Rockin' the Rose with Witchburn and Jackyl!!!
What a night! One day after my birthday and this is how it was supposed to be. I loved it. If you’re a fan of 90s hair rock you know Jackyl and the chainsaw. Witchburn is a bit different; a lot of people have never seen them before, but knowing Jamie Nova (Hell's Belles) the show had to be hot. We got to the Grizzly Rose a little after five and the doors were open. Jackyl was filming a reality show called the “Road To Sturgis” so there were cameras all over the place. Jackyl got together with their fans at Mile Hi Harley (here in Denver) to make a Bike Run to the Rose. Sound check was open to all for once…it was cool that an act let their fans in while they didn’t sound there best. After they got all tuned up, they did a three song or so quick set for those that were in the club already. It was a great gesture, these guys have been around for a long time and they really can please a crowd.
I would hate to be the act to follow Witchburn. Like thunder from the past they dominate the stage like the rock gods of the 90s. The sonic boom that they generate left me with ringing ears for a week. They are a newer act out of the Seattle area. Singer Jamie Nova has a voice that just ROCKS! I can not say it in any other way. A mix of Lita Ford and Getty Lee of Rush, Jamie has the range to sing what ever she wants. With Mischa Kianne (Guitar/Violin), Jacy Peckham (Guitar), Jessica Bos (Bass) and Dana Sims (Drums), Witchburn plays a bluesy style of heavy rock and roll that crushes the audience with sound. If you have never heard heavy metal violin then you have to check them out. Mischa is a virtuoso in the making…taking metal where I have never heard before. The crunch of the rhythm section gives a solid base of sound for the sonic assault that filled the air. To me Witchburn’s sound is a bit like old Testament with Black Sabbath mixed in. Sound good? It is! They are even better live than they sound on CD. As Jamie says “IT MUST BE PLAYED LOUD!”
Since 1990 Jackyl has been playing and touring for probably millions of people, they have this stuff down to a T. From the intro music to the last blast of Jesse James Dupree’s shotgun and everything in between Jackyl’s show is made to please. Most of what they do is the older stuff that everyone knows and loves. That’s what we came to hear. Songs like “Down on Me” and “The Lumberjack”. The stage at the Grizzly Rose isn’t all that big but it’s enough to move around on and the band took full advantage of the room they had. Bouncing around the stage and playing to the crowd like Angus Young on Crack. You should know by now that I am more concerned with the whole picture and not just how well the band plays that night. I don’t want to hear the album live; I can hear that at home. Not to say that wasn’t good they were, but they put it all together. Jackyl was the full package. The music was great and so was the stage show. The band had fun, the crowd had fun and that’s what is important. Because of the size of the stage and the closeness of the audience I was afraid that even though the chainsaw has a big part at the end of the show there might not be a stool to play with. I am glad I was wrong. A Jackyl show is unique. If you don’t know the music…the song “Lumberjack” has Jessie using a chainsaw as an instrument then uses the saw to chop up a bar stool and tosses the parts into the crowd. Hell of a Show all the way around.
By Mike Martin
Westminster, Colorado
