Man, Volbeat‘s NYC show at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square was off the hook! Sorry I missed openers Spoken, but Danko Jones lit up the crowd with a rousing set complete with fist pumping and even a mosh pit from the sold-out house! (Hey, NYC doesn’t even have a station that plays any of these bands and the show sold-out, so I guess it goes to show ya, ROCK AIN’T DEAD!) Volbeat started their set off with a very Metallica-like move, playing some Sergio Leone-style instrumental (which went on for a bit too long if you ask me. It’s one thing to get the crowd amped, but it’s another to make them wait a couple of minutes longer than necessary, IMHO.) Being up in the balcony, I noticed the three large VOLBEAT logo carpets behind each of the three mic stands. That was a cool touch! They played a few selections from their brand new album, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies-including “Lola Montez” and “The Hangman’s Body Count,” along with the hits and even a bit of Elvis and Johnny Cash, as Michael Poulsen strummed on his acoustic guitar. You could TOTALLY see how the band’s vibe has changed with the addition of Rob Caggiano (ex-Anthrax) on guitar. It added that perfect companion to the Volbeat vibe. (Interesting note, in our interview, Rob alluded to the fact he may not have left Anthrax voluntarily. Hmmm) Unfortunately, I didn’t hang for the entire night, as my table in the blacony was right next to the giant speaker column and it was freakin’ LOUD! Even with ear plugs, my ears are still ringing this morning and for someone who edits sound, I can’t lose any hearing in advance of my old age! LOL Last time I recall anything that loud was the Clash at the long closed Palladium in the 80’s. It was SO LOUD, I had to go to the lobby. Those were the days before ear plugs, too! Amazing I can hear ANYTHING! Anyhow, without sounding like a wus, it was a great show. See Volbeat when they come to your town (the tour ends later this week, but they return for a second leg with All That Remains, so be sure to keep an eye on the Road Rage page for tour dates as we get ’em!) Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the whole band came by the hardDrive studios and we had a great chat. And we discussed the international problem of bullying. Michael said he watched the documentary “Bully” and said it had a profound effect on him. If you or a friend is being bullied, seek help at www.stopbullying.gov….Speaking of Metallica, Pulse Content reports Metallica is getting its own pinball machine. (See the trailer here.) According to Blabbermouth, the legendary heavy metal band has teamed up with Stern Pinball, the world’s only manufacturer of authentic pinball games, to create its own machine. The game will feature music drawn from throughout Metallica’s entire 30-year career, including classic songs such as “Creeping Death,” “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” “Master Of Puppets,” “Seek And Destroy,” “Battery,” “Sad But True,” “Enter Sandman” and more. A trailer for the machine has been posted online, with more details to follow. Metallica heads to Abu Dhabi and South Africa for shows later this month before returning home to pick up an award and perform at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles on May 2nd. Following that, the band will headline its second annual Orion Music + More Festival, scheduled for June 8th and 9th at Belle Isle in Detroit. Other acts on the bill include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rise Against, Deftones, Silversun Pickups, Dead Sara, a reunion of Infectious Grooves and many others….Rob Zombie directed the music video for his latest single, “Dead City Radio & The New Gods of Supertown.” Watch it here. Naturally, as with most of his directed pieces, his beautiful wife Sheri Moon Zombie makes an appearance. Sheri is also the star of his upcoming flick, “The Lords of Salem,” which opens this month on the 19th. Look for Zombie’s album, Venomous Rat Regenerator Vendor, on the 23rd, and Rob Zombie will be making a personal appearance in the hardDrive studios next week! I can’t wait!….Pulse Content also posted Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz spoke with Gigwise about including a duet with controversy magnet Courtney Love on the band’s comeback album, Save Rock And Roll. Wentz explained, “I think that it was important, in making an album that’s got such an ambitious title about rock and roll, that girls know they have a place in rock and roll besides being coathangers for the dudes or groupies, or whatever. So we wanted to get someone who had a seminal rock and roll voice and who was female, and Courtney literally has that voice. But also, she wrote those lyrics, she’s all there.” Wentz admitted that Love’s personal behavior over the last decade had overshadowed her musical abilities, saying, “It’s unfortunate and I can totally understand and relate to her, because there’s lots of times that things that we do get talked about more than the music. There’s a really savvy, interesting, creative person there and hopefully there’ll be a new Hole song, or new Hole record, or a new Courtney Love record.” Check out the tune here…..Celebrating birthdays today: Mike Mushok of Staind & Newsted turns 43, while the legendary coach, player and video game icon, John Madden turns 77.
