THE BARBARIANS OF CALIFORNIA AND MANY EYES JOIN FORCES TO EVOLVE THE SCENE AND CONQUER THE ROXY
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN WARREN
What do you get when you combine a relatively new heavy band with a lot of buzz and a new group from a legendary metalcore vocalist? You get a Monday night dance party in the middle of Hollywood.
Dubbed “The Barbarians Annual Fall Fest Classic,” The Barbarians of California and Many Eyes sailed into The Roxy and played a much-anticipated show on Monday, 11/10, with fans of both bands eagerly wanting to see two of the hottest new bands in the heavy scene. Barbarians, comprised of former members of AWOLNATION and Tinfed, released their debut album And Now I’m Just Gnashing My Teeth in 2024, and are fresh off of opening for Deftones to play a hometown headlining show at the Roxy. Many Eyes, fronted by Every Time I Die (RIP) vocalist Keith Buckley, have been writing and releasing new music recently and have sprinkled in some live dates in between recordings. A friendship eventually developed between the two groups, culminating in this special one-off show.
LA hardcore 5-piece Lockslip set the tone with their frenetic brand of hardcore, making the most of their 20ish minutes onstage. Between lead singer Sara G’s brutal vocals and the chaotic riffs, they gave off some serious Dying Wish vibes.
Next up was rhythm section duo 7D7D, who are made up of Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford and French drummer Mathias Wakrat. Although the band (pronounced “seventy seventy”) didn’t have a sound similar to the other bands on the bill, they oddly fit in, with Commerford’s groovy bass lines and vocals and Wakrat’s complementary drumming providing a cool alternative to the aggression of hardcore.
Many Eyes followed, and kicked off their set with the hard-sitting “Harbinger” and proceeded to destroy their set, playing songs from both their full-length debut, The Light Age, and their new EP, Combust. Buckley showed zero signs of slowing down, belting out bangers like “House of Bad Taste,” “Servant,” and concluding with their first single, “Revelation.” Obviously, a band like Many Eyes will get a bump with the musical reputation of Buckley and, to a lesser extent, drummer Nick Bellmore (ex-Kingdom of Sorrow, ex-Jasta). But make no mistake, Many Eyes have the talent and drive to succeed on their own. And based on the energy of their live show, they have the potential to become a scene favorite.
Headliners Barbarians of California concluded the evening with an intensely fun set. Don’t let the silly song names (“Dopamine Prophecy,” “No Sir I Won’t Wear Your Jacket,” “PSEUDO INTELLECTUALS ARE HATING ON MY BAND!!! (pure power)”, etc.) fool you, these songs are anything but. Barbarians are proof that you can be a legitimate heavy band without having to be so serious all the time. The crowd proved their fandom, singing along to multiple songs, including hitting each and every “wooo!” in “By the Time I Get to Mexico.” Buckley came out to sing “Pseudo,” a song he and the Barbarians collaborated on. The Barbarians were efficient with their time, cramming the best of their catalog into a tight 45 min set, accumulating a bunch of new fans along the way.
It’s safe to say that the first annual Barbarians Annual Fall Fest Classic was a rousing success. Who knows if it will actually be an annual show, but if it is, rest assured it’ll be the most fun you’ll have at a hardcore show.
