Live music photography
Hot on the tail of some private discussions about the state of affairs in music (and particularly rock, whatever that means anymore), consoling ourselves by (re-)watching videos by Henry Rollins and Bill Hicks telling it like it is regarding the then and now, and planning our trips for Vans Warped Tour and Mayhem to suck up enough metal to keep going, Black Label Society and the Butcher Babies turn up at the House of Blues. Walking distance from our office, and the House of Blues and Live Nation were kind enough to let us cover it.
We don’t bash terrible bands publicly, we just ignore them. And lately, we’ve had to ignore a whole bunch of knob-turning wankers, wearing skinny jeans and loafers with no socks, dancing around like John Cleese with a broken leg and a bad case of hemorrhoids, pretending to make music. Where’s Johnny Ramone when you need him? Or, as it turns out, Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society.
Black Label Society performs at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27,2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The entire stage was covered by a giant Black Label Society tarp, and the barricades were pushed about as close to the stage as possible, to make room for a completely sold out show. When the tarp came down, our troubled state of mind vanished. Zakk on lead guitar and vocals, John DeServio on bass, Jeff Fabb on drums (a new addition), and Dario Lorina on rhythm guitar (also new) and not a tasseled loafer in sight. The show was fantastic, with Zakk at one point performing a 20 minute solo on guitar (Johnny Ramone wouldn’t have approved, but we fight in different ways) and then moving to piano. An absolutely spectacular performance by a band that represents everything good in rock and roll. Check out the end of the article for upcoming tour dates–it’s not often we admit to not being able to capture every last drop of energy a show as to offer, but this is one of those times. Their latest album, Catacombs of the Dark Vatican, is also worth a look. Standout tracks are Fields of Unforgiveness, Beyond the Down, and Damn the Flood. Click through any of our photographs below to see the entire gallery from the show.
Black Label Society performs at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27,2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Black Label Society performs at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27,2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Black Label Society performs at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27,2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
We’ve covered the Butcher Babies in the past (last at Mayhem Fest in 2013), and their shows are a blood-curdling blast, both to watch and to shoot. Their full length album, Goliath, came out in 2013 (Dead Poet and In Denial are great tracks). Lighting was pretty tricky at this show (our problem, not yours)–check out the photos below and click through any of them to see the entire gallery. We’re very pleased to see them get more exposure, and they’re on tour with Black Label Society through June 7. Don’t forget the neck brace–if you’re over 40, you’ll need it afterward.
The Butcher Babies perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27, 2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Butcher Babies perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27, 2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Butcher Babies perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27, 2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Butcher Babies perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27, 2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Butcher Babies perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27, 2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Butcher Babies perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on May 27, 2014. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Upcoming tour dates for Black Label Society (Butcher Babies at least through June 7) below–don’t be surprised if you see us in the audience.
May 28 House of Blues Houston, TX
May 30 Rockfest Omaha, NE
May 31 Liberty Memorial Kansas City, MO
Jun 01 Ogden Theater Denver, CO
Jun 02 The Complex – Rockwell Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 04 Marquee Theater Tempe, AZ
Jun 05 Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, NV
Jun 06 Regency Ballroom San Francisco, CA
Jun 07 Fonda Theater Los Angeles, CA
Jun 11 Copenhell Festival Copenhagen, Denmark
Jun 13 Download Festival Park, United Kingdom
Jun 15 Novarock Festival Nickelsdorf, Austria
Jun 16 Roxy Prague, Czech Republic
Jun 18 Unipol Arena Casalecchio Di Reno Bo, Italy
Jun 19 Alcatraz Milan, Italy
Jun 21 Metal Fest St. Goarshausen, Germany
Jun 22 Rock the Ring Festival Zurich, Switzerland
Jun 23 Backstage Munchen, Germany
Jun 25 Eter Club Wroclaw, Poland
Jun 26 Stodola Warsaw, Poland
Jun 27 Essen Stadium Essen (Ruhr), Germany
Jun 29 Graspop Metal Meeting Dessel, Belgium
Jul 01 Huxleys Neue Welt Berlin, Germany
Jul 02 Markthalle Hamburg, Germany
Jul 04 Putte Parken Festival Karlstad, Sweden
Jul 06 Klubi Tampere, Finland
Jul 07 Circus Helsinki, Finland
Jul 09 A2 St. Petersburg, Russia
Jul 10 GlavClub Moscow, Russian Federation
Jul 17 Bogart’s Cincinnati, OH
Jul 18 House of Blues Cleveland Cleveland, OH
Jul 19 Rock USA Oshkosh, WI
Jul 24 The Orange Peel Asheville, NC
Jul 25 Center Stage Theatre Atlanta, GA
Jul 26 Soul Kitchen Mobile, AL
Jul 27 Minglewood Hall Memphis, TN
Jul 29 Pops Sauget, IL
Jul 30 Vogue Theatre Indianapolis, IN
Aug 08 Circo Voador Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Aug 09 Via Marques Sao Paulo, Brazil
Aug 10 Curitiba Master Hall Curitiba, Brazil
Aug 13 Groove Buenos Aires, Argentina
Aug 15 Teatro Caupolican Santiago, Chile
Aug 18 Rock Al Parque Festival Parque Simon Bolivar Bogota, Colombia
Aug 20 José Cuervo Salón Mexico City, Mexico
Sep 12 Knitting Factory Concert House Reno, NV