With the release of their eighth studio album, Warpaint (read our review here), Los Angeles hard rockers Buckcherry has set off with a tour of the same name to show off their new tracks. With Josh Todd’s unmistakable raspy voice leading the charge, Buckcherry’s sound has always been one-of-a-kind. The new album has been making waves with plenty of people drawing comparisons to the fan-favorite 2005 release 15. Time will tell if Warpaint will be held in the same regard, but the tour is indeed turning heads in the meantime.
The party kicked off in the band’s home state and has been taking the US by storm. To make the Warpaint tour a guaranteed success, up-and-coming act Joyous Wolf was given the nod to join the group on the road. We were there for the group’s NYC stop on March 29th at Irving Plaza as Buckcherry enlisted the help of local acts Reach NY and The Revel to pump up the New York City crowd.
Reach NY
Reach NY set the tone early as fans made their way upstairs into the dancefloor area. With a few tricks up their sleeves, the rock group gave fans a good reason to hit the stage area right away as the night started up.
The Revel
Following Reach NY, New Jersey’s The Revel were ready to take the stage. Sampling tracks off of their self-titled EP, The Revel’s energy caught everyone’s attention. These rockers will be back at it again soon opening for rock mainstays Blue Oyster Cult later this month. Those looking to learn more about this promising group can check out tracks played that night including “Come Alive” and “Taking Me Down” on Spotify.
Joyous Wolf
The tour hasn’t been without its casualties. Due to illness, Joyous Wolf were forced to pull out of the Pennslyvania appearance. One day later, New York hoped the same wouldn’t be true for the Irving Plaza stop. They were not disappointed as the band took to the stage with vocalist Nick Reese opening the set proclaiming “I’m sick as fuck, but let’s do this!”. Fighting through it all, the foursome showed why they are rapidly becoming a band you can’t ignore. Reese is joined by the talents of Blake Allard (Guitar), Greg Braccio (Bass) and Robert Sodaro (Drums).
Since the group’s last New York stop nearly a year prior, then in support for Fozzy, the band has been gearing up for the release of their next album Place in Time due out April 19th. The Southern California rockers are building a name for themselves drawing inspiration from several rock genres combined with unmatched chaotic energy. While the band has hopefully fully recovered from the flu bug, rest assured they are still as Reese alluded to, “sick as fuck.” Joyous Wolf’s night showed off “Undesired,” “Place in Time,” “Had Enough,” “Said Too Much,” “Holy Driver,” “The Mechanic,” “Mother Rebel” and “Quiet Heart.”
Buckcherry
With three down and only the headliner remaining, it was time for the main event. Buckcherry came out to a hot reception before kicking into their new cover of Nine Inch Nail’s “Head Like a Hole.” New to the band, drummer Francis Ruiz and well-established guitarist Keven Roentgen joined the fray and looked right at home rocking on stage as part of Buckcherry. As the songs came and went, the band had fun with the crowd. When the group came around to “Whiskey in the Morning,” Todd quipped “This isn’t a party song, it’s a cry for help.”
The fun continued as fans got a taste of hits both new and old. Longtime guitarist Stevie D. and bassist Kelly LeMieux joined Todd sliding across the stage, adding to the party-like feel. As the set drew to a close, Todd asked the crowd what song they should close the set with. Jokingly, he suggested Eddie Money’s “Two Tickets To Paradise” had been requested. The band blasted into the track, giving it the Buckcherry touch before kicking into “Crazy Bitch” to close the set. The song enjoyed an extended stay as the band added interludes of Kool and the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary.” After a quick breather, the band delivered an encore with “Closer” and “Say Fuck It.”
Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love you” might not be the first thing that comes to mind during a Buckcherry show. Strangely, that was exactly what blasted over the speakers as fans sang along while hoping to catch a guitar pick or drum stick from the group as they lipsynced along to close out the night. Featuring favorites spanning two decades along with new cuts off of Warpaint, the night’s setlist included: “Head Like A Hole” (Nine Inch Nails cover), “It’s a Party,” “Bent,” “Radio Song,” “Lit Up,” “Whiskey in the Morning,” “Right Now,” “Everything,” “Too Drunk…,” “Sorry,” “Gluttony,” “Somebody Fucked With Me,” “Crazy Bitch,” and an encore featuring “Closer” and finally “Say Fuck It.”
