Live Gig Review and Photos by: Zenae Zukowski
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Kore Rozzik is a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal act out of the New York local scene. Behind it all is the frontman, Adam “Kore” Zadorozny. Music has been the element that has kept him driven, dedicated, determined and alive. This year alone wasn’t easy for Kore Rozzik as they went through a few lineup changes along with experiencing a few discouragements over the years. However, Kore’s dedication is like no other as they pushed through it all and managed to provide the sixth annual festival known as Kore Fest. This time around it was held at the Gramercy Theatre on Saturday, October 22nd, 2016 bringing acts in the New York scene such as Bandita, Symfinity, Sinaro, Anaka, and the return of Wildstreet to close the evening.
Kore Fest 6 was hosted by the founder of Hate the Hate, Tim “No.37” Martinez. Hate the Hate is a project that holds a concert series to raise awareness of hate crimes, bullying, discrimination, and suicide prevention. People need to stop judging others based on being different from one another, whether it is race, sexual orientation, gender, age, musical taste, obese, underweight, etc… No one knows what anyone truly goes through in life, including their internal struggles. Too many people walk in an elite manner living as though they are better than everyone else and forgetting to give someone a hand when they fall. It is something that I see every day, including witnessing one too many people committing suicide or attempting to end it all. With that said, on this night everyone came together to enjoy an evening of music and supporting the local scene. There were no judgments, no hate; it was a night of musical freedom.
First up was Bandita, a band fresh into the scene as they launched in May 2015. The New York City trio focuses on morphing both Rock and Metal to the surface using classic and modern influences. They seemed a bit nervous on the stage, but in time I’m sure soon enough if they keep at it and get more comfortable, good things will happen. These guys kicked off the positive vibe that night as they sung songs such as “Riding on the Outside,” “Side to Side” and “Hit the Top.”
Next up was Symfinity, a unique act to the New York scene as they incorporate several Symphonic Metal influences to their music. Similar to Kore, Seann Branchfield the founder of Symfinity is one ambitious, hardworking individual that has worked tirelessly and effortlessly to keep the band afloat. There have been quite a few lineup changes, including recently. However, this night he had a talented cast as they owned the stage throughout the set. Branchfield as a frontman moved around continuously and did what he could to interact with the crowd during songs such as “Everything I know Explodes,” “Flipside,” and “Cries of Humanity.”
The evening shifted to a more Metal edge with Sinaro, a heavy act that was founded by the Brazilian guitarist Gus Sinaro. Their style features more classic Thrash Metal than the previous acts, as the songs were well suited for the night. As they shredded and fueled that stage with explosive riffs and a few hair flips, it was when they went into the powerful song “Bullet Through Your Head” that cast a memorable spotlight. To explain it lightly, it’s an emotional tune that raises awareness on suicide prevention which was well suited that evening.
The intensity continued when Brooklyn’s Anaka took the stage. An act that has been firing up the scene for over fifteen years and their talent was evident that night that had several fans eager to witness. Their course sound mixed with engaging with the crowd was on point. They induced the stage with a dominating energy as they plowed through their set with songs such as “Doomsday Divide,” “Deathborn,” and “Voice of the Faceless.”
After four diverse acts, it was time for Kore Rozzik to give their personal best performance of the year. The venue had a decent amount of people, as many rushed to the front to support the act the festival was based on. Kore
Rozzik has opened up for a handful of the eighties/Glam Metal bands such as Britny Fox and Bulletboys, where it is no secret to them that their inspiration comes from that era.
Additionally, from their tunes, Kore is known to give an entertaining live performance and this night was no different. As the set began, a female dancer in burlesque(ish) attire took the stage. Providing a fun and provocative movement as they went into the song “Mistress.” Kore moved around with the dancer as they theatrically demonstrated a bit of S&M on the stage. As the set continued, each member had a look for Horror as Halloween was near, including face paint, masks, and a rebellious energy and I am sure these antics will persist at upcoming shows regardless of a special occasion. Performance wise, they purged through every chord, cymbal as they mastered their own tunes. Kore put on his top hat as well, which he has done at previous shows.
I continue to be impressed with their performance, and I must admit, the camera loves them. These guys are filled with potential as they incorporate eighties Glam mixed with their own Kore genre. The set included songs such as “Doomsday Walks,” “Welcome to the Party,” “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” and “Psychological.” Dreams were made for all of them that night, as they came together and bowed in front of that platform I could tell that a bright future is ahead of them. The only question I have for them is, what happened to their song “Rockstar?”
The momentum continued as it was near 1 AM when many stayed for the Glam/Metal act WildStreet’s ultimate return. A band that has been around for over a decade as they toured endlessly between the years of 2009-2013 to build a growing fan base. After releasing two EP’s, they managed to make national TV appearances and receive over three million YouTube views. This night, they ruled the platform as they demonstrated a mix of Glam, Punk Rock, and an explosive resurrection.
WildStreet was a successful way to conclude an evening that supported local artists, and promoting the Hate the Hate cause. With all of the positivity and entertainment Kore Fest 6 had, who knows what surprises we will endure at next year’s Kore Fest 7.
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