Red With Envy, Trace Element & Ghost In the Flesh

As perhaps the last bastion of worthwhile rock ‘n’ roll venues in Chico, LaSalle’s hosted an evening of nü-metal debauchery, courtesy of some of its most talented purveyors. With a little help from local radio outfit Z-Rock and a rather intense lighting and fog setup, the stage was set for the surprise opening guest of the night which featured some heavy-hitting mainstream talent.
After beginning the show roughly 30 minutes late, Ghost In the Flesh took the stage to little fanfare, but soon displayed to this mix of sorority girls, bros and good old fashioned rock revelers that they could split the ears of even the most critical of listeners. Featuring members of Alien Ant Farm and Pressure 4-5, GITF remained apt pupils of the standard metal blueprint, yet expanded it to include a definitive groove by way of the group’s sometimes soulful, sometimes grating lead vocalist. “Hell Behind a Kiss” proved to be the band’s most powerful song and elevated them into a realm of “not bad at all” with surly opponents to this heavily radio-friendly, yet veritably capable group.
The evening wore on, and the hordes came in from every angle as I’m guessing they always do when local wonders Red With Envy perform. However, the frothing throngs would have to remain patient as Santa Barbara’s Trace Element was slated next. Something about this band struck me as pretentious from before they even explored a note. Perhaps it was the pompousness of the lead singer, painstakingly fiddling with the sound equipment and adjusting the levels of his in-ear monitor while the crowd was waiting for the group to play. I say, if you’re on a semi-underground level of your craft, just plug in and play — crowds will respect you more and you can take comfort in the fact that you did it all without being pampered by music’s latest technology. Regardless of this malady, the group played a tight, albeit routine metal / hardcore / blah set, the highlight of which was a cover of Dramarama’s “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You).” Trace Element retired to the shadows of LaSalle’s, hopefully renegotiated the true worth of their sound equipment and indulged in celebratory brews the remainder of the evening.
For some odd reason, this was my first exposure to the metal / rock juggernaut that is Chico’s Red With Envy. Given all of the group’s positive hype, I was certain I would be thrashed about like a wet rag in a washing machine…and to some extent, this circumstance occurred. Though I steered clear of the unusually dormant frontline of the crowd, the strength of Red With Envy’s set permeated the entirety of the club and threatened at times to rock the walls completely down. Drummer Nick Harris proved to be perhaps the most entertaining and wildly ambitious percussionist these eyes have seen and rounded out a thrashy, compelling set by these four screamers. I suppose powerful would be the proper adjective to describe the band. Showcasing breakdown after heavy breakdown, screech after piercing screech and ultimately a new blueprint for what heavy music should sound like, Red With Envy left me red in the face from cheering.
– Ryan Prado

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