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Brad and Diana's SHoD IV Review

By the time our plane landed, we missed most of Friday night's offerings, but catching Dixie Witch halfway through their set got the mood going strong from the first second in the door of the Hollywood Alley, in Mesa AZ. It's always so good to see everyone again, Rob & Cheryl, Steve from TPOG, Mike B., Conan Hultgren and all the rest. All of the above listed have attended every SHoD and we took a commemorative photo to document the feat. Also, big thanx to Conan, who helped win a bazillion points in a trivia game!!

The second day always has the firepower behind it, and it started off in fine fashion with Kevin giving us a lift from our hotel. "It's like 3 days of Christmas!!" Starting with the mighty Core of the Earth (Heavy, scary doom) the highlights seemed to be Floating Goat, Greenhouse Effect, Volume (no surprise there except now our friend Cas, formerly of Tummler, is their new bassist), Borgo Pass & Slow Horse. Eternal Elysium comes from Japan and their guitarist has nailed the tube driven, thick Gibson SG sound from 1971 through and through!! A master instrumentalist, he astounded us with six-string wizardry, while never falling into that trite, over-the top guitar god wankery. A smoking, excellent set of rock. Rob, from Witch Mountain, joined for a jam, and when Witch Mountain came on next, the Elysium guitarist joined them on a Candlemass cover.

Of course, the big event of Saturday night was Unida. It's the closest thing SHoD has come to having a pit since Bobby Leibling gave us a suprize version of Relentless at SHoD I. A few electrical problems didn't slow Scott Reeder and company down, and they played "One Inch Man". They even did one extra song after the lights went up and last call was done. That's how this stuff is done!!

Sunday was tough to wake up for, so we missed a band, but caught Solid Donkey, The Cremains (who covered "Into the Void"), Blackwater, Medea, and Hillbilly Devilspeak. The killer set of the day was the extreme doom of The Plague of Gentlemen, form Belgium. Glaciers of Iron and Steel, coated with bloody vocal spews, tight composition and time changes, and a completely doomed atmosphere best describes their molten performance. These guys never fail to amaze. The Rubes were their usual, well-played, heavy tightness with those great old school soulful vocals that seem to be a cross between Leafhound and Janis Joplin. Their surprise was pulling out a cover of Zepplin's "Black Dog" which amazed everyone.

A plate of tacos, $3.00, a tour shirt, $10.00...Seeing Rob Levey perform Iron Man's "Black Night" - Priceless. Iron Kind pulled out a Pentagram cover (Relentless) and then invited the master of ceremonies up on stage, to do some classic material. A Kodak moment.

Pale Divine have never failed to blow me away, and they get the guitar gymnastics award this weekend. Greg pulled out licks most others couldn't fine with a flashlight. No second guitar to back him up, either. He's similar to Wino in one respect: They both make guitar an athletic event.

I had a big discussion with Greg Anderson of Southern Lord Records, so I missed most of Sons of Serro. Nothing would have kept me from seeing Tummler, though, one of my absolute fave live bands. After their earthquake set, featuring their cover of St. Vitus' "War is our Destiny" (RIPPING)!! one guy was heard to say, "I'm convinced! I'm selling my guitar tomorrow! Can't touch that".

It takes all year to get here, and then it's over again in a second. SHoD 4-ever!! Thanx Rob and Cheryl and the whole Hee-Haw gang. Is it next year yet?

Brad and Diana.

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