Page 59 - Black Velvet Issue 87

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ZEBRAHEAD / PATENT
PENDING / MAN WITH
A MISSION - LONDON
BROOKLYN BOWL,
28.11.15
London’s Brooklyn Bowl
outpost is awash with chatter of
anticipation and the clatter of
bowling pins as the evening be-
gins. The show launches into
action, as a group of wolf heads
spring onto the brightly-lit stage
in front of around nine hundred
adrenaline-pumped Zebrahead
fans. Man With A Mission hail
from Japan and certainly know
how to work up an atmosphere
quickly. Many fans in the room
are familiar with the masked
band who are stirring up a
storm. A favourite of the crowd
‘Out Of Control’ was co-written
by Zebrahead and the crowd
go wild when Matty Lewis and
Ali Tabatabaee are welcomed
on stage for the song. The
dance-rockers turn heads in a
good way, readying the stage
for yet more good music.
Following up on a fast-
paced set is American pop-
punk band Patent Pending,
who are known for their crowd
interaction which is a vital part
of any line-up including Zebra-
head. They bring 150% to their
performances and the crowd
fall straight into their arms, lap-
ping up every second. The ded-
ication of frontman Joe
Ragosta and guitarist Rob Fe-
licetti is overflowing when they
both jump offstage and run to
the back of the crowd that had
been previously divided in half.
The ‘crowd swimming’ compe-
tition commences, Ragosta the
winner by reaching the stage
first before a more serious part
of the show. Not many bands
can carry off mentioning anti-
suicide on stage, but Patent
Pending instantly unite the sea
of people in front of them with
‘One Less Heart To Break’.
Emotion in their music comes in
bucketloads and with that the
band finish on the angsty an-
them ‘Douchebag’, giving way
to the headliners of the night.
Zebrahead are a well trav-
elled band of almost two
decades; so when the crew
bring flight cases laden with seconds after this Zebrahead take control. As you would expect they spring into life; a reminder of all the years
booze bottles onto the stage as they’ve been together is how easy the performance comes to the California rockers. Opening with the old
they’ve done before, you know favourite ‘Rescue Me’ has such high levels of energy, you wonder how they will keep it up for the duration of a
you’re in for a treat just like any set; from here it grows sky high. Mid-set holds a drinking competition between two pirates, and also being joined
other Zebrahead show! The pi- on stage by members of Man With A Mission for ‘Devil On My Shoulder’. This is followed by Ben Osmundson’s
rate theme of the ‘Walk The speech rallying the crowd in epic proportions as Ali takes the opportunity to stand on the crowd’s shoulders and
Plank’ album cover backdrop surf back to the stage as if crowd surfing were an art. With stamina in abundance, it’s no surprise Matty’s melodic
has infected not only the crowd, vocals entwined with Ali’s rap over the signature ska-punk sound they have collected and developed, encourage
but their bartenders too, who the crowd to mosh, jump and party party, as ‘Who Brings A Knife To A Gunfight?’ commands. Bringing the show
are adorned in full pirate outfits. to a close, there is no way Zebrahead could get away without doing an encore, and an encore to melt any die-
‘Gangam Style’ as an intro hard fan’s heart it is. ‘Falling Apart’, ‘Can Can’ and ‘Anthem’ see the crowd circle pit, crowd surf and roar in awe.
song has the crowd giggling They may have been around for twenty years, but there’s no sign of Zebrahead slowing down anytime soon!
and dancing in a copycat style YYYYY
of the mini colour-flashing Psy Annina Cremona
a-top an amp on stage, and Matty Lewis (Zebrahead) Photo By Annina Cremona
CONCERTS