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News From The Pit

News From The Pit
By Laura Spaulding

Hey, Pit People!

Read on for show dates and a couple of quickie CD reviews!!

First up - shows, shows, and more shows! Here’s the list -

• May 5 - Here’s a Derby Eve Jam for ya to check out - Sen, Flaw, Adaptor, Dharmachine and Aqua Jones at Sparks. Show time is 8 p.m. and it will only cost ya $5 .

• Next night - May 6- if your head isn’t pounding from downing too many mint juleps - head to Pandamonium to catch Engrind, Silent Agony, Strych9, Sen and Twist. Show starts at 7 p.m.

• May 9- Make plans to catch Staind, Primer 55 and The Step Kings at Headliners Music Hall.(Please see my quickie review of The Step Kings CD in this issue.)

• May 12- Pandamonium - Shovelhead, Flaw, Krossmember, Bliss  and Sen. Show starts at 7 p.m. - $5 .

• May 12- The “Original Rock Showcase” at The Phoenix Hill Tavern’s Roof Garden - it'll be E - Flat, Aqua Jones, VooDoo Machine and White Noise.

• An early notice for the June 2 original rock showcase - look forward to Faceplant, Noise Bucket, Dead of Dawn and MSD.

Bands interested in playing the “Original Rock Showcase” shows - contact Eddy Metal Productions - @eddymetal1@aol.com or mail CD and info to 4006 South 5Street, Louisville, Ky.40214.

• Other plans from Eddy Metal Productions - Paoli Peaks Ski Resort will be putting on an outdoor concert/festival in late July. The fest will include many extreme sporting events, camping and a slew of heavy bands from Louisville and Indy. There are plans to hold “Freaks at the Peak” in late July. More news as I hear it.

• May 13- Pandamonium - - False, Incursion, Flaw, Sen, and My Own Victim.

• May 13- V - Fest 2000 - in Danville, Ky. - 4326 Stanford Road. This fest will feature Contortion, My Own Victim, Cut Love Kill and Twist. Show time is 12 noon – 9 p.m. - at the Donnelly Club. Admission is $7  and CDs and other stuff will be on sale. Also, there will be camping and a bonfire after the show. For more info, contact Contortion12@aol.com

Strych9 will announce a new name at their next show on May 6at the Pandamonium.

• Congratulations to Sen on the release of their debut CD. For more information about ordering the CD, log on to the Sen website at www.senmusic.da.ru.

• The Milwaukee Metalfest is scheduled for July 28and 29. Bands interested in possibly getting a spot on this gig should send full packages to Nightfall Records (for Death/black metal), Attention: Don Decker, P.O. Box 6022, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Phone: (612) 724 - 8166. Or e - mail - vagvemp@aol.com. Or send that package to Jack Koschick Presents (for all other styles of metal) 1626 N. Prospect Avenue, Suite 1801, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Phone: (414) 225-9026 / Fax: (414) 225-9025 or e-mail: jckoshick@aol.com

•  I’m sure everyone has heard about Metallica suing Napster. There’s a cool story about this on heavymetal.about.com, which also has other great articles about all that is metal .

I agree with the writer of this article – I think that Metallica is just a little angry that someone may be downloading a song or two for free instead of buying the full length CD. Gosh - how swollen can someone’s head get? Is this the same band that did Kill ‘em All ?

Click on to www.heavymetal.about.com to read this article and other news.

Now - I have a couple of quickie reviews for ya:

• N N N N

Spit (Ng Records/Artemis Records)

Kittie

Damn! This one blew me away from the first listen! If you haven’t heard of Kittie yet, listen up! Yes, they are an all female band, but this definitely ain’t no Spice Girls!

Kittie rocks loud and hard, with crushing guitars, pounding bass and drums and angry, death-like vocals. All the songs on this CD are impressive, so it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I really, really like “Spit, ” “Trippin, ” “Charlotte, ” “Suck, ” “Raven ” and “Choke.”

You must go buy this now!! It kicks major butt!!

Hey Kittie - you go girls!!

• N N N

Let’s Get It On! (Roadrunner Records)

The Step Kings

The Step Kings are a band so full of variety that they shouldn’t have any problem gaining fans who are into all styles of music.

The band has such a wide medley of sounds, ranging from hardcore and metal to punk and ska. It’s hard not to find something to love here. They do have something of a thick sound, especially for only being a three-piece.

The switch-off vocals of bassist Bob McLynn and guitarist Mike Watt work well together and McLynn makes his bass prominent in every song. Notice this in the tunes “Recognition, ” (“One and One” and “Move On.”

Also, check out the Step Kings punky version of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall.”

If you mixed up Kings X, Sick Of It All, Pantera and Soundgarden, I think that would come close to The Step Kings’ mixed bag of sounds. Buy It!!

Be sure to check out The Step Kings with Staind at Headliners in May 9! You don’t want miss this band!!

Hey people, that’s all for this month.

Thank you to everyone who sent me show dates and information.

E - mail at pitnews@yahoo.com

See ya next month - Support all metal!!