Headstrong @ The House of Blues

Hollywood, CA. June 27, 2002

Venturing out to the House of Blues on this warm summer night was like taking a trip back in time – to the days when make-up wearing musicians with teased hair ruled the Sunset Strip. Oh yeah, the old school heshers were out in full force.

It was obvious that 90% of those in attendance were here for one thing – Tommy Lee. The other 10% was comprised of industry folk and fans of the opening acts – Headstrong & Flying Tigers. Needless to say, The BiteMe! Squad was in the 10 % category. “Tommy Lee? He’s so eight days ago.” However, I must point out that Mr. Lee’s current solo album is far better than that crap he put out under the Methods of Mayhem moniker.

Headstrong had the honors of injecting the crowd with their first shot of adrenaline. Having played in Los Angeles earlier this year, the Canadian outfit knew full well that they had a jaded group to win over. Rising to the challenge, Headstrong lit up the stage with a sonic blast rumbling guitars and roaring beats. The four-piece unit shook the house to its core with their aggressive rhythms and driving grooves – hitting the audience hard with a strong and resounding impact.

Before saying good night, Matt (vocals) paid his respects to The Who’s John Entwistle, who had passed away earlier that day. The band bid farewell to the influential bassist in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion, and all those in attendance were now sufficiently ready for round number #2. -NIN