January 18, 2016 Orgy Explosive At Gramercy Theatre, NYC 1-7-16 w/ Bobaflex & Death Valley High
It was just under five years ago that Electronic Rock band Orgy rose from the ashes of what seemed like an indefinite hiatus. Revived by Founder/Vocalist Jay Gordon, it would not be until 2012 before the band would hit the road for their first tour since 2005, dubbing it the Bad Blood Tour, as Gordon assembled a brand new lineup around him. Armed with a new single that same year, entitling it “Grime of the Century,” Orgy would steadily tour for sometime until 2015 when finally releasing a new EP in late March, Talk Sick. With Gordon still at the helm, Orgy now features Deadsy’s Carlton Bost (guitar), Nic Speck (bass), Creighton Emrick (guitar), and Bobby Amaro (drums), all joining to create a lineup worthy of the band’s name.
Now re-established, recharged, and making noise as 2015 came to an end, Orgy kicked off the Pop Killers Tour in support of Talk Sick with a killer lineup that features Bobaflex and Death Valley High. Rocking across the Southwest up to the Northeast, a week into the month long run found these Pop Killers’ in New York City on Thursday, January 7th, at Gramercy Theatre. Ecstatic to open early 2016 with an evening with Orgy, fans flocked into the venue ready for one hell of a ride.
Joining on this night in New York City was local Glam Rock band SYKA. With the ultra-talented Jesyka leading the way on vocals, Gregg Sgar on guitar, Gino Martine on bass, and Steve Richards on drums, SYKA came together in 2011 and have been carving a name for themselves since. Opening for the likes of Wednesday 13, among others, in the past year, SYKA appear to have the chops and showmanship for success. Releasing their new four track EP, entitled Stay Wild, in July 0f 2015, the band was ready to spread their unique take on Rock with the spectators as they arrived.
As two lightning bolt logos lit up the drum kit, “SYKA” illuminated from behind as the band hit the stage upon the curtain opening. Between the stage setup, the outfits, the makeup, and most importantly the music, SYKA was locked in to take over Gramercy Theatre. Joining them on stage for this performance was their producer, Kareem “Jesus” Devlin, on guitar. No stranger to the stage, Devlin has worked with many artists, including Lady Gaga during her Monster Ball Tour in 2010 and 2011. With all parts in place, each member congregated by Richard’s drums and prepared to rock.
Performing all four songs from Stay Wild, they opened with “Shock Me” and kept their foot on the pedal through every track in their set. Toying with handcuffs and chains attached to her outfit, Jesyka hypnotized the fans with songs like “Rattle the Cage.” Not to be overlooked, Sgar and Devlin took turns doling out mind-bending guitar solos steadily cut to cut. Slowing things down, Jesyka took to the keyboard to showcase diversity on “Suffer in Silence.” Continuing to play on, they also sprinkled in “Obsessed” from their debut, Beautiful Nightmare.
Thereafter, “Stay Wild” came and it was a wild track that had fans moving along to the fast-paced track while Jesyka belted the words, now adorned by a red and black jacked that featured the track’s name on it. Closing their set with a cover of Tommy James & The Shondells’ classic “Crimson & Clover,” everyone cheered loudly in appreciation. SYKA recently played a free show in Hoboken, NJ and are looking forward to joining Trapt in February, so be sure to look out. This band with a mix of powerful stage presence and catchy Rock music should absolutely be checked out.
With the crowd heated up on the cold January night, San Francisco California’s Death Valley High prepared for their turn on stage. With a genre self-described as “Death Disco” and a sound that they appropriately call “the mixtape to a doomsday dance party,” Death Valley High might be the perfect band to listen to in the event of a zombie takeover. The twisted group is comprised of Vocalist/Guitarist Reyka Osburn, Drummer Adam Bannister, Bassist Huffy Hafera, and Guitarist Sean Bivins. Hardworking and dedicated, the band rightfully claimed an award for “Best Rock Song” at the eleventh annual Independent Music Awards in 2012 for “Multiply,” and a year later released their album, Positive Euth. Garnishing success from the record, Death Valley High were ready to spread the hard-hitting songs upon the New York City audience.
Opening with “Sunshine Cleaners,” the band immediately came out swinging with a jolting sound that proved infectious to the listeners. They tapped into Positive Euth with tracks “The Present,” as well as “Re-Animation,” giving potential new fans a chance to see what critics have been raving about. The afterlife party continued with newer offering “Groe Donker,” and each song thereafter had many in the crowd headbanging along.
Moving into “Warm Bodies,” interest in Death Valley High continued to grow as they continued into “How2Kill.” Choosing to end their set with an older track, the band reached back into their 2008 Similarities of the Loveless & The Undead’s to rock out “DVH The Movie.” Death Valley High continues to tour with Orgy through the rest of January. Positive Euth continues to rule supreme and is a great album to pick up for those looking for something dark, heavy, and engaging.
Before Orgy could join the stage, West Virginia veterans Bobaflex had their chance to shine. Much like the headlining act, Bobaflex has had their share of rocky times through the years, but have come back bigger and stronger than ever. With a name inspired by their favorite Star Wars bounty hunter and lead by the brothers of the famed McCoy name, Bobaflex is as pure a Rock band as one can ever hope for. Configured with Shaun McCoy on vocals/guitar, Marty McCoy on vocals/guitar, Timmy Johnson on drums, David Tipple on guitar, and Jymmy Tolland on bass, they come to together to prove you can not kill a passionate band. Following up the positively received 2013 album Charlatan’s Web in 2015, Anything That Moves offers more jaw dropping tracks for their fans to enjoy.
Taking advantage of long career, Bobaflex gave the audience a taste of everything they have, old to new, opening with “Start a War.” Continuing along with “Chemical Valley” and “Better Than Me,” Bobaflex quickly demanded the crowd’s attention and had fans gathering close and tight near the stage barricades to catch all the action. Following with 2015 single “Mama (Don’t Take My Drugs Away), Charlatan’s Web’s fan favorite “I’m Glad You’re Dead” came next as the crowd sang along in approval.
Moved on to “Never Coming Back” before tearing into “Bad Man,” the band later unleashed another new track, “You Don’t Wanna Know.” Now what seems to be a tradition that has formed over the past couple of years, they went into their rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence.” Slowing things down, but not breaking the momentum, the performance of the all-time classic was haunting. Bringing the mood right back up, “Losing My Mind” came before their finale, “Bury Me With My Guns On.” With all their woes behind them, Bobaflex is clearly a band with their eyes on the present and future. Those lucky enough to catch Bobaflex live might even find themselves on the receiving end of a download code for one of the band’s albums, which are all well-worth a listen. Not missing a beat and even growing stronger, the band’s inclusion on the Pop Killers tour should have even the most casual of fans taking notice.
With three bands down and the crowd electrified, it was time for Southern California based Orgy to take over. Originally formed in 1994 by Gordon, along with then-guitarists Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck, Orgy rose to fame with their 1998 debut album, Candyass. Joining Korn, along with Limp Bizkit, Ice Cube, Incubus, and Rammstein on the Family Values Tour later that same year solidified the band’s ascent to superstardom. Orgy went on to release two more albums, 2000’s Vapor Transmission and 2004’s Punk Statik Paranoia, before fading into obscurity in 2005. While there were there occasional whispers about an Orgy return for years, it seemed unlikely there would ever be another taste of what could have been. That is why the band’s reboot is such a pleasing surprise to their dedicated fans, and those who are still discovering, they are back even four years later.
After the lights went down and a short intro, Orgy came out and started things off with “Talk Sick,” immediately showing those late to the party what the new music is all about. They then took the audience back in time with “Dissention,” where many chimed in to sing along. Mixing it up, they turned their attention back to the present as they introduced fans to “Suck It” and the aptly named “Come Back” as the lights pulsed on stage as the room hypnotically indulged. They then brought back classics off of Vapor Transmission with “Opticon” and “107,” but not without in between reaching all the way back to Candyass, treating their fans to “Fetisha.”
Feeding off the crowd’s enthusiasm, the energy in the Gramercy Theatre was unmatched. Going into “G-Face,” the chorus had the audience singing along in enjoyment. Even those unfamiliar with Talk Sick were pleased because Gordon and company does not stray far from the magic that made older Orgy tunes so special. Keeping everyone’s interest at peak levels, after “Wide Awake and Dead,” they fired through “Suckerface” before heading back to 1998 once again for a trio of tracks to finish off their set. The first was”Revival,” the second “Stitches,” and the last of course was their distinctive New Order cover, “Blue Monday.” Leaving the stage amidst the evening conclusion, Gordon met fans at the barrier and shared the microphone with them, turning into a sing along for all to enjoy.
In case one has been living under a rock, it is safe to say Orgy’s revival is clearly set to go full force. Talk Sick is an epic return to form and fans will be thoroughly pleased with the tracks in the live set. The Pop Killers Tour continues to roll across The States before it wraps up January 30th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Those looking for the ultimate Orgy concert experience, take advantage of VIP passes, which includes a photo op, meet and greet, as well as hand-signed poster, among other items.
No Comments