Kill Devil Hill brings the house down in “warm-up mode” as they prepare to depart down under for 5 Australian dates before returning to the US.
Los Angeles, CA – 4-7-2014 (JoeDolanPR): On March 15th, Kill Devil Hill announced three US dates to warm up for their 2014 tour, starting at Vamp’d Vegas in Las Vegas and then stomping their way onto the Sunset Strip for a long awaited fan favorite showcase – a performance at the World Famous Viper Room. Once the word got out, tickets were flying out the box office window and the band had the Viper Room filled to near capacity for even the opening acts – a rarity in Los Angeles.
Kill Devil Hill features a powerhouse line-up with Pantera and Down bassist Rex Brown, guitar hero Mark Zavon (40 Cycle Hum) and recording on the band’s CDs, drummer Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio). Their 2011 appearance on the metal scene sparked zero negativity as the promise of extreme hard rock and borderline aggressive metal was a hope fans had waited on since the line-up was announced. The band’s first self titled CD release in 2012 blended deep grooves with hard hitting guitar hooks and an outstanding vocal performance by front man Dewey Bragg who holds this CD as his first claim to fame; an unforgettable first showing for a virtually unknown vocalist. Tracks from the freshman effort by the band including “War Machine” and “Rise From The Shadows” became instant metal classics on Internet Radio and during even the first live shows, the band found fans chanting along, word for word as they poured it out on stage. It was proven that Kill Devil Hill was headed for success.
In 2013, the band announced a new CD titled “Revolution Rise,” a fitting title as a resurgence of metal had been coming about and it seemed like a revolution was at hand. Featuring 11 new tracks, the band let out on their website and the social media network that a 2014 tour was eminent. Sadly, on March 10th, just before the band posted new show dates to their faithful fans, drummer Vinny Appice departed from the line-up and let out that he would not be performing on the upcoming tour. Enter Type-O Negative drummer John Kelly – the former drum tech that took over the throne in Type-O Negative for Sal Abruscato. John has also proudly supported the necessary rhythmic pounding for artists including Glen Danzig and A Pale Horse Named Death, proving to be the right choice to step forward for a powerhouse band the likes of Kill Devil Hill.
On April 5th at the Viper Room, fans lined the street in the 8 o’clock hour, wrapping around the corner of Sunset from the side door entrance of the legendary hotspot. With tickets in hand and a showing that proved the band’s new CD had been well received, the 200 person capacity club appeared to be sold out before the show began.
Viper Room Marketing director Ashly Montgomery shared, “They’re one of those bands you just know is bringing in countless people. When Kill Devil Hill plays, we actually find we have to stop letting people in. With the choices the band has, we’re proud that they choose us to showcase their new music here in Los Angeles.”
When the stage came to light, opening act Black Map, featuring members of bands including Dredg, Far and The Trophy Fire came out strong with a 6-song set that took the audience by storm. Traveling down from San Francisco for the show, patrons hailed praise and applause for the strong low end and explosive guitar riffs. The trio will showcase further performances during their Southern California stay before heading back to San Francisco.
After a quick stage-set change, extreme metal band All Hail The Yeti simply blew the crowd away with nearly an hour of music. In a rarity for clubs in Los Angeles, the band brought fans to a mosh at the front of the stage – without unnecessary violence – and for those who hadn’t heard of the band, it was clear they became instant fans. A high intensity light show, blended with the imagery of tastefully displayed animal skulls, fearless stage performance and a lot of audience participation took the show to a new level; something of a show you would witness outdoors in the Palm Desert, or Coachella. Elevating the concert to a “party status,” which is an element of flavor the band deliberately and proudly brings to the crowd, the professionalism of the band proved to be an excellent equivalent opener for Kill Devil Hill. Offering songs from the band’s 2012 AFM Records CD release and their back catalog featured on the band’s original EP, All Hail The Yeti’s appearance at the Viper Room was an all out winner.
As the 11:15pm start time for Kill Devil Hill got pushed back by the great opening band performances, the fans found drinks and conversation about what they might expect from the show as stage techs prepared for the coming onslaught. By 11:40, the curtains drew back and Kill Devil Hill delivered an astounding 16-song set. Bringing new tracks from the band’s latest release to the stage for the first time as well as playing fan favorites from the past three years. The addition of drummer John Kelly made no difference in the delivery of the music fans have come to love and the audience response proved it. Rocking until past the 1 o’clock hour, the band finished off with an unexpected surprise, playing Pantera’s “War Nerve” to close out the show.
On the Kill Devil Hill website, www.killdevilhillmusic.com, the band revealed the upcoming 5 show dates in April for the Australian tour. As of yet, they haven’t officially announced the US National tour dates, but keep up with band at their official site or follow their social media network for the latest news. Links are found directly on their webpage.
For the first So-Cal performance on the 2014 tour, Kill Devil Hill took to the stage for a warm-up performance before heading off to Australia to play 5 dates in April 2014.
The band is boasting a new set with tracks from the new CD release, and even throws in occasional Pantera classics. Visit the official band website to see when they’re coming to a venue near you.
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