Updates! Shows! Interviews! Read all about it!

By Jillian Locke, Pulse Music Editor

Taste of Chaos
– Interviews with Pierce the Veil and Thursday

The indie/screamo-rock injected sounds of Taste of Chaos tour reigned at The Palladium last month on the 27th and brought Worcester’s own Four Year Strong, southern California’s newcomers Pierce the Veil, and NJ indie veterans Thursday to the fans. Vic Fuentes, vocalist/guitarist from PTV, who have been compared to Chiodos and Fall of Troy, weighed in about their sudden success and part in the TOC tour: “We tell our label and booking agent that we never want to be home so they book us as many tours as possible. I think our crazy touring schedule has really helped our band over the past year. We had a lot of fun on Warped Tour and I think that Kevin Lyman was stoked on how hard we worked so he gave us the shot at Taste of Chaos. We could not be more excited about this tour!” Check ‘em out at www.myspace.com/piercetheveil.

I also had the opportunity to catch up with Andrew Everding, keyboard player for the alternative/indie powerhouse that is Thursday, about their recent release, Common Existence, which hit stores 2/17, and their headlining spot on this year’s TOC: “There’s some hopelessness in the record; as much as you think you can stand out sometimes, you’re just like everyone else. The point is, is that you have to hold true to what you believe in. As for the tour, I hope all the kids come to see us again, and I hope all the kids coming to see who we are stick around for us…I think if you hear our songs on record and come to see us live, it’s a totally different experience. I think that’s how we pay our bills.” Check out www.thursday.net and www.thursdaydoves.com, the bands official fan club site, for information on how to get into the meet and greet and how to become privy to un-released tracks each month.
Shows you really should considering spending $$$ on:

3/3: Punk Rock Tuesday at Ralph’s Diner, featuring DJ Tasteless, who shares his collection of punk rock and hardcore records with ya’ll

3/5: Saving Abel, Nickelback – DCU Center, followed by an after-party at Tammany Hall, including Electric Funeral (Sabbath cover band), Doublethink, and Life’s Eyes. Tickets for the after-party can be purchased at www.rockonconcerts.com or ticketweb.com

3/5: Metal Thursday at Ralph’s Diner with Graveheart, Withered Sun, The Arkham, White, and Acrasjia

3/6: Krisiun, Mantric Ritual, Destruction ~ The Palladium

3/11: Cruel Hand, Stigma, I Rise, Defeater, H20 ~ The Palladium

3/13: Mindless Self Indulgence ~ The Palladium

3/15: Paint it Black, Propagandhi ~ Middle East

3/20: Bring Tha Noize Tour f/ Kottonmouth Kings, La Coka Nostra, Blaze, Big B, Short Dawg the Native ~ The Palladium

Updates

Propagandhi

Our favorite elusive Canadian punk rockers, Propagandhi, are releasing Supporting Caste, their fifth full-length release, on 3/10. Their newest effort offers up 12 tracks of Propa-goodness, and is being released on G7 Welcoming Committee/Smallman Records. Check out propagandhi.com for the track listing and album cover art. ALSO ~ scoop up your tickets to their 3/15 show at the Middle East IMMEDIATELY, as we never know when they will again decide to crawl out of hiding and grace us with some badass punk rock debauchery like only they can do.

Paul Stanley

The one and only front man of legendary glam-rock band KISS has dipped his artistic pen into yet another arena of creative ink. Paul Stanley will be showcasing his collection of limited edition artwork and paintings at Wentworth Galleries in Chestnut Hill on March 27th-28th. Stanley graduated with an art degree from the High School of Music and Art in New York City, and according to a recent press-release, had this to say about his return to art: “Doing my art came out of something solitary and something that I had no intention of showing anybody, and yet once people saw pieces in my house, it became clear that there was a great demand for my art…It certainly goes from abstracts to abstract-impressionist to almost an ‘80s Pop Art feel, so it’s changing, but that’s part of the excitement.” Wentworth Gallery: The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. For details call: 617-630-9134 or 800-732-6140. Special VIP reception on Saturday. For details or to RSVP please call: 800-732-6140

Hatebreed

In Hatebreed news, the band has announced the departure of guitarist Sean M. Martin and the return of original guitarist Wayne Lozinak. Front man Jamey Jasta says, “I speak on behalf of all of us and we support Sean’s decision to leave and want him to be happy and successful at everything he does. There are no bad feelings at all and you’ll probably see him hanging on stage at some of our local shows. We’re family and he will be missed but Hatebreed will forge on.”

From Sean M. Martin’s side of the split comes, “After 10 years, I’ve decided to leave Hatebreed. This in no way reflects my personal relationship with Jamey, Chris, Matt and Frank, they’re four of my closest friends and I’ll always love them with all my heart. I want to thank all of the fans as well as the guys in the band and crew, past and present, for giving me some of the best times of my life.”

Hatebreed will play a special show on May 1st at Toad’s Place in NewHaven, CT, performing songs from the forthcoming covers album For the Lions (on E1 Music, formerly KOCH Records), and of course, long-time favorites.

The Human Abstract

The Human Abstract, still basking in the afterglow of having completed separate tours with Trivium, All That Remains, Japanese rockers Dir En Grey, and (most recently) As I Lay Dying, is gearing up to launch their US headlining tour on April 30, but first they’ll head overseas with Protest the Hero this month. You can pick up their sophomore release, Midheaven (Hopeless Records) now. www.myspace.com/thehumanabstract

Shake off the icicles, enjoy the first month of spring, and until next time, ROCK!

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TIME FOR TATS!

THIRD ANNUAL MASSACHUSETTS TATTOO and ART FESTIVAL

March 20-22

For the third year, the Massachusetts Tattoo and Arts Festival will be packing in crowds of people from all walks of life to enjoy artwork from some of the preeminent Tattoo Artists in the world.

There will be tattooing, body piercing, tattoo contests; seminars, live music, and a mix of exciting entertainment all weekend long. Vendors will be on hand with the latest in apparel and accessories, body jewelry, paintings and other artwork. Entertainment will include live music, sideshows, human suspension, comedy, plus DJ music all weekend..

In addition, a fundraiser to benefit The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance will be held. All funds donated goes immediately to a new a new program at Umass which will provide clinical trials for pancreatic cancer patients.

Thousands of people from across the country will attend this year helping to further stimulate the local economy, enjoy the shows, and help out The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance!

Sturbridge Host Hotel, 366 Main St., Sturbridge, MA 01566; 508-347-7393, sturbridgehosthotel.com

Fri., Mar. 20, 3 to 10 p.m./Sat., Mar. 21, 12 to 10 p.m./Sun., Mar. 22, 12 to 5 p.m.

Ticket Prices
$15 – Day Pass / $35 – Weekend Pass / $50 – VIP Pass*

*VIP Pass includes full access to the entire weekend’s festivities including:

Vendor & Artist Meet & Greet Event on Thursday, March 19th featuring Jason James & the Bay State House Rockers

Saturday’s After-Party event, plus one official Massachusetts Tattoo & Art Festival T-shirt

For VIP Passes or more details call 508.835.6559