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Buckcherry Concert Review with Blacktop Mojo and Sumo Cyco

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Suzie Soule

Buckcherry Concert Review with Blacktop Mojo and Sumo Cyco
Sunday, May 1, 2022
The Castle Theatre
Bloomington, Illinois

Buckcherry at The Castle Theatre

Buckcherry made their return to The Castle Theatre in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. The band is on their Hellbound Tour which goes across the country and then caps off in New Zealand and Australia. It is truly crazy that Buckcherry has been around for twenty-three years. Their ninth album, Hellbound, was released June 25, 2021. The band’s current lineup consists of Josh Todd, vocalist, Stevie D., guitarist, Kelly LeMieux, bassist, Francis Ruiz, Drummer, and Billy Rowe, guitarist.

Support for this tour comes in the form of Sumo Cyco, a rock band from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The band was formed in 2011 and has three albums. The band is considered punk-metal and fits well with Buckcherry. The vocalist, Skye Sweetnam, has a strong rock voice as well as a growl. The band gave a solid rock performance and got the crowd in the mood.

Skye Sweetnam of Sumo Cyco

Sumo Cyco

Blacktop Mojo is the second band to support Buckcherry on the Hellbound tour. Blacktop Mojo is one of my favorite bands. Their eponymous fourth album was released on August 13, 2021. I consider it one of the best albums of 2021. Blacktop Mojo is described as Texas Grunge. They have some Southern Rock sounds as well as Grunge sounds. On this latest album, the song Stratus Melancholia sounds like an Alice in Chains song. You should try to make every effort to see this band live.

The band was in great form tonight and they won over the crowd with their Texas Grunge.
Their setlist consisted of:
All Mine Now
Strike Me
Do It For The Money
Bed Tundy
Latex
Tush, ZZ Top cover
Lay It On
Wicked Woman
Any Way The Wind Blows

Blacktop Mojo

You can find all good things about Blacktop Mojo on their website: Blacktop Mojo

Buckcherry is one the hardest working bands out there. They are gracious, friendly, and know how to rock. They are the epitome of a modern rock band. The proof that Rock is not dead. Perhaps what is really dead is the band that shows up late, high, and cannot remember their songs and are only in it for the sex, drugs, and money. Those bands are still out there trying to ride the wave of fortune from thirty years ago. Evolve or die.

Buckcherry fans come from all walks of life. There were doctors, families, grocery store workers, tow truck drivers, and everyone in-between in the crowd. They started with the high energy song “5 4 3 2 1” that really gets the crowd in a mood. Josh’s voice was a little hard to hear for the first two songs. Perhaps because those are new songs, the mix needed some tweaking. As the night went on, there was no problem with the sound.

The setlist consisted of “Lit Up”, “Sorry” and new songs “So Hott”, “Gun” and the weirdest sing-along song, “Crazy Bitch”. It is a sight to see your grandma singing along to “Crazy Bitch” but there are always several at a show that sing it at the top of their lungs. Really, it doesn’t matter who it is. Everyone sings alongs to “Crazy Bitch” when it comes on. The song is 4 X Platinum certified. It is hard rock’s equivalent of “Sweet Caroline”!!

Their complete setlist:
5 4 3 2 1
So Hott
Ridin’
Out of Line
Lit Up
Hellbound
Porno Star
The Way
Too Drunk
Sorry
Gluttony
Gun
Crazy Bitch
————-
encore
Say Fuck It

The band always delivers a great show. You can catch them on the Hellbound Tour near you. See all their dates on their website: Buckcherry Website

Buckcherry

Blacktop Mojo Concert Review

Posted on November 7, 2021 by Suzie Soule

Blacktop Mojo with The Holdouts Concert Review
Crusens
Creve Coeur, Illinois

Blacktop Mojo

Blacktop Mojo brought their show to Central Illinois after a long break due to the pandemic. The band has been busy working during their time off. The band released on their eponymous album that came out Friday, August 13, 2021. Every week since the album has come out, I have listened to it. Needless to say it is an awesome album that everyone should add to their playlist.

Click to buy Blacktop Mojo album 4

Rock and Roll: räk-en-rōl

I Popular music usually played on electronically ampliflied instruments and characterized by a persistent heavily accented beat, repitions of simple phrases, and ofte country, folk, and blues elements

II To move or get going

When you hear Blacktop Mojo, their music is pure Rock and Roll.

The open was a local country rock band that has a shotgun shell in their logo, The Holdouts. At first when I heard them, I thought it Blacktop Mojo and Matt James has cut his beard but it was the singer from the holdouts. They were a blend of modern country rock and older country and the two piece are pretty good musicians.

The Holdouts

The venue is a pretty large bar with a stage at one end and three different bar areas and a large covered patio. The crowd was mixed between older people out celebrating birthdays, regular bar patrons, older fans who had not seen the band and their adult children who were as excited to see Blacktop Mojo as their parents. It was a crisp fall night as the smell of weed wafted through the air mixed with the fall leaves.

Blacktop Mojo did not keep the fans waiting and took the stage as soon as their gear was set. The band consists of vocalist frontman Matt James, drummer Nathan Gillis, bassist Matt Curtis and guitarists Chuck Wepfer and Malcolm Booher who joined this tour in place of Ryan Kiefer. Do not worry, the band states that Ryan Kiefer is still a member of the band.

Chuck Wepfer of Blacktop Mojo

Matt James of Blacktop Mojo

Matt Curtis of Blacktop Mojo

Matt James of Blacktop Mojo

Blacktop Mojo

Chuck Wepfer of Blacktop Mojo

Matt Curtis of Blacktop Mojo

Blacktop Mojo

The band was nearing the end of their tour and so their show was a well-oiled machine. The energy from the start to finish was so rocking. The band and the fans were there to throw down.

Their setlist was heavy on their fourth album and I was extremely happy about that. Their were some songs from their album Under The Sun that they really had not toured with since the pandemic hit. Not everything was bad from the pandemic. Matt explained that the song “Bed Tundy” was a result of watching too many serial killer documentaries. They also performed their old hits and sounded so good on “Burn The Ships” and “Come Get Your Coat” and their power ballad “Anyway The Wind Blows”. I should add that song to my best songs for having sex list. Missing from the setlist was their cover of Aerosmith’s “Dream On”.

The Full Setlist:
Wicked Woman
Lay It On Me
End of Days
Bed Tundy
Do It For The Money
The Void
It Won’t Last
Come Get Your Coat
Burn The Ships
All Mine Now
Rewind
Tail Lights
Where The Wind Blows
____________________
Encore:
My Girl
Why
Tush

Get out and see a live show by Blacktop Mojo. You can stay up to date on their tour dates on their website: Blacktop Mojo

Blacktop Mojo Concert Review

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Suzie Soule

Blacktop Mojo with Drugs Delaney and Autumn Rove Concert Review
Monarch Music Hall
Peoria, Illinois

Blacktop Mojo

Blacktop Mojo is a band that you have heard of but may not have seen live yet. Their name would indicate they dominate the four-square court but hey, they actually dominate the rock stage. They burst onto the scene with one of the best covers of “Dream On” by Aerosmith that has ever been done. They are touring in support of their latest album, Burn The Ships produced by the legendary Jimmy Johnson. Mr. Jimmy Johnson has produced everyone including The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. While their album is an almagation of rock from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Sevendust, it does not do the live show justice.

Local band, Autumn Rove, hard rockers from Peoria, Illinois started the night. For fans of Sick Puppies or Skillet had a short but strong set. They told the crowd they were working on new music and hoped to have it out soon.

Autumn Rove

Another local alternative rock band, Drugs Delaney, performed next. They are a local band who was touring in support of their album, Circus. Drugs Delaney is a local favorite.

Drugs Delaney

Blacktop Mojo had an intimate crowd join them on a Thursday in Peoria, Illinois. The crowd was as anxious to see the band live as I was. They exceeded our expectations and left the crowd with that endorphin rush that a great, live show gives to its fans. Vocalist, Matt James, leads the band into the next level with his smooth and powerful voice. The evening began with my favorite song, “Burn The Ships” about a Viking fight and going to Valhalla. Some technical difficulties arose but the band just performed acoustically to get through any bumps in the show. Performing a beautiful, acoustic cover of “She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes.

Their full setlist:
Burn The Ships
End of Days
Trouble on The Rise
Open Road
Sweat
She Talks to Angels (The Black Crowes cover)
Where The Wind Blows
All Mine Now
It Won’t Last
Pyromaniac
Dream On (Aerosmith cover)