DRI

August 31st @ The Galaxy Theatre, Santa Ana, CA
 Review By: Wheels 
Photos By: Scott Wulfesteig

DRI IS NOTHING SHORT OF RAW INTENSITY AND SPEED. CALL THEIR STYLE WHAT YOU WILL. CATEGORIZE IT WITH ALL YOUR BRAIN CAN THINK UP.  ONE THING IS FOR SURE DRI IS IN A CLASS OF IT’S OWN. THE SHOW WAS AS POWERFUL AND REFINED AS IT WAS WHEN I SAW THEM IN LONG BEACH AT FENDERS BALLROOM IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, THESE GUYS WERE TOURING THE WILD FRONTIER WITH “ONE” BEAT UP GRAYISH WHITE VAN AS THEIR TOUR WAGON BACK THEN . DRI  HAS BEEN A PERSONAL FAVORITE, AND I COULDN’T RESIST NOT TO SEE THEIR MUSICAL ATTACK. THE BLISTERING RYTHYMS AND DRIVING BEAT HAD MY ATTENTION FOCUSED ON THE FURY OF THE SOUND. MEANWHILE, A FUN PIT ENGAGED THE CROWD OF DIE HARD DRI FANS.. IT WAS FUN TO GET BACK TO BASICS AND ENJOY  SOME SHINDIGGING. I USED TO HEAL A LOT FASTER WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.

           ALTHOUGH I DID MY FAIR SHARE OF WEEDING FROM THE SIDELINES ON THIS NIGHT. HOWEVER, I COULDN’T HELP BUT THROW MYSELF, FOR OLD TIME SAKES, INTO THIS MANAGEABLE CAULDRON OF ENERGY. WHAT JOY!!!  THE PIT ALSO ACCOMADATED ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT GOOD SIZE BOUNCERS WHICH WERE ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BEING TO CONSERVATIVE IN LETTING THE DANCE HAVE IT”S WAY. I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT OF ONE BOUNCERS  ABUSIVENESS IN REGARDS OF ONE  YOUNG MAN WHO GOT PUSHED A LITTLE  TO HARD TO THE GROUND IT SEEMED FOR THE SAKE OF PURE CRUELTY AND TO THROW HIS WEIGHT AROUND INTO SOME ONE A LOT SMALLER THAN HIMSELF.  THAT’S NOT SECURITY.

          WELL ANYWAYS THE PERFORMANCE WAS TIGHT,THE SONGS WERE OLD SCHOOL AND THE SET LIST COULDN’T HAVE BEEN LONGER; JUST ENOUGH HEARING LOSS FOR ONE SHOW. IF THE MEMBERS OF D.R.I. HAVE CHANGED THEIR LINE UP, THEY DON’T SOUND FAR OFF THEIR OLD  BEATEN  PATH , THEY ‘VE KEPT THEIR HIGHLY REFINED SOUND AND EQUIPMENT PROCESSING THE SAME. IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR KURT WITH HIS NO NONSENSE STYLE AND NO FRILLS CANNONEERING INTO THE   MICROPHONE. THEY HAD A FEW TUNES I NEVER HEARD BEFORE, YET THEY PLAYED MANY OF THE OLD FAVORITES. I PERSONALLY LIKE SONGS FROM “CROSSOVER” AND THE FIRST “ DR I   22  SONG  DIRTY ROTTEN LP”. I CAN’T HELP IT. THIS BAND WILL GET INTO YOUR HEAD FASTER THAN A   RATTLER   EMPTYING  A HOT AND BEEFY INJECTION OF VENOM RIGHT IN YOUR ASS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANY NEW SCHOOLERS TO GET A TASTE OF THESE GUYS ON TOUR AND BUY THERE CD’S. DON’T FORGET TO BRING EXTRA $$$ FOR A SHIRT AFTER THE SHOW, YOU’LL NEED ONE, AFTER YOURS GETS SHREDDED IN THE PIT.

- Wheels

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