Another year, another death, another sorrow, another breath. So far everyone’s dying. The heavy metal world lost dimebag last month and this month Detroit was stricken with its own share of grief. We lost a fellow musician to murder and an avid music lover to drugs. Let’s hope this is the worst we see this year.

The Elbow Room rang and wondered if we wanted a spot on the drunkfest Jan. 15. Sure, why not, we at the very least have one drunkard in the band so we somewhat fit the bill. Turns out it was a serious night of kick ass stoner metal. Very cool stuff from all the bands and it’s rare to find a multiple band bill filled with cool bands. Devil to Pay, the High Gears, PB Army, 25 Suaves, Death Valley Dragline and Chapstik debuting with fill-in drummer Mick Stone. If you recall, Mick Stone or Mick Zilla or Dude Zilla as we like to call him, spent a month filling in for Angie when she broke her leg. Once again, Mick rose to the occasion and cranked out the three guitar sonic attack with Chapstik and they smoked. Good good stuff. It was nice to see all of our friends again, Marissa, Angie, Dan G, Elvis, Tim, Leighton, HoChi, and everyone else. It had been a month since we played and we needed a good dose of rock. Drunkfest was the perfect drug.

Only one other show to report in January but it was a doosie as well. This time we ventured up to Flint, home of the legendary Machine Shop for another rock escapade. It was Jan. 29 and we were sharing the bill once again with Chapstik and of course our Flint buddies Tensionhead. Same crew of cronies showed up for this one and again, it we partied part deux totally Flint style. Pabst and porn!! Chapstik was up first setting the stage for a metal onslaught. They tore it up. We were comfortably sandwiched in the middle and what a bloody battle it was, from the first few notes of the first song I busted a string (to which Elvis graciously agreed to change my string for me – thanks Elvis) and Killa busted some skin on the feengers and continued to spew blood ala Gene Simmons. We cranked out a 35-40 minute set leaving just enough room for the Tensionhead fellas to finish off the aural orgasm. Tensionhead rocks like all Clutch style and shit. Check ‘em out.

And so wraps up a short January. This is going to be the year that the rock n’ roll gods of hellfire wreak havoc on teen pop divas. 2005 is underway.