ARTICLE BY JAMIE SKOWRON
PHOTO BY VERONICA MUNOZ
JULY 18 | EAGLE ROCK—Around 2:30 p.m. today, about 150 people swarmed around the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts on Colorado Blvd. to witness a $10 event that promised historical significance. Less than a week prior, news broke that Vato Negro (Omar Rodriguez-Lopez) and One Day as a Lion (Zach De La Rocha) would perform at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County—to be revealed on the day of the event. However, Vato Negro canceled on the day of the event, which pushed back the start time to 4 p.m. Instead, The Holloys took the stage, boasting Jon Theodore of One Day as a Lion and Tony Hajjar (At the Drive-In, Sparta).
With two drummers, three guitarists and a bassist/vocalist/trumpeter, The Holloys blanketed a thick Fugazi chill over the sweltering 100-degree heat inside the adobe-like venue. The band members each wore identical militaristic coats of arms with an exquisite arsenal of vintage equipment, from an Ampeg guitar amp and Ludwig drums to a rusted trumpet and a Gibson bass. The two drummers had perfect synergy throughout the entire set and would periodically look over at each other in a manner that demonstrated exceptional cohesion. Beneath the electronic drum samples, an intense aura elevated the room, as the vocals streamlined the wave of percussion and spawned inflections of the legendary Ian MacKaye.
After an excellent performance by The Holloys, the front quarter of the stage was removed, and people rushed to the front to obtain personal access to this extra-special show. Twenty minutes passed, and the crowd began cheering in wave-like succession, as the stage filled with an assemblage of keyboards and synthesizers. When Zach took the stage, the crowd’s energy heightened with rumbling chants of “Rage!,” “Fuck the System,” and “Zach!” The band’s energy rid the entire building of its suffocating mask of sunlight and heat, and everyone got lost in the extremely original ensemble of Jon Theodore on drums, Zach De La Rocha on vocals/effects/synthesizers and Joey Karam on Moog synthesizers and Rhodes keyboard and effects. The band performed its entire self-titled EP with a snowballing energy, equivalent to an amalgamation of a Rage and Mars Volta concert. Even though Rage Against the Machine was set to perform at The Palladium next week as a fundraising benefit for Arizona communities in opposition of the recently passed immigration law SB 1070, Zach remained humbly silent in terms of discussing any current events. The only comment he made was, “Is it hot in here, or am I just 40?” with a big smile on his face. The band members were all lost in disassociated worlds, yet linked directly on parallel music planes with impeccable sync and character in their performance. It was an amazing show that I am thankful I was able to witness. Yet, the most succinct review came from a sarcastic audience member, “Not bad for ten bucks.”
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