Niki's Weekend Word: Summer of Sound, and phlegm

By Niki D'Andrea

This past weekend marked the Phoenix New Times Summer of Sound metal show. The event, on Saturday, August 2, was jam packed with bands. In addition to headliners Godhead and local SoS bands The AMPutatiONs, Malakai, The Human Condition, and Fracture Point in Club Red, the venue had four other Valley metal bands playing on the Red Owl side of the club.

Even though metal is one of my favorite genres, I wasn't sure I'd even make it to the show. I'd been laid up with bronchitis for a couple days and still wasn't fully recovered. Still, I had to make an effort, even if my head felt like it was going to explode.

I arrived at the show in the middle of The AMPutatiONs' set. The trio was super tight, and I was impressed with their slew of timing changes, extended jams, and searing guitar solos. Some of the songs' subject matters were silly ("Pencil Dick," "Throbbing Larry"), but the band's musical prowess demanded to be taken seriously.

The second band to take the stage was Malakai. Named after a character from the film Children of the Corn, Malakai raged and lurched through some eccentric instrumental forays, punctuated by screeching vocals. I wish I could've stayed for the rest of their set -- or the rest of the show, for that matter.

As it was, I kept running into stuff because the sickness had my equilibrium all jacked up (I was drinking nothing but water all night, but I was stumbling around like I'd had one pitcher too many). I started to feel faint during Malakai's set, and had to abort my mission and head home.

I wish I could have hung in there for a couple more hours. I missed The Human Condition, the new band featuring former Sacred Reich guitarist Wiley Arnett, and Fracture Point, whose new album is the most solid metal record I've heard out of Phoenix this year. I also missed Godhead, who had planned to sign stuff for fans after their set.

The next (and last) Summer of Sound show in the series is the rock show, set to take place on Saturday, August 16, at The Clubhouse Music Venue in Tempe. Local boys made good Dear and the Headlights will headline, with locals Source Victoria, Rocketline, My Feral Kin, and Cardiac Party rounding out the bill.

The rest of my weekend was spent coughing, drinking tea, and watching The Two Coreys on A&E. For those who remember the glory days of actors Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, here's a video of Corey Feldman, pretending he can sing. No, he didn't get all inked up -- he's wearing a tattoo shirt.

*cough, cough*