by Steven Sanchez
The events just keep coming to the Central Valley. Summer is an ideal time for events, with school being out and vacation time, but surprisingly, a lot of options pick up during the fall as the weather gets cooler and people are excited for pumpkin season, football, and the holidays.
Rounding out the summer entertainment in 2023 were classic pop rock bands Air Supply and The Little River Band, alternative legend Melvins, and heavy metal newcomers Ottto and Bastardane.
Air Supply and The Little River Band
It was a soft rock celebration when Air Supply and The Little River Band came to town at Warnors Theatre on August 18. Both bands are Australia’s darlings when it comes to classic ballad music, and both broke into the mainstream around the same time. They have continued playing for close to 50 years.
The Little River Band, best known for the single, “Help Is on Its Way,” took the stage first. None of the musicians now performing in the band are original members. Some are Americans, like bassist and vocalist Wayne Nelson, who’s been a member since 1980. He’s kept the spirit of the band going, and they still sound strong.
The Little River Band
The hits that defined them got the older crowd cuddling and swaying side to side. For my generation, on the younger side, we recall The Little River Band being referenced to hilarious effect in the Adam McKay comedy, The Other Guys, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. They were listed at number 44 in Rolling Stone Australia’s “50 Greatest Australian Artists of All Time” issue. It didn’t matter if the performers on stage were the original Australian version or the American one, these are timeless songs about love and romance, and the crowd definitely felt it.
The Little River Band
Then Air Supply came on. At the core of this band are the two original members Graham Russell (vocals, guitar) and Australian Russell Hitchcock (vocals). They’ve been a duo since 1975 and through multiple lineup changes, these two continue to pump life into the band’s legacy, making sure no air deflates on their passion to continue performing. Their career defining hits are, “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love,” “Every Woman in the World,” “The One That You Love,” “Here I Am,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Even the Nights Are Better,” and “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.” Did they play these songs? You bet they did. Hitchcock was singing his heart out, and Russell was soulful on the guitar. These two never missed a step, performing with so much emotion and heart that it was easy for the audience to hearken back to the days when romantic songs filled the airwaves and people fell in love to their music.
Air Supply
Their discography isn’t going anywhere. The actor Ryan Reynolds must be a fan, because the song “All Out of Love” was featured in one of his earlier comedies, Van Wilder, and was in the Deadpool 2 trailer. That introduces younger people to the band and shows that their music is timeless. The way Air Supply keeps touring, I don’t see them running “all out of love” anytime soon.
Air Supply
The concert was put on by Richter Entertainment Group, which facilitated our presence there. Richter will be bringing an assortment of nostalgic acts from the past to the Central Valley, and Kings River Life will have access to all the shows. Be on the lookout for future issues to see what they were.
Air Supply
Melvins
Melvins, alternative rock legends and the band dubbed the quintessential inspiration for the creation of the grunge metal movement, made their way to Fresno at Strummer’s on August 26. This would be the third-time Kings River Life has had the privilege of covering Melvins, and they have become a favorite at Strummer’s. Each time they come, they demonstrate why they continue to rock with their experimental sound and wild solos.
Melvins
This time around they came to the Valley to celebrate their 40th Anniversary with the “Twins of Evil Tour,” co-headlining with the band Boris. They’ve been together for a long time, but no aging was apparent in how they played. They jammed and gave the audience who filled the venue wall to wall what they’ve come to expect from a Melvins show, an unconventional orchestra of experimental vibrations and eccentric rhythms with a dose of heavy punctuation that makes their style unique.
The most famous and eccentric member of the band is its founder, Buzz Osborne, who’s still the same guy, one of kind in his demeanor and on-stage presentation. Drummer Dale Crover wasn’t able to play due to undergoing spinal surgery, but Coady Willis stepped in, and he was a monster behind those drums. His solos were pulse pounding and ridiculous, definitely stand out moments of the night.
Melvins
A lot of bands who came after Melvins pay tribute to them as pioneers of experimental rock. They helped to define the early days of the Seattle sound, and they command respect wherever they tour. Their multi-genre infusion has been unmatched then or since. We here at the magazine praise Melvins, with 40 years and counting. Much appreciation to Speakeasy PR for the invitation to the show. We look forward to covering them again.
Ottto and Bastardane
Metal up-and-comers Ottto and Bastardane made their Central Valley debut at Strummer’s on August 31. If you aren’t familiar with them, believe me, you will be. Ottto is a Venice Beach, California thrash-metal outfit featuring Tye Trujillo on bass, Bryan Noah Ferretti on vocals and guitar, and Patrick “Triko” Chavez on drums. Bastardane is a Savannah-based sludge/psych trio featuring Castor Hetfield.
Ottto
Aren’t familiar with these names? Maybe not, but you know their fathers’ names. These youngsters, already musical prodigies, are the brood of the greatest thrash metal band of all time, Metallica. Tye is the son of bassist Robert Trujillo, and Castor is the son of vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield. Tye continues his father’s legacy of being a bassist, but Castor is a drummer. They have a lot to live up to, coming from a heavy metal pedigree of that magnitude, but these young bloods are forging a path all on their own.
Ottto
Tye has also played with Suicidal Tendencies, for those who may not know, and he played the live guitar parts on last summer’s season of the Netflix original series Stranger Things version of “Master of Puppets.” In the famous scene in the upside down, beloved character and metalhead Eddie Munson put actor Joseph Quinn on the map, playing the classic Metallica tune to summon monsters from the other dimension to save his friends. He can do it all, bass and guitar.
Bastardane
The bands toured the country together this past summer in support of their recently released albums. Ottto packed a punch for being a three-piece band. The guitar solos are amazing and the bass solos were very impressive. It doesn’t matter what bloodline Tye inherits, he definitely knows his way around the instrument. Bastardane had an eccentric presentation with their singer in eye makeup and a military jacket, a shirtless guitarist showcasing his tattoos, and a bassist hidden behind sunglasses but wearing a skin tight pink dress and tights, with Castor providing the raucous drum beats in the background.
Bastardane
To see what these guys are made of, I suggest readers watch the video for Ottto’s “Dance of the Dead” and Bastardane’s “Above All.” Both performances would make their fathers proud, and the metalheads of the world will know that the future of the genre is in good hands with these bands. Another great show provided by Speakeasy PR.
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