Photo by David Zentz. 2009.
OCMM was back at the Glass House on April 23 and was comforted to see the crowd back in the usual garb of t-shirt, jeans, and Converse. Long Beach’s own RX Bandits headlined the show, selling out Pomona’s popular venue, as they always manage to do. Fellow Sargent House artists, Zechs Marquise and Good Old War opened the show, getting the audience revved up for a memorable night to be sure!
RXB has been a busy group of bandits traveling the world, spreading their musical genius and messages of peace to all. Finally back on their old stomping grounds after playing the famous Coachella music festival the previous week, they were welcomed back with love by many loyal fans. This was definitely not a crowd made up of RXB virgins; these concertgoers knew the band so well that they called out the track titles before the group was even two seconds into the instrumental transitions between songs! It was rather impressive.
Coachella 2010.
RXB is made up of Matthew Embree (vocals/guitar), Steve Choi (keys/guitar), Joe Troy (bass), Chris Tsagakis (drums). Over the ten years that the band has been in existence, it has progressively changed from ska to rock. They performed tracks from the last three albums, The Resignation, …And The Battle Begun, and, the latest release, Mandala. The musicians are old pros at putting on an amazing show. Their ability to transition between songs is unmatched. In fact, they are famous for it; they will start out with one song, transition to another, and come back to finish out the first song in full force. This really gets the crowd excited, along with the drum solos in the middle of the show; Tsagakis is joined by Choi and Embree at any given time during the set for fun drum jam sessions. Each musician is insanely talented and it is an honor to see them every time.
There were two major highlights of the show. When RXB went off the stage after saying goodbye for the first time, the crowd demanded an encore by screaming, “R!X!B!R!X!B!” repeatedly. Since the band still hadn’t come back out yet, the audience sang, in unison, the opening track to …And The Battle Begun and lyric from “1980:”
“I must have seen her face before/ I fell in love when I was born/ Now they hide her with a whisper/ It’s over.”
Photo from Granada Theater 2009.
It’s so beautiful to witness unity in the form of music enthusiasts. Another moment of the night that had a large impact on guests was during the band’s supposed last song, “Bring Our Children Home Or Everything Is Nothing.” RXB transitioned into The Resignation’s “Overcome (The Recapitulation),” and Embree asked for the stage lights to be turned completely off. He said, “I trust you guys in the dark, if you trust me… can we make that happen?” As everyone continued to sing along, lighters and iPhones were thrust into the air, another moment that the people came together as one. RX Bandits say it all in “Overcome,” as they sing. “I can’t wait for that day when I hear us all screaming/ I can’t wait for that day when I hear us all singing together/ I can’t wait for the day when I hear us all screaming/ ‘Here comes the revolution!’/ When every race, color, and creed of militant human beings stand up with fists together/ For substance and true meaning.”
RXB is back overseas throughout June, but catch the next show when they come back to town! For the latest news and tour dates, be sure to check out the RX Bandits official website at http://www.RXBANDITS.com.
