RAGINPIT MAGAZINE

A calm anxiety settles over me as I arrive at the Kennel Club. I have no idea what to expect. This is the second show I've been to since moving back to Cali after spending the last 11 years in AZ. Different states, different scene as always, but I'm game.

Parking wasn't a problem, but the stares I got from the boys smoking outside the strip club next door were a little unsettling. I didn't hear any loud music from afar as I walked into the bar and made my way back to the club. I'm greeted by the delightful sounds of Ozzy and a door guy who seemed to be completely out of place wearing a black fedora and an ensemble of all black 50's wear. I asked who I've missed because I am notorious for missing opening bands, but what do ya know - the show hadn't even started.

There's a group of people at the seating area by the sound booth stage left, a smaller group at the front of the bar stage right, a couple of occupied tables throughout, and a few stragglers outside in the smoking area. I have to wonder if there would have been more people there had the show started at 8pm as the flyer stated instead of 9:30pm.

I take a seat at the bar and get comfortable. The bartender was very attentive, served a decent drink, and drink costs weren't obnoxiously high. The black lights at the Kennel Club - I am definitely not a fan of. It was nice to know the entire bar could see the lint, dust, cooties, etc. on my shirt. Whatever, I had more important things to focus on like a fucking metal show!!!

First band up was Kuru. They seem to be a local favorite getting much support from the audience. I immediately felt the sound was muddy and I found it difficult to distinguish the bass line. This or unnecessarily long banter between songs may have attributed to my attention being drawn away from the band's set to the 5 guys moshing in front of the stage. However, Kuru managed to bring my attention back with their self titled song. Amidst the muddiness for the rest of the set I was able to hear smooth transitions, syncopated chugging, and percussive flurries. After what seemed to be a rough start Kuru came back to finish strong.

Next to the stage was another local band Psychosomatic - classic thrash: loud, fast, and tight. Set up took a bit longer and this 3 man ensemble dealt with monitor issues before and at the beginning of their set. Again the sound was muddy. Even with sound issues I found this set to be straight to the point and in your face. Psychosomatic comes at you with alternating lead vocals, distinctive bass lines in conjunction with aggressive guitar riffs and pulsating drums. Overall good set and tight finish.

Then came Truculence out of Portland, OR. This had to be the most amusing set of the evening. If you're a girl who easily gets their feelings hurt and can't handle it when a guy is a dick then this is not the show for you. (If you're the girl I just described, you shouldn't be at a metal show anyway!) A girl in the audience got called a crusader for yelling, "Fuck you!"? at the lead singer after he went off on a tangent about how fat chicks shouldn't expect to get laid after buying many rounds of drinks for a guy. From only sleeping with strippers to describing how the Clapper works when contracting and getting rid of the clap, each bit of abrasiveness between songs was an intro to the next song. The music itself contained driving vocals with hard hitting aggression although they didn't seem to be as tight as the others I witnessed that evening, and again this could be accredited to the sound quality. Unfortunately, a lot of the crowd left around this time, but for those who stuck around, Truculence finished an entertaining set.

By this time I was quite irritated at the sound quality and I was determined to find that sweet spot. So I went to the most obvious location and low and behold within a 2' x 2' area in front of the sound booth the sound rawked. So I stayed in that location to hear the closing band Bled. I was pleased to finally hear musical bliss. The 3 man unit was a symbiotic machine of perfection. The drums/vocals were in your face and made you want to get off your ass and release your own aggressions, the bass lines provided a heavy push, while the guitar solos displayed the talent that is in the band. I would have liked to have seen more of a stage presence from the bassist and guitarist. Even though Bled closed to a small crowd, the performance was worth sticking around for.

All in all the show was well worth the cover. Even though the sound quality left much to be desired, each band overcame that obstacle and was able to pull off decent sets.

You may be wondering at this point who the hell I am and do I really know what the hell I'm talking about. I could say yes and you could take my word for it, but that rarely ever happens and I'm woman enough to admit I don't know everything. What I do know is what I've observed and working in security for over 5 years allowed me some up close and behind the scenes access to some major acts like Pantera, Ozzy, Sepultura, Rage Against the Machine, Henry Rollins, Korn, and Mr. Bungle to name a few. Even after I got out of the security field I still floated around the scene checking out shows 2-3 times a week. One of my closest friends of almost 10 years is the sound engineer at US Airways Arena and he's kicked down some knowledge to me also. Now that I've got you wondering about whether or not I really know my shit, feel free to check me at the next show. I'll be glad to talk with you about it.

For more info about the bands in this article check out the links below:
http://www.myspace.com/kuru
http://www.myspace.com/officialpsychosomatic
http://www.myspace.com/truculence
http://www.myspace.com/bled6661