The crowd sang along to more songs than I can remember and certainly felt that their £35 tickets were worth it. Black & Co were naturally funny but what came through loud and clear was the band’s love affair with heavy rock, and their ability to perform it. In fact Tenacious D with their combination of electric and acoustic guitars produced a sound which is distinctive and original (when not imitating other bands). However, I would love to hear a serious rock album leaving out the mysogeny, rampant swearing and obsession with genetalia perhaps under a different band name - hell perhaps a show in two parts: deadly funny (support act) and deadly serious (headliner). Nevertheless, one of the most entertaining, fun shows I have witnessed.

Setlist

Rize of the Fenix, Low Hangin’ Fruit, Senorita, Deth Starr, Roadie, Throw Down,  Saxaboom, Kielbasa, Kickapoo, Dude (I Totally Miss You), Kyle Quit the Band, Friendship, The Metal, Wonderboy, Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown), Who Medley,  Tribute, Double Team. Encore: Baby, Fuck Her Gently.

http://www.tenaciousd.com/home

The BOTS Biography

Forging their own path in today’s music industry, brothers and band-mates Mikaiah Lei, 18, and Anaiah Lei, 14, are producing an infectious strain of rock and with a style all their own. Known for their fast-paced driving drums, grinding melodies and radical breakdowns, The Bots’ songs have been reviewed as ‘fresh’ and ‘raw’, their deep appreciation for the truth of their music always evident, never over producing and ever exploring a variety different styles and instruments.

The Bots have recorded three albums and are currently working on their next full length. “Self-Titled Album” (2009), “Black and White Lights” (2010), and “Ladies & Gentlemen” (2011) all currently available on on their website (thebotsband.com) and on iTunes in October. They have put forth an army of videos on YouTube, played (and continue to play) an extensive string of live shows around the L.A. area over the past two years and have played both the Vans Warped Tour ’10 and ‘11, the Afro-Punk Tour ‘09 and ’10.

Mikaiah (lead guitar, vocals), was 15 years old and brother Anaiah (drums, backup vocals), was 12 when their band The Bots recorded their first album, “Self-Titled Album” at Paramount Ameraycan Studios in Hollywood, CA in the spring of 2009. It consists of 10 original tracks that the boys co-wrote together and one cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s song, “Art Star”. By the spring of 2010 they were back at Paramount recording a two-track single, “Black and White Lights” that includes their songs “Notre Monde” and “No One Knows”, almost complete opposites of one another in their pacing, structure and attitude but both delivering insightful and often profound lyrics within their haunting melodies. The boys maintain that the words are very much secondary to the emotions evoked by the music itself.

Two months later in June 2010, The Bots were re-united with long-time family friend and front man for the Bad Brains, H.R., after opening for them on the Afro Punk Tour in Brooklyn, NY. They describe the experience as a definite highlight of their career, while articles and reviews hailed their performance as watching the ‘future of punk’. In the spring of 2011, they linked up with Agent Orange drummer and producer, Dave Klein, who along with the boys produced their most recent single “Ladies & Gentlemen” which includes the tracks “Northern Lights” and “Vanity”. They put out a video for “Northern Lights” and a video release for “Vanity” is expected as well this fall.

Shortly after that they were on the road again for the 2011 Vans Warped Tour where they played Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, TX, Las Cruses NM, Las Vegas NV, Pomona CA, Ventura CA, Mountain View CA, Kansas, Indiana, Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota! The reviews from the Vans Warped Tour included a write-up in RollingStone:

“One of the day’s coolest, most unexpected sets was delivered by the Bots–- two brothers from Glendale, California, ages 13 and 18 – playing tough and melodic punk ‘n’ blues in the Black Keys mode. “I’m pretty sure their mom is out on tour and watching over them,” Against Me!’s Tom Gabel told Rolling Stone backstage, calling the young duo one of his favorite acts on this year’s 44-date tour.” – RollingStone 

The brothers credit their mother, for her guidance and faith and their father, for his support and inspiration. Other inspirations include Arcade Fire, Black Flag, The White Stripes, Arcade Fire, Arcade Fire, LA’s Wasted Youth, Arcade Fire, Circle Jerks, Arcade Fire, Arcade Fire, Rancid, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire and The XX.

For more exclusive images from the show click here:

http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/gallery/?album=3306&gallery=1840

http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/gallery/?album=3305&gallery=1839