Full Value Review

MADLINS 1/21/05 FRIDAY SHOW

There is a buzz that attends any show that is sold out. I’ve seen it at The ROLLING STONES, AC/DC, and VAN HALEN concerts I was lucky enough to a have a ticket for. Though thousands of less people, tonight’s show has that energy, that feel to it. It is SOLD OUT. So let’s squeeze in and see why.

SET 1 – THE KNIFE IN IRIS

THE KNIFE IN IRIS, a local band of lead guitar/additional screams, bass, rhythm guitar, frontman (vocals) and tonight, featuring on drums, Scott Lienhard, the little brother of the frontman, opens the show right on time at 7:30, the new time for Friday night shows. Scott is filling in for the regular drummer Sean, who couldn’t make it tonight, and learned half the set’s songs on the way to the gig tonight. Quite a feat, as the band played a combination of good vocals overlaid with screams driven by raucous rhythm and bass lines. Putting out a catchy beat on their third song before an almost SRO crowd which paid apt attention with but showed little movement, the boys finished up with two strong power ballads, getting strong applause for their effort. The band who has played Madlins before can also be found on myspace. If you ain’t on myspace, you ain’t noplace.

SET 2 – ODD PROJECT

Pulling a double header (baseball talk for two games in a row), ODD PROJECT is slated for both Friday night (1/21/5) and Saturday night (1/22/5), a first for Madlins. This double dipper out of Huntington Beach, CA, comprised of Scott Zschomler (lead guitar/vocals), Christian Escobar (floor level drummer), Eric Cline (bass/vocals), Greg Pawloski (rhythm guitar), and Matt Lamb (frontman), arrived in town accompanied by a buzz about their talent. Playing hardcore emo metal, they opened with a little audience participation by having the fans put their hands in the air and join the PROJECT in progress. With the sitting on the floor drummer (it seemed, as I’ve never seen a drummer sit so low in the kit), and pounding out crowd thumping beats with the bass player swinging his axe like a Viking with a broadsword, the crowd was soon banging and jumping. Holding the mike out to the fans to sing along, the frontman was soon out of his Beatle Bailey cap as the crowd rocked to danceable hardcore headbanger. It was a fitting warm-up to the next act, and a definite buzz-on with their second show, which looks to be another sell out. Look for them on myspace and Indianola Records.

SET 3 – DARK HAVEN

It seems that almost every review somehow leads back to the hottest local band around, and the latest group to say ‘join the army’, the DARK HAVEN army, not your uncle’s. Even though sold-out, Madlins appeared to bust out at the seams when everyone took the stage and the crowd sucked in their breath in anticipation. No one was to be disappointed in expecting too much. This band is HOT, ssss! They will sizzle your lean. How hot are they? Almost all bands that come through Madlins have either a demo or a CD out. DH, all about playing to their adoring fans, an army of them now, hasn’t got past blowing your face off to even get to a studio to put anything down on plastic. A visiting accountant hanging in ‘the press box’, climbed up the catbird ladder to get a better view, and came down, blond hair wilted, and remarked to me, “these guys are really good”. I asked her what she thought of the girl guitar player and she said, “what girl?” Talk about an assault to your senses, since all the guys in the band were wearing black T’s and Amy, besides having luscious raven hair to toss with the boys, Brandon, Brennan, Nate, and Kent, was wearing a white dress shirt. I’ve enjoyed watching this band ever since Jackie Findl relocated her show of 8/13/4 and brought them over to Madlins. The progress of the band has been interesting from a writer’s point of view (and I’m not easily impressed). Special guest in attendance was Brennan’s Gramps, who hopefully left his hearing aid at home since it wasn’t needed here. Get in step with this band’s army and march to the Showcase Theatre in Corona, CA on 2/19/5 for DH appearing with FROM AGONY WITHIN, another Madlins alumni. For more details, yep, myspace.

SET 4 – ANNIHILATION

Although much of the crowd departed after DH, DARK HAVEN didn’t. They stayed to watch the solid musicianship of Rhett Klagge (rhythm guitar), a peer and friend of theirs from Temecula’s Chaparral High School, and his bandmates, Blake Emery (lead guitar), Brandon Beato (drums), James Gross (bass), and frontman Cory Timmons, all of Tesoro High School, up in Orange County. Sporting a front line all dressed in black T’s, the drummer was in an ash shirt that was off before the set went too deep, ANNIHILATION pumped out songs like ‘Blood Shadows’ and ‘Death’, showing the spot where headbanging meets speedmetal before ending the night with a power ballad called ‘Dripping Soul’ that begged the question, ‘don’t know why I’m treated this way’. Being only 15-18, the boys have plenty of time to find out. All those who missed their Madlins debut can hear them on myspace.

- PT ROTHSCHILD