2 Nights of PHILM 3/2/15 & 2/23/15

Its bad enough Philm has not come to the East Coast since Metal Masters 4 at The Gramercy Theater back in 2012. The remedy of this uncharacteristic circumstance is to cover this band as much as possible. With three dates and four performances in NYC and Long Island, I was on a mission to see as much as possible from this band.

Night one was at St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, with an interview scheduled with Dave Lombardo and press to boot. The three piece power trio have been international for the past two years with shows all over the globe in places like Brazil, Rome, South America, Bulgaria, Ireland, Germany, Bogota and the list goes on. Obviously the genius route was to spread the material unto international countries first and then come back to dominate the states. With history behind all three members, Lombardo obviously synonymous with Slayer and bassist Pancho Tomaselli with WAR (if you don’t know the song “Lowrider” you are living under a rock), and Gerry Nestler of Civil Defiance, the Los Angeles based trio have concocted material that breaks ground not only in rock and roll, but also the defines unity within a band. The sound is just so fresh and compelling. You don’t need to be in front of them to feel the synergy these gentlemen have on stage, you simply need to listen. St. Vitus Bar listened alright, as the three piece played an eight song set-list of uniqueness and eloquence far beyond anything I have heard. Hanging with Pancho and Dave before the show was a history lesson waiting to happen. Alot of people who claim to be journalists don’t really listen to the stories musicians can share. There is just so many experiences and history to absorb from these people. Hanging with Pancho in the basement of St. Vitus was a one hour course of experiences I never thought I would hear in my life. His memories with Cheech and Chong, WAR and also Philm were just too compelling to turn away. You don’t even consider an option to turn away at moments like that, you just shut the fuck up and let the person talk. Its a beautiful thing to me. To be able to stand and take pictures with someone I can call a friend who I barely see on a monthly basis can open his mind and share and reminisce and relate to me. The stories he shared and the memories that show made for me are what I take away from it. That bond can never be broken, to have someone shed light on fragments of their lives is the most valuable lesson anyone in journalism can take.

Dave’s interview with Metal Mark (which can be seen below) was one of beauty. The tribulations this man has endured with his past don’t hold him back. Dave was all smiles and laughs before the show. Very humble and down to earth are underrated words in the music industry. The trifecta of talent and positivity exhumes through their pores and out onto people who want to listen and enjoy a gateway of pure, musical genius. Night one at St. Vitus was absolutely fun… Then I found out there were two shows in my neighborhood at the Lower East Side venue called “The Stone”, how could I refuse. I left in anticipation for the next show.

A week later, Dave, Pancho and Gerry came down to play two shows, one at 8pm and one at 10pm in the lower Manhattan venue called the stone. This was not metal, this was not a performance, this was sublimity. An intimate venue with seats for about 50 people in the front and 10 in the back were the perfect companions for what these three men allowed us to listen to. During their stay in NYC, the band went on to record tracks in a Manhattan studio, of jazz, fusion and a whole ensemble of material in vast genres. We got to listen to it that night. I was taken to school, learning in-depth about each members passion for their respected instrument. Every facial expression, every single second of eye contact with each other. The concentration and focus to the delicacies of their instruments and impact of sound… I was floored. I didn’t have a good seat but I didn’t care, I made it my business to experience this. For what it was worth, I left out of there with great photographs as well as photos of my own being autographed by the entire band. I can see this band playing Carnegie Hall or even Lincoln Center. AND I WOULD BE THERE TO WITNESS IT.

Check out the photos down below from both nights and catch their new album Fire from the evening sun out now!

St. Vitus 2/23/15

The Stone 3/2/15

Metal Mark Interview with Dave Lombardo

Catch you rockers on the flip side!!

–Derek–