Wednesday, October 12, 2016

TAKEN BY FORCE: BLACK DEATH RESURRECTED WEST COAST TOUR 2016

Photo by Peter Beste.
One of the first things Siki Spacek asked to do when he landed in the Northwest was visit the grave of his childhood guitar hero Jimi Hendrix.
He was rather enthusiastic about the visit.
Hendrix said to pass it on, and so Jeremy did.
Siki signing the guest book in the Hendrix Room.
Even Jimi's statue seems to realize these guys need showers...
Acid Wash killing it in Seattle for their first performance outside Portland.
Nice reunion with old friends in Christian Mistress.






Great silhouette of Acid Wash's Eric Hines by Matt Amott.
Photo by Stephanie Savenkoff.
Photo by Stephanie Savenkoff.
Photo by Stephanie Savenkoff.
Photo by Rachael Andreas.
Photo by Rachael Andreas.

Amazing evidence of this amazing week keeps surfacing.
Photo by Matt Amott.
Danava creepin' and reapin'. Photo by Rachael Andreas.
The War Machine sets sail from Portland with Commodore Dread at the helm.
Mr. Lindsay's early morning hotel "selfie" somewhere in Redding, California. 

Acid Wash's first performance in California captured by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Nice shot from Thee Parkside in SF by Sheryl Creer.

Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.
Photo by Shaun Astor.



Midnight commanded the stage before Cirith Ungol made their triumphant return...
When I met founding Cirith Ungol member Rob Garven, he took this pin right off his denim vest and placed it in my hand. This week the City of Ventura formally recognized the band at City Hall and October 10th will now and forever be recognized as Cirith Ungol Day!



The Magnificent Ventura Theater is actually pretty magnificent. Especially when Cirith Ungol is on stage performing their first concert since 1991.





Photo by Tom "Coffin Collector."
Me and Tim "Johnny Fever" Baker, one of the greatest voices in heavy metal and one of the nicest guys I met in Ventura. This is exactly how metal should age.
A lot of skeptics didn't think Siki would ever find an audience beyond his rust belt hometown. The headbangers at Frost and Fire II proved otherwise.





Photo by Peter Beste.

Many were the non-believers who said Siki Spacek would never tour. They were probably the same mouth breathers who doubted that we could get him on a plane back in 2014 for his first performance west of Cleveland, Ohio. Regardless, this week we successfully took the West Coast by force with dates in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Ventura. San Francisco was the weak link in the chain, with our dullest turn out and tiniest stage (what the hell happened to the once mighty Bay Area metal scene??), however, the night was spectacularly salvaged by our new friends in Oakland's Mesmer, who set the night on fire with true heavy metal passion! Thanks also to Christian Mistress, High Spirits, Danava, Meercaz and the Visions, Ashbury, Grim Reaper and Acid Wash for sharing stages, gear and festival bills with Black Death Resurrected along the way. Also thanks to Jarvis Leatherby for all of his work organizing Frost and Fire II in Ventura, California. It was, without a doubt, the highlight of the tour. Twenty one gun salute to all who lent their energy in various ways to this adventure. Extra special thanks to my beautiful daughter Kallisti. The metal legions will never fully understand or appreciate how or why a 19 year old woman who admittedly cares little about loud music would sacrifice more than practically anyone else to make this mini tour a resounding success. But she did. Make no mistake, this week was the execution and triumph of our collective Will to Power. The Wyrd War will simply not be stopped. UNTIL WE ROCK!!!!     

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