No Coachella, No Problem

Coachella is almost here.  Last year’s offerings teased me into believing the desert festival might embrace its local history and showcase metal in a way not seen at the other major American festivals.  But alas, if anything, 2010 is a step backwards.  The heaviest bands will be out of there by 6:30 PM on Friday, before the throngs even complete their trek eastward on the 10.  One can’t overlook the FAITH NO MORE performance on Saturday sandwiched in between COHEED & CAMBRIA and the ridiculousness known as MUSE (so ridiculous they even have Glenn Beck's stamp of approval), but there's not enough meat in the lineup for us to make the trip.  And even if we did, we wouldn't make it as far as Indio.  We'd hole up at Pappy & Harriets in Pioneertown to hear some true desert rock as the EARTHLINGS! open for ARCTIC MONKEYS Sunday night.    

So what does that leave those of us who stay behind?  Plenty.

Friday starts off with an in-store at Vacation Vinyl by one man and his machine that we refuse to miss.  You then have Eddie Solis going all Han Solo on us and playing the entire IT'S CASUAL trilogy later that night at Relax Bar.  On Saturday, you can celebrate our good friend Daniel Dismal's birthday at THE BLVD with a performance by one of our new favorites, EXECUTION PROTOCOL.  Or you can go to West Hollywood for some prog rock action at the Troubadour, featuring KARNIVOOL, a band from the land Down Under, and FAIR TO MIDLAND, a Texas band that rose to prominence on the back of Serj Tankian.  When we say prog, we're not talking KING CRIMSON.  This is prog for the masses.  As we wrote last year, KARNIVOOL reminds us of TOOL at times, but not so weird and with far less crazy time signature changes.  When we listen to Lateralus and wonder how TOOL pulls off arenas, we hear KARNIVOOL's Sound Awake and wonder why they're not doing the same.  But back home in Australia, I think they do.  Shit, the singer has a voice so sweet even Simon Cowell might like it.

If you want to check KARNIVOOL out, we have a pair of tickets to give to the first person that contacts us.  Contest is open until we say it's not.  Email us at the thecityofdevils@gmail.com to enter.   

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