The Deftones And Incubus At The Fabulous Forum

Our Venice pal, Brandon Boyd, sings in a little band called http://incubushq.com/Incubus, and he invited my brother, Paul, to come and shoot their show last weekend at The Forum. Hell yes! As I hook Paul up for a lot of shows, I was the clear choice to be the plus one (or I kind of begged).

We got to The Forum just as the sun set, and we could hear Death From Above 1979 blasting away from inside. But then the folks on Mars could probably hear them, and I was immediately grateful that the envelope with our passes in them also contained a fresh pair of earplugs. I swear in my life I've never started out a show with earplugs in, so this was a first. Holy moly were they loud.

One song was introduced as a love song, and wound up being just total chaos mayhem, so I guess that's pretty accurate about love. A V.O. repeated "Fuck you and fuck The Establishment", which went over well with this crowd. I was pretty much lip reading on the screen, but the kids seemed to dig the two piece with an elephant trunk faced guy as their backdrop. The singer said, "Thanks for not texting too much during our show," so I think I'm right.

The Deftones were next, and were also super loud, as were their SUPER fans. I mean, they went OFF. There were circle mosh pits throughout their set, to the point where Chino Moreno had to tell people to stop. "You don't go to an Incubus show to get bloody!", he implored. I certainly didn't. I'm talking more than one stretcher went by down my aisle. I'm sure it was because people were HAMMERED. I was completely sober (which was weird at this show, for sure) due to the professional nature of our visit, but even the tiniest girls were hoisting the most giant cups of beer ever. When they weren't texting.

Moreno was wearing some odd sweat type pants that were distracting me. They resembled man diapers, and only got worse when he soaked through them with sweat. I like to see performers give their all, but not visibly drench their pants. He needs some good Lizard King leathers. But who really cares, the fans LOVE them, and as they blew through their favorites like "Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)", "My Own Summer (Shove It)", and the big KROQ hit that blew the roof off, "Change (In The House Of Flies)" you could tangibly feel true rock happiness steaming off the crowd. Though that may have been weed smoke too.

A KROQ contest winner lady announced from stage that it was her son's 21st birthday, and this was her present to him and his friends - cool Mom! Incubus was the headliner and it went dark as a video digital stopwatch clicked down from 5:00 minutes (I've never seen a band take the stage so promptly!), the fans literally went nuts.  The girls next to me were losing it, like hitting each other (which only got more dramatic when Boyd took his shirt off). The men in the house were punching the air, and singing along with every word from the very start.

Boyd took the stage and began banging on a big drum that riled the fans up further as the intro built into  "Wish You Were Here". That one had everyone pulling out their phones to record for their friends that weren't there in a stroke of genius. Incubus had cool videos and lasers and light shows and during this one they had the sky resembling a backlit canopy with holes punched in it, like he sings about. Great.

That went right into "Anna Molly" which sent my seat mates right into near catatonia. It's fun to watch fiend fans freak out. They're so happy it's completely infectious. And appeared to radiate back to the band, because they were all smiles throughout as well.

It was cool to see parents there with their kids, some bringing their kids to their very first concert. That's pretty brave, as some in the audience were pretty sloppy by now, but I like the spirit! This was a hometown show for Incubus, so Boyd thanked all their friends and neighbors for being there before they launched into another super favorite, "Circles".

The band was firing on all cylinders, and extra tight from being on a densely packed tour of shows. "This next song has fucking laser beams!", shouted Boyd and sure enough, it did. Lasers were everywhere as they played a couple from their new EP Trust Fall (Side A) that I don't have yet, so hadn't heard. It seemed I wasn't alone, as per custom, much of the crowd sat when they didn't know the song. And texted. I dug the light show and got to know some new friends (songs).

The girls next to me both hugged and high fived me when the awesome "Are You In?" began, as you see, it was their favorite. Since they were thirteen (they looked mid 20's to me, so they remain loyal fans). They were STOKED. So was I, I love this one as it poses such a great question, and featured Chris Kilmore's spinning and dreads flying.

The next one started off with Boyd banging on his djembe, but I don't know what it wound up being, as I had to go.

Yeah, man. The Forum has super strict pro camera policies, so when Paul was done shooting the three songs they allow you to, he had to go. No cameras in the seats, and no place to stash them. I wasn't gonna have him hang outside while I rocked with my superfan girls, so we split. Bummer. I heard we missed a bunch of hits, but it was fun while it lasted. And Paul got some awesome shots.

Incubus is great. Thank you so much to Brandon Boyd for the swell evening!

*PS - shout out to the parking lot guy across from The Forum. He helped get us out of stacked parking with like a 400 point turn. And spits raunchy lyrics on the cd he gave us.


*All photos by PaulGronner.com

Halloqueen Fourteen!

This was one of the most fun Halloweens in recent memory, for sure. It began back in the Summer, it feels like, with spooky Halloween decor showing up on houses on an almost Christmas level. I've never seen as many houses getting so into it, as the adult takeover of the holiday continues its advance.

The place to be in Venice for Halloween is Rialto Avenue, and this year was no different. The street was blocked off so kids ands their handlers could roam freely between the extra-decorated homes without worrying about cars. One house was better than the next, and so much candy was being handed out that kids could hardly carry their own bags of the loot.

I had to speed-race up and down the block, as this was another one of those over-booked holidays, but I certainly saw enough to be impressed.

People went all out, with full on horror vignettes, not seeming to care at all if it might be scary for little kids - good!

My friends Russ and Harry live on Rialto, and out-did themselves, as usual. From costumes to decor, people on Rialto mean biz.

The Dragon house was again breathing fire, delighting all who passed by. Live bands played in driveways, and sidewalks got congested with all the kids squeezing past to get to their sugary reward.

I didn't look at my photos until the next day, but among them seems to be a real ghost. I swear! It was this shadowy and black and white without my doing and I don't at all remember taking it. OoooOOOOoooo!

I couldn't linger long as I was going to see the Queens Of The Stone Age at the newly refurbished and fabulous Forum! This was the first time I've been to a big, real concert on Halloween, and it was a complete blast.

Everyone was into it, in full costume, as they made their way into the Forum after checking out the circus-y side show attractions and haunted house put on by Queens in the parking lot. We didn't get there in time for all of that (because of Rialto, which is a must), but I heard it was real scary.

Costumes ranged from Queens (and Kings) of the Stone Age and Vampyres (of time and memory) Josh Homme (a tall dude in a red wig) concert-themed get-ups,  to a full sized lobster, lots of John Snows, a few American Horror Story clowns and a full dumb range of sexy cats (REALLY?! My least favorite costume every year) which I railed against in my PSA costume of Sexy Einstein. Smart is sexy, Ladies!

Mariachis strolled the concourse, lending it all an even more festive vibe. Nick Oliveri and The Kills opened the show, and sounded great from outside, but we were in Halloween party mode out in the lobby and missed them. I waited too long on securing tickets and wound up with a nosebleed pair, but it didn't even matter. Queens will rock you, front to back, top to bottom. No one is safe.

Queens took the stage in priest costumes (!) and people went bezerk from the opening number, "Keep Your Eyes Peeled". Like BEZERK. People leapt to their feet in the last, highest row - and stayed on them the entire show. People were moshing so furiously, I was thankful that many of them had squishy costumes to pad and protect them a bit. Whoa.

We were in full party/enjoyment mode, so I didn't really take awesome notes (or take any good photos), but you can just read the set list and pretty much know how hard it all rocked. "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer". "The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret". A fun maraca opening to "My God Is The Sun". Josh Homme greeted the crowd by saying, "There's a shit ton of candy out there! What a night! This shit should be illegal! ... This is our last show for a long time (What?! Sad!!!) ... Fucking Smooth sailing ..." And they gave us fucking "Smooth Sailing." Awesome.

"If I Had A Tail" went right into "Little Sister" and then Homme said, "How 'bout something dark and dirty?" So they aptly went with "Someone's In The Wolf". After "Vampyres Of Time And Memory", Homme commented on how great all the costumes were (there was a pre-show contest in a boxing ring set up in the middle of the floor, manned by Suicide Girls - I hope it was won by a Queen of the Stone Age), and said, "That haunted house nearly scared the dick right off my body!" I'm not so bummed I missed that. "Are you having a good time, L.A. fucking Forum?!?!" The answer was a deafening YESSSSS! Man.

I love "I Sat By The Ocean" (they did not play my favorite "Kalopsia", but that's cool) and of course, "I Want To Make It Wit Chu"always keeps the party going. Speaking of parties, Homme said, "You could be at some stupid party, but instead we're at a stupid party together." As I was Einstein, I can solidly tell you - this party was nowhere near stupid. It ruled.

"Regular John" and "No One Knows" were followed immediately by "Go With The Flow" and "You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire" in a flurry of punches that left us feeling like we'd been in that boxing ring after all. That needs to be noted ... QOTSA are RELENTLESS. It just never lets up, in one of the most exhilarating live rock experiences you can have these days (but not for a couple more years now, I guess.) They're so tight it's ridiculous, which comes from all the shows they've logged over the last couple of years all over the world. Super, extra impressive. "Happy Halloween!!!", shouted Homme, as the band left the stage to pure, ecstatic fan thunder.

A couple minutes more of yelling and they really would be playing Songs For The Deaf. The priests blessed us again, and came back out, this time with their friend, The Devil (Nick Oliveri). "Together they blazed through "Six Shooter", "Auto Pilot", "Another Love Song" and "Gonna Leave You", which all ruled, but vocals should really be left to Homme. Sorry, he's just worlds better when it comes to singing. A nice reunion, though.

Fittingly for a Halloween show, Queens ended with "A Song For The Dead". They just went completely off, none more so than Venice homie and drummer, Jon Theodore. His laser-enhanced mid-song solo actually lifted the people OFF of their feet, airborne with rock bliss. A girl in front of me was banging her head so hard, I think her scalp came off (though it may have been a wig).

As the last chord rang out, cannons spewed out black and orange confetti endlessly while the band took their bows. "We'll see you in a couple years!" and from the sound of it, that's gonna be a very long time to wait for these rabid fans. Carny music came on and the costumed masses poured out of The Forum only to find that it was FINALLY RAINING IN LOS ANGELES!!!

No spirits - good or evil - seemed to be dampened at all by this. People ran to their cars, skipping and dancing in the puddles on their way to whatever trouble they'd get into next.

Halloqueen '14 is in the books - as one of the very best times ever. Hope yours was too!