Strung Out

Review By: Aimee Schwartz
Photos By: Scott Harding

If you don't have the opportunity to live in California, be thankful of one thing......the traffic here sucks!!! I left my house at around 5:00pm Friday evening trying to make it to the show a bit early to get an interview with Strung Out. It normally takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to get to Hollywood from my house, I didn't arrive to the show until after 8:00pm. I was supposed to meet Jordan from Strung Out at 6:30. So much for that happening, but will-call gave my friend and I our photo passes, and we had full access to backstage. We had already missed The Deviates, but had some time before Death By Stereo took the stage. We found Strung Out's tour manager who escorted us to their tour bus for the interview. Most of the guys were running back and forth, but Rob (guitar), and Jordan (drummer) took some time out for us and gave us a great interview.  You can check out our interview with Strung Out in November's issue so be sure to check back! 

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After that amazing experience we went in for the end of Death By Stereo's set. I've been noticing that Death By Stereo has been getting bigger and bigger and playing more and more shows, and it's no wonder because these guys rip it up! Some critics have been tearing them apart saying that they are more of a metal band so I think they were giving the critics what they wanted to see by having a fake guitarist all metaled out playing a fake guitar! Click Here For The Pic   But I thought they put on a very good show. And I think Epitaph is gonna make a killing on them when they finally release their cd early next year. Their singer couldn't seem to get enough of the crowd as he spent most of his time taunting the people in the first row. Now what I don't get is why they were opening for No Motiv?!?!!?

Ok don't get me wrong, No Motiv is a good band if you like all that Emo shit, but what the hell were they doing playing this show?!?!?! All the other bands were hard, fast and loud, but not No Motiv. As soon as they got on stage I swear the once rowdy crowd fell asleep! The pit diminished so I felt it was time for a beer and I would just watch them from the big screen tv they had in the bar. But to be fair they did play a tight set but they just aren't my type of music.

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The anticipation for Strung Out took over my mind, so it was time to check out back stage. Since I could walk around backstage, I took this unique opportunity to watch the show from the stage. I also kept my camera going, and recorded most of the show, which is strictly for my purposes only, cuz I am a fanatic. As Strung Out started the show, the crowd went ape shit, so many kids loving their music, singing along to every song, I only wish more of them could have viewed it the way I did. It was amazing. Im short, so even on the floor its hard for me to see, but up there, I could experience everything front hand. Little gestures they give one another, smiles, clues on what they are playing next. It was awesome. Jason's voice is so damn powerful, Jordan is amazing, Jake and Rob, both have great guitar skills, and Chris, the new bass player, is an awesome addition to the already bitchin band, and you can tell they all work really well together. They played a variety of songs from all albums, even an Ozzy song, but what made my night was hearing Ashes from "Another Day In Paradise," I could die a happy girl after that!!! I wish they could have played longer, but at 10:30 they had to stop, since a trendy local radio station whom I will not name (KROQ 106.7fm), has a stupid dance club in there. Fuck that, we want punk rock!!! Anyway, what a show, be sure to check out the pictures.