Gretta Van Fleet, Black Mountain Tenacious D and Iggy Pop & the Post Pop Depression stun the CalJam 2018 crowds with electric performances!!!!
Ok we admit that we missed out on CalJam 2017 and we’re still kicking ourselves for it, but this year was incredible and it’s going to be tough to top the spectacle that was CalJam 2018 for years to come! First off, rewind and go back to when I went to the Foo Fighters pop up at the Palladium in Hollywood a few weeks in advance. What an incredible show pop up show – it only featured THE legendary Roger Taylor from Queen. 🤯 These guys (The Foos) are all about giving back to THE FANS and this was just like f**king Christmas in September or some shit. Thank you, thank you.
From there we knew CalJam was a MUST and no question we needed tickets, but never in a million years did I think that going to that Saturday afternoon pop up rager at the Palladium in Hollywood would lead to us seeing NIRVANA reunite minus Kurt. RIP man, still can’t believe you’re gone!
This show took me back to a time that was so important in my musical life. Back when Kurt’s suicide happened I was a die hard Nirvana fan, bought all the albums etc, but couldn’t go to the shows “because I was 12. ” At least thats what my parents said at the time, so when Kurt passed I did my current event the next day in school on how Kurt Cobain had died of an apparent suicide. I was so devastated I barely made it through the presentation. I was a mess. He was one of my favorites.
Now fast forward to 2018 and I’m at CalJam and I get to see the Nirvana reunion as a fan and as a curator of content on my own site. What a blessing to be alive. Dave was rockin on the drums, Krist was on the bass and we got to hear some gems. I guess it was somewhat therapeutic to see what I hadn’t been able to in years past. What was cut short found continuance and I was able to close some of those wounds as a fan. It was def a small taste of what I missed, hopefully Kurt is resting in peace and looking down on the fans and loved ones that miss him.
It goes without saying that the Foo Fighters did their thing during their show. They played all the hits that fans want to hear and even threw in some old school jams from their self titled album and the Colour and the Shape. Aside from my spiritual and emotional Nirvana CalJam experience, there were some other SUPER dope performances that I gotta talk about because they stood out to me – check them below:
Gretta Van Fleet – Let me just start here and I know you guys are going to kill me for all the Zeppelin comparisons, but these guys are really talented man. I was really diggin their set and yes the lead singer sounds like Robert Plant but he is overly GOOD. Very strong voice without effort. The guitar player has some dope licks and tricks during the set too like playing with the guitar behind his back, but do not sleep on these guys just because people label them a Zep cover band. I will def be checking out their North American tour. They have some big songs coming and can put on a dope live show.
Tenacious D – This set was everything I knew it was going to be. Being that I am a fan of the movie Tenacious D and School of Rock among all the great Jack Black movies I may be biased but this set was full of theatrics. Jack Black even makes it fun to watch kid movies so you know I’m all in on his music . Jack Black and Kyle Gass didn’t miss a beat and put on a theatrical set that I don’t think I will ever forget. Gotta give these guys credit for just making fans love Rock and Roll music. People talk about the guitar is dead or how Rock is dead and it makes me f**kin sick. When I see weekends like this past weekend where I have so much fun listening to rock music I know people just aren’t really listening. Rock will NEVER die.
Black Mountain. Ok so prior to the great Tenacious D set, I got the chance to check out this band from Vancouver and I gotta say they remind me a lil bit of Floyd mixed with Flaming Lips, mixed with Zeppelin, mixed with some Beck or the Brian Jonestown Massacre or some Mazzy Star. Its just some trippy laid back rock with some real bluesy grooves. I will def be seeing these guys again soon!
Metz – For that crazy scratch, distorted loud rock – you might like some Metz. It’s a bit abstract and textured in its sound but this trio is not to be missed and they will blaze the f**k out of your speakers when turned up to the appropriate levels. This music should not be listened to on low, turn this the f**k up. “Dirty Shirt” is an awesome place to start.
Iggy Pop and the Post Pop Depression – Last and most importantly Queens of the Stone Age did their due diligence and made sure Rock fans across the globe knew about Iggy Pop for their set. Iggy is just such a damn legend and you can hear Iggy’s music in so much of the music from Queens of the Stone age so this was the perfect mesh of music. This was an HONOR because Iggy is the Godfather of Punk music so if you aren’t familiar because you haven’t tuned in… its never too late. You can hear how Iggy influenced so much music is just so f**king cool you get to see Queens and Iggy on one stage, its just a wonder to the mind of Rock fans. What a gift.
For more footage of CalJam, check some stuff from my IG below! This was such an international show with people speaking so many different languages throughout the crowd. It was just f**kin dope man. Just so much good stuff going on, I will 100% be at CalJam next year.
