The Darts
Before we get into the super-sized act that is Mac Sabbath, it’s vital to talk about The Darts, who opened up this show. I’ve heard nothing but stellar things about them, but hadn’t ever seen them myself. I’ve been waiting for quite some time now, since they have been on tour in Europe. Hailing from Phoenix, AZ, The Darts is an all-woman 4-piece powerhouse. They have that old school punk rock feel that reminded me of New York Dolls, The Stooges, and MC5. The amount of energy this band radiates is on another level. From start to finish, they were nothing short of spectacular. The band formed in 2016 and has been climbing to the top ever since, from being signed to Jello Biafra label Alternative Tentacles, interviews with Rolling Stone, to songs being used in the show Peaky Blinders. Seeing them live, it was clear as day as to why they keep on rising in the music scene! I can’t wait to see what The Darts do next! Check them out here.
MacSabbath
This supersized supergroup needs no introduction as they’re the Kings of Drive-Thru metal. Anytime MacSabbath comes into town, it’s a nonstop party. This was my first time seeing them in Tucson, and I’d have to say the Tucson fanbase turned out and filled the Rialto Theater. There was something magical in the air and I couldn’t tell what it was until MacSabbath took the stage. It was MacSabbath’s ten-year Maciversary. Ronald Osbourne was his ever insane self, spraying everyone in the front row with liquids from ketchup and mustard bottles and eating burnt meat, to snorting oversized ants with an oversized straw. Even though the entire set was something to remember, Ronald started ranting about the other fast-food places and noticed a fan in the crowd wearing a Burger King crown. The crowd instantly started booing him, and Ronald stopped everyone saying that “we don’t need to boo him.”
They went through their major hits like “Sweet Beef”, “Into the Void”, “Grill my Pet”, and “Frying Pan”. Out of all the crazy bands I’ve seen over the last 20 years, MacSabbath takes the fried pie and lifts it up to another level. The only other band that comes close is Gwar, who helped invent this level of supersized satirical metal. We can’t deny the musicianship and talent that MacSabbath produces. They’re not a quick gimmick band and honestly, the fact that both Slayer MacCheeze and Grimalice play with giant foam heads on and don’t skip a beat proves we all need to take them seriously as musicians. This tour had only four shows on the West Coast, with a couple of additional shows announced in for California in March. The MacSabbath team is a touring machine, and we all can’t wait till they announce their next big tour!
Mac Sabbath is
Ronald Osbourne
Cat burglar
Slayer MacCheeze
Grimalice
