STATIC X: RISE OF THE MACHINE TOUR with FEAR FACTORY - DOPE - TWIZTID - CULTUS BLACK

The long wait was finally over, as the prior canceled Static X Rise of the Machine tour returned in all its glory to a Sold Out House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in

Las Vegas. The crowd arrived early, with a line halfway across the casino floor, over an hour in advance of the 5:30 door time. With five bands on the bill the show got started early at

6pm with CULTUS BLACK, featuring members of Motogrator. Cultus Black describes itself as "a cult and unapologetic", and band blew us away with their sound, staging and outfits. A GREAT band and a great start to the night.

I was not sure how TWIZTID were going to fare on this metal lineup, but once their set got going the crowd was totally into them. Their combination of metal and rap fit perfectly , with duo Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child along with full band backup, and I personally like this metal version. It seemed kinda odd that Monoxide wore a ski mask the entire show never taking it off tho. Nice set by a Vegas fave.

Long time favorite DOPE, who surprisingly have been around for 26 years now, were the 3rd band on the bill. Fronted by Edsel Dope and Acey Spade on bass, the band rocked us with classics such as “Die MF Die”, “Debonaire” and a song Edsel told the crowd was the stupidest song ever, “You Spin Me Round”. He also talked about all the debauchery they had in the early days of the band in Vegas, and thanked Fear Factory for taking Static X and Dope out with them over 20 years ago. Edsel also told the crowd they could go to the band's website and get the new CD Blood Money Part Zero digitally for FREE!! Another great show by a great band to keep the night going hot.

Holy Shit, FEAR FACTORY is back. It’s been way too long since I have seen this band, and with new singer Milo Silvestro, who absolutely killed it on vocals, this band is ready to move forward and regain its place in the metal world. Dino Cazares guitar playing was better than ever and Tony Campos on bass just rounds out this band. The band opened with “Shock” followed by “Edgecrusher" and was joined onstage by Jamie from Twiztid and L from Cultus Black onstage. The highlight of the set was hearing Mike Heller’s thunderous drumming and Dino’s guitar playing on “Powershifter”, and of course “Demanufacture”. The mosh pit was raging as FF closed out their set with “Replica”. This band is and always has been a local favorite and a packed HOB let the band know how much they loved it.

Next the return of STATIC X! This band has been one of my all time favs since the first time I saw them in Vegas way back at the old LVCS. Their sound is unique and like no other band. Losing a frontman like Wayne Static

would of been the demise of other bands, but the members of Static X rallied and regrouped, and have come back bigger and better. They have not forgotten Wayne and always pay homage to him at each and every show.

As the lights dimmed a large platform was wheeled to the center of the stage and singer XerO appeared at the top as the band launched into “Permanence”. Looking like a man made machine, XerO then climbed down as the band played” This Is Not” which had the packed main floor jumping up and down in rhythm to the beat. This show was not short on Static X classics, as the band seemed to play all of them including “Wisconsin Death Trip”, “Bled For Days”, "I'm With Stupid” and “Push It”. I LOVED when they played “Cold”, the soft blue lighting and blowing snow made for such an incredible sight onstage. Static X rocked us with 19 songs but the show was so enjoyable it seemed much shorter. Selling out all over the country this tour was nothing short of a major success, with five different and unique bands sporting a top metal line-up.

Static X Las Vegas Setlist:

Wisconsin Death Trip

Fix

Bled for Days

Sweat of the Bud

Terminator Oscillator

Just in Case