have the facts about it. I don't know if there was a fight before the show or if they just had a wee bit too much to drink.
I do have to give the singer a TON of credit for carrying on all by himself though. He continued on level headed strumming and singing away even with pieces of a shattered bass littering the floor, and the drummer yelling telling everyone to fuck themselves. Even though I just got to hear him solo he sounded amazing!
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| The aftermath. Poor bass.... |
Unlucky Stars: These South Bend natives seemed like they had their shit together. They had a pretty flashy set up and my first thought about them was "Hey, these guys look promising...". Well... I was wrong! The music wasn't really my style but I can recognize talent when I see it and it just wasn't there. Musically they weren't terrible and could keep decent time but I don't know what the vocalist was going for. The vocals were screechy and strained. Lyrically I classify them in what I like to call "Slut Rock". Think about the lyrics to Theory of a Dead Man's song "Bad Girlfriend" and nearly every Nickleback song. They are pointless words that happen to rhyme, void of heartfelt emotion, and written to just rile all the big tit bimbos in the crowd to hop on the nearest guys shoulders, whip their shirt off, and throw a condom at the stage.
It became clear to me that these guys are all about flash and glory of being a "rock band". They had the look of a cliche rock band down pat with their perfectly gelled messy hair, tight fit button up shirts, fedoras, and snug boot cut jeans, but how you look doesn't make you sound pretty to my ears. These guys seemed to put way too much energy into their personal look and the appearance of their set. If they would stop focusing on the flair and stop trying flirt it up with people reviewing them, they might have time to practice or write a decent song.
The singer called me out during their slot and asked "Hey kitty cat are those pictures you're taking for professional use?" I told him yes I was reviewing the show that night. As soon as I said that he kept winking at my friend and I and started to get crazier with the showy things he was doing. He even climbed on an amp and posed for a picture. I don't know if the fact that I was reviewing them and all the flirtation had any connection but I can't help but realize that right after he found out he started being all showy. Which by the way did not enhance the way they sounded or my opinion of them.
Yes, I expect to be entertained at a show but you should be entertaining the crowd as a whole not just me!
I'm going to stop and state something here and this is just my opinion. From the outside this whole crowd of hooligans that I'm a part of might seem like we live by the cliche saying of "Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll". I think that some people take that mentality as a rite of passage into the rock scene. I completely disagree. This "scene" especially at a show is about the MUSIC! Everyone at these shows share at least this one thing in common. We love the music, we are there for the music, and we want to see it performed live around like minded people. So much of the rock industry has been pioneered by people that march to their own beat. That's what drew me into the music and the whole scene when I was younger. I didn't look like everyone else, I didn't write music that sounded like everyone else's, and I didn't see the world in the same way either. I loved that no matter what you were into whether you were a punk, a metalhead, a hardcore kid, or a classic rock lover you had a place somewhere in music. It's a place for the unique, the strange, and the crazy. Yes, we are loud, we get rowdy, and we think that running in a circle elbowing each other is fun. The drinking, the fighting, and the drugs are all a matter of choice and you do have the right to do those things but some people take it too far. They give my fellow headbangers a bad name.
That being said the guys from Unlucky Stars take the rock mentality to the extreme and live up to it's stereotypes. They started at least two fights in the parking lot while packing up their equipment, one of which interrupted No Shelter's slot. I also found out that they like to throw the N word about. In my eyes these guys are a bunch of racist wannabes that are under some delusion where they think they are famous enough to get away with being ass holes. If they are reading this they need to know that that was a highly unprofessional way to highlight themselves. I'm not afraid to give a bad review and reveal what you really are no matter how many times you endearingly call me kitty cat. I hope that you can get it together in the future and one day you can trash a hotel and snort coke off Pamela Anderson's fake rack.
Moving on to the highlights of the night! Shout out to No Shelter and The Last Chance Boyz! I love you guys!
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| No Shelter |
No Shelter- This alternative metal band is based in Michigan City. They had a couple interruptions during their slot but pushed through them like they were pros. Unlucky Stars caused one of these interruptions with a beat down in the parking lot but it only caused a slight pause. No Shelter quickly picked up the song after an announcement by frustrated drummer Gunsmoke Gene. I don't have a direct quote but it was something to the effect of , "from now on tonight is about the MUSIC and if you don't like that then you can get the fuck out". There was only a few people left inside because most people had cleared out to see what drama was going down in the parking lot, so after they picked up the song singer Jose decided to drag his mic outside and try to persuade the crowd to come inside by giving them a quick serenade. At some point in time during their set (can't remember if this happened before or after the fight) the lights went out. These guys acted like nothing happened and it was amazing! You couldn't see much and the amps were temporarily down but you could feel the beat through your chest as Gene heated up on the drums and Jose yelled the lyrics at the crowd. Luckily the lights quickly got back in order and No Shelter was able to carry on and rock their hearts out. If you haven't had the opportunity to see these guys you really need to. Guitarist Frank told me before the show that they always rock their hardest whether they are putting on a small bar show or are playing in front of 500 people. They have proven that every time I've seen them and you can tell that they genuinely love what they are doing. They are a really down to earth group of guys and really appreciate their fans. They are definitely a must see if you are in the area. So get out there and you might see guitarist John looking like a dapper young lad in his shirt and tie and bassist Joe will most definitely be flailing around that burly beard!
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| Rockin' hard! |
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| The Last Chance Boyz! |
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| From Left to Right: My best friend Brittany, El dios bastardos de cocaina of The Last Chance Boyz, and Me! |
So that's it. The night was filled with ups and downs but it ended on a good note. I can't wait to see you guys at the shows!
Go like these people on Facebook and find out when the next show is!
The Last Chance Boyz
http://www.facebook.com/The.Last.Chance.Boyz
No Shelter
http://www.facebook.com/noshelterband?fref=ts
Rai Lazerc
http://www.facebook.com/railazercmusic?fref=ts
