Lizzie Borden delivered her alleged whacks 120 years ago — but there’s something that remains fascinating about this blood-spattered Victorian drama of familial resentment and murder. “The fact that people still talk about her makes the topic interesting,” said Victoria Bussert, director of the music theatre department at Baldwin-Wallace College. “ was the mystery and trial of the decade.” Capitalizing on that appeal, the next play to take the stage at Playhouse Square’s 14th Street Theatre will be “Lizzie Borden,” directed by Bussert. The rock musical, writte...
Opeth was spawned over 20 years ago, part of the young Swedish death metal scene that was influenced by American bands like Slayer and Obituary. As the northern European metal scene grew into one of the great world music scenes, Opeth grew in popularity and prominence. They continued to evolve their sound over the years, which has kept them relevant in the hyper-kinetic music world of the information age. That evolution has also pushed their sound outside of the death metal genre into a world all its own, with so many pieces to the band’s sound that it is impossible to describe succinctly. W...
Ronnie Riccadonna wants to party like it’s 1989. And he wants you to do it, too. Chances are, you’re going to, and you’re gonna like it. Editor's note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2010 Youngstown Pulse By B.J. LISKO Youngstown Pulse Magazine Editor My first encounter with Ronnie Riccadonna was some seven years ago. At the time he was booking the then Sky Club in Masury. He was just looking to put on rock shows, and everything about his persona screamed it from the second I saw him. One look at Riccadonna, and you don’t forget him. He looks like he came straight out of...
Dizzy Whore Desperate Side of Rock 'n' Roll Dizzy Whore could probably give two shits about this review. Any original band in 2009 adopting the image and style of almost everything Sunset Strip is in it for themselves and for the sheer passion of rock ‘n’ roll. At their best they sound like a glammed-up Alice Cooper. At their worst, they sound like a more modern version of L.A. Guns or Cinderella. Take that however you want to take it, this reviewer thinks it’s exactly what they’re going for. And with a few rare exceptions, on “Desperate Side of Rock ‘n’ Roll” they pull it of...
If one repeat listen of "School's Out" and fond memories of "Wayne's World" can't convince you of this one, then there's no hope. Still one of the most beloved heavy-metal artists out there, Cooper's headed to our very own Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame when he's inducted this year. Welcome him by catching tonight's show in Akron. 8/9 Akron Civic Theatre • Akron ...
Bullet Boys is another one of those great '80s-'90s-era sleaze bands that continues to forge ahead, playing sexy glam rock without apology. Current and former members are alumni of little bands like Ratt, Alice Cooper, WASP and Guns n' Roses so you know this is going to be off the hook. Be there. 8/28 Ripper Owens • Akron ...
Youngstown's original wizards of psyche rock are playing one of Akron's best under reported rock clubs. These guys played for The Who, headlined with Cheech and Chong and toured with ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, Judas Priest and more. Guitarist/singer/founder Jim Gustafson is regarded as a master of the six strings and is worth checking out in and of himself. Did I mention that the Iron Saddle is always free? ...
Sleaze rock legends Faster Pussycat hit the stage Sunday, June 12th at 6pm at Akron's Ripper Owens Tap House. Buzzbin recently caught up with lead singer Taime Downe to talk about the show and what's coming up for FP. To many, glam metal defined their lives, fashion and opinions in the late '80s and early '90s. Teased-out mullets, tight stone-washed jeans, too much whiskey and cigarettes, penicillin- these all made regular appearances on the scene, which centered around the music emerging from LA's Sunset Strip. The almost mythical heart of the Sunset Strip was the Cathouse, a converted dis...
Ohio is the home of rock ‘n’ roll, but the validity of that statement always seems to be brought into question. There’s a laundry list of reasons why “the heart of it all” and “the heart of rock ‘n’ roll” are synonymous. The Godz is one of those reasons. Since their formation in 1976, The Godz has been known as one of the hardest-rocking, hardest-working bands in rock. Before they were even signed to a label they toured as an opening act on KISS’s “Love Gun” tour, along with Cheap Trick. Their work got them noticed by Casablanca Records, and in the summer of ’77 th...
By Tim Webb Every musician has to wish they could evolve as appropriately and uncontrived as Alice Cooper. Navigating a career beginning as a theatrically heavy metal band packed with tons of non-gimmicky violence and an unparalleled live show into a seminal band that caught its second wind in the ‘80s pop metal is no easy task. The fact that there’s a new Alice Cooper album after four decades of existence is an accomplishment in itself, but “Along Came a Spider” doesn’t dwell on this feat, or even really acknowledge it. In fact the “God of Shock Rock” hasn’t mellowed a bit ...
By Meghan Donavan Year Long Disaster guitarist Daniel Davies has no need to trade on his father’s (Kinks guitarist Dave Davies) fame. He and band mates Rich Mullins and Brad Hargreaves have plenty of talent on their own, thank you very much. They prove it on their debut album, to the point where they were double-booked this summer – opening for Foo Fighters on several dates, as well as headlining their own tour with Burning Brides. And even now they are on tour with the Gods of Metal, Motörhead! Hargreaves is better known as the drummer of Third Eye Blind, but his percussion work he...
