Raven/Slackjaw @ The Wood Shop, Brooklyn, NY 4/15/26

 


Bill: Raven/Slackjaw/Snow White

Venue: The Wood Shop, 21a Meadow St., Brooklyn, NY

Date: Wednesday 4/15/26

Ticket: $25.40 (got in free from +1)

10pm Raven



Active: 1974 (Newcastle, UK)

Latest Release: All Hell's Breaking Loose (Silver Lining, 2023)

Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic Wiki YouTube Spotify

9pm Slackjaw



Active: 2017 (South Carolina)

Latest Release: Official Bootleg (Slackjaw, 2026), "Ascend Me" (Slackjaw, 2025)

Bandcamp  Instagram Discogs Setlist  Metal Wiki YouTube Spotify

Missed: Snow White

Raven have been one of those 80's NWOBHM curios for me to check out since the beginning of time or at least since I got a reissue copy in the early 90's of their second album Wiped Out from 1982 that came a couple years after their debut single.  For whatever reason I knew so little about the band that I thought they were from Canada and categorized them as "early thrash" in my head.  Sometimes I can be oblivious.  How the hell can you be NWOBHM from Canada?  Ridiculous, fer sure.  Anyway, there was always that little voice in the back of my head saying "this band will be good live."  That is one instinct I was right about.   Yes indeed, even after all these years, the Gallagher brothers hold the front line of a trio.  The high pitched wails burst out seemingly effortlessly against a speedy chug.  The medley of UFO/Priest/Sabbath at the end shows the clear influence. What are the hits? "Rock Till You Drop," "All For One" and "Faster Than The Speed Of Light" seems about right.  You can see from the clips this band is really about feeling and tradition.  You don't really need to know anything material-wise to plainly see the band is a joy to watch.   A headbanger's delight.

I got to the Wood Shop with about a song and a half to go from Slackjaw.  Groove metal isn't my thing and that is what they do.  I hadn't been in this venue since it was the Paper Box and even that is questionably because the Meadows next door was also part of that old venue.  I'm pretty sure I saw a post-El Duce Mentors on that stage and Kenny reminded me we saw Vader in the other room.  The space is great but goddamn $17 and change for a Modello, crimony!  At least they were tall.  












Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson & Family/Bob Dylan/Wilco/Lucinda Williams @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY 8/1/25

Image
 Bill: Willie Nelson & Family/Bob Dylan/Wilco/Lucinda Williams/Waylon Payne Venue: Northwell at Jones Beach Theater , Wantagh, NY Date: 8/1/25 Ticket: $225 (Tickpick day of show Orch C, Row M single AKA 13th Row Center, face was going $243.50 in the section) 9:50 Willie Nelson & Family Active: 1956 (Abbott, TX) Latest Release: Oh What A Beautiful World (Legacy, 2025) Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic Wiki YouTube 8:05 Bob Dylan Active: 1959 (Duluth, MN) Latest Release: Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia, 2020), (with the Band) The 1974 Live Recordings (Columbia/Legacy, 2024) Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic Wiki   YouTube 6:20pm Wilco Active: 1994 (Chicago, IL) Latest Release: Cousin (dBPM Records, 2023) Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic Wiki YouTube 4:55pm Lucinda Williams Active: 1978 (Lake Charles, LA) Latest Release: Sings The Beatles From Abbey Road (Highway 20, 2024) Bandcamp Facebook Instagr...
Read more

Margo Price/Pearl Charles @ Webster Hall, New York, NY 2/19/26

Image
  Bill: Margo Price/Pearl Charles Venue: Webster Hall , 125 E 11 St ., New York, NY Date: Thursday 2/19/26 Tickets: $46 (advance via Tickpick) 9pm Margo Price Active: 2013 (Nashville, TN) Latest Release: Hard Headed Woman (Lorna Vista, 2025) Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discog s Setlist   AllMusic Wiki YouTube Spotify 8pm Pearl Charles Active: 2012 (Los Angeles, CA) Latest Release: Desert Queen (Taurus Rising, 2025) Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic YouTube Spotify I went to check out Margo Price at the behest of a friend from Tennessee that saw her stand out on a Lincoln Center tribute bill and wanted to see more.  Then another friend coming to town said he was drinking with the bass player in Memphis.   Stars align!  I'm glad she asked me to go with her because this discovery of a "new" (more than 10 year veteran) artist was for me the best new "alt-country" I've heard in quite some time.  Well new to me and I'm glad I c...
Read more

Dinosaur Jr./Snail Mail/Easy Action @ Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY 7/17/25

Image
  Bill: Dinosaur Jr./Snail Mail/Easy Action Venue: Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park , Brooklyn, NY Date: 7/17/25 Door: $63.45  8:45 Dinosaur Jr. Active: 1983 (Amherst, MA) Latest Release: Guess I'll Crawl (Live in Santa Monica) (Cherry Red, 2025), Sweep It Into Space (Jagjaguwar, 2021) Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic Wiki YouTube 7:45 Snail Mail Active: 2015 (Baltimore via Endicott City, MD) Latest Release:  Valentine  (Matador, 2021),  Valentine Demos  (Matador/Beat, 2023) Bandcamp   Facebook   Instagram    Discogs    Setlist   Wiki   Allmusic   YouTube 7:00pm Easy Action Active: 1998 (Detroit, MI) Latest Release: " Already Alright / Better Off Dead " (split 7" with Snakewing) (Underground Communique Records, 2013), Friends of Rock 'n' Roll (Reptillian, 2005) Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Discogs Setlist AllMusic Wiki YouTube I last checked in on Dinosaur Jr. at one of the ...
Read more