MOONLESS MADLINS 10/8 SHOW
Current mood: energetic

On a warm summer like evening with the sky still light, the crowd and the bands started to arrive at Madlins Coffee House. It would be midnight before the So Cali Temecula/Murrieta Valley temperature made its 40 degree arc, and at least that long before winding down from the night's menu of bands.

SET - 1 A CALMER DAY

Making their second stop at Madlins Coffee House was A CALMER DAY and Little April Lyn climbed up into her Daddy Billiam's arms as he stood on a chair to survey the scene and watch the band of two guitars, bass, drum and frontman be anything but calm musically. The five piece band of fourteen old friends, all dressed in black T's, pumped out highly energetic metal screammo and Goth rythumed headbanger songs to a modest young crowd that grew to fill the venue by set's end, especially after the 'In 'N Out' crowd showed up. The only cloud on A CALMER DAY was mike trouble, a big thing when you have four vocalists. A video has been made and recording for a CD is the next thing in the works for the local still in school group.

SET 2 - THE KNIFE IN IRIS

An older crowd drove down from Riverside, CA for THE KNIFE IN IRIS, an older five piece band of twenty-somethings from that area debuting at Madlins. Slicing into a set of songs ranging from screammo to punk to punk pop, the five piece offered a different band look with three same color dark red instruments, guitar, bass, drums, and completely different axe playing technics. Driving the music along with the drums were both the power strumming (red guitar) and power slicing (black guitar) of the double rythum/lead licks. Being up close the crowd could see and appreciate the excellent instrument finger handling on bridge breaks ('tightness') of the band, leading the frontman to say, "wooo, never played where the people got so close, I like it."

SET 3 - OCEAN DAYBREAK

The six piece group, a past performer at Madlins back in September, brought a big crowd and the faces changed again. With the full guitar sound that comes from having two leads, a rythum, and a bass in a band, coupled with tight precision member movement spins and breaks, OCEAN DAYBREAK delivers a 'christian' rock that is untraditional
but popular with Temecula fans. In fact, this band and several other Madlin alumni are playing a show for the Rancho Community Church, Oct.29, as the Christians enter the arena of rock entertainment by charging two bucks more. Free punch with that?

SET 4 - DARK HAVEN

With a lot less member movement, this rising young group handled by Jackie Finkl, builds a hard rock wall of sound that seems like more music from less guys. Walking in from the patio I felt like I was in Bikini Bottom, the room was so thick with '80's infectious sonic headbanging hard rock metal done new school. Madlins went SRO with the added Chapparel High School crowd. One sweaty hottie was heard to say as she squeezed out the front door and fanned her top, blond bangs now turned into spit curls, 'Whew, I got hotboxed in there.' Kent, the new keyboard player fit the slot vacated by college bound Matt to a T, probably the leading reason the boys seemed to having a blast doing the set. With people standing on the chairs headbanging, DARK HAVEN gets the GROOVE OF THE NIGHT Award! It was a Kodak moment folks. This band is hot as the drummer started the set with his shirt off!

SET 5 - THE QUALITY KILL

Though the crowd thinned out as the DH after parties started, the fans who stayed and came for THE QUALITY KILL weren't spared any of their 'blow your face off' musical antics. The hardcore thrash around music driven by double bass drum beating and egged on by this sceammo band is dangerous and can cause spontaniuos mosh mayhem, as Billiam found out on the band's last song. He swooped, but twas too late. This is also a band to watch (out) for. Again, live music is your best entertainment value. - MR. PETE