Black Veil Brides 4-21-2011 at The Masquerade, Atlanta

I have had many a conversation with various people involved in the music industry about what is missing in music these days. We all agree that technology has helped and hurt the business and that it is an over-saturated market. Rock music is supposed to be about things that are bad for you, things your parents warn you about. Rock music is supposed to make young girls scream and wish that they were making out with the guys on the stage. It's been a while since I have seen this type of reaction at a show. When I saw Black Veil Brides recently, I was delighted to discover that this type of behavior still exists.

I was one of the very few adults at the Black veil Brides show a few weeks ago at The Masquerade in Atlanta. Sure there were others old enough to drink and vote but they were mostly serving as chaperone's and drivers for the predominately all young girl crowd. I was very intrigued by the style of the band, a style that hearkened back to the days of Adam Ant, Alice Cooper and Motley Crue. I was curious to see if this was the next generation of glam.

I literally fought my way through a gauntlet of teen age girls and made my way to the photo pit. As I was waiting there was a little lady reapplying layer upon layer of a very shiny lip gloss as preparation for the band to go on. A huge black curtain had been draped across the stage to keep prying eyes from seeing the stage set up that would surely elicit piercing screams. The curtain also served as a tool for the band to tease the fans with. Occasionally, a silhouette would be seen through the fabric and the females would go crazy. I could have been easily irritated by this, instead it took me back to my first concerts; a time when in my life when I spent many hours after school listening to and fantasizing about my favorite rock stars. 

It occurred to me that the element of rock and roll sex appeal was alive and kicking at the Black Veil Brides show. Appropriate that their first album was called Sex & Hollywood.
The curtain went down dramatically revealing Ashley Purdy (bass), Jinxx (guitar), Jake Pitts (guitar), Andy Six (vocals) and Christian Coma (drums); five guys that looked like they had traveled through time from The Cathouse circa 1988. Big hair, tight black pants, boots, make up and finger horn inducing rock. All the ingredients were there and they were delicious! As a photographer, this was a visual feast; as an appreciator of music it was an auditory picnic. These guys were good, they could really play. It was definitely a throw-back to bands like Faster Pussycat and Motley Crue minus songs about coke and one night stands. Everyone copies someone somewhere along the way at least they were a very talented imitation. I kept thinking that maybe in other cities there were more "adults" in attendance at Black Veil Brides shows. Maybe Atlanta just hadn't caught on yet. There had to be some reasonable explanation because these guys were solid. My only complaint about Black Veil Brides is that they do seem a little "over produced." Over-produced as they may be though, Black Veil Brides gives me hope for the future of rock and roll.


Review and pictures by Rose Riot

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