Revolver Magazine Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock Tour 2/24/14

February 26, 2014March 6, 2014 Derek Soto Canon, Canon 24-70, Canon 6D, Capitol Records, Century Media, Cilver, Concert, Eyes Set To Kill, Irving Plaza, Lacuna Coil, Live Concert, NYC, Sick Puppies, Sinestra, Sinestra Studios

Revolver Magazine Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock Tour Flyer (Banner Style)

Revolver Magazine opens up the early 2014 year with a tribute to the women of rock and roll. The hottest chicks in hard rock tour features a great mix of musicians with a magnificent history behind them as well as those looking to pave their own. We have New York’s own Cilver, the Rodriguez sisters of Eyes Set To Kill with veteran acts Lacuna Coil and Sick Puppies running down the tour package. Irving Plaza was the home for this event in New York, which saw a nice steady stream of people coming in to see hometown openers Charetta and Cilver. Even though Charetta won the opening slot for this tour on short notice, they were showing no mercy as the show began. Front-woman Angelina DelCarmen and bassist Richard Mollo brought the energy of the venue out. This was the first time I witnessed their show live and for those who have now really should. Although they only had roughly 20 minutes, it was all they needed.

Cilver showed their potential in the hometown of NYC. Playing shows on this tour package in North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Virginia before coming back home was a big enough deal. Add a certain Guns N’ Roses guitarist (Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal) in their current single entitled “In my head” and you have already seen WHY this band is on this current tour. The shock waves Cilver is sending into the music industry is one thing, but the current they are sending through to the New York underground is a wake up call. This is a testament to bands, veteran and amateur alike, that anything is possible. The city is full of talented musicians who I can call allies in this world, just put in the work and you’ll see how far everything will go. There set-list is as follows: Break free, Pain is like a drug, Bleed for you, Razor blade and In my head.

The biggest surprise for me were Eyes Set To Kill. The Rodriguez sisters (Alexia and Anissa) were phenomenal. I could not take my eyes off either of them as they performed after Cilver. This was yet Another band who had a member leave recently besides Lacuna Coil. Cisko Miranda, who was the rhythm guitarist was not present on this tour date and the band did just fine without him. The fans were riled up through and through. They managed to impress me and with their current album which is not even six months old yet, so you know this Century Media Records act is NOT going anywhere. My biggest appeal was what the album title represented for the identity of this band. The album, Masks, is a symbol of unity within the groups members and how they finally found themselves amidst the massive band-mate switching they have endured. Being signed in 2012, Eyes did not discover themselves until late 2013. To continuously be hit by hardship and to persevere is always one of those story lines that prove how thin the silver lining can really be. I respect them for their music and finding themselves as a band amidst all of their troubles. Besides, that is what builds character. Their set-list was a full acronym mess but I can tell you that they played Masks, Killing in Your Name, Surface, Where I Want to be, Haze, Little liar and Infected.

As the night progressed, every band and every fan showed up with their A game. The people loved the new material from Lacuna Coil as they played two new songs off their new album Broken Crown Halo, which is scheduled to release on April 1st of this year. The biggest surprise from their camp was obviously the departure of their drummer Cristiano ‘CriZ’ Mozzat and guitarist Cristiano “Pizza” Migliore. The band seemed unscathed by their sudden departure as they tore down the Irving Plaza stage. Lacuna Coil ALWAYS puts on a great show. Knowing this first hand after seeing them with Sevendust last year at New York’s Best Buy theater. Sadly enough, the venue emptied out once they finished their set and only half of the room stayed to see Capitol Records own Sick Puppies. Lacuna’s set-list is as follows: Trip the darkness, Kill the light, Intoxicated, Fragments of faith, Die & rise, IDBIT, Spellbound, Upsidedown, Nothing stands in our way and Our truth.

Sick Puppies EASILY had the best lighting of the night, the three piece Australian act bought out much emotional emphasis in my photography, which i was truly satisfied with, along with decent crowd interaction by singer Shimon Moore. The photogenic group sounded awesome by all means, and it was clear why they were headliners, even if the general public saw Lacuna Coil as the potential “deserving” headliners. Emma Anzai was equally amazing. The female singer/bassist played bass with such beauty and contorted her body to angles which complimented the lighting of the set. I enjoyed seeing them and the photography was stellar, easily one of the best photo shoots of the night as every band just had poor lighting. I also felt bad at how people just up and left the venue. The band was really good and I saw no problems with the music, I just guess that many people felt Lacuna Coil should of headlined instead. But alas, that’s the way the tour packages workout. Sick Puppies set-list is as follows: Die to save you, Cancer, No going back, Trick, Odd one, Riptide, My world, Maybe, Pitiful, Nothing, War, Gunfight, Walking & Your going down.

Overall I was happy to see this show come to fruition for all these bands, I am sure with the impeding success that we will see another tour package by Revolver magazine with this premise. It is a well-deserved one for the women who give their all for the music they love. Much respect to all the ladies who are putting in the work to earn their keep and continue to remind us why they are in this business. Check out all the photos below and also on flickr.

Also, here is an interview with Lacuna Coil’s own Andrea Ferro with Skullsnbones.com own “Metal” Mark. I contributed the camera operations here.