Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


Anthrax in Los Angeles

By A Headbanger, Do You Bang Head?
Monday, January 30, 2006 @ 0:37 AM


In the Pit at the Avalon

- advertisement -
- advertisement -
By Mina Greas aka "Thraxer":

Ah yes, concert night.

Weeks and weeks off, counting down the days until we get to stomp around with alcohol-fueled brutality finally here. It doesn’t get any better than this boys and girls, Anthrax, Saturday night, a venue in Los Angeles with a big floor perfect for dancing.

Thanks to Doug for driving us there we were set to go. A trunk full of beer and Jim Beam we pulled into the parking lot around 5 or so. 20 bucks for parking! That’s like four concert beers. The parking lot scene is something that makes a concert a concert. Nothing but thirty different cars blasting a different Anthrax song simultaneously…I love it.

We didn’t get to see the first two bands play due to our previous commitments to drinking. So as soon as we were gassed up we headed in.

    I turned to my cousin Paul and told him how lame it was that none of us got a single pat down considering the Dimebag tragedy was just a little over a year ago.

We made it in dead center in the floor. God Forbid went on and few guys were getting down to them. They put forth a heart-filled effort. The only thing that really moved was my thumb from all the shoving going on. Too our delight they played a Pantera cover in memory of our forgotten hero who, may I add will never be forgotten.

We stepped outside after their set and had a drink and smoke. Low and behold, who do we run into, none other than Crazy Dave. You might remember him from MTV’s Battle for Ozzfest and as Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society main man. (If you still can’t remember, him he’s got a unique mustache.) He was way cool we were talking to him and asking him if Zakk ever got his guitar back from the Sunset show at the House of Blues back in June. He said, “Oh we got it back…in pieces.”

So right about then we heard the Blues Brothers Intro. Ding! Ding! Ding! Are you ready to rumble. Paul, Doug, Mario, Steve, and me made it out to the floor. Anthrax went right into Among the Living and it was sick. The pit was in full force. There was plenty of room to run. My memory plagues me because I suffered some significant damage. It rocked!

I think then they went into Caught In A Mosh. I have never seen or been in a mosh pit like that. People were starring at us in awe. I mean were not talking 10-15 dedicated fans, this shit was at least 30-40 people strong at any given time. What was cool was it was a true heavy metal pit, not that little kid, hardcore poser shit. If someone fell they’d pick you up give ya a pat on the shoulder and you were on your way. People respected on another because they knew Anthrax fans are a dying breed and they understand the rules. The pit got so intense at one point there was an island in the middle, and you see them standing back to back.

Next was A.I.R.. I think everyone got a few scratches and cuts to this one. It was mean. That was definitely a jam you could mark on your belt.

Too our surprise the drumming on N.F.L. was fantastic and we all know that’s Charlie (Benante)’s song. And then they played it…a song I thought I’d never hear live, that’s right Southern California A Skeleton In The Closet, and I was stoked! I must have stomped a fucking hole in the floor on that one.

Then they played Keep It In The Family. Nothing like a good 7minute song about how much racism sucks to mosh too. You could see my boy Steve moshing against the grain on that one and he made it all the way around.

They continued to destroy us with jams like Medusa and the one the only Indians. I so walked out of that one with a bloody knee and we all know people get murdered during that number. We also got to here Joey (Belladonna)’s awesome vocals in Madhouse and I Am The Law. I know I left out some songs they played because that mosh pit did cause some brain damage.

I’ve seen Anthrax a lot of times and that by far was the best show I have ever seen. Like I was telling my buddy this show is the standard from now on. Every show I walk out of now is going to sound something like, “That show was good but not no Anthrax.”

A side note about the mosh pit: I would like to extend my applause to the moshers at the show. I have never seen such unity among fans. Anthrax fans are hands down very true and real to their band and one another. There were nothing but high fives and horns all night long, from the parking lot to the floor. Every time someone went down they came back up right away. No one got stepped on or cheap shots. This is a true circle pit. Not like the sad display of moshing I saw at In Flames last night. People stepping on one another and blind siding you into the crowd. No respect, no rules, no balls. That’s the thing that rocked about the Anthrax fans they got respect. They look out if someone’s going down they know. The rules in the pit were followed. You run in a circle not stand in place and throw punches and kicks, you want to mosh get in the pit, idiot. You want to see moshing at its finest, Saturday night was it. Almost so good it was an art at times. So, all you hardcore boys and girls remember something, you’ll always be a hardcore kid and far from an Anthrax one. Something about a band that has to tell their fans to run in a circle kills it. Scott (Ian), I know you got a hard on when you saw your peoples swirling.

Stay Heavy see ya in the pit ya’ll.

-Thraxer



Send your live reviews to [email protected]


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent Headbangers
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (25)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (24)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (23)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (22)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (21)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (20)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (19)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (18)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (17)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (16)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (15)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (14)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (13)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (12)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (11)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (10)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (9)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (8)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (7)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (6)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (5)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (4)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (3)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (2)
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston Photo Gallery (1)



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News