Lunatic's Serenade
Fever Red – Backstage Bar
and Billiards, Las Vegas
January 29, 2015
For months I have been watching these videos from local rockers, Fever Red. Two gals from Philli that moved out to the desert to smash the faces of anyone who enters the club they play in.
Their early years consists of an all-female tribute to Metallica (Oh yeah!). Properly named “Misstallica", they shred through a vigorous set that include songs from Metallica's first four recordings; and if that ain’t enough, they've also done a tribute to King Diamond that they call "Queen Diamond".
I finally got to meet Gina and Leanne at the Backstage Bar and Billiards in Las Vegas. We talked a lot about what music means and how it touches our soul. Gina fell in love with metal when she heard the record British Steel by Judas Priest. Her dad is a big Elvis fan and broadened her musical horizon with his Gospel stuff. My new bestie; Leanne talked about how AC/DC affected her. She heard the Back in Black record and decided that she was gonna’ be Angus Young. She bought a red Gibson SG, dressed the part and shuffled just like Angus.
Talking to these maidens of metal, I felt comfortable knowing that the new generation of metal is in good hands. When they hit the stage, there was no doubt that I was right. They were backed by one hell of a rhythm section! Once they started, there was no stopping the Fever Red Freight train! They belted the crowd with numerous originals that punched, pounded grinded you to powder. When they did covers, let me tell you they chose the very best. "If you wand Blood" by AC/DC, "Mother" by Danzig and the one that got EVERYONE headbanging, "The Four Horsemen" by the beloved Metallica!
"Once they started, there was no stopping the Fever Red Freight train!"
The last time I saw that song performed was in Oakland, CA when Metallica played Day on the Green back in '91. I totally flashed back to that that night when they kicked into the opening riff.
The energy was contagious; the smiles were plentiful, both on the stage and in the crowd. Some were buzzing pretty good and others just fully enjoyed the mayhem happening. Gina and Leanne did a few duo solos, thrashed about like maniacs and killed every song and nailed it to the door. (It’s still there, I know.)
All that said this will not be my last Fever Red show. The whole band made me proud to be an avid listener of the Heavy Metal genre. I implore, beg, plead and warn you not to pass up any opportunity to catch this band. If you can’t, visit their Youtube channel and web sites. Listen and catch the Fever!
Special thanks to Leanne and Gina for being so gracious. Thanks to Leanne for being my new best friend and thanks to Gina for the Rum and Coke!
Tim Duran, HMS
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