Warrant hit the stage next and singer Robert Mason’s powerful voice led veteran band members Erik Turner, Jerry Dixon, Joey Allen and Steven Sweet through a long foray of hits including “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, “Heaven”, “Down Boys” and their most noted hit “Cherry Pie”. Mason had some big shoes to fill after the loss of Jani Lane, but the band rocks on and still packs a punch with their live show, Mason adding a strong presence as front man for the line up.

Skid Row with singer Johnny Solinger ripped into “Slave to the Grind” to kick off a run of SK classics. The bands lineup of original members Dave Sabo, Rachael Bolan and Scotti Hill, along with drummer Rob Hammersmith pounded through “”Piece of Me”, “18 and Life” and “I Remember You” before a ferocious finish with “Youth Gone Wild”.

As soon as Night Ranger played the first line in the first song of their long set of career hits, the talent and experience of this chart topping band shone through. Night Ranger fans sang along with the band through “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”, “When You Close Your Eyes”, “Coming of Age”, and tear jerker ballads “Sister Christian” and Damn Yankees’ “High Enough”. The original members Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy blend seamlessly with guitarist Joel Hoekstra and Keyboardist Eric Levy and made for a strong force through the long line of NR tunes. Brad Gillis is a force all his own on stage as he rips through solos and trades licks with Hoekstra. The power of this band on stage is electrifying and at times the crowd sang so loud it was hard to tell where Blades started and the crowd left off. The band killed with “Rock in America” as Night Ranger came to the close of their set

The last player of the night was Vince Neil and his band (Jeff Blando, Dana Strum and Zoltan Chaney) and the fans were all on their feet as Vince took the stage and rocked out to a slew of Motley hits. Jeff Blando and Dana strum make a powerful front line, and the drumming antics of Zoltan kept fans enthralled through the show. Vince didn’t hold back the hits with “Same ‘Ole Situation”, “Dr Feelgood”, “Piece of Your Action”, “Home Sweet Home”… Vince took a break about mid show and Jeff Blando took over vocals for a Dio/Sabbath/Zeppelin mini set, then on to “Girls Girls Girls” where the stage filled with, well, GIRLS and became a party to close out the night.

All in all a great night of rock and hair band heaven for this so inclined. Frederick Entertainment has more hair metal shows on the horizon in Vegas, with these and other groups planning shows throughout the summer months. Keep up on upcoming events at  https://www.facebook.com/Frederickentertainment?fref=ts

Billy Talent played a 20 song set list filled with all of their classics from their past albums as well as current hits from their new album Dead Silence.

The band started the show with their first song off Dead Silence, Lonely Road to Absolution. The stage was covered in a white curtain as lead singer Ben Kowalewicz and guitarist Ian D’Sa emerged from the side stage in front of the crowd. As the song dwindled, D’Sa charged into the opening riff of Viking Death March making the curtain drop almost immediately revealing the entire band. The entire crowd erupted into cheers, and the floor went into an insane synchronization of moshing.

As the band finished their third song Devil in a Midnight Mass, Kowalewicz greeted the crowd screaming “home sweet, f*cking home! We are Billy Talent, from right up the f*cking street!” which got the entire crowd screaming and clapping.

The band then jumped into one of their earlier hits, River Below causing several of the fans on the floor to crowd surf and start circle pits.

The band played an electrifying set, with an elaborate lighting set up with constant flashes and strobe lights.

Towards the end of their song Try Honesty, their first single, Kowalewicz turned to the crowd to express the utmost gratitude on behalf of the band to the fans for having them stick by the band for almost 20 years. He further expressed his gratitude towards one of the openers, Sum 41, saying “they were the first band to believe in us.”

As the Kowalewicz got the crowd to sing the lines “forgive me father/why should you bother now”, the band stopped playing, stepped back and stood in awe at the enormous crowd that were singing their music. Most noticeably was bassist Jon Gallant who stared with his mouth agape.

Before the encore, the audience was very rowdy causing them to chant for Billy Talent to come back to the tune of the Blue Jays chant.

The band returned to play four more songs for an encore, finishing with more thank yous to the crowd from the band.

Billy Talent are planned to continue the rest of their Canadian tour until April 16 where they’ll finish their tour in Halifax, NS. From there, the band is traveling to Europe to do some festivals and headlining before they return back to the states to play Warped Tour.

For more info on when Billy Talent is playing a show near you, check out www.billytalent.com

Hundreds of teenage girls sold out the House of Blues for an afternoon show and showed their love and support, no matter the time of day. The show kicked off with Alex Aiono – his R&B sound really got the crowd going.  He performed a couple of original songs.  He also did a mash up of the songs, “Beauty and a Beat,” by Justin Bieber and “I Will Wait,” by Mumford and sons.  The girls loved it; it was a start of a great show.

Next up was Taylor Mathews – he and his band had a nice folk/country sound.  They did a cover of Rihanna’s, “We Found Love” and everyone sang along.  They did a great job of getting the crowd into it as they played some original songs as well.

Sunderland came on next and rocked the stage.  With their new album out, “Closer Now,” they played a short set, but got the crowd ready for plugged-in amps and great music.

With the curtain closed, R5 was getting ready to hit the stage. Once the curtain opened, the hundreds of girls began to scream.

R5 includes brothers – Ross, Riker, Rocky, and sister, Rydel along with their best friend, Ratliff on Drums. While Riker has been a regular on Glee, and Ross on the Disney hit show, “Austin & Ally,” this has not stopped them from all performing as a group.  With their EP Loud released, it seems fitting the tour would be called the Loud Tour.

They opened with their original song, “Fallin for You,” which had everyone in the room with their hands up and singing along.  They also performed the hit song “Crazy 4 You” and did a great job of keeping the crowd pumped and every song they sang, the crowd sang along.

Rydel came down from playing the keyboard to sing a cover of the Ting Tings “Shut Up and Let Me Go,” as well as Rocky and Ratliff did a mash up of “Work Out & Thrift Shop.”

Ross also performed songs off the Austin & Ally show, “Not a Love Song” and “A Billion Hits.”  To close the show, R5 played their newest song “Loud.”  It was a great way to end the day.

All the acts did well but R5 gave all the fans a show they will never forget.

You can check out R5 on tour that runs till May and their website at www.r5rocks.com/tour

Photos by Peter Lizano and review by Christina Lizano

Volbeat is touring in advance of the release of their highly anticipated album, Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies, available everywhere on April 9th.  They draw a high energy crowd and the Las Vegas House of Blues was packed.   I have crossed paths with the same group of front row fans at every Volbeat show I’ve photographed the past few years. I think one of the things I enjoy most about a Volbeat show is their fan base.  Always having a blast, a positive vibe, a roomful of strangers singing, moshing, and smiling.  Volbeat shows are so much fun!

Guitarist, Rob Caggiano, formerly of Anthrax, produced and co-wrote on the upcoming album and is now an official member of Volbeat.  I have seen Volbeat with each of their prior guitarists and while every version of the lineup has been stellar, Rob Caggiano brings a heavier element to the music and I think is a perfect fit.  Michael Poulsen’s distinctive voice and the Volbeat blend of heavy metal and original 1950′s style rock is unique yet familiar.  I fell in love with this band the first time I saw them perform live and have never been disappointed.  If Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Metallica formed a supergroup they would sound very much like Volbeat.  Mark your calendar for April 9th and get your copy of the new album!

The setlist for this show:

1. Hallelujah Goat
2. A New Day
3. Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
4. Heaven nor Hell
5. Sad Man’s Tongue
6. Lola Montez
7. The Human Instrument
8. 16 Dollars
9. A Warrior’s Call
10. Mary Ann’s Place
11. Angelfuck 
(Misfits cover)
12. Another Day, Another Way
13. Dead But Rising
14. The Hangman’s Body Count
15. Still Counting
16. The Mirror and the Ripper
17. Fallen
18. My Body 
(Young the Giant cover)
19. Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza

They also gave us a medley of samples of Slayer, Judas Priest & Rammstein just for fun!

Playing 2 sold-out shows at the House of Blues in Chicago in addition to recently coming off the TV show X-Factor where they proved they had more than good looks, but also phenomenal vocals skills.

It was the show you did not want to miss.  Local, Kate Diaz opened up the show.  She played a couple of original songs on the guitar.  And although it must have been nerve-wrecking playing up on stage for the big crowd that it was, she made it look easy.  She did an amazing job; and got the crowd ready for the California boyz, Emblem3.  Drew came out on a skateboard followed by Wesley, and Keaten who brought the party to the stage.  Hundreds of screaming girls sang along to their opening song, Reason. Followed by Curious,Chariotand Chloe.

The boys knew how to keep the crowd going.  The crowd was jumping and putting up their E3 signs. They also performed a new song called, X’s
and O’s and it was evident that every girl in the crowd wanted an X and an O from them. Drew showed off his rapping skills during Riptide that flowed well with Wesley’s singing.

In the middle of the performance, they slowed it down and picked up their guitars.  They performed the song, One Day by Matisyahu which they had previously performed on X-Factor.  Every girl sang along and had a great time.  Once the boys said they only had one more song, the crowd wanted more. As the boys stepped off the stage, the hundreds of screaming girls chanted, “Emblem3, Emblem3!”

Finally, Emblem3 came back to the stage.  They performed their big hit, Sunset Boulevard.  Girls were waving their hands, rocking their head back and forth and singing every word.  They closed the show with the cover song Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind. It was a lot of fun and very memorable. Both acts did a fantastic job and knew how to please the crowd.  A lot of success is in store for Kate Diaz, and Emblem3 is about to set the young adult market on fire this summer.

Be sure to check them out on tour in April and the latest news on www.emblem3.com

Photos & Review by Peter Lizano

Four-time grammy winner Pat Benatar rocked the house at the Las Vegas Hotel to a sold out room for a one night gig in sin city. Accompanied by guitarist and husband Neil ‘Spyder’ Giraldo, the pair was met by wild cheering and fans on their feet for a set showcasing songs that spanned the couple’s history of hits. From the opening “All Fired Up”, the crowd was just that, and Benatar had the pulse of the room in her hand as she wove through “Invincible” and “Sex as a Weapon”. Giraldo took a turn at piano for the intro to “Promises in the Dark” before jumping back on the guitar to heat the song up. Things took a slower turn as Benatar and Giraldo sat front center stage and did an acoustic “We Belong” before powering back into into “Hell is for Children” and “You Better Run”.

Every body in the theater was on their feet all the way up into the balcony for “Hit Me with your Best Shot” and “Love is a Battlefeild”. Benatar showed she still has the voice to chill you, and Giraldo shined with his amazing guitar skills in the solos and songs from the duos’ greatest hits from their decades spanning career.

An encore completed the night with a spirited “Everybody Lay Down” and “Let’s Stay Together” before the finale of the night… Fans were singing and on their feet as Benatar and Giraldo stormed into “Heartbreaker”, added a mid-song mash-up with a little “Ring of Fire”,  a smidgen of Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” guitar solo in the mix, a touch of The Godfather theme, and an impromptu solo by Giraldo at the end to finish off  a great night of music and song.

Rumors have suggested there may be a residency in the works somewhere down the line, and if the recent show is anything to go by it would be a hell of a run. We can only wait and see. For the time being though there is a co-headlining show with Cheap Trick and Benatar/Giraldo in Vegas in June 2013.

Keep up to date on shows and news at http://benatargiraldo.com/.

I get off the streetcar virtually on the front steps of The Rivoli, flash my badge, and walk in to a near full room of music industry and fans alike. It’s just before 10:00 and I grab a beer. Toronto band LYON is about to hit the stage, and although I’ve hear about some of their hype, this was my first time taking it in. A 5-some on stage, singer Lauren Malyon’s voice filled the room. It’s a soothing indie-electro-pop sound that consists of melodic guitar riffs, gnarly synth chords, and occasionally a violin. I was impressed.

Next up, Indecent. Making the trip up from New York, this is a band you’d expect to find in a dive I’m Brooklyn at around 3 AM. It’s a grungy sound, one that most haven’t heard since the 90′s. the ironic thing is, the bad doesn’t look like either member has passed 20 years old. With the guitarist wearing a sweatshirt 3X his size, the band seemed confused with which genre they were trying to pull off. And who knows, they may be trying to do their own thing – and if so, kudos for that. One note worth mentioning is the bands drummer, as that man deserved to be in a bigger stage. Making use of every drum and cymbal on his kit available, the kid knew how to rock. About 15 minutes into the set, and I knew it was about time I moved onto the next venue.

I work my way up Bathurst and find myself in a venue just off Bloor called The Annex Live. Hitting the stage at midnight is Atlantic Canada band, The Danger Bees. I’ve been fortunate enough to catch them twice before, and I’m not sure if I should blame the venue, but this wasn’t their best sounding show I’ve seen. Don’t get me wrong though, still a great set, and one filled with energy (enough to form a crowd of dancers up front), just I know they’re capable if more.

4 hours later, 3 sets in and I’d like to believe I’m off to a good start to my Canadian Music Fest. Keep updated daily withy CMW coverage here.

Black Dahila Murder opened the show with their hardcore metal onslaught. Currently in support of their 5th album Ritual they got everyone ready in the mosh pit and what a great job with a hardcore sound but still holding up the metal!

Dethklok is the brain child of Brendon Small. Coming from a cartoon on Adult Swim it has rising to huge popualrity. At this point they have 3 albums out and have been numerous of tours around the world.

The concert starts as the cartoons do and goes throughout the show. For a stage show they play the Dethklok videos while the band plays infront of the screen.
Dethklok is Brendon Small, he does 3 of the voices and the writes most of the music for the band. Gene Hoglan is on drums and Brian Beller on bass do the studio work and touring unlike Mike Keneally who has just joined the band on tour.

The timing of the band is incredible. and during the show there is breakdown of music and videos in between songs which include, the introduction from the government, Dr. Rockso with an audience participation that is unforgettable, Dethklok backstage antics, and a couple of PSA announcements from Facebones. There is much more I could tell you but then it would ruin the experience but what I can tell you is that any fan of the band will love the show. All the favorites are there.