HIM at Fillmore Silver Spring on 11/9/17

“Love Metal” band H.I.M.’s farewell tour made one of its final U.S. stops in the DMV to celebrate their long and successful career. The Bang & Whimper 2017-The Farewell Tour is giving fans one last chance to see a live performance that has been crafted with the experience H.I.M. has gathered from a long career full of playing everything from small club shows to large festivals and it does not disappoint. Their incredibly dedicated fans started lining up to get their spot in the sold-out venue at noon and some even traveled all the way from South America. 3 Teeth took the stage first and if you haven’t heard of them before they bring an industrial style of music that was made popular by acts like Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. They have an incredible stage presence and put on a high energy show that left many fans surprised because of the live style of the headliner which is naturally softer but delivered in a way that compliments the music. CKY came on next and has long been associated with H.I.M. because of skateboarder Bam Margera who became a huge advocate of the both H.I.M. and CKY. Margera’s brother Jesse is also the drummer for CKY. CKY played some of their more popular songs but also performed material from their latest album The Phoenix which was released in June 2017. H.I.M. closed the night and performed their last show in the area much to fans dismay. Ville Valo, H.I.M.’s front man, walked out to cheering fans and Finnish flags flying as the their instantly recognizable heartagram symbol glowed behind him on drummer, Jukka "Kosmo" Kröger’s kick drum. With this being a farewell tour and the band having many years of success, they had no shortage of material and played the fan favorites. Overall the show was a fantastic display of the hard work and success that H.I.M. has seen over the past 22 years.

Cypress Hill at Fillmore Silver Spring on 11/1/17

Cypress Hill came to Silver Spring, Maryland’s Fillmore and played their most well-known hits. Cypress Hill, fronted by rappers Sen Dog and B Real, are one of the more influential rap groups in the 90’s. While do not regularly tour, when they do come to town it brings out a wide spectrum of fans – some traveled hours to see the group.

The show was supported by DJ JS-1 and rapper/beat boxer Rahzel, who is a former member of The Roots. Rahzel showcased his talents by beat boxing and singing songs simultaneously with tracks from popular acts like Black Sabbath and Rage Against the Machine. Cypress Hill’s B Real is currently working with Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello on their new project, Prophets of Rage, which includes Chuck D and all the members from Rage Against the Machine except Zack de la Rocha.

Overall, the show was a great opportunity to see legendary names, and due to their infrequent tour dates, it gave fans a special opportunity to see one of their favorite artists.

Reel Big Fish & Anti-Flag at Fillmore Silver Spring in Silver Spring, MD on 1/17/17

Reel Big Fish and Anti-Flag stopped in Silver Spring, MD to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their albums “Turn the Radio Off” and “Die for the Government”. While the two are very different in style the show brought back that glorious feeling of the late 90’s/early 2000’s Warped Tour.

The upcoming inauguration was a popular topic during Anti-Flag’s set and Justin Sane explained how Donald Trump inspired the popular song ‘Your Daddy Was A Rich Man, Your Daddy’s Fucking Dead’. They wrapped their set by setting up the drum set in the crowd and finishing the song ‘Bradenburg Gate’.

The two headliners were supported by Direct Hit! and Maryland locals Ballyhoo!