Entertainment Earth

4/07/2016

One-Eyed Doll at Webster Hall 4/5/16

On April 5, 2016, I was present at the One-Eyed Doll show at Webster Hall in NYC to cover it as press. This was yet another amazing show from one of the most fun live bands that you will ever experience. Along the ride were some other very awesome bands adding to the fun of night.
 
Over at the One-Eyed Doll merch booth, the lovely Melinda was taking care of business. We actually met her when I was covering the band, at the exact same venue back in Oct. of last year. Melinda is a really cutie and a total sweetheart. She was drawing a freaking Snork on a fan's t-shirt! Below, you'll see her showing her fun and super cool bit of art.

The first band that I got to catch was Open Your Eyes. This alt-rock band from Chicago have a really good sound to them with some awesomely catchy hooks, while still managing to throw in some good heavy riffs and sounds.  Their vocalist and lead guitarist Justin King has a good voice with an almost pop punk like sensibility to it. On stage, they are always moving around, headbanging, and just rocking out. It proved to be fun and energetic set.

Next up was one of my favorite bands in the world: Eyes Set to Kill. This marks the fourth time that I have seen them live! Which means that they are my most seen live band. And, I am very happy with that. As always the band played a great set, including a couple of songs off of their last album, Masks, like "Little Liar", "Infected", and a some older tunes, as well. They also played some really awesome and kick ass new songs, including the rocking and immediately catchy "Guilty Pleasure". ESTK always give their all in their live performances. They are really so talented and deserve to be bigger than they are. I never blow smoke up anyone's asses, so if I state this, it is cause it's the honest to God fucking truth.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the last song of their set, the aforementioned "Infected", lovely lead signer and guitarist Alexia Rodriguez, put down the guitar and just took to the mic. It was a pretty cool little moment and a nice way to end a spectacular set.

 
As always, ESTK are very fan friendly and after their set was done, they headed to their merch table to meet and greet fans. Every band member is so sweet and down to earth, that it is always a pleasure to go up to them.
 
 The gorgeous Anissa Reyes
Drummer and all around cool dude Caleb

Soon it was time for the headliners, One-Eyed Doll. I absolutely love this band! They are just such an impossibly fun act to catch live. From the opening track to the last, they just kicked ass! Kimberly Freeman is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but she's really one of the best front-women in all of rock. Her interaction with the crowd is priceless.
At one point, early on in the set, she got off the stage and went into the crowd (right). We, of course, went wild for her. She really fucking shreds on guitar, while Jason pounds away on drums. At one point they were joined by a second guitarist for a couple of ass kicking songs. On this night, they played various songs from their discography, including classics like the slow and crunching "Fight", the fun as hell "Nudie Bar", and the classic "Be My Friend". Of course, they also played songs from their most recent release Witches, which might just be my favorite album of theirs. Those songs included the fucking awesome "Black in the Rye" and "More Weight".
Adding to the fun is Kimberly's use of props and various headgear. After the show was done; they immediately headed over to their merch table to meet and greet fans with much gratitude and humility. Quite frankly, there is no band like OED. I had an amazing time at this show. And, I implore you catch them live and experience them for yourself. And, if you have, then you need to do so again. Once is never enough with One-Eyed Doll!
 
 
 
 
 
 

10/18/2015

New Years Day with Eyes Set to Kill at NYC 10-16-15

This past Friday, Oct. 16, 2015, New Years Day hit Santos Party House in New York City as part of their first ever headlining tour. The result was a kick ass show that was fun as hell!

There were a couple of opening acts, but they had to cut their performances short, due to a 10PM curfew enforced by the venue. Hence, I didn't catch them all or all of their sets, save for that of one of my personal favorite bands, Eyes Set To Kill.

This actually marks my now third time seeing the band live making them the band that I have seen the most live. And, I would see them a million times again! Despite being limited to only playing a twenty minute set, the beautiful and talented Rodriguez sisters, signer and guitarist Alexia and bassist Anissa, and company killed it (pun not intended) like only they can on set. They played songs mostly of off their last release Masks (an album I picked as one of the best of 2013), as well as a new song off of the album they are currently working on.

 
 
 
 

As always they are very fan friendly and love talking and taking pics with them, and signing autographes. I met them before and after their set and fans were always coming up them. One of them even gave them some really cool drawing that he did of them.

 
 
Eventually it was time for the headliners, New Years Day, to come onstage. Now I have been a huge fan of theirs for a while, as I really love their hard rock/ alternative metal sound, as well as their stunning and amazing front-woman, Ash Costello. Though, I had wanted to see them in concert before, for one reason or another it just didn't work out. Thank the fucking rock gods that this time it did.

From the moment they came on stage to their return to close off the night with "Angel Eyes" off of Victim to Villain, they simply played great music and seemed to be having as awesome a time playing it as we were having listening to it. The song list came from that aforementioned album, as well as Epidemic, their EP from last year. Of course, they also played songs of their brand new album Malevolence, which just came out this month. This is their best work yet, and I can't stop listening to it, since I got it at their show.

New Years Day are  phenomenal band, and I think they are blowing up. You really need to see them live since they sound every bit as good as they do on their recodings. And, it's very clear that they love their fans. So, be sure to check them out when they come to your town for this tour!


 
 
 
 At one point Ash asked her fans to put their middle fingers up.
 
 
 
 
 
Ash is a genuine sweetheart and even more beautiful in person. I had the pleasure of meeting her outside of Santos Party House. She really seemed happy to meet and talk to everyone. This pretty much put that stamp of extra awesomeness on the night made it totally fucking epic!