Bastards of the Holy Riff Tour @ the Rosetta Room in Mesa, AZ
It was incredible to be invited out to the Rosetta Room to see the Holy Riff Tour. While the Pack were now to their music, it’s hard to resist checking out something new to us. Being the Pack’s first introduction to the venue, getting a wheelchair patron in had no hang-ups — just find the spot you want to be in. Yet, we recommend getting early if you want close to the stage. Then we were ready to see what Crobot, Atomic Bitchwax, Bog Walker, and 73 Libra had to offer.
Just a drumkit and a bass, 73 Libra seems to be an instrumental band. That doesn’t make them soft though. Opie Cakebread and RRRL form the local scrapmetal duo. Checking them out after the show revealed that RRRL is bass and vocals for the band and their latest video for “Emperor” proves they are more than bass and drum to vibe to. The Pack were bummed to have only caught the latter half of their set, but got a great impression for the few songs we were witness to.
Bog Walker is a mashup of musicians from different bands. Max Pietrzak (Drums), Matt Immerzeel (Guitar), and Jeff Horen (Guitar) are all members of the Agoreez with Jesse Hall (Bass/Vocals) sharing a band with Immerzeel called Mocking Jupiter. Together, Bog Walker is a blend of metal from Mesa, AZ. Self described as a bunch of idiots who like to have fun and play music together, the chemistry shows on stage with their sound being great as well. While the Punk Pack hadn’t heard of the Agoreez or Mocking Jupiter, Bog Walker’s set certainly sparked an interest in exploring their other projects. You can find Bog Walker playing at the Yucca Taproom in Tempe, AZ on February 8th and again in March 6th.
Next was Atomic Bitchwax from New Jersey. One of the two headliners of the tour, their sound hits a nostalgic chord with their hard rock licks that reminds one of rock from the late 70s. Active since 1993, there is some source for the feeling. Atomic Bitchwax take this author back to a moment listening to classic rock with their father at an early age. Chris Kosnik (Bass/Vocals) plays a funky and fluid bass while belting out lyrics with his strong voice. Garret Sweeny (Guitar/Vocals) thrashes with his guitar with just as much ferocity, making Bob Pantella (Drums) the conductor with his sick beats. The Pack recommends Atomic Bitchwax to any who loved classic hard rock.
Last was the second headliner of the tour, Crobot. There is no amount of ready one can be for this band. Throughout the night, the music has been good but lacked the high energy one has come to experience at live shows. Then imagine seeing Brandon Yeagley (Lead Vocals/Harmonica) burst on stage to dance with the mic stand. Crobot also hits the nostalgia of classic hard rock akin to Atomic Bitchwax. The major difference though is the smooth moves and direct eye contact one gets with Crobot. Chris Bishop’s (Backing Vocals/Guitar) voice grounds the near untamable voice of Yeagley’s commanding stage presence. The Punk Pack cannot urge you enough to give Crobot a try. Even if classic rock isn’t your bag, the live performance will be enough to persuade you.
This author’s brain felt melted by the end of the night. The flux in the performance was pleasantly overwhelming. It remains a great honor to be invited out to the Bastards of the Holy Riff tour. It’s not often the Pack get to experience so many new things at once. Yet, without a doubt, each band was better than the last. We’ll be seeking to add Crobot as well as Atomic Bitchwax to the Pack’s music collection while keeping an eye out for the locals that opened the show. The groove that 73 Libra, Bog Walker, the Atomic Bitchwax, and Crobot has introduced us to won’t be swiftly forgotten. Thank you also for the pleasant first visit to the Rosetta Room. The staff are kind and direct, easily answering accessibility questions and getting us in the show shortly upon arriving.
