Review: Powerman 5000 juices up, God Among Men takes off

If hard-rocking ghoul Rob Zombie were to take his brother Spider's band, Powerman 5000, on the road with him for an extended co-headlining tour, the following would occur: the national power grid would spike at 11 each night, around the time of the dual encore. Tipper Gore would put her PMRC wings back on, just on principle. Cases of premature deafness would run rampant among 18- to 34-year-old male children. Black Sabbath would run scared, domestic beer supplies would run perilously low and the almighty "F" word would become commonplace and as potent as screaming, "Aw, nuts!"

And yes, the youth of America would rejoice like they've never rejoiced before. As the thrash/funk outfit proved in a wild July 16 set at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues, they've got what it takes to upset America's status quo, standing beside Sevendust and Brother Zombie as one of our finest homegrown metal outfits. Crashing, bashing, shaking and baking their way through a set rich with new material - from the upcoming album "Tonight the Stars Revolt!" - and old favorites from the band's 1997 major label debut "Mega Kung Fu Radio," PM5K makes the process of banging one's head look simple. In fact - and as less-than-brilliant openers Machinehead proved - it's anything but.

Eschewing brother Rob's scare-the-effing-kids aesthetic in favor of a goggles-and-jumpsuit, "Metropolis" look, the bleach-blonde Spider - nee Mike Cummings - positively crackles with energy and purpose, stomping 'round the stage as if killing many, many roaches and punctuating the end of every song with "Oh shit!" When the band hooked into the tough death-disco of "Worlds Collide," Spider and guitarist Adam "12" Williams seemed of one mind; it was tough to divine where one ended and the other began. Bassist Dorian Heartsong was all over his game, too. It's safe to say that I liked Spider and crew quite a bit, well before they dug into crunchy radio hit "Neckbone," and will gladly support them as they wreck the ears of a nation.

I won't go that far for Machinehead. "The more you drink, the less we stink," declared vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn. He lied. The band was sloppy, overloud and obnoxious, even for their first show. "We've only had six rehearsals," Flynn announced proudly. Their cavalier attitude wouldn't have been as offensive if local band God Among Men, opening the show with a quick set, hadn't been so damn good.

Even as visibly nervous as the band was, GAM put holes in Machinehead and gave PM5K a run for their money. Vocalist Liz Adkins is the sexiest, strongest-voiced metal diva to come down the line in God knows how long, and worked a cover of Madonna's "Like A Prayer" and GAM's own local hit "Pulse" into submission, working the stage with a confidence seldom seen in the local talent pool.

Guitarist Andrew Blair, bassist Brian Ball and drummer Gary Hopkins paced Adkins, never overwhelming or kowtowing to her - the mark of budding professionals. Ready or not, fame, fortune, and a spot on the Zombie Family Reunion Tour are almost certain for GAM, and that'll be about it for Western Civilization. Aw, nuts.

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