Okay, everybody has a second chance, as I use to say so. And this here is Buckcherrys second opportunity to show us, that their reputation really is what it is.  Josh Todd and his gang have been here before as some of you might remember. But back then they were only one of four (headliner was Disturbed) and had to play second in the row. But not only that, it also happened at the huge Zenith venue, where supportacts usually get pretty much lost. But all those facts were not the reall problem. The final drowning came for Buckcherry, when band no.3 Papa Roach played them down on the ground afterwards. Although both bands are good friends and even embark on a co-headliner tour this summer in the US. Anyway, our boys here, didn't leave much of an impression on us back then.
But back to tonight and this review, where they get their second chance to prove they are good - as headliners in a club atmosphere.

Well, what shall I say... the first no go comes along, when I arrive at the venue's parking space, where are not many cars in sight. And that's not a good sign at all. Autsch... and I'm right. The second biggest of the 3 venues here fitting in about 600 is only half full with people who are probably the last one's of the sparkling glamrock LA Hardrock fans. But the best thing is while watching the audiance, that there is not a single longhaired freak amongst the people,exept maybe one or two. So this audiance here rather seems as the average guys and girls who just wanna rock along in a very behaved and conservative way. The very young's one's standing in the very front, the older one's in the back..

It's starting off with the Damned Things.

For everybody who hasn't heard the name before, or has heard it, but doesn't know really what to do with it, it's pretty quickly explained. This is an allstar project feat. Scott Ian (Git), and Rob Caggiano (Git both from the band Anthrax, singer Keith Buckley from Every Time I Die, Joe Trohman (Git9 from Fall Out Boys and Bassist Josh Newton.
It's those kind of bands, which is nothing else than: I got a little bored with my own group, so let's get together to make something else and new. And this is exactly what the Damned Things have done. They left their Thrash, Metalcore and Alternative music behind, just to record a simple normal heavy metal album named 'Ironiclast'. Doesn't sound bad at all though, but you've gotta get used to it. There is only one thing irritating me a bit here in Munich. Because where is Anthrax boss Scott Ian, who is definately not up there on stage. The answer is simple. He stood out of this tour, to stay with his wife (who's the daughter of Meat Loaf by the way) as she is going through a pretty difficult pregnancy right now. 

However it is a fact, that this band is received only with mixed feelings by the audiance. Whereby  I'd put the reason to the fact, that here are no Anthras or Fall Out Boys fans, but rather friends of american garage- and Sleaze rock. So The Damned Things don't do too easy here. Maybe next time, they are over for a tour they should rather support a stylistically similar band or paly their own headliner clubshows. For all those of you out there who are interested in this band please go to: http://www.myspace.com/thedamnedthings  


Okidok, and now we are with Josh Todd and his Buckcherry, the man, who smiles as often as stone roses in late December...

And he's got a healthy portion of arrogance, which is underlining his ego. And that my friends does not only happen on stage... as I can tell you out of my own experience. In each way, it's pretty much clear, that Buckcherry do come across much better here in this small club, instead of the huge venue last time. The stage energy has got a much shorter way to be transfered from up there down to us and let the sparkle spread on the audiance, as we say so. What maybe many people don't know yet, is, that Josh Tood Gruber, meanwhile 41 years old, is also an actor. For instance he played in the 2008 thriller 'Eagle Eye'. Maybe that's a reason for his extraordinary aura, which is not only due to his extensive skin paintings, which we get to see soon after the fourth or fifth song, when he strips half naked. Buckcherry is not only Josh Todd but also Keith Nelson, Stevie D., Jimmy "Two Fingers" Ashhurst und Xavier Muriel to mention those as well.

Of course on this club solotour here in Europe we get to hear all the smashsongs of Buckcherry, they have put out in the past - including 'All Night Long' and the unavoidable 'Crazy Bitch'. The videoclips to those tracks have been put on index in the US. But here in Europe everything is taken a bit more loose. And english lyrics get ignored anyway somehow....


Back to the action here, and I actually do miss one song badly, which is 'Too Drunk' - why ever?! During the whole time I'm thinking already desperately, what I do not like on this band. Because there's something, which spoils my impression. The show is okay, the aura is great, the music comes along well. But it's probably the voice, where I personally do have a problem with. Not that this one is bad, and it also owns a certain brand to be recognized again and all over again.... But I get to the conclusion that after a while it just gets on my tits. And that's the point, because then all songs start to sound somehow the same, if you know what I mean. - So in the end 80 minutes showtime is miles enough. Everything more would end up in monotony.

But so Buckcherry just got well around, and the kids in the front hail 'em pretty much. On the whole, Buckcherry do leave a solid impression here in Munich and that means a lot, as Munich's audiance is a rather very difficult one. And I guess it's the other way round as well. So in the end it's been okay, but we don't need them here tomorrow again...that soon...
http://buckcherry.com/