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| HELLYEAH/BLOOD SIMPLE - November 9, 2007 |
Ear-Pollution Show |
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| January 11th, 2008 16:52 |
Chad Gray - Hellyeah
@ The Ventura Theater (Ventura, CA)
November is starting to become my new favorite month, it all started with the Misfits playing last week and this week Hellyeah. What a perfect name, I think Vinnie Paul described the name best in an interview where he states " If someone says, "Hey, man, you wanna go to the strip bar tonight," you don't go, "Aw, maybe." You go, "Hell yeah!"
Those were basically my thoughts as I got to the Ventura Theater, well except the strip club part. I was a little let down because I had wanted to see Otep play, but due to illness they had to cancel, oh well there's always next time.
As I walked in, Blood Simple was in the process of getting the crowd warmed up for Hellyeah. Shredding guitars and punishing drumbeats set the tone for Blood Simple's music, head bang in full effect. I was quite happy to see that even with a small crowd Blood Simple were having a fun time playing and didn't seem to mind the small crowd. Vocalist Tim Williams knew how to work the crowd, thanking the opening band, and then getting everybody hyped for Hellyeah. Blood Simple's bass player Tim Williams alternated between finger picking and slap style with no problem keeping the pace, which is always impressive. I even liked Williams' singing; it was clean and easy to understand, often with long held screams.
After a brief sound check, Hellyeah took the stage with Vinnie Paul getting behind the drums saluting the fans before settling in and pounding away on his drums. Starting things off Chad Gray took charge telling the fans that they were going to play their entire album with a few cover songs thrown in to mix it up. It was good a combination of heavy metal and good ol boy southern rock. I had never seen Mudvayne perform and was impressed with Chad's singing, he was energetic alternating between floor punching to singing soulful ballad, very varied style.
One of the guitarists I can never figure out who plays rhythm or lead, Tom Maxwell dressed in all black with his pulled down low, giving him a sinister look, like a gunfighter from the old west, had a cool style, he would alternate between hanging back to taking a leisurely stroll to the front of the stage, immersed in the music, letting it take him, his head grooving to the beat. His counter part Greg Tibbett took a different approach as he rocked out on his guitar his hands flying across the fret board with lightning fast riffs.
Introducing the next song, Chad said "shit was gonna hit the fan" well it did, Hell Yeah took a deep breath and shifted into third gear, with Vinnie Paul delivering thundering drum beats. Bobzilla is aptly named; I think he is part monster during one song he jumps on the drum riser slapping his bass like a man possessed, it was great to see him step up, I had seen him perform once before with Damage Plan and while he did rock I think maybe he was still finding his place, now he found his groove and wasn't afraid to hold back. After a few more songs the moment I had been waiting for "Alchohaulin Ass" I had wanted to hear this one and apparently so did everyone else, once the first notes rang out, the fans brought out their lighters, it was good country rock. It was good to see Vinnie playing again; I think he was just as happy to be back as the fans were to have him back. After a bit Hell Yeah decided to give up on the country part and just straight rocked, it was a good way to end the show.
Review and Photos by: Mark A. Whitaker
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