Article and Photos by Andrés Alvarado
The clock tick-tocks its way to ten in the evening, chants of “undead, undead, undead” fill the walls of the newly renovated Heaven Stage at Atlanta’s The Masquerade. Throw in a giant backdrop with a roman numeral 5 – referencing the band’s new album – and a Caribbean motif to compliment the hysteria soon to unravel. One by one, under an umbrella of rambunctious cheers, the boys of Hollywood Undead make their entrance. Their signature masks in place, rhymes and riffs rifled off by the ton, strobe lights enhance their profiles and movements, the atmosphere is straight pandemonium.
With a dynamic crowd in their grips, J-Dog, Funny Man, Johnny 3 Tears, Charlie Scene, and Danny rotate verses, rotate guitar duties, and the spotlight. Sparkling fire cannons set off once the gang goes mask-less, as rowdy aficionados turn rowdier. Lyrically, it’s somewhat sublime to visually and audibly witness those famed verses go from bursting through one’s speakers to gushing out of the performer’s microphone. Among the 18 anthems delivered were opener “Whatever It Takes,” “Been To Hell,” “California,” “Another Way Out,” “Riot,” and an encore consistent of closing smash-hits “Everywhere I Go,” and “Hear Me Now.”
Ultimately, Hollywood Undead is as thumping as a concert gets. Raw energy floods throughout, the California quintet tear down the roof and set the bar high for showmanship. After a fun-filled 90-minute experience, it can be surely assumed that J-Dog & co. perform for the love of their tunes, the love for their fans, and the adrenaline rush the live setting provides. Cheers!
LoudSound Magazine 