The show was opened by heavy metal juggernauts Black Label Society, who pounded and thrashed their way through a raucous set, complete with an extended guitar solo by front man Zakk Wylde. The heavy sonic jams only whet the audiences’ appetite for the main course.

Not missing a beat and hitting all those old notes, Rose showed why Guns N’ Roses were the biggest band in the world. Great tunes performed with high energy and suburb musicianship.

Axl lead the band through a dizzying array of classic G N’ R hits, not missing a one. To list them would be futile, but rest assured they play everything anyone could possible want to hear from the band’s back catalog in a nearly three hour long set.

Woven throughout the G N’ R songs were cover tunes of classic rock greats including Pink Floyd’s “One More Brick In the Wall,” Wings’ “Live and Let Die,” and Cleveland’s Own Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer.” Of course they also played the Bob Dylan classic “Knocking on Heavens Door,” which the band breathed new life into during their heyday.

Completely un-diva like, Rose had the band’s three guitarist, bassist and piano player each perform songs showcasing their musicianship. The tunes ranged from a piano-driven instrumental version of The Who’s “Baba O’ Riley,” to a shredding version of the theme from the “Pink Panther,” showcasing guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal abilities.

Rose also showed his chops as a piano player as he ripped through a number of Elton John and Billy Joel riffs before heading into a show stopping “November Rain.” This only further drove the point home of his dedication to his craft.

While he may not be the Axl Rose who’s celluloid image will forever be ingrained in society’s collective conscious, he still a legend who is capturing the public’s attention. Perhaps Buzzbin’s own Jara of “Dear Jara” fame – who spent the night singing back every single lyric – put it best, when she proclaimed: “It’s Axl fucking Rose dude.”

On a side note, if you ever want to hear the whole Guns N’ Rose back story, ask Jara about it. She has an almost frightening knowledge base on the band’s biography.

More importantly, if you ever have the chance to see Guns N’ Rose play, do not miss it. Disappointment is not an option, and yes Axl is still doing his serpent dance, which is kind worth the price of admission alone.

I have gotten pretty into the Black Angels over the last couple years. The 2010 album, Phosphene Dream, in particular is solidly made with psychedelic drone and moderately poppy beats. “Pop” as in “catchy”. The Black Angels are not cheesy pop hit-makers, but they have a few songs that you will catch yourself humming. “We made love in June…I heard it from you”…Lead vocalist, Alex Maas’s voice is so distinctive with haunted shrills and sudden grunts; there is a certain androgynous pitch to it that sounds slightly feminine, yet he hides under an old man’s hat and beard in the strobe lights and shadows of the stage. The Newport is a huge theatrical acting space. It’s old, probably haunted, but has a really cool ‘worn theater’ vibe, and two floors to explore with a special smoking area on the side. It’s an awesome space with a great sound and aura to it but I didn’t feel as carried away with The Black Angels overall performance as I did in a smaller space, such as The Grog Shop. When I saw them at the beginning of this year I felt like each member of the band really brought it together and projected a strong message with their sound and presence in a smaller space. Perhaps they played the same way at the Newport, but it was distracting to be in such a cool giant venue that it took the significance away. Their music was more of a ghost in the shadows rather than a full head on collision with the madness. It was an absurdly cheap show sponsored by the local Columbus alternative radio station, 102.5 FM, in which is awesome!!!…but, this may have attracted a lot of randomers on such a grey and rainy Wednesday night in Ohio that may not have been as into it (as a smaller, more intimate crowd would have been).

As far as the other two bands…the reviews that I had read on Spindrift from L.A. described the band as a lot more surreal than I got from listening to them. I was ready to be taken to the desert, trip on peyote, and meet Jim Morrison with the review that I read prior to the show. There was a short build up of trendy stage-outfits chanting with their instruments and a chick going crazy with the rattling of the tambourine, but other than that, they make soundtrack music for their own independent films. Without the Quentin Tarantino film playing in front of me I cannot see them making it too far musically.

Last but not least, Dead Meadow, from D.C…they played second. They are not easy to disappoint. With a stoner rock-like trance that meanders from the likes of 90’s The Jesus and The Mary Chain to The Meat Puppets…it gets trippier and louder, with more fuzz! And after all the psychedelic talk, they are probably the only band with weed. The last time that I saw them at the Beachland I felt like I wanted to fall asleep, but this time, they actually added a nice ambiance to the night with enough static to keep you alive for the finally. Even if the finally wasn’t as intense as you dreamed it to be.

The Celtic-Punk band, which defies classification and yet draws one of the most loyal followings in every city, hamlet, borough or hillside it traverses, is in the middle of another solid year of touring which has taken them all over the world, in promotion of, Speed of Darkness, the band fifth and most populist recording to date.

Singer-Leader Dave King and wife and violinist Bridget Reagan who split time between their two homes in Wexford, Ireland and Detroit, Michigan, were heavily affected by the economic crisis that has befallen their American home, the motor city and Reagan’s hometown. The songs are about losing jobs and the age-old rich-getting-richer and poor-getting-poorer.

And yet, by commiserating with the infectious twist on traditional Irish music King and the Mollys reel in the crowd and together they drink in a few pints of rebel-rousing fun and forget about hard times for a night.

Fresh from its most recent European tour that saw the band stop in King’s native Ireland, the magnificent seven seemed energized to perform for another sold-out Cleveland crowd, this time at Jacob’s Pavilion, July 28 on a hot summer night. Despite their love for Ireland, Flogging Molly was glad to be home.

The FMs covered material from all five studio albums in their near two-hour set and encore performance. King punctuated each new song with tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecation and gratitude to the teeming masses who seemingly new every word of every song, including the new ones.

The new record’s namesake “Speed of Darkness”, “Saints and Sinners”, “Don’t Shut ‘Em Down”, “Rise Up” and “Revolution” all came out with sharp, sarcasm for the elite establishment and sentimental sorrow for the working/non-working class.

Despite a somewhat darker tone, the performance the new songs were delivered with unity, and the same seamless synergy not seen in many bands with fewer members. The seven Flogging Mollys exude enjoyment and togetherness on every number. King is the ring leader who gallops about the stage and his enthusiasm and carefree stage presence is picked up by the crowd.

But at any given time, bassist Nathen Maxwell, Accordion player Matt Hensley, banjo/mandolin player Bob Schmidt, guitarist Dennis Casey, drummer George Schwindt or Reagan had their moments leading the troops in or out of another frolicking or frenetic modern folk number.

There was a story on each number. Whether it was recalling the debuting of “Wanderlust” at a Cleveland Warped Tour stop a decade before, dedication of “Factory Girls” to his 89-year-old mum, dedication to his late father in “The Likes of You Again” or even a farewell to the recently passed Amy Winehouse on “So Sail On”, King led the band saying, “You can’t celebrate life, without mourning death.”

Of course, there were the more up-tempo numbers, “Rebels of the Sacred Heart”, “Devil’s Dance Floor”, “Worst Day Since Yesterday”, “If I Ever Leave This World Alive” and crowd favorite encore title song “Float” from the band’s fourth studio release.

There is no pomp and circumstance here, no gimmicks, just flat out balls-to-the-wall, honest good rock music that hits the emerald soul in every fan. The more universal the struggle and the more folly of man the band interprets, the more fans relate, and herein lies the continuing charm that is Flogging Molly live.

So, as it goes, the story began with raging dinosaurs that shook the walls of the place as the people began to roam. All Dinosaurs are a quadrahedron of four dudes thrashing thunderous punk-rock power trips. Before they went on I noticed a poor plaid shirted guy getting punched in the balls by his friend immediately dropping him to a fetal position on the soiled floors of the Grog Shop. Feeling remorse, his not-so-burley compadre spoons him on the ground until the shock trauma is over. It was going to be a long night watching them goof off. Low and behold they ended up being the components of the first band and yes, they are nothing short of fun on stage either.

All Dinosaurs belted out gritty punk speed lyrics, at moments finding all four members of the band played instruments while belting out screaming madness. There are glimmers of Big Business noise through the conglomeration of gruff outspoken vocals that chime through the mic. Though a younger and slightly boyish vibe, All Dinosaurs play quick, fierce, and raw.

Next up: Helms Alee. This is a power trio from Seattle where chicks finally outnumber dudes. The minute that I took in each member, I could actually only think of hard nipples. It sounds bad, but you hardly ever see chicks that can rock the hell out and play steady thrashing drums on beat without a bra. It was actually an admirable feat, though I’m not sure I’d feel as comfortable flapping in the thunder in front of a crowd of stoner/metal dudes.

By 10:30 Big Business were readying to open up with bird calls for the mic check at 11! It came down to hair thrashing in the wind and a fiery trifecta of signature stoner rock doom like the end of the piano keys. Jared Warrens signature vocals pound through each song like he’s spitting out glass, from the dirt, with blood, while meditating on it. The drumming of Coady Willis is earth shattering speed while mathematically immaculate.

Torche was the last band to play. They open with abrasive words blaring…”How many people are f-ing tonight,” followed by,”Come my friend…Join us”. At this point it feels like ‘the end of the night doobie’.

The guitarist wore a big poofy blonde wig and the sound echoed lustrous fuzz like Silverchair meets the Meatpuppets melodies. The songs near the end got louder and heavier.

It became sludgier thrashing beats that settled and re-dispursed, pulsating like cold night wind on a hard window pane- without it breaking, followed by a thunderous roar of drum rattling encore.

The new location didn’t deter anyone from hitting up this year’s show either. The Cleveland leg of Warped Tour has traditionally been held at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater, but this year it was moved to Blossom Music Center after Time Warner Cable closed to make way for the new casino.

The A parking lot was transformed into the main area of the festival with a halfpipe, a Nintendo 3DS tent and most of the stages, including the Teggart Main Stage where Paramore, Less Than Jake and 3OH!3 played.

The only things more prevalent than bands’ tents were sweat and sunburn, but the crowds still packed in to see their favorite bands play. 3OH!3 and Paramore drew huge crowds during the day, and Simple Plan had a massive crowd congregated in the pavilion later in the evening.

The Ready Set’s crowd was decent, but the band was slotted against A Day To Remember on the main stage, which was a band a lot of the attendees seemed excited about.

Crowd surfing got you pulled out of the crowd, but that didn’t stop anyone from jumping in, and that includes Simple Plan’s lead singer Pierre Bouvier. The Wonder Years’ bassist Josh Martin shouted something to Blossom security after they were taking kids out of the crowd, which excited the crowd.

It was the kind of day that even the fire hoses couldn’t cool down (and yes, there were fire hoses), but that didn’t stop anyone from having a blast at Warped Tour. The only thing that might have been better than listening to the bands all day would have been the shower afterwards, but that wouldn’t have been nearly as memorable.

Photos By: Michelle Menuez

In fact, short of Haley’s Comet, Sade’s last stop in Cleveland, some two decade ago seemed like a shooting star whose presence left a galaxy of NE Ohio fans longing for her return.

On July 9, in support of her latest greatest hits, The Ultimate Collection, Sade and her well-seasoned veteran band graced the stage of The Quicken Loans Arena.

Adu and longtime bandmates sax player/guitarist Stuart Matthewman, keyboardist Andrew Hale, bassist Paul Spencer Denman and the rest of her nine-piece band, with which she shares the Sade name, entered the stage in unusual fashion. To open their set they emerged as silhouettes, from under the stage on lifts. Sade came out dressed in black with her hair pulled back to show her serious soldier-like pose.

Opening with “Soldier of Love”, the band worked through nearly two hours of classic Sade hits from its six studio releases, as its petite leader performed with four costume changes. The hits were all there: “Your Love is King”, “Sweetest Taboo”, “No Ordinary Love”, “By Your Side,” and “Smooth Operator” which saw Hale and Matthewman trading solos. Sade made use of some of its hits video as a backdrop to a handful of numbers, such as “Kiss of Life”.

To warm up to the NE Ohio throngs, Adu bantered with the crowd, admitting to growing up listening to the Ohio Players on a transistor radio back in England.

For its encore, the band performed its hit “Cherish the Day” as Adu elevated herself on a stand with back support rising above the crowd as its leader in the fight for love. Her performance was timeless, as she effortlessly maneuvered through her entire song list with poise, ease and a few dance steps along the way.

This was no ordinary show as John Legend performed as the opening act. Legend, a native of Springfield Ohio was allotted a generous sixty-minute set and his performance made all forget about his opening act status on this night as he ran through numbers from his four studio efforts.

The nine-time Grammy winner, replete in white pants, shirt and vest performed in front of the home state crowd and warmed the audience up with his adept piano playing. Legend opened with a rousing version of Adele’s hit single “Rolling Deep” and from that moment on, he smoked the stage with his band and trio of backup singers, making the woman in the front rows swoon with each croon.

Relying heavily on his debut hit record” Let’s Get Lifted”, Legend, whose real name is John Stephens, deftly snag and played to perfection, such hits as “”Used to Love You”, “Let’s Get Lifted” and Ordinary People”.

Legend, 27, showed why he is more than just one of the most talented R&B singers out today. He led his band through “P.DA. (We Just Don’t Care), “Save Room”, “So High” and a cover of James Brown’s “I’ll Go Crazy”. It was a flawless performance, and one that came across maybe somewhat rehearsed, but unquestionably cool, powerful and soulful.

Combined, Sade and Legend’s performances more than reached their audience. It was night two stars shined. All who were fortunate enough to observe now can only hope it won’t take light years before such a performance comes this way once more.

Here are a few pictures taken by our buddy Jeremey Aronhalt from A Studio in Canton.

According to the people from the neighborhood, they had heard about a community in Boston that was doing a ‘porchfest’ and thought it was a cool idea. One thing was for sure, it was definitely a good way to get young blood to check out the tight knit community.

And really, it was an amazing thing to see.

Visitors could stop by the visitor’s booth and get a schedule of the 30 bands that were playing on 30 different porches. Each schedule gave a house address and the type of music the bands were playing so that you could figure out what was best for your taste. Bikes were available for rental to make trips easier between houses.

The most normal looking of porches were transformed into stages. Whether it was the condo driveway that served as a stage for a band described as “R&B with a Latin flare” or the balcony two stories up that served as a stage for an opera act, you would never imagine these places being nothing more than porches.

The Porchfest serves as an amazing community builder for an already strong neighborhood and it made me want to live in a place as awesome as this area. Whenever you passed a member of the community on your way to one performance or another, there was always a smile and a greeting. Obviously nothing could bring down the spirits of the people in the community, not even the cloudy weather.

Porchfest even brought out the entrepreneurial side of people. It gave children the chance to set up the long forgotten lemonade stands and for porch owners to set up hot dog stands or call in clowns for balloon animals.

But don’t forget that there was music, and lots of it.

You could hear a band from down the street as you wandered looking for the next show. Anything from indie to classic rock to R&B and plain old blues, there was truthfully something for everyone.

It’s an amazing event and frankly, I’m jealous that my community isn’t as cool.

This band takes audience participation to another level. Instead of repeating a few words after them, they have you limbo. Instead of clapping your hands, they give you a steel bowl and a drumstick. Instead of watching them dance, they teach you dance moves and expect you to do them.

It’s an entirely different experience when you have Peelander Yellow in charge.

People might tell you that they’re Japanese New Yorkers, but Peelander Yellow would tell it differently, “We’re not American. We’re not Japanese. We’re not even human. We’re Peelander Z.” And they beamed down from Peelander Planet and into the hearts of the small audience at Musica Tuesday night.

Maybe you walked into the venue, determined to hate the concert lead by these crazy guys in bright colors but that wasn’t the case after a while. Peelander Yellow took over, teaching the audience “E-I-E-I-O” before breaking into a rock version of “Old McDonald.” The audience just couldn’t help but laugh as they were transported back to elementary school.

The fun didn’t end there. Audience participation was upped again as the band handed off their instruments to audience members. They joined the rest of the crowd and started up a game of their infamous human bowling.

There was a new surprise behind every door as Peelander Z took their audience back to their home planet; one that most people would call ‘crazy’ but the band would argue that. “I’m not crazy. You guys are crazy. That’s why I love you!” they explained.

Really, this concert was a once in a lifetime experience. It was like being at an anime convention or in elementary school again.  It’s probably one of those, “you’d have to see it to believe it” moments. And one of the audience members summed it up perfectly during a fit of excitement, “This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

All photos by James Bretz