Vicious Circle & Cover Dogs

                    Live at The Cap, Celebrating Danny Romaine's 50th Birthday! 

The Moon is still in Cancer on this hot summer night in July and for most folks born under this zodiac sign, they will never relinquish a treasured object, and can remain hard on the outside. However, deep inside their hearts, they are soft gentle creatures. Why would I say such things?" you may ask. Well my Moon is Cancer and I know how these people think. Anyway  50-year old, Danny Romaine is one those crabby types that yearns for Heavy Metal Thunder to ease him into a pleasant mood. Sure, Cancer people can be quite moody. However, Chicago local bands such as Vicious Circle and Cover Dogs can put almost anyone into a happy place.

Vicious Circle: Rudy Guzman 

Nightcaps was blindsided and fatally paralyzed by the tenacious sounds of Vicious Circle. Once I arrived, some Mercyful Fate was blaring from speakers and fans were feeling that raw energy by lead frontman, Rudy Guzman  Other members include: Chris Tabor & Art Guzman (lead guitarist) Mick Lucid (bass) and drummer Kevin Tarpey from this progressive Heavy Metal group in Chicago. But things changed quickly, and now Danny Romaine was on stage in this "Hot Box" at the Cap, performing "Electric Eye" written by Judas Priest. Romaine's dark sunglasses and stocky build resembled that of a Black Panther Battle Tank ready for his Windy City War Cry. Yes sir, this guy can sing and Romaine ripped up that stage on this Saturday night.

Without delay, Cover Dogs was ready to rock "The Cap" and was one hot act to follow. The 90 degree temperature made this place feel like a brick oven, and so hot that you could probably bake a pizza on the floor. Cover Dogs offered up some good, in yer face rock-n-roll with song such as "Let it Rock, Let It Roll" "Shot Down In Flames" and "Shout at the Devil" just to name a few. Members for Cover Dogs are, Jeff  Hundrieser (Vocalist) Jon Dobbs & Nevin Trevic (lead guitarist) Kevin Cobleigh (bass) and drummer, Paul Bata. If you like super groups such as Queensryche, Guns n Roses and Motley Crue, then this group is definitely worth seeing.

Cover Dogs: Jeff Hundrieser & Jon Dobbs

Given these valid points in this article, and drinking with some good friends such as Van Halen Dave, Eddie Bak and Harold T. was indeed a killer night out. There were so many other friends I wanted to conversate but the thunder dome was to loud. And with in mind, I would like to give a Shout Out to:
Joe & Diana Incandella, Ana Marie Ippolito and John Griffith for their support in local music.
Of course, I didn't have to go home. However, I couldn't stay another minute in this sweat box at the Cap. More beer and blunts is want this outlaw journalist needed and my new quest began. Until the next time, Happy Birthday Danny!

LAVA Rock

                             Show Review at the Pavilion Event Center

LAVA Rock

This has been a spectacular summer so far, and with all the outstanding talent to write about one can only imagine who will be featured this week for the Bad Americans. Our story begins with my dear friend Eddie Bak that was unable to attend the performance of LAVA Rock. Working the graveyard shift on Friday, Bak offers me two free tickets "Sure, I'll go to Northbrook and check these guys out," I said to myself. I took the tickets, and was off to Nickel City.

Next to Nickel City was the Pavilion Restaurant & Event Center that featured this Led Zeppelin tribute band. But it goes deeper than that folks. Let's examine the acronym for a moment, shall we? Led Zepplin, Aerosmith Van Halen and AC/DC Okay? Are you with me so far? Good. Let's move on and get this show review finished. The first order of business was to hunt down the bass player for a quick meet and greet. "My Mom and Dad got me into Led Zeppelin, explained bassist John Sullivan. We talked a little about AC/DC his 1970 Fender P Bass and "Thunderstruck."  With over 15 years of  bass playing experience Sullivan once played the drums. It was a brief conversation over some Chicken Wings as Sullivan waited for his Veggie Burger. "Good luck tonight," I said.  It's always good business to set down with one of the band members just before the show starts and from that point, I could tell that LAVA Rock was a great bunch guys.

Ordering some more food and drink, the curtain rises slowly and "Rock-n-Roll"  kicked-off the night. Members for this five piece ensemble include: Kerry Devine (Vocals) Gino Buonomici & Gerald Guzman (Lead Guitarist) and drummer, Robert Behnke. "Good Times, Bad Times" and "What is and Should Never Be" offered a solid performance as LAVA Rock played all the Zepplin classics on this Friday Night in July.  Devine's stage presence wooed the crowd with "The Ocean" as fans chanted along with the lyrics. "A Whole Lotta Love" and a killer drum solo performed by Behnke gave this group the cutting edge as they rocked the Pavilion Event Center.

The hour was getting late and I had a train to catch that would take me back to Chicago. Should I miss that Midnight express back home,there would be five hour walk back to my Castle. So, after LAVA Rock's first set was complete, it was time to go home. If you're a Led Zeppelin fan I urge you to grab a ticket and find that Black Dog inside the corner of your mind. With bigger venues slowly fading away, we'll start seeing more and more tributes like LAVA Rock in the future.