Page 78 - ION Indie Magazine MarchApril 2018 Issue

As I neared the venue parking lot, I could already see the hundreds of fans waiting in line, hours before the
doors of Club XS were to open. The excitement on their faces reminded me when I used to wait in line myself
for my favorite bands back in the 1980’s.

Johnny 3 Tears, J-Dog, Charlie Scene, Funny Man, Danny, and tour drummer Tyler are masked desperadoes

of the rap/rock group HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD. The band of brothers have found their niche in the market
wearing face masks and armed with pseudonyms. And in 2005, they proceeded to show the world, via

Myspace their own music entity.

Walking through the venue doors, I could immediately feel a vibe, mixed with an energy of happy and excited

fans coupled with loud music playing from the house speakers. All were gathering for the same reason -- to
witness a night of high-energy performances from a jam-packed roster that included Demrick, Butcher

Babies, and Hollywood Undead. There was definitely something in the air. Then it hit me…the magical odor
that lingers at almost every concert event.

9:00 p.m. sharp, Hollywood Undead graced the stage with face masks, attitude, and high-octane rap/metal.
They wasted no time unleashing an explosive stage performance that was punctuated with both

pyrotechnics and a light show. Starting from their first song, “Whatever It Takes” from their new album “V”
(Five), to their last encore song, “Hear Me Now,” H.U. did not disappoint!

These masked musical marauders from California were here on the last leg of their American tour to support
their newly-released album “V.” By the third song, “Been To Hell,” H.U. took their masks off and revealed a

smiling, fun-seeking band. What I really appreciated about these guys were the moments they gave me while
I was photographing them on stage. They were posing and presenting me with numerous photo

opportunities. The winks and the thumbs-ups made it even that more special.

There really were so many song highlights -- from “Kill Everyone,” “Warchild,” and “Comin’ In Hot,” to an

amazing rendition of “Day Of The Dead” -- the songs kept coming and the highlights kept racking up. The
band asked the audience, “Who can play guitar?” and a wave of hands reached up in the air. They picked an

11-year-old fan to join them on stage. It took him mere seconds to jump over the barrier in front and shoot
up onto the stage. Charlie Scene graciously entrusted the youngster with his guitar and allowed him play it

for a while. The band then joined in for a soft jam and the boy actually did a decent job. To add to th full-on
stage experience, the group also handed the kid a mic so that he could address the packed venue, even

allowing him to choose the next song for them to play. Talk about a true once-in-a-lifetime experience! Right
after that, the band broke into “War Child,” a song befitting the 11-year-old budding musician.