Posts Tagged ‘lizzy borden’
Lizzy Borden Concert Review, San Antonio, TX, August 16, 2014
Last night marked the third time since 2001 that I’ve seen Lizzy Borden. I’ve been a fan since being introduced to them via their first EP. They’re currently touring on the “30 Years of American Metal Tour” and last night was the 3rd of three shows in Texas. One of my lifelong friends lives in San Antonio so I picked him up before the show and we headed to Fitzgerald’s after grabbing some Thai food. We missed the first band and stayed outside on the patio during the second band. Not my thing.
James Rivera’s Metal Asylum came on next playing songs from many of the bands that’s been involved in over his career as well as some of his favorite cover songs. The sound in this venue was horrible and I’m not sure that it was equipment issues. Beyond the huge shows at the AT&T Center and Alamo Dome, every bar gig that I see in San Antonio sounds like shit. Last night was no different. Rivera sounded good through most of his set, but it did seem that he was having trouble hearing himself. Between going in and out during most of his set, it was enjoyable.
While on the patio during the second band, I saw Lizzy and his bassist, Marten, by their RV and spoke to them for a minute. Lizzy asked how the crowd was and I told him, “Maybe 100, probably a little less.” He looked disappointed. By the time that they came on stage, a lot of the crowd had already left. I figured that would happen as a lot of the crowd was there to see Rivera as he’s still very popular in Texas.
Lizzy came on and the sound issues continued through his set. I stood up front for much of the show but moved around to gauge the mix and it was just awful. Nonetheless, the band was solid although I was surprised to see them with only one guitarist which happened to be Ira Black who has notably played with Metal Church and Vicious Rumors as well as being on the last Lizzy album. He played well but some of the guitar harmony stuff was noticeably absent. Lizzy did costume and mask changes between every song which got a little tedious. I’d love to see him just do a tour with no makeup. Maybe I’m just getting old but I don’t need the theatrics to keep me interested in a band or their show. His music stands on its own for me. But that’s his thing, so be it. It was good to see them again and I really liked watching Marten’s bass work. He’s good.
It was a fun show and a great night with one of my best friends. And for the record, Lizzy and drummer Joey Scott (Lizzy’s brother) signed The Book in 2001 back in Norfolk.
-
- Ira Black
-
- Marten
-
- Give ’em The Axe!
-
- Marten Andersson’s bass pick
Lizzy Borden Concert Review – 041710
As stated before, I am a pretty big fan of Lizzy Borden. so I was pretty excited when I heard that they were coming to
Give 'em the Axe!
San Antonio to do a show…a FREE show! I saw them in 2001 opening for Malmsteen at the NORVA in Norfolk, VA and they were great even though they didn’t play Give ’em The Axe. My problem, not theirs, eh?
So McMaster and I head down to San Antonio (75 miles) around 6PM and go to the legendary Hogwild Records before heading to the venue. I’ve been there one other time and it’s a great store, lots of San Antonio metal history there. I ended up buying 6 shirts while I was there: 2 S.A. Slayer, Sepultura – Beneath The Remains, 2 Dark Angels designs and Mercyful Fate – Nuns Have No Fun. They had tons of other great shirts, but sold out on my size (tent-makers must be running behind! haha!) I really wanted the Sin After Sin shirt. *sigh*
So after doing our damage there, we head to the venue just to see where it is. It’s an old warehouse, huge place. After we spotted it we went to Denny’s and grabbed a quick meal. I hadn’t eaten since that morning so I was feeling pretty weak.
We get to the venue around 9:30PMish and catch up with McMaster’s girlfriend and 2 of her friends who flew in from Oklahoma City…April and Angie. good looking rock chicks. Super funny and very cool. Had a blast with them.
The venue is called Backstage Live and they are bringing in a lot of shows, mostly 80s rock and metal. The place is friggin’ huge. I imagine it can hold 1000 comfortably, maybe twice that. They did a nice job doing the rehab work in there. It was a very nice place. Some cool swag on the walls as well like this German KISS poster from the Unmasked 
Tour with Iron Maiden opening up. Damn!
It took almost an hour for Lizzy to hit the stage after the opening band, One Of Six. WTH? It was ridiculous. The club owner spoke from the stage saying they were delayed in getting there, but I don’t know. There was a point where they all walked out from backstage to come on then went back in…seemed like it was another 20 minutes until they finally came on.
Jason and I moved practically 5′ from the stage with ease and room to spare around us. There may have been 100-120 people there, but the place is so big that the crowd looked tiny.
Lizzy finally hit the stage dressed in a hooded robe and a black screen covering his face. Honestly, the sound quality
Lizzy Borden, one of many masks
was so bad that I have no idea what song they opened with. I think it may have been from their last album of which I am totally unfamiliar with. Give ’em The Axe was next but I had no idea what it was. Jason elbowed me and said, “They’re playing your song.” Really? Couldn’t tell. I could tell that Lizzy’s voice was good, though. Really he sounded great. He has such a unique voice and it can cut through just about anything. His band was really good too. Marten Andersson is a fantastic bassplayer. Lizzy’s brother, Joey Scott Harges is still on drums and he had 2 hot shot guitarists with him. Both of those dudes could play.
Lizzy changed masks and costumes between just about every song. I have to say that I think I would have preferred a stripped down Lizzy show without having all of the “show”. Their music can hold it’s own. But then I guess it just wouldn’t be a Lizzy show without all the props and such.
nice mullet, hero.
They only did 14 songs and it really seemed like fewer because of the sound there. I really left the show very disappointed…one, in the sound quality and 2, in the setlist. I thought it was pretty weak and very short. This is one of 4 USA shows, play a longer set!
I’m not so sure that I’ll ever go see them again.
Setlist:
? (inaudible)
Give ’em The Axe
Voyeur
? (inaudible)
Tomorrow Never Comes
Under Your Skin
Master of Disguise
There Will Be Blood Tonight
Me Against the World
American Metal
Hollywood? (inaudible)
We’ve Got The Power
Notorious (encore)
Redrum (encore)
If anyone can fill in the blanks on the setlist, it would be greatly appreciated.
I’m really hesitant to see other shows at this venue even though they have a lot of good stuff coming there…Y&T, Dangerous Toys, Pat Travers, etc.
Oh well. I had fun with Jason, his girl and the OKC girls…and I got to meet the legendary Don Van Stavern Riot, SA Slayer).
We all bleed American metal!
****UPDATE****
Someone sent me the setlist. Three songs were not played although they were listed: Crawlin’, Deal With the Devil and Come Out At Night.
setlist
photo courtesy of Rockerazzi Photography
My Life With Lizzy Borden
“Hello suckers!” = Lizzy Borden
The first time I had seen or heard of Lizzy Borden was from a little photo and small article in Circus Magazine. It was a 
cool shot of the band in black and white standing on the roof of a building and Lizzy had a big axe proppoed on his toe. Would love to find that photo somewhere.
I think I first heard them on one of the old Metal Blade Records compilations but it wasn’t really until 1986 that I got into them via a former friend from high school. I remember going to his house and he had the Give ‘Em The Axe EP on vinyl. I was hooked. In subsequent years we all got into Love You To Pieces and the Muderess Metal Roadshow thanks to the VHS they put out, Good times! That former friend from high school and I did Give “em The Axe for our junior year air band contest. I think we won because everyone else was a bit scared.
Sure Lizzy and the band always looked a bit silly and even more so now, but they’ve never really done a bad record. I finally got to see them play at the NORVA in Norfolk, VA back in 2004 opening for Yngwie, not long before their guitarist, Alex Nelson, was killed in a car wreck. He was a killer player. They were all very cool folks. I couldn’t believe they didn’t play Give ‘Em the Axe though! I felt cheated!
So, here’s the review that you’ve so anxiously been waiting for.
Give ‘Em The Axe EP – 1984
This was a cool EP. The title tracks rules. No Time to Lose and Kiss of Death are cool. I never liked their cover of Long Live Rock and Roll (Rainbow). 7/10
Love You To Pieces – 1985
Oh man. This album rules. There’s not a bad track on it but the highlights ae Warfare, American Metal, Rod of Iron and Red Rum. I listened to this tape so much. No telling how many copies I went through over the years. 10/10
Menace To Society – 1986
Another fantastic record by Lizzy Borden but it suffered severely from poor production. It was very tinny and I don’t really know that a bass was used on it. I’m one of the few Lizzy fans who actually thinks this one is as good as the previews album. My faves are Notorious, Ursa Minor and Love Kills. 10/10
Terror Rising EP – 1987
Ugh. This really was a bit of a waste of petroleum based materials. Catch Your Death was a cool tune but the cover version of the Tubes’ Don’t Touch Me There with Betsy from Bitch, the title track and the god awful cover of White Rabbit makes me with I could get my $5.98 back from the Music Man. 2/10
Visual Lies – 1987
Another Lizzy album that I love but it’s a lot different than their previous albums. It’s a little more polished in production terms and a little more palatable for the MTV crowd. They had a video for Me Against the World and the song was featured in the terrible movie Black Roses. I dig the album though. There are some really great tracks like Lord of the Flies, Shock Treatment, the title track and Eyes of a Stranger. Worthwhile listening for sure. By the way, this featured Joe Holmes on guitar who was in Ozzy for a brief time. 9/10
Master of Disguise – 1989
This is where started losing me a bit. While it’s not a bad album, it was missing something. I could never put my finger on it. I think that this was supposed a solo album by Lizzy…allegedly. I haven’t listened to this one in years and years. I won’t anytime soon! 1/10
Deal With the Devil – 2000
This was a good comeback album for the guys. I like this one a lot and still spin it a few times a year. There Will Be Blood Tonight is a good track. Their cover of Alice Cooper’s Generation Landslide was pretty decent too. I really dig Zanzibar and The World Is Mine. 7/10
Appointment With Death – 2007
I haven’t listened to this one since it came out but I don’t remember it striking me like the previous album did. Can’t really even name any songs off of it…so there you go. 0/10
So, as it stands, I always recommend Love You to Pieces, Menace to Society and Visual Lies to everyone.
The Metal Files 
You must be logged in to post a comment.