A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
The Playstation Theater, New York, NY
May 3, 2016

No strangers to LocalBozo.com, five piece heavy metal powerhouse band Sevendust scorched everyone in their path at Times Square’s Playstation Theater on Tuesday night. On tour in support of 2015’s ‘Kill the Flaw’ which dropped in the fall, New York City was one of the first stops on the 23 city headlining jaunt that kicked off last month after a run of support dates opening for the mighty Godsmack. The transition to the top of the marquee proved to be seamless for one of the genre’s hardest working and longest running acts, as the veterans dominated midtown Manhattan with an abbreviated by powerful thirteen song set spanning the groups two decades together in the horns-raising limelight.

The New York City market has proven to be a second home for Sevendust with routine sell out shows coming with nearly every visit for their energetic metal shows and even for their acoustic ones. Fortunately, Tuesday night’s stop would be a return to form and as such, the excitement began building long before the band even hit the stage. A large screen shrouded the band’s instruments and most lines of sight from the crowd as thick fog began to engulf the entire front of the house. The standing room space then became saturated in green light as an ominous bass line began to play over the PA. This continued for several minutes accompanied by a deafening “Sevendust” chant from the eager audience. As if the crowd’s cadence summoned them, silhouettes began to appear through the screen and the band kicked off the night with the hard hitting “Not Today,” a pummeling opening number. The group, cloaked in shadow for most of the song was greeted with thunderous roars and raised fists as the screen dropped.

“Are you ready New York City?” Lajon Witherspoon challenged. Clad in denim, leather forearm braces and his signature dreadlocks, Sevendust’s frontman dominated the stage with his commanding and gruff vocals. By the time they got into their second song of the night, “Home,” bassist Vinny Hornsby was in full groove, both on the strings and with his movement across the stage not leaving an inch of its real estate unexplored. Hornsby was flanked on each side of the stage by the band’s guitarists and riff writers Clint Lowery and recent LocalBozo.com interviewee John Connolly. The two six string slingers feverishly wore down their fret boards as “Home” segued into atypical show closer “Face to Face,” allowing the live crowd to hog the majority of vocals. Tucked in the back but far from in the background, drummer Morgan Rose was a true display of a heavy metal metronome with his quasi-braided hair flailing about due to the residual energy all of his limbs banging away on the skins.

Individually each member brings an incredible energy and presence to the stage, but the sum of Sevendust is greater than its parts. After the scream laden choruses of “Ugly,” the quintet went acoustic for their 1999’s “Denial,” a perpetual crowd favorite. Heaviness would quickly resume though with distortion riddled locomotives “Disease” and the pleasant return of “Dead Set” from 2001’s ‘Animosity’ to the live tracklist. The stirring “Angel’s Son” was quick to follow, an always poignant and heart-wrenching track for Witherspoon, who used his ample mic time to dedicate the song to the memory of Prince. While it was a semi-somber and sobering moment, the act was an honorable one and a much deserved payment of homage to the late artist.

The setlist that spanned roughly seventy minutes was a brief but powerful ride through Sevendust’s ten studio releases. Fittingly as the end of the night drew near, headbang inducing soundwaves generated from “Enemy” and “Waffle” enveloped the room building up the energy to a peak for set closer “Thank You,” the monster single from ‘Kill the Flaw.’ Times Square is no stranger to lights, loudness, and action but if it were Sevendust would be a perfectly appropriate crash course in all three.

- Jon Asher

Among the hardest working bands in the genre, the five-piece outfit has been slaying audiences for the better part of twenty years. And though the business side of things has certainly changed as far as putting out records and hoping for radio airplay, the band’s approach to touring has not.  Churning out a new album basically every other year, the band has managed to continually reinvigorate a setlist that’s already replete with a ‘greatest hits’ feel to it; but on Sevendust’s most recent touring leg, it seems that their song list is changing more than ever before- and that’s a good thing for fans that hold a date on their calendar every year for the band’s arrival to town.

In anticipation of Sevendust’s return to Manhattan on Tuesday night, LocalBozo.com sat down with lead guitarist John Connolly for an exclusive interview. Check out our conversation below which touches on the likes of Prince’s passing, wrestler turned rocker Chris Jericho, performing in New York City, the group’s approach to making new music and more in the quick, lighthearted read. And if your calendar just happens to be open on Tuesday, May 3rd- grab a ticket to see Sevendust at the Playstation Theater. In 20 years as a collective outfit, the band has never put on a bad show- and candidly, they’ve also never been better.

- Jon Asher

Our Interview with Sevendust guitarist John Connolly has been transcribed for you below:

LocalBozo.com: Sevendust has pretty consistently released an album every other year since you’ve been on the scene. Is there a lot of music stored up or is it a clean slate when it’s time for each album?

John Connolly: Pretty much a clean slate. We don’t have a ton of things that hang around. We write a bunch of demos and start with those or we write it all together.

LocalBozo.com: Wrestling and metal have always seemed to have a synergistic relationship (Motorhead, Metallica, etc) and you did cover Chris Jericho‘s theme, was that for fun as fans or were there talks to do his theme music?

JC: Both actually. Crazy that was 15 years ago, but yeah it was cool. Chris is a great guy

LocalBozo.com: With the longevity that Sevendust boasts, what’s the transition been like from being influenced by metal to influencing metal?

JC:  Not realizing the influencing part. We still find bands that influence us all the time. It’s cool to still grow and try new things 20 years in. We still have our thing always, but we love pushing the envelope.

LocalBozo.com: New Jersey is no stranger when it comes to breeding rock n’ roll and metal musicians. Did you share or cross paths with any Garden State rock alumni on the path up (Zakk Wylde, John McBain, etc.)?

JC: [Drummer] Morgan [Rose] and myself are from New Jersey but we grew up in the south. We didn’t start crossing paths till we started touring nationally.  We came up in Atlanta.

LocalBozo.com: As a New Jersey native is there anything extra special to you about playing New York City?

JC: It always feels like coming home. So many family memories with New York. Such a special place for me. Love playing the city.

LocalBozo.com: There was a pretty quick transition in the last few months from supporting Godsmack to  headlining your own tour-performing live can be tolling, was it hard to adapt to longer sets?

JC: In some ways it’s a little easier.  You can build a flow into a longer show and you can pace yourself easier. Shorter sets are more of a sprint so it’s harder that way.  Playing lots of new and lots of old we haven’t played in years. Longer sets are probably easier

LocalBozo.com: Can we expect the momentum of album releases to continue? Have any new songs been written since the release of “Kill the Flaw?”

JC: No new songs. We will write the new one together but no set timetable.  Discussing the when and where now.

LocalBozo.com: Lots of big losses in music lately with a lot of tributes being payed. Sevendust celebrating the life of Prince on stage at all during the tour?

JC: Prince songs during changeover, Prince intro and [singer Lajon Witherspoon] makes a dedication during the set.

LocalBozo.com: While Kill the Flaw has it’s heavy tracks it was stated that the band would be taking a break from its heavy side-how did that plan develop?

JC: Only for the acoustic record, “Timetravellers and Bonfires.”  All the rest will have all the elements of what makes up Sevendust and a heavy element will always be part.

LocalBozo.com: Jersey’s music, and metal scene in particular, have been pretty robust for decades. What are your memories before you became a musician and were there any in particular that you feel helped shaped you or lead you on the path your on?

JC: Yeah, most of what I grew up with was down south. Up till I was about 8, I wasn’t really into music and that’s when my family moved.  I discovered music in Atlanta……..but KISS was the band that started it all.

A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
May 4, 2014

It’s rarefied air for a typical heavy metal show to evoke tears from an audience. And even more rare for the frontman of said band to be equally as unable to control his own emotions. But there was nothing typical about Sunday night’s acoustic performance by Sevendust at New York City’s Highline Ballroom, evidenced by the constant flow of tears dripping from the eyes of singer Lajon Witherspoon which served as a physical show of appreciation to the fans which he considers his family. The fans that gave his band the ability to live out their dream. The same fans that filled the sold out Ballroom on this night.

Amplifiers normally stacked to the ceiling were replaced by music stands and wooden stools as the normally raucous rock show would be considerably toned down by the band, but certainly not by a rabid audience eagerly anticipating the five piece band’s arrival to their positions on stage. Touring on the heels of their recently released new fully acoustic record “Time Travelers & Bonfires,” on which Sevendust penned and recorded six new songs to accompany six other reworked versions of previously recorded heavy versions, fans have been gobbling up tickets at their shows at such a fast pace that the group is already beginning to book a third leg of this acoustic run. And after witnessing the spectacle of their 100 minute performance at the Highline, it’s not difficult to see why.

The band’s seventeen song set was broken up into two parts with a short intermission between them and provided a litany of memorable moments.  From the opening chords of “Trust,” Witherspoon and company were remarkably on point adding in some previously forgotten relics from their catalog like “Skeleton Song” alongside reworked versions of the frenetic “Rumble Fish” and among the band’s most successful singles “Denial,” both of which do not appear on the new album.  Yet it was the cuts from their new release that were among the show’s best moments. “Gone” from 2003′s “Seasons” and “Karma” from 2010′s “Cold Day Memory” were each brilliant departures from the originals, sandwiched by a masterful cover of Johnny Cash‘s version of “Hurt,” led by guitarist Clint Lowery on vocals- with the help of the entire standing room audience singing backup for good measure.  Between songs, Witherspoon would describe the emotion invested in the writing of each of them which made the entirety of the show feel like a supremely special, almost Storytellers-style performance in the midst of such intimacy.

Though Sevendust the band is surely about the collective, the acoustic setting allowed each member their moments to shine- be it on a Morgan Rose drum solo, guitarist John Connolly perched on his stool and harmonizing with his mates or bassist Vinny Hornsby, despite yielding the spotlight to the rest of the band, holding down each song with his walking fingers along his oversized strings. But it was hard to take your eyes off of Witherspoon whose connection with the audience at every show is undeniable. With or without the mic in his hand, he spent a good portion of the performance thanking the fans packed in toward the front of the house and touching each of their hands- a fitting show of gratitude for the loyal folks that have been trekking out to see the band perform time after time over the last fifteen plus years. The touching “Angel’s Son” and Sevendust’s very first single “Black” would close out the show in short order but not before the band soaked in every final bit of adulation from their family of supporters, all of them now clapping overhead, and giving praise to a ‘group of rednecks from Georgia’ who it seems, have grown up along with us after all these years.

- Jane Van Arsdale

Nearly a decade since the release of 2004′s “Southside Double-Wide” which featured a collection of heavy songs performed live in a stripped down and acoustic setting, avid fans of the metal band Sevendust have been asking for something similar- a fully acoustic studio record for them to sink their teeth into between albums.  The band, who has as loyal a fanbase as any group in any genre, contemplated several different options to satiate this audience desire, before settling on the recently released “Time Travelers & Bonfires,” a twelve track, full-length album that combines 6 newly written songs alongside 6 acoustically re-worked takes on Sevendust classics.

The new release marks the tenth studio album for Sevendust, whose self-titled debut in 1997 immediately took the metal community by storm.  This new album is clearly a departure of sorts yet still managed to debut at number 19 on the Billboard 200 and at number 1 on Billboard’s Top Hard Music Albums chart.  Though the band is unplugged, the performance allows fans to really take stock of Sevendust’s unique vocal harmonies and lets the deep, sultry vocals of frontman Lajon Witherspoon shine in a way that they’ve never really been able to do previously, because their music is typically so heavy and so fast.  Though the acoustic album had initially been considered a novelty, as you’ll read below, the response to date has been overwhelming and the relentless touring creature that is Sevendust is already mapping out a third leg of shows on this run, titled “An Evening With Sevendust.”  Locals can rest easy- the band has announced an intimate show on Sunday, May 4th at the Highline Ballroom, and one which almost certainly will be sold out.  Tickets are available here.

LocalBozo.com was fortunate to speak with Sevendust founder, songwriter and drummer Morgan Rose for an exclusive and candid interview.  Listen above as we discuss the concept behind the release of “Time Travelers & Bonfires,” New York City as the band’s second home, utilizing a PledgeMusic campaign funded by fans’ money to get this album made, thoughts on releasing a live Sevendust record and whether the acoustic shows are less physically taxing on his body.  The interview is a must-listen for any fans of Sevendust- and if you aren’t a fan, well, Morgan Rose just might have the ability to talk you into the building to witness one of rock music’s best live bands doing their thing in a rare and intimate setting.

- Jane Van Arsdale

The audio has been transcribed for your reading pleasure below.

LocalBozo.com:  Morgan, let’s get into the new album.  We’re a week into the release of “Time Travelers and Bonfires.”  It’s got six new songs and some re-recorded acoustic versions of Sevendust classics.  How is the new album being received and how satisfied are you with the finished product?

Morgan Rose:  The response has been overwhelming.  I mean, we went into this thing looking at it as a novelty and looking at it as something special for the people that support the band and you know the people that support us have been asking for an acoustic record so we kind of looked at it like this would be just for them, you know?  And we’d do it together.  When we threw it together, the idea was to do an EP and it took on a bunch of different ways- we looked at it a bunch of different ways.  We were like ‘well, should we just do six of our own songs- the old ones- and do an EP?  Should we do six new songs?  Or wait, we’ll do a full length, we’ll do six new, six old and we’ll let the people pick the old ones and we’ll knock out six new songs and that should be done pretty quick and we’ll get them involved and have a good time with it.’  And now, it’s just taken off.  The shows have been huge.  They’re expecting a pretty high week at Billboard.  I don’t know what the number’s gonna be but I’ve heard some crazy ones, and we’ll see where it lands but this thing that started off as just as I said, as a little thank you to our people has turned into another album cycle.

LocalBozo.com:  Now you mentioned there’s been a lot of clamoring for a new acoustic album since 2004′s “Southside Double-Wide,” but as a band that’s built itself off of its incredible live show, was there any talk of doing a full on live album rather than an acoustic one or was this always the plan?

MR:  Well this was the plan, as I said it kind of took on three different options that we were looking at.  But during this, like we’re filming for a television show tomorrow and when we heard about that we were like ‘man, we got approached by somebody about doing another live acoustic DVD’ and, you know, with the DVD and everything with it and we were like ‘okay, why don’t we talk about doing- because the other thing everybody’s been asking for is a live DVD of us playing the heavy stuff- so we were like ‘maybe what we should do is we should double this thing up.  We’ll do the acoustic live and then we’ll do the heavy live and we’ll double it up and do a two disc set of us in both formats.  So that’s what we’re talking about doing now, something to maybe tide everyone over in between the end of this acoustic cycle and the next heavy cycle.

LocalBozo.com: That certainly sounds like the best way to please everybody.

MR:  Yeah, you know, I mean it’s just another show for us so it’s not like- I mean we’ll do a little bit of post [production] on it to make sure everything’s dialed in but we’re a pretty live band.  We try not to use too many tricks so it should be something that’s pretty easy to do and then maybe while we’re in there doing some post we’ll throw a song or two on there, you know- heavy stuff- just to put a little cherry on top.

LocalBozo.com:  You guys have been doing a good amount of press leading up to the new album and tour- obviously everybody’s talking about the PledgeMusic campaign.  It was a massive success for Sevendust, which took all of two days to raise the money to create the new album.  What is that like for you guys just to know that there’s so much support for a record before it’s even made?

MR:  The people that support this band, that have been there for so long- we know the strengths and we don’t take it for granted.  I’ve said this a million times but I’ve said if you take our best thousand and you put them up against anybody else’s best thousand, we’re just gonna kill everybody because we just have this loyal base of people- and we don’t like to call them fans- it just feels strange, you know?  We’ve never called them fans, we’ve always called them friends and supporters and they have become family to us because now it’s turning into generations coming to see us where people that were, you know, twenty years old coming to see us at the beginning are now 37 years old and now they’ve got their 16 year old kid with them and the kid is into it.  And then his friends are into it.  So the demographic is widening and so when the idea came with Pledge, the people that were running this were like ‘how much money would you need to do the record?’  And we’re like ‘well, we can haul ass through it if we do it like this’ and they were like ‘okay, well we’ll put the money up at this.’  And I was like, ‘that’s going to get hit in no time man.’  And what nobody really knows is that they actually changed the pledge number because it got hit in a few hours.  You know, everybody thinks it was a few days but really, the number was hit in a few hours.  The minute that thing went up, it was like- it crashed the server.  So we were like ‘I told you, you know?’ I said ‘we’re not trying to get rich off of this.  We’re not trying to make money on this thing as far as, you know, from the people, in that way.  We’re trying to do the best record that we can do without using any machine other than the most important machine- which is the people.  So whatever it costs for us to be able to live up there long enough to be able to have the studio, to be able to travel back and forth- that’s what we need to be able to do the thing.’  So they upped the number immediately.  Then in two days, that number was hit and I’m like ‘you guys are not understanding what I’m telling you.  These people are serious business.  I mean, the people that support Sevendust- those people are hardcore.’  So, then it was done.  Then it was like well okay, these people really want to see this thing.  So now, instead of it just being us just doing a record- it started off as ‘we’ll do an EP,’ then it was ‘okay we’ll do a record,’ then it was ‘okay, I guess we’re gonna go on tour with this thing’ to ‘I guess we’re gonna have an album cycle.’  I mean, we thought we were done in a few- I thought I was gonna be done off this whole cycle for the year by now.  And now it’s turning into- they’ve booked the second leg and they’re getting ready to book a third leg of it so half a year of being home just turned into half a year of being on the road.

LocalBozo.com:  To the surprise of no one, the band has mapped out a pretty extensive acoustic tour that runs through the end of June right now.  Are you finding this run of shows to be a bit less physically taxing on your body and for you especially, on your voice?

MR:  Oh yeah.  Yeah.  This thing is a cakewalk.  I mean, I had a stomach virus for two days and didn’t eat for two days and went up and it was nothing.  I still play hard and the guys have to sing, I mean- I don’t do any of the screaming obviously so I don’t have to mess with any of that and there’s some backups that I sing, but overall- it’s a really emotional show.  There’s been nights when I’ve cried up there.  There’s many nights where [frontman] Lajon [Witherspoon] cries up there.  We’ve played shows where I can just see dozens of people in the crowd falling apart and it’s not during “Angel’s Son.”  Yeah they might have emotional ties to that but there’s other songs now.  And there’s old songs that aren’t even really- they weren’t built to be- they’re not ballads, you know?  But the lyrics, they’re so clear now just doing it acoustically- you know, we do a version of “Disgrace” and every night I’ll just sit there and I’ll just have my hands over my face because when we wrote that song- that’s a long time ago.  And it brings you back to that place and you look at your life and it’s like ‘Wow, man.  This has been a long ride man.  This has been an incredibly long ride for a bunch of little rednecks from Georgia that had like 150 people that gave a damn about them.’  And now we’ve got this family of people that we see on the road and you know, you have a lot of time to think about this stuff out here and when you’re on stage, you have– when you’re playing heavy, you’re in the moment.  When you’re doing it acoustically, you can actually absorb what it is that you did.  You can sit there and listen to what Lajon is singing.  I never heard a word of what he’s singing when we’re playing heavy.  I’m in my own world, you know?  Now I sit there and I listen to him and I’m staring at him and I’m like– some of these songs, there’s a lot of pain involved when we wrote them, so it brings that back.

LocalBozo.com: You mentioned the screaming- you’ve got two great singers in the band with Lajon of course and Clint Lowery on guitar, but you’ve carved this little niche for yourself as the drummer that’s mic’d up and you add in your own vocals to the band.  Sevendust as a band, would be incomplete without you screaming on track after track.  What or maybe who, inspired you initially to become so involved vocally?

MR:  Oh my God man.  I actually haven’t been asked that question a whole bunch, but lately it’s been a little bit more than it had been in the past.  That thing started a few bands before I put Sevendust together and really the only reason why I ever did anything like that was in practice.  And I would be writing melodies with the singer and at the time I hadn’t worked on singing and playing drums together so it was hard for me to reach over with a boom stand and sing into this microphone and try to play the drum part at the same time.  So we got one of these headset mics and I had seen Tommy Lee use one and it was no big deal, you know?  I had never wanted to use it.  I had never wanted to sing.  I just wanted to write the melodies with him at practice.  So then we started doing that and then it turned into– his range was a little bit shady at times so it would be ‘well, why don’t you just sing that part there?’ And I’m like ‘Man, I don’t want to sing,’ and I kind of got pushed into singing the part and then gradually, band to band, you know, it got a little bit heavier and then we got Sevendust together and I had been singing a little bit.  Clint has a beautiful voice.  Lajon obviously has a beautiful voice.  And Clint has developed this really low-heavy one but for the longest time, he didn’t do a lot of heavy vocals.  You know, he did a little bit but it was his lower heavy one and this crow-like screeching one I did and we just put it into the mix.  It was nothing that was– we didn’t think anything of it.  We just were like ‘well, that will fill up space.  We’ll have three different voices that will fill up space.’

LocalBozo.com:  And now it’s hard to imagine any songs without your trademark screams.

MR:  Yeah, I hate it man.  I mean it’s like– I actually regret it bad because it’s like, it doesn’t tax my voice as much as what people think.  It’s actually the more exhausted my voice is, the better when it comes to that vocal.  But the sketchy stuff comes when I’m doing the back-ups to like [Black Eyed Peas'] “I Gotta Feeling” or something and it’s gotta be sung and my voice is a little bit ragged over screaming a bunch.  Now I’m realizing that singing screeching like that for so long did a lot of damage to the vocal cords so I can’t really sing the way that I used to be able to sing.  I had this– they used to call it ‘The Crow,’ was the screamy one and then if I sang anything, they called it ‘The Sykes’ or ‘The Bro.’  And that was like John Sykes’ voice.  That was the one that I would sing with so now that one’s kind of leaving me and I’m gonna be stuck with the screechy crow voice for the remainder for the most part.

LocalBozo.com:  How is the acoustic studio material translating to the live show as far as the musical arrangements?

MR:  Well, we brought our friend Kurt from Architect Studios who had done a lot of programming on the record and had played keys on the record and all that.  And he also played bass and did a lot of programming on the [Rose side project] Call Me No One record and he also worked on the “Black Out The Sun” record, you know, so we were going out with this and we didn’t have the means to bring an orchestra out or anything like that, so one day we were like ‘Maybe we should just bring Kurt out here. It’s not like this is a heavy show where we’re gonna have an Iron Maiden like deal, with six guys on the deck, you know, getting in each other’s ways.  Iron Maiden can pull it off because they’re playing in front of 190 million people a night and we’re playing a place that holds 900, five guys on the deck is enough, you know?  So we were like ‘Maybe we should bring him out and let him handle all the stuff organically, because we didn’t want to track all of it, you know, because without it, it made the songs empty.  We didn’t want it to be– we did an acoustic record the way we wanted to do it.  We didn’t want this traditional acoustic guitar, bongos, vocals, maybe a string arrangement here and there and leave it.  We wanted it to be a different type of acoustic record so we didn’t want to run all the tape on it and have all these keyboards and stuff flying all over the place and nobody up there playing them.  So we asked him and he said yeah and I think he’s still the arrangement.  He’s made the show.

LocalBozo.com:  The band makes a stop locally here in New York City at the Highline Ballroom on Sunday, May 4th for “An Evening with Sevendust.”  New York has been almost a second home for the band over the years- what are some of your memories of playing in Manhattan?

MR:  Tons.  I got all the memories.  I mean, we started out as a band that people thought was from New York.  I mean, we’re from Georgia.  We played New York thirteen times on our first record and I was so naive that when we went back on the second record and played it six times, I was like “Man, can you believe that we only played New York six times on this album?”  And people were laughing at me.  They’re like “You’re supposed to go through once.  Maybe twice.”  You know, you can’t keep doing that when you reach a plateau and what we had done in New York was– I remember playing CBGB’s before we had a record deal.  I remember nobody being there but I was able to say, I played CB’s, you know?  I remember when we did get a deal, one of the first shows that we played there was at Coney Island High and again it was about fifty people there and we thought we made it.  Fifty people in New York and a lot of them knew the music and loved the band and we were like ‘God, this is amazing.’  Next time we go through, I think we played Coney Island again and sold it out- a few hundred people.  And then it went to — I’m trying to remember where we went after Coney Island high — but basically, it was a quick shot to– by the time we played there the thirteenth time, we were headlining and selling out Hammerstein [Ballroom].  So basically in less than two years we went from playing in front of fifty people to playing a sold out Hammerstein show, headlining on one album cycle.  And I was in love, you know?  I was like, my family is from New York but I was brought up in the south and there was nothing better than to sit there and look out at the crowd in the Hammerstein Ballroom.  That particular show that we played there, there was a band that was opening up for us and I won’t say who it was.  But I can tell you that the loyalty was built early with this band and that I heard the chanting going on and I was doing a photo shoot.  I said “What is that?  They’re having a good show.”  And at Hammerstein, we were on the roof and I opened up the door and looked down and the entire floor was sitting down on the floor with their backs to the stage and their middle fingers up  and they were chanting “Sevendust” while the band was playing before us.  And I was like “Wow.  We got some loyalty.”  I was like– I wanted to tell them “Come on man, take it easy on these guys.”  But at the same time though it was– I don’t know– it was a semi-euphoric feeling that they loved us that much that they could really care less about seeing anybody but us.

LocalBozo.com:  I’m pretty sure I was at that show and it was pretty remarkable actually.  You guys also played not long after 9/11 in New York and that was a really special scene.  I remember a bunch of the Yankees were there at the time, some New York firefighters- that was a really special scene.

MR:  Yeah man, we’ve just had some really special amazing times in New York.  When we played there after 9/11, that was a huge huge deal, you know?  I remember somebody throwing up a New York Fire Department t-shirt and Lajon putting it on.  We have a love affair with New York City and it is home for us.  We’ve got a few places that we really love but– you know, we’ve lost a lot of– times have changed where the promotion that you get out of radio- to think that there is no more MTV and KROCK support like there used to be for a band like us in New York is sad because, they were going nowhere.  Those people were leaving nowhere.   And they are there.  I mean, we’re gonna play to a sold out room.  It’s not gonna be Hammerstein this time around but we’re gonna play to a sold out room in New York.  They’re gonna sing every song louder than anywhere else in the country.  We’re gonna cry onstage because we love it there so much.  And then we’re gonna roll out and talk about it for a little while.

LocalBozo.com:  Anything else you’d like to leave for the readers of LocalBozo.com?

MR:  Thanks a lot- when I saw that this was in support of that show, I was excited.  We can’t wait- we love New York and I can’t wait to have some real pizza and some real food and to see all of our people there.

May 2014 Events in New York City: Where You Need to Be

Date: Thursday, May 1st 2014

Event: Grand Gourmet: The Flavor of Midtown

Place: Vanderbilt Hall – Grand Central Terminal

Cost: General Admission – $125; VIP Admission – $350

The Scoop: It’s become a rite of passage in springtime and 2014 will prove no different as a collection of midtown’s best restaurants collaborate under the historic roof of Grand Central Terminal for “Grand Gourmet: The Flavor of Midtown.” A chunk of the proceeds raised benefit programs and initiatives that support the homeless in the area and the betterment of the Grand Central Partnership. And with some 35 restaurants and bars participating you can expect to indulge in the likes of Benjamin Steakhouse, Shake Shack, Strip House Midtown, The Capital Grille, Naples 45, Lexington Brass, The Campbell Apartment, Pescatore among many many more!

Date: Friday, May 2nd, 2014

Event: LUCKYRICE New York Feast

Place: Mandarin Oriental

Cost: General Admission – $150; VIP Admission – $250

The Scoop: Any conversation about New York food tasting events focused on a singular style of cuisine begin and end with the annual LUCKYRICE event. Following up on last month’s “16 Hours to Hong Kong” celebration LUCKYRICE, in its fifth year, is poised to host its grandest food frenzy yet with the New York Feast inside of the posh Mandarin Oriental hotel overlooking Columbus Circle. This year, the festival combines each style of popular fare from previous years condensed into one incredible evening. From some of the city’s most renowned cocktail purveyors like Employees Only to restaurants like Asiate, Morimoto, Pig & Khao, RedFarm, Coppelia, Yunnan Kitchen and Delicatessen among many other notables.

Date: Saturday, May 3rd, 2014

Event: Rioja Wine and Tapas Festival

Place: Weylin B. Seymour’s

Cost: $55

The Scoop: For just $55, you’ll get the chance to taste some fantastic wines and foods in Brooklyn. It’s the 2014 Rioja Wine and Tapas Festival, a celebration that benefits culinary scholarships at the prestigious James Beard Foundation. The now sold out showcase brings together more than 25 different chefs and over 30 different winemakers to enjoy the spirit and festivities that define the Rioja region of Spain. Sample different cheeses and charcuterie, paella and tapas’ and of course, wines, all without having to leave the confines of New York City.

Date: Sunday, May 4th, 2014

Event: Txikifest 2014

Place: Back Alley of Txikito

Cost: $50

The Scoop: Nobody wants to wind down the weekend with a lazy Sunday. Head out to Txikito in Chelsea for a festive afternoon of eating and drinking with Txikifest 2014. For four hours and $50 that goes to benefit Edible Schoolyard, the culinary diversity of New York will be fully on display with participants including Co, La Vara, Kuma Inn, Wild Edible Oyster Bar, Cucharamama and of course, Txikito- coupled with wineries from Basque Country- Ulacia, Berroia, Gaintxa and many more.

Date: Tuesday, May 6th, 2014

Event: T. Edward Wines – Passport Terroir Wine Tasting

Place: Carroll Place

Cost: $115

The Scoop: Drinking up for a great cause has always been at the forefront of our advocacy and at the Passport Terroir Wine Tasting, all of the proceeds go to Contractors for Kids. Guests will enjoy a walk through tasting of some of the world’s most exceptional wines, brought to you by the makers themselves. Represented regions include both domestic (Washington, California & Oregon) and international (Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, New Zealand and more) and for two hours you’ll be able to taste some great varietals and nibble on some fresh breads and cheeses just as wine was intended, courtesy of T. Edward Wines, who has been importing them for two full decades.

Date: Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

Event: The Village Voice 3rd Annual ‘Choice Streets’

Place: Pier 86 of the USS Intrepid

Cost: $50 – General Admission; $60 – Early Entry Full Ticket Price; VIP Ticket – $70

The Scoop: Walking from food truck to food truck near the USS Intrepid has become fairly commonplace each May, thanks to the folks at the Village Voice. Annually their ‘Choice Eats’ extravaganza is among the most highly attended food events of the year but with ‘Choice Streets,’ they’ve carved out an event all their own. Along the picturesque west side waterfront, guests are free to sample from some of the City’s best mobile food vendors like Carl’s Steaks, Coolhaus, Korilla BBQ, Luke’s Lobster, Nuchas, Moo Shu Grill, Uncle Gussy’s and more. And best of all, former bassist of The Smiths, DJ Andy Rourke will be working the mix live all night long.

Date: Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Event: Spring Cocktails and Eats

Place: Midtown Loft & Terrace

Cost: $69

The Scoop: Fresh off of their success with the “Fall Food and Wine Festival,” All The Tastes of New York returns with “Spring Cocktails and Eats” at the chic Midtown Loft & Terrace. With dozens of samples to choose from with import beers from Cusquena and Queens Brewery, Finger Lakes’ wine from Fox Run and Anthony Road Wine Company and cocktails aplenty courtesy of Tree Vodka and Van Gogh Vodka and Los Arango Tequila. There will be no shortage of offerings to keep you satiated as the evening progresses.

Date: Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Event: Snooth Selects Spring Tasting in NYC

Place: Studio 450

Cost: $35

The Scoop: Snooth.com is among the most highly regarded online wine resources in the entire world. You can find recommendations, points of purchase for your favorite bottles, read reviews and critiques and even connect with likeminded enthusiasts from casual novices to expert drinkers. Who better than the folks at Snooth Media then to bring more than 100 wines to the Studio 450 space at a perfectly reasonable $35 fee for a seasonal wine tasting event. You’ll learn a ton about what you like and what you don’t in this ideal foray into new wines for those trying to get a grasp on vino without all the pretentiousness.

Date: Friday, May 9th, 2014 – Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

Event: The Manhattan Cocktail Classic

Place: Varies

Cost: Varies

The Scoop: There’s no way for us to sufficiently highlight the many events that comprise the annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic‘s five days worth of exciting drink related events at some of the finest bars in the City. And what’s more, they are concocted by the hands of some of the country’s most expert mixologists. The Gala is an incredible spectacle though at the New York Public Library, and despite the $295 price tag (all that’s remaining is VIP) we can’t foresee any circumstance where you would leave having had a bad experience at the ritzy event. Other events include “Swig N’ Swine” at Union Pool, “A Deliciously Decadent Afternoon of Chocolate and Cocktails” at American Whiskey and even “Japan-inspired Mixology” at Angel’s Share, among dozens of other great ones. Do yourself a favor and check out the list of offerings now.

Date: Saturday, May 10th, 2014

Event: Laithwaites Wine Spring Tasting

Place: The Level at Metropolitan Pavilion

Cost: General Admission – $59; Group Discount – 4 or more – $53

The Scoop: There’s a reason why so many New Yorkers indulge in the weekend brunch: it’s fun to get your drink on during the day. With that in mind, why not spend a Saturday afternoon sipping and swirling some great wines in style at the Laithwaites Wine Spring Tasting. Offered at a reasonable $59 per ticket (discounted to $53 if you purchase four or more), the entirely relaxed setting emanates from the sprawling Metropolitan Pavilion where you’ll enjoy upwards of 70 different wines from a variety of regions and vintages, meet some of the winemakers and enjoy cheeses and meats for pairing over the course of three full hours.

Date: Saturday, May 10th, 2014

Event: Lobster De Mayo

Place: Capitale

Cost: General Admission – $295; VIP – $450

The Scoop: Gramercy Tavern. Jean Georges. Marea. Betony. ABC Kitchen. Marc Forgione. Lavo. Tao. Need we say more? Hosted by Celebrity Chef Katie Lee, the first ever “Lobster De Mayo” brings together a super premium evening filled with lobster, beer, tequila and more in the sultry setting of Capitale. The proceeds will benefit City Harvest, which makes the cost a bit more palatable. But on the other hand, when will you have the chance to find all of these restaurants in one place serving up the most luxurious array of foods imaginable?

Date: Thursday, May 15th, 2014

Event: A Taste of HOPE

Place: Steelcase

Cost: Event Ticket – $125; Event Tickets – Pair – $200

The Scoop: The Steelcase building is a beautiful event space that provides breathtaking terrace level views of Columbus Circle. The third annual A Taste of HOPE event returns to the incredible setting for a cocktail party of sorts that brings together some delicious eats and drinks for an evening that aims to help empower New Yorkers forced to live in poverty. The HOPE Program is an advocacy and development organization that equips folks with checkered histories to turn their lives around. They’ll be helped by the likes of Neuman’s Kitchen, Red Gravy, Russ & Daughters, Jimmy’s No. 43, Chelsea Market Baskets and more. Best of all, 98% of the revenues generated from this night directly support HOPE’s program functions.

Date: Saturday, May 17th, 2014

Event: Crawfish for Cancer

Place: The Boat Basin Cafe

Cost: $90 until 5/13; $95 until 5/17

The Scoop: The 6th annual crawfish boil returns to the Boat Basin Cafe for five hours of outdoor eating and drinking for a great cause. It’s “Crawfish for Cancer” and year after year this perennially sold out event takes over the waterfront venue with tons of festive folks, great eats and live music. Get your fill of a feast of hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of piping hot crawfish, fresh hunks of potatoes, seasoned corn on the cob, bottomless beers, wines and signature crafted cocktails. Last year’s festivities were shrouded in a passing storm but that hardly subdued the energetic and wild crowd on hand to help raise money for multiple myleoma cancer research. It’s a wonderful reason to step out for an afternoon to support cancer research at one of Manhattan’s most truly unique venues.

Date: Saturday, May 17th, 2014

Event: Taste of Tribeca

Place: 334 Greenwich Street at Duane Street

Cost: $40 – $50

The Scoop: The annual Taste of Tribeca shines a bright spotlight on one of Manhattan’s most prestigious and luxurious neighborhoods and the restaurants that comprise it. This year, the outdoor event features six fantastic food tastings for just $40 through May 1st and $45 thereafter. And the frenzy of eats reads like a who’s who: Brushstroke, Telepan Local, Distilled NY, Locanda Verde, Nobu, The Harrison and dozens of others. The day plays out like a perfectly executed street fair, only this time, you don’t have to be lucky enough to live in the neighborhood to enjoy all that Tribeca has to offer. And with a self guided wine tour to boot, guests can also get a nice daytime buzz on.

Date: Saturday, May 17th, 2014

Event: The Judgement of Brooklyn

Place: Skylight One Hanson

Cost: $55 – Enthusiast Admission; $90 – Connoisseur Admission

The Scoop: The concept here is a novel one- it’s been adapted from the ‘Judgement of Paris ’76 Tasting,’ which originally was a wine competition with the winners selected from a blind tasting. Similar elements are in play at ‘The Judgement of Brooklyn,’ where foods, beers and wines from around the borough will be quite literally put to the taste test. A critics panel will score each sample and the results will be announced during the consumer tasting, where guests will also enjoy the varied pairings and evaluate the samples themselves. It’s interactive and delicious and it all takes place in one of Brooklyn’s most grandiose venues- Fort Greene’s Skylight One Hanson.

Date: Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

Event: Taste of Sunnyside 2014

Place: Queens Blvd/46th Street

Cost: $30 – General Admission; $60 – VIP

The Scoop: Oh come now Queens. You didn’t think we’d forget you, did ya? A quick ride on the 7 train takes you out to Sunnyside, a part of our sister borough that rarely gets sufficient love. But the 2014 “Taste of Sunnyside” is certain to change all that. For three full hours, guests can imbibe courtesy of Queens Brewery, Singlecut Beersmiths and Lowery Wines and Liquors and indulge upon eats from Williamsburger, White Castle (!!), Arriba Arriba, Dog and Duck, Nita’s Aubergine Cafe, Quaint, De Mole and a bunch more with more than 25 different spots participating. It’s cheap, outdoors and is the perfect excuse to do some exploring in Queens.

Date: Tuesday, May 27th – Saturday, May 31st, 2014

Event: New Taste of the Upper West Side

Place: Varies

Cost: Varies

The Scoop: Admittedly, we’re a little biased. After all, the annual “New Taste of the Upper West Side” is one of our favorite events every year. With the proceeds raised over the course of the extended weekend going to the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), the financial impact of the chef led festival cannot be understated. The funds go directly to making an already fantastic neighborhood even more beautiful. The three events in 2014 are perhaps the biggest ones yet. First, the May 27th “Soiree in the Park” ($155) kicks the “New Taste” off right amid Theodore Roosevelt Park as the setting with some hors d’oeurves from Corvo Bianco, Loi, Sarabeth’s, Calle Ocho and more along with champagne flutes and some great live music. Next up, the May 30th “Comfort Classics,” ($105.00) is our very favorite event. Co-Hosted by Travel Channel’s Adam Richman and Butter chef/TV personality Alex Guarnaschelli, “Classics” packs a ton of restaurants under a massive tent year after year. Taste fare from 5 Napkin Burger, Citrus Bar and Grill, Isabella’s, Parm, Momofuku Milk Bar, The Meatball Shop and more! Finally, it all concludes on May 31st with “Best of the West” ($135) which honors chef Daniel Boulud. Hosted by Jill Martin, the evening features live music and, of course, eats from Bar Boulud, Atlantic Grill, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Jean-Georges, Dovetail, Fishtag, Tavern on the Green and more. Wow. Best of all, the chance to schmooze with chefs from each of these fine establishments all weekend long.

Date: Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Event: STREETS International – 7th Annual Event

Place: The Astor Center

Cost: $100 – General Admission; $225 – VIP

The Scoop: STREETS International is a nonprofit organization that formed in 2007 docused on developing programs for disadvantaged youths in Southeastern Asia. From classroom instruction to outright support, STREETS strives to equip the impoverished children with the tools and skillset to forge a successful career in the hospitality industry. Each year, the organization welcomes some of New York City’s finest chefs and representatives to The Astor Center for an evening of food and cocktails inspired by Southeast Asian street fare. This year, the evening features Michael White (Ai Fiori), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok), Anita Lo (Annisa), Danuel Boulud (DBGB), Richard Kuo (Pearl & Ash) and many more among a three plus hour feast with a bevy of great silent auction items- all to benefit STREETS.

Date: Thursday, May 29th, 2014

Event: Edible Manhattan’s “Brooklyn Uncorked”

Place: Skylight One Hanson

Cost: $65 – General Admission

The Scoop: Edible Magazine’s “Brooklyn Uncorked” is one of New York City’s most popular events. This year, the food and drink evening returns to Skylight One Hanson for an action packed evening of eats from Taco Santo, Watty & Meg, BAMcafe, Allswell, Gramercy Tavern, Krescendo, La Vara, The Dogwood. Conceptually, each sample will be paired wines from Brooklyn Winery, Lieb Cellars, Bedell Cellars, Wolffer Estatre, Sherwood House and just a ton more. Grillo’s Pickles. Orwasher’s Bakery. There’s too many to name and this one WILL sell out. Grab your spot now!

Date: Tuesday, May 1st – Saturday, May 31st, 2014

Event: Concerts Concerts Everywhere

Place: Varies

Cost: Varies

The Scoop: Check out our new concert listings for the month of May, which makes things a bit easier to track, to read, and for our own sanity, to put together:

Thursday, May 1st
The Knife, Terminal 5
The Both (Aimee Mann and Ted Leo), Music Hall of Williamsburg
Ray Lamontagne, Town Hall

Friday, May 2nd
CHVRCHES, Terminal 5
Ray Lamontagne, Town Hall

Saturday, May 3rd
Against Me!, Webster Hall
CHVRCHES, Terminal 5

Sunday, May 4th
CHVRCHES, Terminal 5
An Evening with Sevendust Acoustic, Highline Ballroom

Monday, May 5th
James Blunt, Webster Hall
Framing Hanley & Devour the Day, The Studio at Webster Hall
Coldplay, Beacon Theatre

Tuesday, May 6th
Foals and Cage The Elephant, Terminal 5

Wednesday, May 7th
Foals and Cage The Elephant, Terminal 5

Thursday, May 8th
Bombay Bicycle Club, Webster Hall
The 1975, Terminal 5
M.I.A. and A$AP Ferg, Knockdown Center

Friday, May 9th
Bombay Bicycle Club, Webster Hall
M.I.A. and A$AP Ferg, Knockdown Center
Bilal, Stage 48
Billy Joel, Madison Square Garden
Cher, Barclays Center

Saturday, May 10th
HAIM, Terminal 5
Black Label Society and Down, Best Buy Theater
Vulture Festival: M.I.A. & Solange, Webster Hall

Sunday, May 11th
HAIM, Terminal 5

Monday, May 12th
Twelve Foot Ninja, The Studio at Webster Hall

Tuesday, May 13th
Royal Blood, Mercury Lounge
Buckcherry & Fozzy, Irving Plaza

Thursday, May 15th
Mastodon, Terminal 5
Tokyo Police Club, Webster Hall
Lily Allen, Highline Ballroom

Friday, May 16th
Chromeo, Terminal 5
Hayes Carll, The Bell House
Saturday, May 17th
Chromeo, Terminal 5
Ghost, Best Buy Theater

Sunday, May 18th
Juelz Santana, Stage 48
Swans, Bowery Ballroom

Monday, May 19th
Eric Hutchinson, Irving Plaza
Swans, Bowery BallroomTheater

Tuesday, May 20th
Anvil, Santos Party House

Wednesday, May 21st
A Conversation with D’Angelo, Cantor Auditorium at The Brooklyn Museum
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Hammerstein Ballroom

Saturday, May 24th
Mobb Deep, Irving Plaza

Tuesday, May 27th
Steel Panther, Irving Plaza
Red Fang, Music Hall of Williamsburg

Wednesday, May 28th
Tamar Braxton, Irving Plaza
moe., Stage 48

Thursday, May 29th
Ingrid Michaelson, Terminal 5
The Dan Band, Marlin Room at Webster Hall

Friday, May 30th
Jake Owen, Manhattan Center
Rascal Flatts, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

Saturday, May 31st
Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Bowery Ballroom

Though the newly formed entity makes up roughly 3/4ths of the previous group, it’s drummer Blake Allison’s emergence as the band’s new lead guitarist and frontman whose transition is most startling. Hidden behind the vocals of former frontman John Falls, Allison voice was rendered silent on previous efforts, not all that dissimilar to the musical journey of Nirvana’s Dave Grohl whose about-face turned him from supporting player to the focal point of the Foo Fighters. And while Allison’s shift of instrument has yet to be that dramatic, his undeniable vocal presence punctuated by his strong songwriting alongside writing mate and bassist Joey Chicago makes Devour the Day’s debut album and their hit lead single that much more memorable.

The band hits the road as the support act on a co-headlining bill featuring rock acts Hinder and Candlebox, each of whom has had their own share of success in the spotlight- something that Devour the Day can only hope to emulate. But if their track record with their previous band and their newly released debut album is any indication, Devour the Day is a band poised for a run in a hard rock genre destined to have a renaissance.

LocalBozo.com had the opportunity to sit down with Devour the Day frontman Blake Allison for an exclusive interview. Listen in as we discuss the formation of the new band, the transition from drummer to frontman, the band’s approach to creating music, touring with Candlebox and Hinder, why New York City is just another stop on the road for the band and so much more. The Candlebox/Hinder Tour featuring support from Devour the Day stops locally at New York City’s Irving Plaza on Tuesday, September 26th and tickets are available now. And for more information on Devour the Day, check out devourtheday.com.

- Jane Van Arsdale

The audio has been transcribed for your reading pleasure below.

LocalBozo.com: Blake you had a long run as the drummer for Egypt Central before forming this new project. The break up was announced at the end of last year- how long has Devour the Day been in the works?

Blake Allison: I would say honestly that this band has been forming since 2001 because Joey [Chicago] and I have always written together and that was our primary job in our previous band. So when that band fell apart, things really didn’t change for Joey and I. We just continued to write, create as we always did. The only difference is that when we perform it, I’m singing it, the way we demo songs out. We don’t feel like this thing is any different than the previous band- we just picked up where we left off and I changed positions.

LocalBozo.com: You go from being the drummer in one band to being the vocals and guitarist for another – a la Dave Grohl. Had you always had aspirations to be a frontman or is this more just a circumstance of forming a new band?

BA: I can’t honestly say that it hasn’t been in the back of my mind when I started playing music. I’ve always that they had the easiest job, you know? I’m lugging all these drums around and sweating my ass off behind this drum set and this guy just walks in and doesn’t lift a finger and starts singing a song, and the set’s over with and he gets all the attention. So I was always kind of like ‘man, I’m jealous of that guy- he doesn’t have to do anything.’ And then, the first week of being a frontman I realized it’s one of the hardest jobs on the planet because the vocal is such a fickle thing. It can be great one day and be disastrous the next. And your face is out there and if you don’t sound as good as you want, you’ve got to take the heat for all that. It’s nerve-racking but I love this music and I love the guys I’m with. I wouldn’t ask to be anywhere else. I’ve always wanted to do it and I’m really really excited to be able to get up there and live out that dream.

LocalBozo.com: What did you find most different in the writing and recording for Time & Pressure” versus your time in previous bands? Did you notice that you were writing a different way to suit your own voice?

BA: I was still discovering what parts of my voice sounded good with the different colors of music that we were putting together and I still am. I had to pull a little triple duty in the writing process but it didn’t really matter because even though that was, it seemed to go quicker because- I don’t know- you’ve got so many cooks in the kitchen and I guess that screws up whatever you’re putting together. When the record was, I would say, like 80% done, Joey and I took a step back and realized that we were proud of the fact that we did that ourselves. And we had found a new voice for the music that we were putting together and we were so excited to be able to say that we did it by ourselves.

LocalBozo.com: In 2013, it’s incredibly difficult for a new band to catch on but that’s what Devour the Day certainly seems to have done with first single “Good Man,” probably as good as any rock single released so far this year. When you guys put the finishing touches on the song, did you realize you had a single on your hands?

BA: I wouldn’t say that we knew that we had a single. We just knew that we had a strong song. I have such a hard time picking singles when it comes to our music. It always seems like the ones that I like the most are the ones that when the professionals pick out, they go ‘nah that one doesn’t have the sort of appeal that you would think.’ So I kind of don’t like to think of songs as singles or not singles. I just like to think of them as ‘this is either a quality song that I can play in front of my father’ and have him say ‘that’s a good song’ or not. He’s kind of my barometer.

LocalBozo.com: You guys just got booked up on tour with Candlebox and Hinder- almost like a tour that spans the 90’s the 2000’s and with you guys present day- how’d this bill come about?

BA: We all have the same agency group or booking agent I should say. The Hinder guys are friends of ours from a long time ago. Egypt Central used to tour with them so when this band decided that it was time to hit the road, I gave Cody [Hanson] , Hinder’s drummer a call and I said ‘hey man, I’ve got this new group. Here’s the music and if you like it, please take us out on tour.’ And that was our first run, was with those guys. And we’ve been touring for this year and our new camp is easier to work with than our previous so I don’t think that they had any problems with continuing to tour with us and of course we didn’t- ‘cause they’re such awesome guys. And we like the way that they do things. Candlebox is a band that- like the first band that I ever listened to- ever, so I was so excited to be able to tour with them too.

LocalBozo.com: As it pertains to your live show, how is the new material being received by crowds?

BA: Because of the way our music is diversified on our record, we are still trying to put together the kind of set that would appeal to the kind of crowd. We’ve toured with so many different bands thus far. We’ve toured with Sevendust and Sevendust is primarily heavy so we put together a heavier set. We’re currently on tour with Theory of a Deadman so we put together more of an in the middle kind of set- heavy and still vocally or melodically driven kind of set. And with Hinder, we wanted to put together more of a female audience oriented set. So we’re still figuring it out, but every show goes over great. We’re putting songs that appeal to the crowd out there. We’re changing our set up every day to fit that.

LocalBozo.com: The tour stops locally in New York at Irving Plaza on Thursday, September 26th. What are some of your memories of playing in New York City and is there anything specifically you like to check out while you’re here or is it just another stop on the road?

BA: I have to say it’s just another stop unfortunately. We’ve spent a lot of time in New York, but I’ve only been able to go out in New York maybe once or twice. And I’ve enjoyed that- I mean, New York there’s no other place like it. Hopefully one day in the future I’ll be able to spend some time and walk the streets. Thus far, we’ve only played our show and then we’ve had to go.

LocalBozo.com: Now the band’s been doing some radio and festival shows during the summer, and this tour wraps in the early fall- what are your upcoming plans for the end of this year?

BA: Hopefully Joey and I will be able to go home and take a nap- maybe get a decent night’s sleep. But right now the plan for us is to tour, and tour, and then tour some more. We have our plates full.

LocalBozo.com: Is there anything else you’d like to leave for the readers of LocalBozo.com?

BA: Just check us out and let us know if you like our music.

LocalBozo.com: Fans, “Time and Pressure” the debut album from Devour the Day is out now. Catch the band on tour with Candlebox and Hinder. They’ll be stopping locally at New York City’s Irving Plaza on Thursday, September 26th and tickets are available now. We’ve been speaking with Devour the Day’s Blake Allison- thanks for the time today and best of luck on the road in 2013 my friend.

BA: Thank you- I appreciate it.

 

Over the past two decades, rock band Sevendust has earned a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in music. With the release of their ninth studio album in March (“Black Out the Sun”), the band has managed to release music that is somehow always changing but remarkably consistent, along with a certain resilience to remain closely intertwined with each other even as different side projects emerge from within the group. Sevendust, whose penchant for incredible live performances is ultimately correlated with their ability to tour for months at a time on end, made a recent stop at New York City’s Best Buy Theater, playing an outstanding and pulverizing headlining show that featuring support from Lacuna Coil and Coal Chamber, to a jam packed house in Times Square.

Equally as much metal as they are melody driven, the band is led by their soulful frontman Lajon Witherspoon, whose deep and raspy voice are as unique as his long flopping dreadlocks, which bounce at every pounding of his skull. Witherspoon’s undying connection with his fans –‘the family’ as they are known- is obvious both on and offstage- he feels genuinely fortunate for the band’s run of success. With internet rumblings of a forthcoming solo album, LocalBozo.com was fortunate enough to grab Sevendust’s Lajon Witherspoon for an exclusive interview a short time after the band’s blistering performance in Manhattan. Listen in as we discuss his reflections on the show and his anticipation to play in New York, the recording process for “Black Out the Sun,” his thoughts on his bandmates’ side projects, a potential solo album, and his reflections on his journey with Sevendust at age 40. Honest and open, it’s a conversation that any fan of the band will certainly appreciate. And if you haven’t yet seen Sevendust perform live- well what are you waiting for?

- Jane Van Arsdale

The audio has been transcribed for your reading pleasure below.

LocalBozo.com: LJ, thanks so much for giving us some time today man..

Lajon Witherspoon: Hey, it’s a pleasure to talk with you brother. Thank you for taking the time.

LocalBozo.com: Listen we’re based out of New York City and just a few short weeks ago, Sevendust played a killer show here at the Best Buy Theater. Let’s talk about, if we can, your reflections on that show couple weeks back, and maybe some of your memories of yours about playing here in New York City.

LW: Oh man, you know first off New York for me personally is one of those towns that I always look so forward to getting to. We kind of started- I think Sevendust, the seed, after coming from Atlanta was really started in New York with WSOU and stuff like that, and CBGB’s, and The Bitter End, you know and things like that. So it’s always been beautiful stories and experiences for us. That last show- I couldn’t wait because the anticipation for me after taking off that while before we recorded “Black Out the Sun” was an energy that I felt like we needed to tap into again and when we did it was incredible. It was one of the better shows on the tour I think.

LocalBozo.com: Now the band is just wrapping up a tour with Lacuna Coil and Coal Chamber. You’ll be heading out for some dates with Pop Evil and doing the festival circuit. But what about this summer- can we expect a full-fledged headlining tour?

LW: Well you know what, right now everything’s kind of up in the air. We’ve got our hooks out there in the water and hopefully picking up a cool summer tour so we’re just trying to see what’s gonna happen. But definitely we’ll be out in support of “Black Out the Sun” and working hard ’cause it’s only the beginning of it.

LocalBozo.com: You just touched on “Black Out the Sun.” It’s unbelievably the band’s ninth studio release. Talk about the difference between putting this album together versus previous Sevendust records.

LW: Well you know we just went in constantly deciding not to go in with any materials- just to go in as a band and do what we do and that’s just rock out and play music and that’s what we did. And it was great. We had two setups where we could record live in both rooms. And then we had like different isolated rooms where we could go and work on vocals or, you know, whatever we wanted to work on. So man it was a great environment. We did it for thirty days. We blocked the studio out from 12 to 12- twelve noon to twelve midnight every day except for Saturday. And we’d come right back in on Sunday so it was like a busy beehive. It was just music.

LocalBozo.com: Banging that album out in just thirty days, did you guys feel any additional pressure- did you put any more pressure on yourself to get everything done in that timeframe?

LW: Oh not at all. I can say this- if we wouldn’t have been happy with the material that we had in those thirty days, we would not have left.

LocalBozo.com: Well listen, the band’s last few albums have each been consistently good with each one being a little bit different from the one that preceded it. But with nine studio albums now, how much more does this band have left in the tank?

LW: I don’t know man, I still think we’ve got so much to do, you know? I just turned forty. I love music and it’s in me and it’s in us so as long as the people care- and they seem like they have cared and that’s what’s kept us going- God knows that. It’s those beautiful family and friends out there that support Sevendust. As long as they wanna hear it, we’re gonna keep doing it.

LocalBozo.com: You know Lajon, in recent years most of the band members seemed to have gone on and done their own side projects- from John [Connolly] with Projected, to Clint’s [Lowery] solo work, Dark New Day and of course with Morgan [Rose] in Call Me No One. You, we’ve heard rumblings that there could be a potential solo album coming. Is this something that the band needs- this creative outlet for each band member in order to effectively keep Sevendust together, working positively when they do come back in the studio?

LW: I think it’s a great outlet. You know, I was able to work with some bands and I did my first score with the Moscow Orchestra and a band from Connecticut- Earthside- which was incredible. I feel like Sevendust is definitely my priority right now and I don’t feel like it’s the time- I feel like it’s a chess game. You have to pick and choose when you move and you know, after this slows down, I would definitely like to get into my solo and the obscure stuff that I like and let the people out there know and see how many different things that I’m into. But you know, I think it’s good to have different energies out there and different avenues. I think all that helped with the making of this album. We came back together and the heart grows fonder and we were able to just sit down and just let it flow and that’s what happened.

LocalBozo.com: Now the heavy metal and hard rock communities have literally been abuzz on the internet about a potential solo record from you Lajon. Do you have anything else for us on that front? Have you started doing any writing or any recording? What’s the latest on your potential solo album?

LW: Nah I’m just- you know- talking about it, talking to some different cats, you know?

LocalBozo.com: You know as you look back on the two decades or so fronting this band, what’s been the most rewarding part of the journey for you so far?

LW: The people that have supported us- that’s success to me. To be able to go to these places and sell them out. People singing your songs. You know what’s even better success? When I see that 21 year old kid that’s the same age when we first started. Now he’s 40 like me, he’s got his kid at a Sevendust show. And his kid’s got his girlfriend- maybe even the kid’s got a kid, you know? It’s a family affair, but that’s success.

LocalBozo.com: Alright Lajon, one last question if we can- if you take a step back and look at Sevendust as a whole, they’re really one of the most unique bands to come along potentially ever. I mean, a rock band with an African-American lead singer and sort of a metal band that focuses so much on melodies. It’s a band that really defies labels. What do you think it is about Sevendust that’s allowed it to have this loyal following of fans that’s given you the longevity you’ve had over your whole career?

LW: Django! No, I’m just kidding. I said Django (laughs). I just think because we keep it real man. We’re just a bunch of country boys that like to play rock n roll music and with soul and we talk about and we write about things that happen to us and I think it happens to everybody in this world. And that’s what keeps us going man- we’re just a real band. We’re just a bunch of guys that like each other and love music.

LocalBozo.com: Alright Lajon, you’ve been so gracious with your time today. Is there anything else you’d like to leave for the readers of LocalBozo.com?

LW: Thank you very much man and thank you for taking the time..

LocalBozo.com: Fans, “Black Out the Sun,” the ninth studio album from rock band Sevendust is available now wherever you buy your rock music. For band info and tour dates, you can check them out on Sevendust.com and follow them on Twitter @sevendust. We’ve been fortunate enough to be sitting here speaking with frontman Lajon Witherspoon. All the best of luck in 2013 and we can’t wait until you’re back in the New York City area my friend.

LW: Thank you- God Bless you man. I’ll talk to you again.

“This ain’t no concert. This is a family reunion.” The resounding sentiment expressed by Sevendust frontman Lajon Witherspoon was roundly espoused by the passionate and wild crowd on the standing room floor of the Best Buy Theater on Wednesday night. Certainly fans had come out for the solid top to bottom bill featuring the always excellent Lacuna Coil and the recently reunited Coal Chamber sharing co-headlining duties, but on this night, it was clearly Sevendust’s room in their triumphant return back to the Big Apple.

 

 

Despite seeing Sevendust perform live dozens of times, every time the band returns to town it feels like you’re seeing them for the very first. Their unparalleled collective energy level and unabashed affinity for their fans only complement a frenzied live show that deserves to be experienced by fans of any genre at least once. And for 65 electrifying minutes, the charismatic band flexed their heavy metal musicianship to the raucous delight of crowdsurfers, moshpitters, and standby attendees with their devil horns raised overhead.

In March, Sevendust welcomed the release of their ninth studio album “Black Out the Sun,” and with an abbreviated set, there was certainly a noticeable absence of tracks from the band’s extensive catalog. But New York City’s Sevendust faithful hardly seemed to be bothered as the lights dimmed to black and each bandmember strode out to their respective spots on stage. With a fury, the band launched into opener “Decay,” the new album’s first single, only surpassed by the likes of crowd favorite head pounders “Praise” and “Denial.” What’s so completely refreshing about Sevendust is the fact that the band almost goes out of their way to please their old school fans as choice cuts like “Waffle,” “Rumble Fish,” “Bitch,” and main set closer “Black” all from the band’s first two albums were prominent pieces of their performance.

 

   

Following a brief absence from the band awaiting the arrival of his newborn baby, lead guitarist Clint Lowery’s return to the stage was a more than pleasant surprise for this writer as he bounced around on stage in a hooded sweatshirt, pummeling the strings of his guitar in between his outstandingly heavy harmonizing with frontman Lajon Witherspoon. Cooperatively, as the band approaches nearly two decades of performing music together, Sevendust has perhaps never been more solid or unified on stage. Chants of the band’s moniker bounced off of the spacious theater’s walls as the crowd urged for their return for a two song encore. The mesmerizing, lightning fast riff of “Splinter,” the sight of Witherspoon prodding the crowd to repeat “Sevendust has arrived!” with utter amusement, and the calculated screams of drummer Morgan Rose during the band’s signature closing track “Face to Face” further rallied an already typically riled up group of vociferous and rabid fans. The show itself played out like a whirlwind- fast and heavy and seemingly, over just as soon as it had begun. And after the show had reached its conclusion, we were all left with the same collective feeling- “Man, was it great to see those guys again.”

– Jane Van Arsdale

   

    

It’s much easier to dismiss Mark Tremonti as being simply a part of a successful music machine than it is to respect him for being the vital cog that keeps the machine working. Laying down the lead guitar for bands like Creed and Alter Bridge, Tremonti’s work is already well established on some of the most anthemic rock songs of the past fifteen years and yet despite millions of albums sold and millions of dollars in the bank, there’s a work ethic and a creative drive that refuse to allow him to rest. With that in mind, after years of planning and recording finally finished, the axeman released his first ever solo project titled (you guessed it) Tremonti, with the help of longtime friend Eric Friedman and former Submersed (Tremonti produced their debut album) drummer, Garrett Whitlock. Hot off the heels of lead single “You Waste Your Time,” Mark Tremonti led his band into New York City’s HighLine Ballroom Wednesday night, for just the second performance with this lineup of musicians. Performing every song from his debut album “All I Was” a jam packed New York City crowd ate up every second of it.

Watching Tremonti take centerstage, it’s almost like you don’t believe the charade. Escewing the prototype, the guitarist doesn’t sport sleeves of tattoos or ratty long hair. His clean cut approach to making heavy rock, but not quite metal music, is a refreshing change of pace from the cookie cutter bands that emerge every other week, with far less established reputations. Outfitted in Chuck Taylor lace-ups, skinny jeans, and a black ‘That Metal Show’ t-shirt (a shout-out to VH1 host Eddie Trunk, who introduced the band), Tremonti re-arranged the album’s songs in a fun hour plus setlist to energize the crowd on hand- most of whom, unsurprisingly, had managed to learn every word already. Interestingly enough, with just days to spare before the commencement of the tour, Tremonti tabbed Wolfgang Van Halen to be the band’s touring bassist, replacing Brian Marshall (also Creed, Alter Bridge). But the 21 year old virtuoso missed nary a note and slapped his bass to near perfection alongside Tremonti’s wailing guitar riffs.

The show itself managed to have a big show feel around it, despite the band’s collective inexperience performing together. Even the guitarist’s buddies from Sevendust, Eve to Adam, and Like A Storm filed in with the rest of the fans, as a show of support for the new project. Tremonti capably held his own as a frontman with his vocals shining equally as bright as his typical killer guitar playing. But as the band’s focal point, his stage presence still leaves something to be desired, without Myles Kennedy or Scott Stapp parading around or gyrating to his right. That said, the guitarist does know how to author some of rock music’s tastiest licks. From the pulverizing opening of “Wish You Well” to the head pounding “All I Was,” it’s easy to see that Tremonti’s gone to his darker, heavier side for this record. The crowd meanwhile couldn’t have been happier, getting closer to the vocalist during this intimate show than perhaps ever before. Main set closer “Decay” and the band’s finale “Brains,” which initiated the evening’s sole moshpit proved pivotal in establishing Tremonti the band as a standalone outfit far removed from the guitarist’s other projects. And one that perhaps with more time under it’s belt, could succeed the others as Mark Tremonti’s primary focus.

Tremonti- Live at the HighLine Ballroom, New York, NY
September 12th, 2012
Setlist

1. Wish You Well
2. All I Was
3. You Waste Your Time
4. Giving Up
5. Leave It Alone
6. Proof
7. So You’re Afraid
8. The Things I’ve Seen
9. Doesn’t Matter
10. Decay
11. New Way Out
12. Brains