Interview with Lee Aaron – April 14th, 2016

By Mike Bax In 1984, I can vividly remember seeing Lee Aaron on my television. She was gorgeous. She played great heavy music. And she was Canadian. All of these things factored into my decision to spend my allowance money on the Metal Queen album, and submit my parents the wondrous ten songs contained within…

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Veep: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray review

HBO Home Entertainment By Mike Bax “I feel like I’m on a life support machine, and they keep pulling the plug to charge their phones.” Amy (Anna Chlumsky) Also: Hagrid’s Nutsack Veep is one of those shows that is bittersweet. At ten episodes per season and each only a half hour running time, one tends…

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Silicon Valley: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray review

By Mike Bax HBO Home Entertainment I’m a three-foot dick. I’m covered in dust.” Richard Hendriks (Thomas Middleditch) It’s the new American dream – create something menial but tech-worthy, and then band a group of people together to nurture it and sell it all off for a gazillion dollars. And do it all before someone…

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Interview with Carla Azar – Autolux, April 7th, 2016

By Mike Bax Carving out their own niche in a musical tapestry that is full of bands and musicians all sounding derivative of someone or something else, there is Autolux. Consisting of musicians Carla Azar, Greg Edwards and Eugene Goreshter, Autolux has put out an album every 6 years since their debut of Future Perfect…

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Interview with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed – April 6th, 2016

By Mike Bax Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer Hatebreed’s seventh album, The Concrete Confessional will see its release a month from now. It’s a tightened-up overly aggressive piece of work, clocking in at 13 songs and a running time of less than 35 minutes. It’s an album that came together quickly for Jamey Jasta, Chris Beattie,…

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Avantasia – Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto – April 13th, 2016

Review and Photos by Mike Bax Described by curator / mastermind Tobias Sammet as the mean, dirty little black sheep brother of Trans Siberian Orchestra, Avantasia’s only Canadian live show touched down last night in Toronto, filling the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage to the brim with a literal who’s who of heavy music. Boasting one…

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Smashing Pumpkins w Liz Phair – Massey Hall, Toronto – April 12th, 2016

Review and Photos by Mike Bax Smashing Pumpkins is a band that, for me, are two things: 1) an amazing studio band and 2) a disappointing live band. Until last night, that is. The sound and representation of the material presented at Massey Hall this evening sounded superb. Touring In Plainsong as an acoustic-electro evening, Billy…

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