San Francisco Show Review

Venomboy

New Metal Member
Aug 7, 2006
4
0
1
Morgan Hill, CA
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't think an Anthrax reunion was the best idea. But when I heard the band was headlining a local show and were going to play Among the Living in it's entirety, I threw my opinions out the window and decided to go to the show. I got 4 presale tickets which would include a 3:30pm soundcheck. Being the metal geek that I am, I also coughed up $100 for the VIP package which included a 1-year fan club membership, 2 exclusive t-shirts, a beer kolder, guitar picks, Judge Dredd poster, drumsticks, sticker, membership card and a chance to be 1 of 15 people to get a meet and greet with the band. I got on the meet and greet list and everyone on the list was allowed to bring a friend to the meet and greet.

I created the following flyers for the meet and greet, hoping to get a laugh from the band:
http://mysite.verizon.net/artkilinski/Anthrax/savage_animal.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/artkilinski/Anthrax/savage_animal.pdf
(The pdf requires Acrobat 7 to display properly)

The night before the show I received an email from Anthrax's fan club people stating the soundcheck was moved to 4:45pm. We arrive at The Pound in San Francisco around 4:15pm. The Pound is a small venue (capacity 500 people) right on the water in an industrial area called India Basin. I didn't see any Indians nor Basins. At 4:45 the club owner and Anthrax's security people told us the band was 2 hours late, had just arrived and was going to their hotels to take a shower. The soundcheck would be in about an hour or so. We weren't happy but the people in charge were very cordial and apologetic. We were given special red tickets. Not a problem, we were hungry so we left and grabbed some pizza.

We returned an hour later and were told there wasn't going to be a soundcheck. About 15 minutes later all red ticketholders were taken to the ouside patio of the club for the meet and greet. So I'm wondering why there's more than 15 people; each of the supposed 15 was allowed to bring a guest, but to me it appeard to be more than 30 people. It appears that almost everyone in line for the show is being allowed in.

My wife was very excited to meet Scott Ian and I wanted to ask the band a lot of questions. Everyone except wee Danny Spitz is sitting at a table. Frank Bello was sitting closest to the front of the line and seemed really happy and excited. My wife asked to take a picture with him, he says SURE...then Scott Ian says NO. Then tells security to keep the line moving, no pictures with the band. I was incredibly pissed. Talk about buzzkill. I give the flyer to Frank and he's confused at first then is laughing his ass off. He asks for one for himself to read on the tour bus. He signs mine, passes it to Scott. Scott takes it, looks pissed and confused, then says "what the fuck...?" Silence. Then laughter. He asks where these were 3 months ago because they could have used them as posters. Charlie and Joey ask for one, Frank is asking me if I really created and wrote it myself. Charlie and Joey are laughing their asses off. Joey points out that Spitz looks like he doesn't belong. "Exactly!" I say and they keep laughing. I give them all copies to keep and security is telling us to keep it moving.

So now we're back outside. About 15 minutes later they bring all the VIP people in again (8 of us) and we're given our t-shirts, poster, picks, and sticker. No drumsticks. We're led back outside again. My wife is really pissed at this point and everyone seems really disappointed. I ask the security guy about the promised meet and greet, because this was more like a "get 2 things signed and leave". He says he's not sure, that since everything is running late, they're making it up as they go along. Again, he was very cordial and wasn't being a dick.

So around 7pm the red ticket holders area again brought to the patio area. We hear the usual "doom doom" of the bass drum inside, a few guitar licks. This continues for over an hour. I'm baffled as to why we're getting "special" treatment. This is not our promised souncheck. We can buy drinks. We can freeze our asses off. Amazing. I ask the guy at the merchandise table if we are getting a real meet and greet and that if "Anthony" (they guy we were told would take us to meet the band) would be here. He says Anthony is gone, that he was the guy that let us in earlier and that as far as he knows there wouldn't be another meet and greet. Lovely.

So a little after 8pm we're let in the club. It's a small place with a capacity of about 500 people. 2 opening bands play...eh...not my thing. Some mosh pits start (great...fat sweaty people rubbing against me) and I just want Anthrax to play. I'm not happy at this point and I'm trying to get past it all and be able to enjoy the show.

At 10pm or so a tech is on stage with Danny's guitar. He keeps pointing to his ear monitor, gesturing that he can't hear anything. This continues for close to an HOUR. The crowd is getting pissed. People are booing and flipping the bird. My wife says, "back in 1985 they didn't have those fancy ear things, right? Aren't they METAL enough to play without them?" I'm also wondering...the band was late. We met them around 6pm. It's almost 11pm. There's no and I mean NO excuse for not taking 15 mintues to meet with 8 people and their guests. I don't want to hear excuses. We were promised something, it didn't happen. And now we've been on our feet since 8pm, not a chair in site.

Finally around 11pm the band takes the stage and launches into Among the Living. I gotta say...they were amazing. The crowd sang every single word of the song, so loudly that the entire band was almost drowned out. Frank Bello is completely insane on stage. I couldn't really see Dan Spitz. Joe Belladonna amazed me. The last few times I saw him, his voice wasn't holding up well. He was singing really well and having a great time up there. Dan's solos weren't spot on and his rig was humming loudly at times. He seemed to drop in and out of the mix. Charlie is an amazing drummer. He looks so relaxed up there while the drums are getting pummelled. Scott and Joe took turns between songs to talk to the crowd. Scott mentioned that they'd probably never play the next few songs live again and launched into One World. He confirmed that ADI/Horror of it All was written about Cliff Burton. Joey mentioned that this was the smallest venue on the tour. What I didn't enjoy was Imitation of Life. They played the slow intro part...then launched into...you guessed it...Got the Time. They didn't finish Imitation. Next was Antisocial. I have an idea. Throw in Run to the Hills, Running Free, and Enter Sandman while you're at it. Bring the Noise and Be All, End All closed the set.

After the show my wife said "they are soooo lucky they played a good set and sounded great". I would have to agree. I'm still not happy about the situation and from what I've been reading on the fan club message board, the lack of soundcheck and the meet and greet that's not a meet and greet has been common on this tour.

I commend the band's/venue's security people for being cordial to us. I commend the band for a stellar performance. It felt like being at a club in the 80's, watching a band that you know is going to become bigger than life, and that this is the last time you'll be so close to them. Shame on the band for not doing a real meet and greet or at least not publicly acknowledging that things didn't run right or smoothly.

Here's the shots from the "meet and greet"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/venomboy/
 
Let me clear a few thing up regarding the Soundcheck....

I got there at 5 pm and met up with Danny and Joey, and shortly after that Charlie, Scott and Frankie arrived. While setting up for the sound check the sound guy for the pound can't find the cables that go to the mic's on the Amp's. The pound had to send a runner to guitar center in SF to purchase new ones.... So this is why there was no sound check.....
So they had the meet and greet !

I will post my review tonight and pictures .... They didn't allow camera's but i was able to take pic's...
 
Hey There

I was at the Pound as well on Sat. I thought that band was fantastic! But, I have a few bitches as well. If you are going to advertise that you are going to perform the Among The Living album in its entirety, then do us all a favor as patrons and perform the entire Among The Living album in its ENTIRETY! My copy of Among the Living has a much longer version than the one the band played the other night. It was cool that Scott dedicated the mini-Imitation Of Life to Exodus' Paul Baloff, but it also kind showed some of us that even the memory of Baloff wasn't worth it for the band to play the whole song.

After sitting through 50+ minutes of the guitar tech getting Danny's earpieces set up, I thought that the band might give us a little extra love for our patience. But alas, only 4 songs after the Among The Living set. 3 of which were covers! I have been a fan of the band since 1984, and I think that Bring The Noise is neat, but I would much rather hear an Anthrax original than some other band's song! Since it was a night of rarities, how about some other lost gems!

Venomboy, at least you got an e-mail about the change in time for the non-existant soundcheck. For those of us who got admission for the soundcheck by buying tickets on line, we were not so lucky. I know that this is not the band's responsibilit, I am not bitter about that. We traveled from Sacramento and got caught in quite a bit of bumper to bumper traffic along the way and got into SF at 430 pm. Had we know that there was a change of time, we would have gone to the club and at least had the meet and greet rahter than thinking it was a bust and hitting Ameoba instead. It does suck that the band took a bit to warm up at the meet and greet. We were at a Tower Recrods signing in Sacto 3 years ago and everyone but Rob and Frankie really acted like they would rather be somewhere else.

Oh well. The performance was fantastic and it was great to see the classic line up together again. I look forward to seeing what the band's next record is like. I hope that they can make it work and stay together to get it recorded! I know I bitched too much and I am happy to have had to opportunity to be there, but if I don't get it off my chest I'll go crazy!

Thanks

PS-The Pound is a shithole! But they have the most pleasant staff and security of any venue that I have been too!!

PPS-Looking forward to seeing the pics! Anybody out there boot the show?
 
Venom Boy, I feel your pain about feeling shafted. Far worse could have happened though. For example, back in 96, they cancelled a one off gig in Baltimore because of a blizzard. And it was a gig with Helmet or Quicksand, I can't even remember now, this was ten years ago.


If Anthrax play in Baltimore, they should have a crab feast for CDC members with Scott Ian dumping bushels of crabs on everyone at my buddy's crabhouse in Annapolis !!!!! I could set it up.
 
Here's from my point of view. I bought 2 tix presale thru the official website in order to go to the soundcheck. We arrived before 3:30pm as the previous night's email stated no later than 3:30. Venomboy, you were lucky to received a late warning. About 40 of us sat on the curb during all this time with no communications from anyone. We even called the boxoffice and got voicemail full msg at 4:30. We sat there until appx 5, when (I think) the Insipid Prod guy said that the band was delayed. Luckily, someone asked how long it'll be before they got there as we would have been sitting there for another hour or two starving.

We met up with friends that we were suppose to grab a bite earlier with. Our friends were accommodating to our schedule change. I decided to rush back to the soundcheck solo. I got there a little after 7 due to delays with a part of my meal, but got there as one of the last people for the aborted soundcheck, now Meet & Greet. That explains the 30+ people there. When I was allowed in, I got 2 red tix, which no one told me what they were for. I thought it was for the M&G, but no one collected it.

The band members were casual, but the whole thing seemed very rushed. I asked Frank on why "Imitation" isn't played, and he explained that it didn't sound good thru the monitors when they tried it. The sound was bouncing all over the place. I think it could be some legal issues as it's very similar to M.O.D. & S.O.D.'s "Don't Feed the Bears". I was happy that Frank replied anyway.

I went back to meet the friends and returned to the Pound at 10 pm. Remember that I mentioned about the red tix earlier? When I went to the will call, there was a slight mark on my name to indicate something happened. The security guy (who was not present earlier) asked the head security. I figured out it might be from the M&G, and he said that I had to go get the red tix! I parked a mile away and he wouldn't budge. What if I had accidently threw away the tix?! (After all I was never given instructions to what they were used for.) I went back to the car and rushed back before the band came on. I so happened to notice a person I knew who was at the M&G earlier. He lost his red tix immediately after the M&G, so I wondered how he got in. He replied that they give him new tix. Next time, I won't say anything to the security. That's what I get for help him out.

I think one song was cut from the encore due to the delays. Overall, that was a great show! I just wish there was more communication for the soundcheck situation (and red tix for me), so us dedicated fans could have better use of our time.
 
Venomboy said:
I ask the guy at the merchandise table if we are getting a real meet and greet and that if "Anthony" (they guy we were told would take us to meet the band) would be here. He says Anthony is gone, that he was the guy that let us in earlier and that as far as he knows there wouldn't be another meet and greet. Lovely.
oh the infamous Anthony, I had my own problems at the reunion show back in October. A lot of undelivered promises from him over and over and over again. I still had a great time, but it could have been better
 
This seems to be the norm for a lot of the tour. You'd think it would have been rectified by the end of the tout. Blaming the venue, security, etc doesn't fly.
 
Well, thraxx, you have to look at it from their point of view. Sure, we all know that you are friends with the guys in thrax but they don't have the automatic hookup like you do. They actually paid their hard earned cash to do these things whereas you basically get it for free and then some(hanging out on the side stage watching the show for example). I'm not trying to be a dick but if you paid 100 or so bucks for something and didn't get it, wouldn't you be pissed too? I mean it is pretty obvious that someone in their camp is fucking up.
 
MyHatred said:
Well, thraxx, you have to look at it from their point of view. Sure, we all know that you are friends with the guys in thrax but they don't have the automatic hookup like you do. They actually paid their hard earned cash to do these things whereas you basically get it for free and then some(hanging out on the side stage watching the show for example). I'm not trying to be a dick but if you paid 100 or so bucks for something and didn't get it, wouldn't you be pissed too? I mean it is pretty obvious that someone in their camp is fucking up.

I read this before i left work but couldn't respond.......

My hatred... Your right i would be pissed and if i had my daughter with me:zombie: .... well I do understand ...and no i think you are being a dick... I said dont bag on Anthony ...remember he just works for the band......
I will leave it at that......
Maybe we should blame Dan like in the other thread??????

NOT!!!!!
 
thraxx said:
I read this before i left work but couldn't respond.......

My hatred... Your right i would be pissed and if i had my daughter with me:zombie: .... well I do understand ...and no i think you are being a dick... I said dont bag on Anthony ...remember he just works for the band......
I will leave it at that......

Im sorry but myhatred has got this one 100%: You pay for something, you should recieve it.
 
thraxx said:
I read this before i left work but couldn't respond.......

My hatred... Your right i would be pissed and if i had my daughter with me:zombie: .... well I do understand ...and no i think you are being a dick... I said dont bag on Anthony ...remember he just works for the band......
I will leave it at that......
Maybe we should blame Dan like in the other thread??????

NOT!!!!!

Maybe you should take time to absorb the words that I typed:Smug: I said, "It is obvious that someone in the Anthrax camp is fucking up." Did I say 1 thing about this Anthony fellow? Nope, I did not. Did I mention one thing about Dan Spitz? Ummm, NO. I don't even know where that came from. Is someone fucking up this meet and greet thing? Yes. I don't know who is the one the one responsible for the meet and greets so that is why I kept it vague and just said "someone" So the only one coming off as a dick, is you.

P.S. The whole "NOT" thing died in 92.