RAGINPIT MAGAZINE

Okay, I hear about this concert to be held in San Francisco, "The Metal Movement," a statement which should be remembered I hope, for an eternity. A message to all, that our world is not to be stereo typed, that "Heavy Metal" is not to be a world made up by and ruled of just men. Four awesome acts came together and presented themselves one after another with an explosive presentation that women have something to say and we should all look up and listen or be stomped. Like any other show, I like to watch more of the crowd's reaction to the band than the band themselves sometimes. I feel that sometimes a band can completely kick you in the balls, showing pure musical talent and complexity to their music more than any band around, but when they get on stage and rip it up the audience will spend more time crossing their arms and criticizing or it will become just a good social event to hang out with their friends leaving the band to being just back ground noise. Hence, the stage act I think should not be overlooked because in a live performance it can mean everything when trying to inspire "The Pit" into becoming a moshing frenzy or into a screaming horde.

I'm not sure how many remember The Go Go's in their earlier years or The Pixies. Anyone who was ever a fan of these early female punkers, I think will love Inspect Her Gadget who opened our event with estrogen injected punk and rock. Four lovely ladies riled up San Francisco's people in the The Pound singing songs of angst and reality from a girl's point of view. Ana Isabel and troop, consisting also of founding members Abby Garcia on drums, Jess Coberstein on guitar and Jen Kamps on bass showed that they were no strangers to big crowds. Anna showed pure charisma while each member supported with strong music, which talked about past relationships from not so much of a feel sorry for me perspective, but with more of a real feel saying, "hey, it was just a typical Saturday night so don't stress on it guy. It was fun, get over it, but don't forget I have feelings too so don't harsh on me either." This band carried some riffs that are definitely kool to move too whether you're slamming on someone in the pit or just wanting to dance.

Crisis has another angle not only having a female fronted band, but stresses the advantages of being a culturally diversified line up who doesn't worry about being classified as a metal or hardcore group combining influences from both genres and focusing more on just writing dark music with morbidly artistic lyrics. I was informed before show time, almost the entire band was sick and listening to the coughs coming from the crew, that was definitely evident. If you were to judge their stage performance you wouldn't know it. Crisis came out with ferocity unmatched by many of our male metal brethren. The crowd took a beating from their thundering bass and drums and liked it. Karyn's vocals were as intense as her long and wild dread locks flying everywhere. The first of the pits were spawned from bone crushing guitars that let everyone know there was going to be no mercy for the weak of heart. Whether they are metal or hardcore Crisis puts on a brutal show and they left the crowd charged for more of the Femme Fatale acts lined up for us this evening.

We had a good fifteen or twenty minutes to grab some air or smoke outside before the intro music of Otep started to thrum, igniting the crowd into a chanting frenzy, "Otep, Otep, Otep, Otep…" Shamaya made her way out fueling cheers from the audience and it only took seconds before the band was chunking away rhythms which turned the pit into a chaotic pool led by the most metal of chicks and guys which was not to end until the final anti-political and corporate rants were spoken or sang. It was very hard for me to not want to chuck my camera and join them so I made the best of it and enjoyed a good thrashing as I made an effort to get a good shot of the band from the center of the room. I had a chance to talk to Evil J on guitar after the show and it was kinda startling on how even the nationals realize the need for us to band together and make an honest effort to boost our scene from the local level on up. "It's all a brotherhood and sisterhood," he says. I whole heartily agree. If we all speak up at once, we will be heard. He was saddened to hear about the change up on Clear Channel's KSJO. I wondered to myself, "how many more are we going to lose before a real effort is made to make a change?" Otep is a seasoned band, no doubt and if you have not had a chance to witness their inspiring stage performance, you have denied yourself the opportunity to truly be entertained or educated in the ways that metal is all about.

For so many reasons, I have to say I have only pity towards anyone who have any kind of prejudice towards tonight's headlining act Kittie. I was first introduced to this band through a person I would never have thought would be even into them - my 6 year old daughter. She was flipping through the channels on the tube trying to find her usual cartoons when she stopped on MTV. The band whose video was being shown was the one and only Ferocious Felines themselves. She jumped up and said, "hey dad, look, an all girl band!" I was quickly drawn into a very kickass groove from drums, bass, guitars and tricked out vocals. This was refreshing due to so many bands being played at the time were very much sounding the same to me. My daughter and I have been serious fans ever since. Kittie started with a smoked filled stage and piercing white lights, which reminded me of few hellish nightmares I've had. I rather like those sometimes. It can get you thinking of some kickass lyric material.

Soon shadows appeared on stage like succubi lurking about ready to consume any victims who get too close. It was too late though and the sound of some heavy heart punching guitars began to roar. Morgan took the mic and sang out with a voice like a black puma and then transformed into melodic lyric style, entrancing the crowd and inspiring an intensely bludgeoning pit. Kittie's Mercedes Lander on drums, bassist Jennifer Arroyo and latest addition second guitarist Lisa Marx carried complex rhythms in such a way that drive and move you non-stop throughout their entire performance. I thought about many things while Kittie was churning out one bestial song after another. I wondered if they might speak out on something between songs on women in metal, possibly. After all, The Metal Movement tour was all about making more of an awareness, that women are capable of holding their own in a male dominated metal world. To my surprise they did not speak out verbally, not by spoken word, but through giving out one seriously heavy and dynamic fucking performance.

I want to thank The Pound's management and 'Has' - Kittie's and Otep's tour manager for the opportunity to do this review. If you are wondering about any other tour dates or upcoming shows click on the links below.

http://www.myspace.com/crisis
http://www.myspace.com/goodbyegadget
http://www.myspace.com/officialkittie
http://www.myspace.com/otep