Kevin Nealon brings the laughs to Tinley

Originally published in the Tinley Station

Living in Tinley Park, it can be hard to see big-name entertainers. Driving into the city to see a show is not only time consuming, but parking can cost as much as the ticket in some cases. 350 Brewing Company in Tinley Park is hoping to not only avoid the hassle of driving into the city, but draw quality comedy and music acts to the village, such as Emmy-nominated comedian Kevin Nealon.

Kevin Nealon took to the stage at 350’s Insanity Factory on Saturday, Feb. 1, for the Laugh Riot Comedy Showcase. Alongside Nealon was host Pat Chase and WGN Morning News personality Mike Toomey for an evening of gut-busting laughs to a sold-out crowd. 

Nealon is one of the longest running cast members on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (1986-1995,) and his recurring role as an anchor on ‘Weekend Update’ helped make the sketch a show staple. His television credits include Golden Globe and SAG-nominated Weeds and two critically acclaimed stand-up specials, as well as an extensive film career.

Currently, Nealon stars on the CBS comedy Man with a Plan, and he produces and hosts the YouTube series “Hiking with Kevin.” As part of his “Silent but Deadly Tour,” Nealon is touring the country and working on a new act as he prepares for his upcoming third special.

Todd Randall, the owner of 350 Brewing, was excited to bring Nealon to Tinley, and thanks to a recent expansion, he had the facilities to accommodate.

“We have our Laugh Riot Comedy Showcase, and typically host it at our brewpub at 183rd and Harlem. We wanted to do a special event with Kevin Nealon, but that’s a lot more people than we could fit at the brewpub,” Randall joked. “We’re able to do it here at the Insanity Factory, and we’re hoping to do a lot more out of here.”

“We just want to keep doing more things like this, and bringing more great events to the southland and to Tinley,” Randall said.

For Tinley Park’s Sue Poncin, it was a special opportunity to be able to have a girl’s night out with friends and see a big name act locally.

“We’ve been fans of Kevin Nealon dating back to SNL,” Poncin explained. “It’s so weird to say that he’s coming to Tinley Park, and even weirder to think that it’s 350. I had a few people ask me where I was seeing him, and they were really surprised.”

As a stand-up comic, Kevin Nealon has toured the globe, but he stated that he “thinks Chicago is one of the best comedy towns in the country, slightly ahead of San Francisco.” Even more of a compliment is that his favorite memories from tour so far was the Tinley Park crowd, and the unique venue.

“My favorite part about tour so far was is being in Chicago. The venue was exciting, I’ve never worked in a brewery before and like I said, the Chicago audiences are tough to beat,” he said.

Randall believes it’s about bringing some of the city to the southland, and it’s something they have big plans to do.

“It’s something that you don’t have to go far for, and you don’t have to go into the city or take a train. It’s close, and it’s local. There’s a market for it,” Randall said. “Every chair is filled here tonight … we’re planning to keep doing events like this.”

For anybody hoping to follow Nealon’s footsteps and tell a few jokes, his advice is to “be original, get onstage as much as you can, work whenever you can, and be unique.”

Melissa Etheridge rocks out Village Commons to kick off Triple Play

Originally published in New Lenox Patriot

The lawn of Village Commons was filled with sunglasses and smiles the evening of Saturday, June 30, as New Lenox residents anxiously waited for headliner Melissa Etheridge to hit the stage. While the summer heat and humidity were in full-effect, but that couldn’t stop attendees from rockin’ out during the first concert of the 2018 Triple Play series.

Village Commons was jamming, as the first concert of the season featured local Chicago favorite Empty Pockets, as well as special guest Dennis Quaid and the Sharks. However, the highlight of the night came with the headliner: Melissa Etheridge.  

For the past 10 years, Triple Play concert series has been a New Lenox summer staple, and has attracted world-class artists across different genres to play; including Styx, Kansas, REO Speedwagon, Peter Frampton, The Band Perry and Collective Soul.

The Triple Play concert series is a unique experience offered to New Lenox residents, where for just $20 per concert, attendees can enjoy award-winning musicians in the comfort of their own community.

New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann couldn’t have been happier with the turnout of the first concert of the series, despite the heat.

“The weather is absurdly hot, but everyone here is in a great mood, so we're excited to have them here [tonight]. It's going to be a really good night for everybody,” Mayor Baldermann said. “We've been very fortunate that we've had a lot of great acts here, and [Etheridge] certainly is one of the best.”

Local band Empty Pockets was elated to share the stage with such talents as Dennis Quaid and Melissa Etheridge, but for them, they were excited for a night at home.

“We were in Arkansas 36 hours ago. I can’t wait to sleep in my bed tonight. We’re home with Cubs fans; these are our people,” said Josh Soloman, guitarist for Empty Pockets.

Dennis Quaid (yes, that Dennis Quaid,) is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for his band, Dennis Quaid and the Sharks. The band played originals written by Quaid, as well as classic hits like “Walk the Line” and “Riders on the Storm.”

Dennis Quaid and the Sharks have been playing for over 18 years this upcoming Halloween, and earned their name thanks to Quaid’s now 26-year-old son. “I asked him what our name should be, and he said, ‘the sharks’ and it stuck,” Quaid said to the crowd during their set. “I’m pretty sure it was Shark Week or something,” Quaid laughed.

For New Lenox resident Laura Dios, seeing the concert was a family affair. Despite the heat, she was excited to share the music with her three grandchildren. “I’m here with my wonderful family, and I’m here seeing Dennis Quaid. It’s a great night,” Dios said.

“[Our family] loves to dance. The kids are shaking it to the music,” said Liz Downey, daughter of Laura Dios.

Diane Cochran of New Lenox has been attending Triple Play concerts “for years,” but was especially excited for Melissa Etheridge. “I like a lot of the stuff she does. I can’t wait to see her,” Cochran said.

Melissa Etheridge has been performing for the past 30 years, and is showing no signs of stopping yet. Known best for her songs “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window” off her multiplatinum breakthrough album “Yes I Am,” Etheridge has won multiple Grammy Awards, and most recently released “Pulse,” a song benefiting the victims of the 2016 Pulse Shooting in Orlando, Florida.

A thumping kick drum contrasted with a jamming guitar riff grew into a crescendo of cheers as Etheridge took to the stage with “Your Little Secret.” Her unique voice and electric energy brought people to their feet throughout her set, as she played hits such as “I Want to Come Over” and “Chrome-Plated Heart.”

Abstract Reality Tour Comes to Denver, Dawns New Era for Prog Metal

Originally posted at DenversDirty.com

Saturday nights around Denver during the holidays are a sight to be seen. Between Zoo Lights, the Denver Botanical Gardens, skating at Skyline Park and the City and County Building Lights, there’s many ways to start lasting traditions and make memories with loved ones.

            Why not ditch those plans and come head bang with a space alien named Ziltoid the Omniscient and jitterbug to djent as the Devin Townsend Project joins Animals as Leaders and Monuments for the Abstract Reality Tour, one of the biggest progressive metal shows to come to Denver at the Gothic Theater on Dec. 13?

            The Denver music scene has been no stranger to metal, but the current metal scene is still overwhelmed with the “Warped Tour” subgenres of metalcore and pop-punk. As the scene is beginning to grow and evolve, Denver’s bringing in more mature metal acts like Meshuggah and Between the Buried and Me, who played the Ogden Theater this past June. Enter subgenres progressive metal and djent, which is welcomed news for fans of the genre that have outgrown brometal, an act that is so popular to entertain Denver clubs.

“The scene is rapidly bringing in bigger acts in the progressive metal genre, at least one every month, the issue is just keeping the interest there and growing it. I think that this show will help,” said Colin McAuliffe, as he bought his tickets at the venue.

Opening the tour is Monuments, who are a young, well-rounded band that’s sure to entertain: melody, heaviness, growls, excellent clean singing, and even some elements of jazz. After releasing their sophomore record The Amanuensis this past June, Monuments began to take off in American progressive metal and djent circles. After playing the Bluebird Theater on August 8 for a small audience, front man Chris Barretto was able to connect with each person in attendance to leave a lasting impression. With the experience of a national tour under their belt, as well as the adrenaline of touring in support of some of the biggest names of progressive metal, Monuments should be able to knock the crowd out.

            Animals as Leaders is a three-piece instrumental group that stuns the audience with mastery of their instruments. While their live set isn’t as interactive as others, it’s only because they let the music do the talking. The trio released The Joy of Motion in early 2014 and gained fame amongst a wider audience after touring with deathcore stars After the Burial, where they played at the Summit Music Hall in March. AAL seamlessly blends technical metal and jazz into verses without words in a way that’s shown to hold the crowd’s attention. As co-headliner for the Abstract Reality Tour, Animals as Leaders is sure to entertain.

            Devin Townsend of the Devin Townsend Project is making his long-awaited return to Denver, after catering to some of his other side projects such as the Casualties of Cool, who released their self-titled album earlier this year. Townsend has a long resume of musical acts, from getting his start performing with guitar legend Steve Vai, to his own thrash metal band Strapping Young Lad, to country/blues project The Casualties of Cool, back to progressive metal Devin Townsend Project, Townsend’s diversity and personality captivates from the minute he steps on stage. “His music always strikes me,” says Jameson Edwards, a fan of Townsend’s who will be in attendance. “None of his records are the same.”

            The Abstract Reality Tour comes just over a month after a double-release from the Canadian rocker. On one side, a melodic, technical metal album that at times is hauntingly beautiful called Sky Blue, and on the other side, the sequel to the space opera about the Universe’s Fourth Dimensional Guitar Hero, Ziltoid the Omniscient entitled Z2: Dark Matters. While both releases starkly contrast each other, Townsend created two amazing works of metal to bring on this tour, and his charisma is one to match.

The Desaturating Seven

Back with their first original album since 2011’s Green Naugahyde, as well as the return of drummer Tim Alexander, Primus released The Desaturating Seven last September. The LP draws its inspiration from the beautifully bizarre 1978 children’s book The Rainbow Goblins; a book that could have been easily transformed into an old-school Disney classic.

Compared to previous albums, The Desaturating Seven is by far the easiest of the group’s nine albums to digest. While drastically different from 1995’s Tales From The Punchbowl, Primus’ last release with this lineup, the group was able to draw from decades of former sounds, while also managing to reinvent their sound in a delightfully cunning way. While earlier releases had singles to draw in new listeners, The Desaturating Seven takes a new approach by using the albums concept to draw in the listener, making it easier to listen to as a whole compared to previous works.

Les Claypool, the band’s lead vocalist, bassist and songwriter was introduced to the book by his wife “many, many years ago,” and the books vibrant, intense colors and somewhat creepy vibe made it frontrunner for a future project. The lore speaks of seven creatures of various colors who try to hunt rainbows but end up drowning and never again do rainbows touch the Earth. The book is perfect material for an album, but taking a children’s story and turning it into a musical masterpiece is no easy feat. However, Les and Company did it by creating political undertones within the lyrics, surrounded by darkly spectacular funk-rock only Primus can provide.

The album begins with “The Valley,” a soft introduction with acoustic guitars and a spoken word by the Goblin King – aka Justin Chancellor, bassist of Tool. The 3/4 waltz is an uncomfortable melody that would fit in a French horror film. It’s fun and ominous, and leaves you in anticipation of what this dark tale holds. As “The Valley” transitions into “The Seven,” faint scratches are heard. It’s just a theory, but I think it could be a nod to the transposition of the artwork in the book, which was so carefully rendered from the original panoramic paintings that the wood grain can be seen on the pages. 

We meet our group of goblins in “The Seven,” but are also taken back to some familiar Primus roots. Starting in a staccato march, we learn about the goblins before evolving into the 7/8 chorus that is some of the most memorable instrumentation of the album. Both the guitar and bass focus for your attention until the end.  

Beginning with a flamenco-style guitar that puts the listener in an almost dream-like ease, “The Trek,” an aptly named song about the goblins’ woeful journey through the dreaded mountains to the longed Rainbow Valley. That ease is abruptly ended, as the driving bass melody plays off rhythmically contrasting guitars until they find a steady groove at the chorus. The recurring “verse” rhythm pattern is striking, and reminded me of “The Apartment” by Giorgio Moroder.

“The Dream” is the most ethereal song of the album. It essentially is just noise for most of the song; with loose guitar and bass over a looped noise. The lyrics give the song substance in relation to the story, and the drums come in for the last 90 seconds to tie the song together and drive it forward, giving it some shape. While this song may seem unnecessary, it’s the deranged side of psychedelic Primus that can make a listener think beyond the first listen.

The metaphors of the original fable warn of the seven deadly sins, particularly that of greed, gluttony and deceit. When it came to The Desaturating Seven, it seemed like there were an endless amount of opportunities double entendre into his lyrics. His transformative lyrics are a subtly profound look into Claypool’s views of the current political environment. “Enamoring the masses is less than wise / For the most successful schemers / Tell the most colossal lies” from “The Scheme” paint a detailed picture of secondary subject matter while “The Seven” sheds more light: “With the grandeur of the world / They abuse and defile it.”

As a band that spans three decades and even more genres, to release something not only original, but intriguing is a feat. Bringing back the lineup brought back a whole lot more to Primus who seemed to not only revert to a time that was musically revered by their fans, but to also evolve musically and challenge themselves while making a statement. Even those who may not have given Primus a second thought may want to think again.

Life Pilot's newest release brings the heat in "High Noon"

Originally published on itdjents.com, Nov. 2017

It had been three years since Life Pilot’s debut EP High Noon premiered in 2014. With the follow-up originally planned for just six months High Noon’s release, it left fans of the Adelaide-hardcore band wondering if there would even be a follow up. Drummer Eli Green went as far as to say that he almost fell out of love with being in the band. The writing process was beginning to become a source of anxiety and depression for the band.

                Finally the band reached a breaking point and changed their approach, releasing Too Hot For Killing in October of 2017. “We needed to stop worrying about writing music that sounds like what we think we’re supposed to write and just write what we want to write,” according to Green. And by writing for themselves, they acquired a newfound love for their sound and a kick-ass new energy.

                 The six-track EP opens with the high-octane “One,” – named fittingly after the length of the song – that dives straight into the chaos. By the second song, “Defy,” the influences of Letlive. are heard as the jazzy basslines, two-steps and harsh screams drive the song that’s as groovy as it is brutal. Likewise, “Knife Box” drops all pleasantries and is a fast-paced, high-energy jam driven by bass with it’s discordant hardcore energy.

                My biggest gripe comes with the title track, “Too Hot For Killing,” where we see the EP’s biggest vulnerability in vocalist Angus Long’s clean vocals. His screams are powerful throughout the entire album, but when I heard the clean vocals being sung, I was taken back to listening to a local band with a better production value. I think that Long should work to improve his cleans, or they rework this song without cleans.

                The highlight of the album was easily the fiery “Next Question.” While romantic angst and gang vocals are nothing new to hardcore, the call-and-response chorus made for a genuinely compelling song that I wanted to listen to more than once. Think if Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” was crossed over with The Dillinger Escape Plan.

                While bands like Letlive. and The Chariot may have called it quits, the high-octane Aussie energy of Life Pilot can take you back to the golden days of metalcore. It sounds nearly identical as some of the releases that we would have heard from the southern metalcore giants in the past 5 years: a technical riff with a groovy bassline before we lead into the heavy, ragged breakdown. While much of the sound of a drop D breakdown isn’t particularly original, their execution of the style is very well done. I was entertained throughout the entire album. 

                For anyone that’s looking for a new hardcore fix, or something to tend to the wounds left by those caused by recent breakups, Life Pilot is for you. This five-piece from Down Under knows southern metalcore, and their chaotic energy is lacking in many new groups. I hope this band continues to mature and can bring something innovative musically as well as their energy with their next release.

Drop Dead, Gorgeous' "Worse Than a Fairy Tale" still haunts years later

Originally posted on itdjents.com, Oct. 2017

The mountain town of Saylor Lake, Colorado is plagued by twelve murders in a year’s time. None of the murders have a binding theme or M.O.; and all the cases run cold. After hysteria ensues, the once-inviting homestead becomes a ghost town after the residents flee from fear.

                While this may sound like a great plot for a great slasher/thriller flick, this is the story of post-hardcore band Drop Dead, Gorgeous’ 2007 concept album, “Worse than a Fairy Tale.” Each of the twelve tracks tell the story of one of the murders, and paint a terrifying story of the town of Saylor Lake from all perspectives: from the eyes of the victims, the citizens, and the killer. Growing out of the “mallcore” phase of their previous releases, the breakdowns are intentionally placed, the screams are less harsh and the keyboard drives melodic sequences.

                Part of the truly scary magic of this album has been lost with time – the interactive website showing the “case files” of each victim was removed about five years ago, and the digital versions of the album are missing the ghost tracks. However, the video clues still live and are still just as creepy.

                If you’re looking to get into the mind of a serial killer this Halloween, this is an album to check out.