Get Ready to Rock: Celebrating 10 Years of Mac Sabbath on Tour!

Featuring:

The Creepy Creeps, The Dickies &

Well, it's almost 80 degrees at 9 p.m. in San Diego, so of course it's the perfect night to get crammed into the House of Blues for a good old-fashioned metal/punk show. But this ain't your momma's metal... or your dad's, for that matter. This is "Drive-Thru Metal" performed by none other than the originators themselves, MAC SABBATH, accompanied by The Dickies, Peelander-Z, and The Creepy Creeps for the Mac Sabbath 10-Year Anniversary Tour!

Unfortunately, due to the "LOVELY" downtown San Diego parking (or lack thereof), I missed Peelander-Z. This was a letdown because, after talking to a few of the early concert-goers, I was told they put on a crazy good set. I'm super bummed but will definitely check them out the next time I get a chance.

I managed to arrive just as The Creepy Creeps were nearing the last few songs of their set. Even though I may not have seen much of their performance, what I did see was pretty freaking cool. The "surf-punk" band from San Diego was dressed to impress with white suits, top hats, and red skull masks—definitely eye-catching. The circle pit was in FULL EFFECT by the time I arrived, as singer/keyboardist Dylan Scharf (aka "Dr. Creepenstein"), singer/guitarist Dave Warshaw ("The Creepture"), bassist/backing singer Aaron Zepeda ("Dia de los Creep"), and drummer Kevin Ross ("Creepula") were absolutely KILLING IT on stage. Their sound, while clearly "Surf-Punk," also gave off a somewhat psychedelic/grindhouse vibe. It was really fun to watch and worth the ticket if you want to jam out and have a blast!

The Dickies were up next, and if you were looking for punk in its rawest form, you were in the right place! The San Fernando Valley-based punk band came out swinging with their fast-paced pop punk sound and on-stage craziness. A blow-up doll and snorkel gear were visible onstage as lead singer Leonard Graves and guitarist Stan Lee riled up the crowd, along with Adam Gomez (drums) and Eddie Tatar (bass), staying true to their usual "not-too-serious" attitudes that fans have loved for years. Unfortunately, guitarist Ben David Seelig had a family emergency and was unable to play the show. Hopefully, everything turned out okay for him and his family. Even though these guys have been major players in the punk scene for quite some time now (roughly 47 years, starting back in 1977), they continue to play with the vigor and enthusiasm of a band trying to get noticed for the first time. Punk royalty at its finest!

As their set ended, a large curtain went up covering the stage. All that could be seen were two decapitated Ronald McDonald heads adorned with "fricken laser beams" for eyes. Behind the curtain, Ronald Osborne (lead singer), Slayer McCheese (guitarist), Grimalice (bass), and Catburgler (drums) got into position, donning metal versions of their McDonald's counterparts, each ready to show us what "DRIVE-THRU METAL" is all about!

They played food-based covers of rock classics like "Frying Pan" (Iron Man) by Black Sabbath, "Wok" (Walk) by Pantera, and "We're Not Going To Shake Shack" (We're Not Gonna Take It) by Twisted Sister. Ronald really leaned into his onstage persona, speaking in an English accent for most of the set and telling the audience they were from "HAMBURGER." Pantera Bread, Twisted Sizzler with Wen-Dee Snider, Hershey's Kiss, and my personal favorite of the night, "My Chemical Ranch Doritos," were just a few of the food-based puns mentioned on stage, and let me tell you, I was here for it! It was a high-energy night filled with humor, theatrics, and a heavy dose of rock 'n' roll—which was exactly what we came for!

The expert musicianship displayed by each member was incredible, and whoever was on sound that night had them dialed in perfectly! I swear it almost sounded like they were just playing an album for us; it was so clean. This is unusual for H.O.B., as the last few bands I've seen there have had an unofficial member—Mic Feedback, and let me tell you, that MF'er would certainly make his presence known! So, kudos to the sound guy for giving our ears a rest for this performance.

Mac Sabbath delivered an electrifying performance, truly capturing the essence of a high-octane rock show. Their remarkable stage presence and seamless interaction with the audience turned the venue into a whirlwind of energy and excitement. The band’s ability to create such a lively atmosphere was nothing short of spectacular, making their set an unforgettable highlight of the night. If you're a fan of heavy metal, humor, or just looking for a good time, a Mac Sabbath show is definitely worth checking out!