Metal View By Mike Vanek
A 209 METAL HISTORY LESSON 2012 makes 12 years that I have been working in the local music scene and 17 years since I joined the scene. This Month I’d like to pay tribute to the past. Venues like the Legendary Tees & Greens, Loan Oak Hall, California Ballroom, Charlie’s, Chateau De Ville, and Art on 10th, among many others are all one but not forgotten.
The two venues in Modesto that still stand and have made the most impact are The Workshop in Ceres and The Fat Cat in Downtown Modesto. The Workshop has been home to underground & extreme metal for years and hasbeen a haven for the Central Valley Hardcore Movement. The Fat Cat has hosted hundreds of local metal shows over the years and has hosted some of the biggest names in metal as well.
Our local scene would not exist with out lots of people and bands in this area. People like RC from Merced, Robin Steely, Mike Miller from The Hills, Amy Mucero (Pre-Strong), Middagh Goodwin Chris from Stockton, Dave “LUNCHBOX” Ussery from Los Banos & Chris Ricci and myself among others have all dedicated years of work to our scene and without any of them we wouldn’t have a scene to call home… and finally the bands! I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for hundreds of extraordinary bands. Now instead of just listing a few, I made a Top 50 list. Hopefully we will have new bands this year and even more new places to play in 2012.
MIKE VANEK’S TOP 50 209 BANDS OF ALL TIME 50 The Venting Machine 49 Two (o) Nine 48 Nuclear Rabbit (Bay) 47 LUXT (Sac) 46 Decomposition/Disfigured 45 Cursed/Cursed A.D. 44 Eyecon 43 This Times Brutal 42 Left Hand Black 41 Epidemia 40 Origins of Consequence 39 B420 38 Liquid Conscience 37 Warpath Assassins 36 Slackenloader 35 3 Finger Jack 34 Skin 4 Julia 33 Monkey Knife Fight 32 Thr3efold 31 Zero Tolerance 30 And All Was Lost 29 Seip 28 Counterbore 27 Suicide Hands 26 Rebel’s Mother 25 Morbius 24 Rubberfinger 23 Bitter Legacy 22 Fallen Sleepless 21 Better Left Unsaid 20 Immortality 19 Infestation 18 Burial Ground 17 Fatal Rage 16 Fathom 15 Differential 14 Alchemy 13 Nothing But Losers 12 Makeshift Grey 11 Bind 10 The Wind 09 Kranial Damage 08 Shrine 07 maus 06 Built 05 The Shambulls 04 Sickle 03 The Meats**ts 02 Carcinogen 01 DAM
That’s it for this Month, so until next month keep one foot in the gutter and one fist in the gold.
Mike Vanek 209 Productions facebook.com/mike.vanek
