Last night in Atlantic City the Jagermeister Music Tour rolled into the city of dirty hookers, compulsive old gamblers, old cocktail waitresses, strippers with knife wounds, and cigarette smoking women named Madge. The tour is a bi annual music festival that showcases the latest in hard rock, punk, and heavy metal music. This can be seen by the veteran bands that have played the music festival, (Slayer, Disturbed, Slipknot, Corrosion of Conformity, 3 Inches of Blood, Lacuna Coil, the Cult, and many others)

 

For some INSANE reason Jagermeister decided to take platinum selling "rock" murderers Hinder as the headliner of this falls incarnation. Take a look at these previous lineups:

 

Fall 2004: Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Mastodon

Spring 2004: Slipknot, Fear Factory, Chimaira

Fall 2003: Slayer, Hatebreed, Arch Enemy

Spring 2007: Stone Sour, Lacuna Coil, Shadows Fall

 

Those are some great bands on some killer lineups. Now take a look at the Fall 2008 tour lineup:

 

Trapt, Hinder, Rev Theory, Octane

 

Hinder is not hard rock, hardcore punk, nor heavy metal. They are commercial, radio friendly, pussy rock designed to sell a shit load of records through catchy pop hooks with no substance. I withheld judgment of the band because some bands kick ass live and really transform their music.

 

But not Hinder. They are bad not only on their albums, but live too. The venue was half full AT MOST. I also had no idea it was high school Junior prom night at the House of Blues because every guy was there with his girlfriend, and she was obviously there to see Hinder.

 

I could forgive Hinder if they came out and said, "Hey this "rock" is for the ladies. Guys, we will tour with kick ass live acts like Rev Theory to keep you interested, but we are really going for the older Jonas Brothers listeners." But they are trying to be the Motley Crue of 2008, which they are not.

 

From Hinder's Bio on their website:

 

 

The only thing Hinder does to the max is excessive use of the clichéd devil horns, overwrought use of hipster clothing from Matt Sorum's closet, gaily prancing around like a new white guy in prison, and watering down rock n roll to a generic, no balls, Saltine cracker. That is about all they are doing to the max.

 
But let's back up to the band that was really worth the trip to Atlantic City and who should be headlining this music festival, Rev Theory. They have more balls, more rock credibility, and better musicianship in just one member of their band than Hinder has in their entire band.

 

I heard Rev Theory's music from their MySpace site about 10 minutes before I interviewed Rich (lead vocals) yesterday. (Interview coming shortly) I am not a NASCAR or WWE fan, so I seemed to have missed their big break. I am sad I did because now I am just another fan jumping on the steamrolling bandwagon.

 

I enjoyed the music I heard and was eager to hear/see the band live. Julien Jorgensen scratched out a few cords signaling Rev Theory were about to take the stage. Dave Agoglia pounded the bass drum while Matt McCloskey lightly played along on his bass. Rikki Lixx emerged from backstage and hit the first cords to opener Wanted Man. Rich Luzzi skipped out on stage and burst into a loud scream and jumped up on one of two ego platforms the band had on stage.

 

Rich was wearing a tight coat that looked like an old military coat from afar. However, he was not wearing a shirt underneath and the coat was left open exposing his well cared for body. I took a look at the girls around me and saw them drop their jaws for Rich's air penis and cream their pants.

 

I was more impressed with the gusto at which the band played. They came out hard, fast, and efficient. They had captured my attention within two minutes. Sounds like my sex life, but I digress. I don't think the crowd was ready for Rev Theory because they were expecting a non consecrated Eucharist wafer (you know a Jesus wafer but without substance). Damn that is a clever reference. Hinder is an unleavened, non consecrated, Eucharist.

 

After the first song Wanted Man, Rev Theory kicked it up a notch with Kill The Headlights. That is when the crowd started to respond a bit. Some musclebound, chinstrap monkeys started a small pit and were enjoying themselves. Every other guy was either raising their hands/drinks or bobbing their heads. And the girls couldn't stop staring at Rich licking their lips and rubbing their crotches.

 

Rich played that sex appeal up using every free moment he had arching his back which would ripple his abs and press forward his crotch or scream out a note which would thicken his neck and bulge the other muscles.

 

There was one point after one of those big scream notes when this couple of about 22 years old started to make out. The girl a feisty strawberry blond grabbed her Tom Cruise sized boyfriend and started darting her tongue in his mouth. I know she was wishing that was Rich because after she broke the kiss, the diminutive man was still stunned while she turned to the stage, screamed, and flicked up devil horns at Rich.

 

I was impressed by Rikki Lixx ability on the guitar. Will it knock you dead like Joe Satriani or George Lynch? No, but it fit well with Rev Theory and he brings that Operator (his former band) sound to the band. There were times when I had to look at the band again to see if this wasn't Operator I was seeing.

 

The sound in the House of Blues Atlantic City is shit. It is a cool venue for a show, but the sound is just awful. I have talked too a few artists who refuse to play at the venue because of it. This was the first time Rev Theory were using inner ear monitoring and it looked like they were having some trouble with it, but it was only noticed by nit picking douchebags like myself. The rest of the crowd was too busy pumping fists or pumping their va jay jays to notice.

 

I loved this band. They definitely put on an entertaining show. I would see them again and highly recommend you check them out. They kick the shit out of Hinder and Trapt in musicality and on stage.

 

I guess that brings up Trapt. The crowd was really ready for the next band. If Motley Crue had followed I think an orgy would have broken out. But the Crue were not there. We were left with nerd rockers Trapt. I call them nerd rockers because they dressed like nerds - button down shirts, dark khakis. I wasn't sure if they were going to a board meeting or opening up a rock show. They really quieted the crowd with their drum and bass heavy music. It is a shame because Rev Theory did an awesome job of warming up the crowd only to have it ruined by Trapt.

 

This entire bill is a MISS. You shouldn't spend your hard earned cash on such a shit bill...Rev Theory aside. You can probably catch Rev Theory on a better bill later in the future. Instead, buy their albums and stay tuned for a great interview with the Rich.

Rev Theory Setlist:

Wanted Man
Kill the Headlights
Light it Up
Favorite Disease
Broken Bones into Head Like a Hole
Slow Burn
Hell Yeah

Trapt Setlist

Still Frame
Curiosity Kills
Who's Going Home With You Tonight
Waiting
Echo
Disconnected
Made of Glass
Contagious
Headstrong

Hinder Setlist

Use Me
Homecoming Queen
Heaven Sent
Take It To The Limit
Better Than Me
How Long
The Best Is Yet To Come
Up All Night
Without You
Room 21
Thing for You
Lips of an Angel
Get Stoned