Reviews

September 18, 2016

Vince Neil and Bret Michaels co-headline Hair Nation Fest at soon to be closed Irvine Meadows

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW Vince Neil and Bret Michaels co-headline Hair Nation Fest at soon to be closed Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre IRVINE, Calif., USA — One thing about Vince Neil and Bret Michaels, these two hair-rock icons know how to throw a party. A going away party, actually. Irvine Meadows is closing its doors soon, but in the meantime Neil, Michaels and others rocked the outdoor arena on Saturday, Sept. 17 before a near-capacity crowd[…]

September 7, 2016

HANG ON LUCY! The Triumphant Return of WILDSIDE at ‘Wolf Fest’

HANG ON LUCY! The Triumphant Return of WILDSIDE at ‘Wolf Fest’ Decibel Geek — They say that timing is everything. In May of 1992, I had just moved back to my hometown of Denver and attending college for Music & Video Business because, at the ripe old age of 23, I may have still not known the direction I wanted to go in life but I did know the two things I had a passion[…]

August 21, 2016

‘TAKE ME DOWN TO PARADISE CITY’ Axl, Slash, Duff and Steven together again at Dodger Stadium show

‘TAKE ME DOWN TO PARADISE CITY’ With Axl, Slash and Duff together again, Guns N’ Roses wows massive crowd in two-night concert stand at Dodger Stadium LOS ANGELES — Guns N’ Roses celebrated its return to hometown Los Angeles in grand style with a two-night stand at Dodger Stadium that proved utterly triumphant. Thursdaynight was good, we heard, but Friday, Aug. 19 was even better, as a near-capacity crowd of more than 50,000 cheered Guns N’[…]

July 10, 2016

IS AXL THE LIBERACE OF ROCK? Guns N’ Roses solidify legacy as 40,000+ fans roar in Nashville

IS AXL THE LIBERACE OF ROCK? Guns N’ Roses solidify legacy as 40,000 fans roar in Nashville NASHVILLE, Tennessee — In just over two and a half hours of stage time, the 2016 version of Guns N Roses solidified its legacy alongside their own musical heroes The Rolling Stones. Despite the snickers from those who chastised fans buying tickets to see a reunited lineup featuring Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan – “good luck seeing that,” “better[…]

June 3, 2016

THIS CD IS ONE HOT MESS … Official Metal Sludge review: “The Chris Mess EP”

THIS CD IS ONE HOT MESS Official Metal Sludge review: “The Chris Mess EP” Among the brightest new rock hopefuls is Chris Mess, who has a put out a self-titled CD that leans toward 70s-era glam with a hint of British glitter a la The Darkness and early Queen. It’s available in all the usual places — no, not Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard ’cause those days are history — and perhaps[…]

May 30, 2016

Former Sunset Strip local standouts Blackboard Jungle, Swingin’ Thing and others pack the Viper Room

‘THERE IS NOTHING BUT LOVE’ Former Sunset Strip local standouts Blackboard Jungle, Swingin’ Thing and others pack the Viper Room in Hollywood HOLLYWOOD, Calif., USA — It was just like old times on the Sunset Strip on Saturday for the annual Blackboard Jungle reunion fest at Viper Room, as a packed house celebrated with an attractive rock bill that included Swingin’ Thing and the first-ever performance of The Image Nation. The Image Nation went[…]

May 17, 2016

SIN CITY … Vegas Rocks Hair Metal Awards, plus Scorpions & Night Ranger

THE GLAM RETURN OF PUNKY MEADOWS AND ANGEL Metal Sludge celebrates a weekend in Las Vegas for the Vegas Rocks Hair Metal Awards plus concerts by Scorpions and Night Ranger LAS VEGAS — Since enjoying ourselves so much the last time we were in Las Vegas for New Years Eve, Metal Sludge returned to Sin City for another weekend of rock, this time featuring Scorpions live at the Hard Rock on Saturday, May 14,[…]

April 23, 2016

Now THAT was a Rock Show! The Darkness live at the beautiful Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles

Now THAT was a Rock Show! The Darkness live at the beautiful Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles Los Angeles California — The Darkness did southern California rock fans a favor after boarding a plane in the UK and flying back across the globe for the second U.S. leg to their Blast of Our Kind Tour. Playing multiple west coast venues, I caught them at the beautifully restored 1920s era Belasco theatre in Los Angeles. A place oddly I’ve never been[…]

April 19, 2016

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW Anniversary party in parking lot puts exclamation point on retro-rock weekend

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW Anniversary party in parking lot puts exclamation point on retro-rock weekend HOLLYWOO, Calif., USA — An action-packed weekend of retro rock was capped Sunday in grand fashion with the 44th annual Rainbow Bar & Grill Anniversary party, where about 1,000 revelers packed not just the legendary restaurant/club but the parking lot, too, as L.A. Guns, Autograph, Junkyard, Tuff, Circus of Power and others performed in succession beginning in the early afternoon. It[…]

April 10, 2016

GUNS N’ ROSES N’ BACH … Axl Rose and Sebastian Bach sing ‘My Michelle’

GUNS N’ ROSES N’ BACH Axl Rose and Sebastian Bach sing ‘My Michelle’ Rolling Stone — At Guns N’ Roses‘ second of two Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena concerts, and the second official date on their Not in This Lifetime tour, the band’s “classic” lineup reunited with another old friend: Sebastian Bach. As the former Skid Row singer has done with the Axl Rose-led GN’R lineups over the past decade, Bach joined the band to share[…]