Concert Alert: California natives Black Sunshine

In support of the May 25 release of their debut album Once in My Life, California natives Black Sunshine are hitting the road with Smile Empty Soul.

Stopping in Dallas on May 8 at the newly renovated Trees (Treesdallas.com), Texans will be treated to the passion, dedication and drive that fuel this band.

With a background in extreme sports, vocalist Matt Reardon spent a lot of time creating music following a horrific accident which nearly derailed his career in freeskiing.

Bringing Bob Marlette (Shinedown, Black Sabbath, Saliva) to the producer table, the band ended up with a polished sound that manages to stay raw and true to the bands original vision which according to Reardon, comes to life on stage.

 “We do our own thing live,” Reardon said. “I’m not a fan of [recreating everything perfectly. A lot of bands run backing tracks, we don’t do that. Everything you hear is us playing on stage.”

Smile Empty Soul, Soil and Black Sunshine live at Trees in Dallas Saturday May 8. For more information on the band visit their web site http://www.blacksunshineband.com/

The Consciousness Tour: Smile Empty Soul

In support of their fourth studio album Consciousness, California-based post-grunge rock band, Smile Empty Soul, took to the road with tour-mates Burn Halo, The Last Vegas and Frequency Fifty-four. Stopping in Dallas Dec. 8, at the newly renovated Tree’s, the bands performed for a packed house of die-hard fans.

Opening the show, Dallas-based Adakain took the stage, with a comanding presence. With heavy instrumentation and loud vocals, these local boys prepared the venue for an interesting night of rock.

Taking the stage next, Frequency Fifty-four proved to be a solid opening act for the tour. Over the years, this band has become a staple in the Michigan music scene, and is currently receiving regional success with their latest single “Last Call.” The bands sound is wonderfully accented by the lead singer’s vocals, and despite a slow start, Frequency Fifty-four was a well-placed addition to the tour docket.

Words cannot describe the next band to take the stage. With sleazy glamorous looks, Last Vegas, a hard-rock band from Chicago, smashed the stage with songs from their album, “I am Bad.” After winning a record deal at the Guitar Center, Your Chance to Make Rock History contest, the Last Vegas has continued to impress critics and fans with their unique stage presence. Not immune to their stage powers, the crowd at Tree’s spent the bands set dancing and banging their heads in time with lead singer Chad Cherry’s hips.

Following three high-energy opening acts, Burning Halo took no mercy as they respectfully assaulted the crowd with pulsing guitar riffs and scratchy vocals. In remembrance of their first tour with rock-band Avenged Sevenfold, who recently lost their drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, the band took time out from their set to remember their lost friend. The excellent showcase of the bands talent and classic hard rock sound fully prepared the crowd for the main act, Smile Empty Soul.

The now three-piece band from Santa Clarita, California wasted no time addressing the crowd with their angst-driven lyrics and emotionally-fueled instrumentations. Their set included songs from their latest offering Consciousness, such as recent single “Don’t ever Leave,” a song the band jokingly said was about cheeseburgers.

“Well, it could be a lot of things. It could be a song about a messed-up relationship or about being dependent on something that isn’t good for you, or you can take it however you interpret it,” lead vocalist Sean Danielsen said.

However, “Bottom of a Bottle,” was the crowd-favorite of the night. It created frenzy in the crowd as they pushed towards the stage, pumping their fists in the air and screaming, “I did it for the drugs.” To some this song might represent an anthem about getting high and drunk; however, listening to the lyrics and delving into Danielson’s previous battle with drugs and alcohol, this song represents a mockery to those who live their lives for drugs and alcohol.

Danielson, who now celebrates over two-and-a-half years of sobriety from hard drugs and alcohol, reflects on darker days touring in Dallas during an interview before their set.

“I stayed up the whole night before (the show) doing drugs,” Danielson said, “I was so absolutely out of my mind, and hadn’t slept or anything by the time we went on. I was still drinking from the night before and just out of it. I could barely play.”

This story is a perfect example of life imitating art because at that time in his life Danielsen seemed to be “doing everything for the drugs.”

The Toadies bring in the New Year twice at Trees in Dallas

With strong Texas routes and an ageless following, it was without question that Tree’s in Deep Ellum would sell out their venue when The Toadies toured in Dallas. It was with great admiration watching the band pack the house for two nights of rock rather than one.

Starting off their career in Ft. Worth in the late 80’s, The Toadies signed to Interscope Records and released their first full-length album Rubberneck in 1994 which landed them 6 singles including their most successful track “Possum Kingdom.” With extensive touring and regular appearances at Edgefest, The Toadies became the band to see in the mid-90’s post-grunge scene.

Three years into the rebirth of The Toadies, fans lined the streets of Elm in downtown Dallas awaiting a night of epic proportions. Escaping through the walls of the venue, sounds of opening acts Decender and The Lions poured into the streets as they performed a pre-show sound check, offering a taste of what was to come.

Not to diminish the welcoming sounds of their sound check, opening-band Descender, a Dallas local band made-up of four extremely talented musicians, amazed the crowd with innovative guitar riffs as well as thunderous bass lines. A lack of crowd interaction might possibly have been the only downfall of their performance; however, they still left the audience with a memorable performance.

Returning from Europe, where they recently recorded and released their latest album, Austin-based band The Lions took the stage with rolling guitars and gravely vocals. Where Descender lacked crowd interaction, The Lions shined. Taking every available moment to interact with the crowd, their sound filled the room with a strong energy leaving the crowd fully prepared for The Toadies.

As the clocked neared midnight the venue was filled with fans buzzed with excitement and beer. With a few strums of notes, the crowd went wild and stayed wild for 2 full hours of music. Hitchy guitars and driving drums filled the room, as the band and fans shouted out the lyrics to hit song, “I Come from the Water.” Strong passion and love filled the room setting the night off to a strong start.

Gifting the audience with an unforgettable performance of “Possum Kingdom,” a dark and distorted sound that re-tells ghost stories from lead singer Todd Lewis’ childhood, there was on thing that was certain, The Toadies have withstood the test-of-time and continue to make countless fans and crowds happy.

In This Moment – A Winter to Remember Tour

Spending the last three years building a solid fan base, as an opening act, Southern California’s rock band In This Moment embarked on their first North American tour, A Winter to Remember. Following a collection of Texas tour dates, In This Moment stopped Dec. 12 at Tree’s in historic Deep Ellum with tour mates Silent in Bordeaux and Motionless in White.

Starting off the evening, Texas-based rock band Silent on Bordeaux turned what could have been a fan-grabbing set into a beautiful let down. Their classic rock sound was overpowered by fast-fingered guitarist, Dave Myers, who tore through the set overcompensating mediocre drums and lousy vocals. Despite their musical shortcomings, the band displayed a love for their music that left something to be admired.

Succeeding the disappointing performance by Silence on Bordeaux, a breath of fresh air addressed the crowd with a bass line that shook Deep Ellum. Pennsylvania-based emo-fringed rock band, Motionless in White showcased a forceful sound and a lesson in stage presence. From in-your-face Rob Zombie covers to spine-melting originals, this band whispers sweet nothings in your ear leaving you craving more.

As the lights dimmed, the excitement in the air thickened, and the crowd began to inch towards the stage. What was once room for one to breath became a very intimate encounter as bodies crawled over one another. In a sea of fog and lights, In This Moment took the stage decked in holiday couture. For over an hour, fans moshed, banged their heads and sang along to an extended set of songs from the band’s collection. Pulsing bass and flaming guitar riffs elevated the listeners experience while soft and intimate piano pieces offered moments of reflection. Band front-woman Maria Brink, despite having been under the weather, sent her usual intense and bone-crushing screams into the air which took hold of the crowd and never let go.

Ending the evening with a powerful message about hope, the band closed with fan-favorites “Beautiful Tragedy” and “Daddy’s Falling Angel.” Overall, the evening was a moment to treasure for fans and an occasion to flaunt for In This Moment.