LOS ANGELES HARD ROCK FAVORITES

 Concert Review and Photos By Roc Boyum

Friday Night exploded in Phoenix, Arizona on April 7, 2023, as Hollywood heroes Stonebreed landed at the Starlight Lounge and hosted a full night of kick-ass Hard Rock with support from two great bands; Ten Cent Revenge and American Headtrip.

Stonebreed‘s kick ass hard rock, blend a little bit of Guns N Roses with some Telsa and their own brand of southern kick which makes their show a non-stop full tilt rocking show; no ballads or emo music here! The night had an explosive start with opening sets from Ten Cent Revenge and American Headtrip. 

Hollywood heroes Stonebreed have been on a mission of conquering one region at a time with their kick ass – butt kicking Southern tinged Hard Rock music and on this night, they had Phoenix, Arizona in their sights. The band hit the Starlite stage with an explosion that continued through the night with no holds barred; serving up their own style of southern fried hard rock’ yeah baby this was a good time!

Carlos Cruz is the mastermind behind Stonebreed – and he is not only one hell of a ring leader but a great person as well. As a front-man, Cruz is the one of the most engaging and entertaining frontmen out on the rock scene today – on any stage! He can effortlessly grind out some great vocals while interacting with the band and always has a crazy amount of energy – constantly on the move running around the stage and engaging the audience with just enough attitude to really sell what he’s singing. In a smaller venue like the Starlite Lounge, he just might single you out in the audience to make sure that Stonebreed is musically kicking your butt; and that’s a good thing!!

Stonebreed, like most R&R bands, has had its fair share of line-up changes with some incarnations proving to be better than others. Such is the case with Stonebreed’s current cast of characters who are most definitely in my opinion, the best version of of this band musically thus far. Cruz’s decision to slim things down to a four piece unit, really kicks serious ass and suites their musical style much better.The band has a more punchy sound with raw energy than the five and six man versions I’ve previously caught live. The band now consists of Carlos Cruz-vocals, Paul Hudosn-guitar, Orion Rainz-drums and Dano Sauceda-bass – who together embody the essence of what Stonebreed are musically; a wicked-ass hard rock band with a dash of “cayenne pepper” for that extra sizzle that makes these guys stand out. Everyone in this band puts out 110% throughout the whole show and you will get a show and a night of great rockin’ music that will not be soon forgotten.

 Stonebreed gave the Starlite a crushing eleven song set with Cruz firing up the audience between songs with his banter about the nature of a given song or just simply chatting it up to get people tuned into their vibe.

Guitarist Hudson is a master craftsman who can grind out the nasty guitar rhythms, as well as pull off blistering runs up and down the guitar neck with complete ease all the while maintaining a super cool vibe without being overly flashy.

  Bassist Sauceda is like a punk rock biker with a boatload of attitude; in a good way! He stomps about on stage while slamming down the heavy bass lines with the kind of bottom end you feel in your chest and – he keeps you entertained non-stop. By the way, he is also the cornerstone foundation that musically keeps everything together and just so happens to be the perfect support for guitarist Hudson to do what he does with ease. 

 Drummer Rainz is not just a flashy showman; he is also one hell of a beast of a drummer. Sure, he’ll give the audience a ton of crazy antics, like stick twirling, stick tossing and big arm movements that keep you entertained throughout his performance – but what really stands out with Rainz is his real drumming abilities. This guy can give you a deep groove or a thrashing attack when needed and then throw out some rapid-fire fills across his kit along with a blistering double bass drum run! Oh yeah, heavy grooves, crazy technique and all the while he’s executing crazy antics – this is a pretty killer combination of everything drums and then some!!! 

Stonebreed finished their set with a tribute to the famed Hollywood venue, the Whisky A-Go-Go with the appropriately titled song; “Whisky” with the song title purposely leaving out the “e” in “Whisky” as it’s about the venue not alcohol. That didn’t stop may patrons from raising their glasses with a shot of Whiskey in support of this song because why the hell not!!! For those of us who are familiar with the Whisky A-Go-Go and who grew up going to concerts at The Whisky this song really captured the the whole Sunset Strip vibe and was a great tribute to this monumental and iconic venue.

Stonebreed gives you a show that you’ll be talking about for days and days after the show. Be sure to get out and see these guys live!  

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Classic Rock Review-HEART OF STONE- Based in Los Angeles, Stonebreed are a ubiquitous live fixture at legendary venues like the Viper Room and The Whiskey A Go Go where they've headlined and supported acts like Ratt, Bulletboys, Uli Jon Roth, LA Guns, Michael Schenker, UFO, Great White and host of others. 

To say this unit clicks is an understatement. This album rocks with authority from the first of ten originals "The Highway" through a closing kick-ass rendition of "Train Train".  Each track is a clinic on hard rock melodicism, compositional dynamics, inspired use of tone, lock-step bottomism and unbridled confidence. 

Carlos Cruz wears his heart on his sleeve singing songs about the hard life with a gruff, 

knowing, southern rock tinged delivery that brings nothing but rock and roll authenticity. 

I highly recommend checking this album out. Songs like "Faded Memories", the aforementioned "Pain" and "The Highway", along with the fine ballad "Except Me" and scary rippers like "Take Me" and "Living This Way" are radio friendly and perfectly crafted.

By Eric Sandberg 

Sonic Magazine-STONEBREED at M3 Live during NAMM

Photos by Joe Dolan

It’s always a pleasure to capture my brothers in Stonebreed when they’re on stage. They herald the years of MTV hard rock while bringing a refreshing modern show to stages around the nation. They released a full length album last September called “Heart of Stone,” and celebrated with a surprise performance as part of the annual Hollywood Cruefest that month – it’s a fundraiser put on by promoter Nick Culves.

The band finished last year with area shows in San Diego at the infamous Brick By Brick and rang in the new year with a trip to Las Vegas, then warmed the stage for the metal legends in Last In Line during the week of the NAMM show; performing at M3Live in Santa Ana, as you’ll see in the pictures below.It’s always a pleasure to capture my brothers in Stonebreed when they’re on stage. They herald the years of MTV hard rock while bringing a refreshing modern show to stages around the nation. They released a full length album last September called “Heart of Stone,” and celebrated with a surprise performance as part of the annual Hollywood Cruefest that month – it’s a fundraiser put on by promoter Nick Culves.

The band finished last year with area shows in San Diego at the infamous Brick By Brick and rang in the new year with a trip to Las Vegas, then warmed the stage for the metal legends in Last In Line during the week of the NAMM show; performing at M3Live in Santa Ana, as you’ll see in the pictures below.

 By Sami Lipp  NATIONAL ROCK REVIEW- STONEBREED at The Token Lounge in Westland, MI

And  finally, with curtains opening and a plume of smoke emitting from the  stage,Stonebreed came on. This hard rock band from Los Angeles Stonebreed has toured across the country, sharing  the stage with bands including RATT, Cinderella, Uli Jon Roth, Warrant,  Steel Panther, Saxon, Molly Hatchet, and a host of premiere musicians,  including members of Dio, Sabbath, Bonham, Giuffria, W.A.S.P, Dokken,  and more.

Playing hits like “Judgement Day,” “Whiskey Well,”  “Miss Me”, “Back Home”, and many more, this band takes you back to the  days of arena rock. Their sound is the perfect blend of good old rock n’  roll with a touch of Southern grit. They come complete with a  charismatic front man with soaring vocals, a sizzling, a dynamic rock  star of a guitarist, a bass player with hard-hitting grooves, and a  thundering, heavy drummer. Stonebreed had high energy, great sound,  and fantastic stage presence; the perfect mix for an amazing set. They  are currently on tour, and their album, Stonebreed, is available on  their website.

Stonebreed, Y&T, The Canyon Club

Highwire Daze by Ken Morton  Photos by Jack Lue

Stonebreed is  one of the very best hard rocking bands we have in the Los Angeles area  today – and they definitely brought the party to The Canyon Club in  Agoura Hills on an otherwise sleepy SUNDAY night. Although most people  in the audience were there the see the legendary  headlinersY&T, Stonebreed had a good amount of fans in the crowd as  well. There was no doubt Stonebreed left a lasting impression on those  who were witnessing the music and mayhem for the very first time. Stonebreed was the perfect opener for Y&T, with both entities  possessing timeless tunes that would envelope the bigger arenas of the  past, present, and FUTURE. 

 Fans of Van Halen and Molly Hatchet are destined to discover a new  favorite band in Stonebreed. With a stunning Self-Titled album in tow  and more tunes on the way, Stonebreed is sure to captivate music fans of  all ages. Their exhilarating live show is not to be missed!  Be sure to  catch Stonebreed the next time they show up to bring the party to your  town.