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Event Review: (the) Melvins
The Electric Roach Tour
July 1, 2022
Musikfest Café
101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA
What a night. What a beautiful night. It was wild walking into Musikfest Café and seeing people wearing (the) Melvins, Suicidal Tendencies, Faith No More, Fantomas, Mr. Bungle, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Slayer, John Coltrane, and horror t-shirts. Fans showed up. People are still weary of COVID. Always stay safe with everything you do. Musikfest Café felt three bands, three amazing bands with THE ICONIC MELVINS. Harsh Mellow and Helms Alee opened for (the) Melvins.
Harshmellow is from San Diego, California and they were amazing. It’s singer/guitarist Otis “O” Barthoulameu and bassist Sarah Linton, and they were joined by the one and only Dale Crover who makes everyone want to be a drummer.
Helms Alee came out next, and by then the crowd was in… We were all the way in it, and having a blast. Helms Alee just ROCKED Musikfest Café, besides (the) Melvins making Musikfest Café vibrate and shake, Helms Alee is INCREDIBLE. Helms Alee is Hozoji Margullis on drums and vocals. She is absolutely awesome. Ben Verellen on guitar, drums, and vocals. This MAN CAN SING! He was putting the whole soul and being into these songs. Dana James playing bass and singing, she killed it.
Helms Alee performed a few songs, the crowd kept asking for “one more song.” (I missed that so much.) I’m pretty sure all of Bethlehem heard this whole show. It was AMAZING.
And, of course finally, (the) Melvins came out, King Buzzo came out to test is guitar, and he was in his zone while a packed house of Melvins fans were shouting, “BUZZO” at him. He ignored them like most of try to ignore our own worries at a concert.
(the) Melvins have released more than twenty studio albums, they have worked with many different musicians including Mike Patton, his bands were all on display tonight via t-shirts. Fans rocking Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, and Fantomas t-shirts. If you can’t handle loud or truly hardcore, rock/metal, punk, and jazz all combined in this wild mixture of beautiful insanity, (the) Melvins may not be for you but you should listen to them anyway.
(the) Melvins are King Buzzo on guitar/lead vocals, Dale Crover on drums, vocals, and he plays bass too. Steven Shane McDonald is the bassist and on vocals. (the) Melvins are one of the most prolific bands ever. They have inspired, influenced, helped, created, and paved the way for many yet they never do the same thing.
The fans were just euphoric, it was like everyone left ever care they had at home or somewhere it couldn’t be found. Musikfest Café had the bar open and there were two different bands playing outside but all of Musikfest Café was vibrating and I think the music Gods, and even Slayer is somewhere going, THAT’S LOUD!
King Buzzo’s hair dancing was great. (the) Melvins are in a league of their own. The Electric Roach Tour 2022 was amazing so far, if they come to your city, go see them. Go see them over and over if you can.
A few of the songs they did include: “It’s Shoved”, “Charlie” (Redd Kross cover), “Honey Bucket”, “Hooch”, and more. It was otherworldly, (the) Melvins rocked. They delivered on so many levels. There is this essence that all three of the bands had.
They interwove together and yet they were all so different. I’m still so stoked that I spotted so many fellow Mr. Bungle, Suicidal Tendencies, John Coltrane, Faith No More, Fantomas, Redd Kross, Slayer, and lots of rare horror t-shirts represented.
The crowd made it fun and it was odd because you hardly saw a cell phone in sight. People took some photos but they were too into the music to even pull out the phones. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that. You feel that though, being in that moment. You are in the right here, right now moment.
(I did my friends at Gallows Hill Spirits for Music Trivia Bingo. They are the best.) As (the) Melvins finished the last song, and took off, they started playing Digital Underground’s “The Humpy Dance”, in which everyone just started dancing and holding up drinks to remember Shock G.
What a night, it was beautiful outside, Musikfest Café was great as always. The staff is incredible. If you get a chance to see The Electric Roach Tour, run, and go see it. Head bang, lose an earring or two, grab a drink, dance with friends, sweat like your part of the band from all the air bass, air guitar, and air drumming some of us were doing. Be safe out there and music makes the world better.
