Message from the
Reverend Black Jack McBride
Comments about the 2 IN THE CHEST CD
Release Event:
Hey, hey,
hey, I have been to a ton of shows in this valley for going on 32 years. I have
played in bands off and on since 1988. SACRIFICIAL DEATH, SCAPEGOAT, DOC MARTINEZ AND THE MOODY GROOVE AND CRANK BAIT.
We have
performed in front of very large crowds and we have many times played for the
bar staff. But each and every time we give 110% on that stage to the point of
damn near passing out. 
In April
2018 2 IN THE CHEST walked into Steampunk audio labs in north phoenix, and
began recording the second full length album with Mr. Casey Weaver at the helm. We worked on this record for almost an entire year making sure that this CD would surpass the first one, not only as the music is concerned but also the release party.
In 2016 we
released Iron Smoke and Spit and that record was awesome but the release party
left us questioning our ability to give quality music to each one of you that
listen to it. But we stepped back and realized that this scene, this amazing
Arizona Hard Rock and Metal scene want’s something very explosive. So we went to work on the brand new record LeadJacket in a Pine Box in search of amazing stories to tell each one of you that love 2 IN THE CHEST so much. We busted our tails
on each and every measure of each and every song making sure that every element
was as impactful as the last. We drilled into those songs day in and day out. We
kept railing into those songs for 4 months making them as powerful as we could.
We were finally happy with the stories.
I then
called Billy Gonzales with “We Steal Copper”
and SMASH ENTERTAINMENT and
asked him to put together a killer line up of bands for the Album release
event. He asked me to give him a list of bands and that list consisted of well
more than we could put on one show even with 2 stages. The venue of choice for
this release was the amazing Joe’s Grotto.
A couple
months went by and Billy sent me a message with the bands that were very happy
to join this event. Each one of these bands including the brand new debut band “NoneTo No One”.
When we
arrived to the venue about 5:30pm there were already 20 people there by 6:30
there were 50 by 7:00 when None To No One started performing there were well
over 65 people in that building. And half way through there set there were
close to 100. When SICK BLACK AUTOMATIC
hit the stage giving to the attendees a
powerful metal set there were people everywhere.
Then ODDITY PARADOX
hit the stage tearing it up song after song. Then it was SECTAS.
They hammered out a killer bank of tunes like they always do. By this time you could hardly work your way through all the people. Then the mesmerizing CIPHERED EXISTENCE
hit the stage as SECTAS was tearing down and 2 IN THE CHEST was
setting up. I was watching them as we were getting ready to give what we hoped
to be an unforgettable performance.
hit the stage tearing it up song after song. Then it was SECTAS.
They hammered out a killer bank of tunes like they always do. By this time you could hardly work your way through all the people. Then the mesmerizing CIPHERED EXISTENCE
I looked
down at the program I build for over 2 weeks and made sure everything was ready
to go. While we were out back becoming THE UNDEAD I kept going through the
planned program over and over in my head. People were talking to me outside and
I did not even hear them because my focus was to deliver the best show Arizona
has ever seen. Whether we achieved that mark or not, we may never know, but I
am beyond confident that we gave every bit of our souls to that performance.
Most of you
do not know what happened because you were inside the building but when the
intro to the set started, it was setting off car alarms all around the
building. At that point we knew that this performance would be remembered by
many people for years to come.
When Velvet
and I were writing The Title track to this new album “Lead Jacket in a Pine Box”,
it seemed as if something was missing in the song. It sounded great but there
was one very important detail that came to me after attending a concert with
Sounds Like Murder. Durdy Jones
was doing this amazing monk vocal in one of his
songs and it came me. “thats it; that’s what this song needs. I called up Durdy
and asked him to come to the studio and lay down vocals on that song and when
he was done; the song was complete. When he said he would be there to do the
vocal live for the CD release I was so damn exited.
When he did
that vocal to start the song I had freaking chills
running down my spine. No one
could see me, and I am not afraid to admit it, but I had tears of joy in my
eyes by the end of that song.
Then we gave
each one of you awesome people a song off of our last record called mama cried
and I asked over 260 people to give my friend who lost his
life in February, Justin Blum a moment of silence and when I did; the
respect I
was given was unexplainable. Thank you all for helping me memorializes a great
friend, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Then I
introduced Mary Ella O Sullivan as playing the drums on Fury Lucy. You all gave
her sooo damn much love that again tears were falling from my cheeks under that
mask. I stepped back out of the way so that everyone could see her
perform that
song. We are so beyond proud of how well she did. The screams were so loud
we could hardly hear our instruments. We
just want to, as a band, thank each and every one of you amazing people for
choosing to come to this show out of all the other entertainment in the valley.
Thank you so much.
When we left
the stage, I was so over whelmed with the love that all of you gave to us that I
really needed to sit down and take it all in. I personally have never in all my
years seen a show filled with local acts congregate in such large numbers. When
the stage spot lights went on we seen people shoulder to shoulder all the way
back to the
BEST CLOTHING CO. table. Where an amazing band was getting ready to
play. MALO DE DENTRO. they brought an explosive performance on that stage, bringing up "Christian Lee" from
SECTAS, and Tulin Howey from EMPIRE OF DEZIRE to perform a few numbers with
them. What great bands were on this bill. Talk about love. I don’t think I
could have asked for a better line up of bands on this night.
Then it happened,
the last act of the night, handpicked by Mary Ella O Sullivan herself, “FATAL MALADY” her favorite band in Arizona hit that stage and brought the brutality
only they can bring. Mary Ella was Brought on stage by the singer of Fatal
Malady, and he praised her for being such a great little person in front of all
of you, and you again showed her so much love.
 |
| Left to right: Noel O'Shaughnessy, Bibe Boanna Darby, Mary Ella O Sullivan, Velvet De Blonko, Reverend Black Jack McBride, Brewster Scolfield Hutchinson, Jameson Jack Coburn |
If I were to
call it quits and not play another show ever again. This would be the show I
would end it all with. We have never received so much love and attention than
we did on March 2nd at Joe’s Grotto. And we will never forget it.
People that
we want to thank are so many that it scares me to even try and name them all
for fear I may forget someone. But thank you to BAD BOY GUITARS
for taking me
in to your family. That is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me. Joe
Grotto… you my brother are an Icon in this music scene and you gave us a chance
to play your venue many years ago and we will never forget it. We hope to play
this venue many more times. Joe we love you very much. Thank you for allowing us
to have our CD Release at your venue.
Other amazing
people we have to thank are Jamesons son for coming all the way to Arizona from
Ohio to see this event. Pat From St. Madness
for gracing us with his presents. That
meant so much to me to see this Arizona metal icon at our Cd release. Theresa
Lamb for coming all the way from Tucson to see this event, John and Dylan from
Black Wolf Mountain.
Jeff, all the photographers that showed up for this event,
Erik I love you to bro. So many members, from so many local bands that I do not
remember their names, but thank you for coming to this show. It meant so much
to all of us. I want to thank the guys at BEST Clothing Company
for coming to
this event. There were so many amazing people that I will never forget this
show.
Message to
all the bands that jumped on this show:
Each member
of 2 IN THE CHEST would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You all
just brought you’re A games, and this night will go into the record books as
one of the best local shows we have ever done. THANK YOU! To each Dweller of
dust that has stuck in with us from day one, ohh soo many years ago. We love each
and every one of you. THANK YOU!
Next
performance Anne Fest May 3rd ClubRed in Mesa, Arizona
Peace Love
& 2 IN THE CHEST
