Industrial Metal rockers Dope returned in 2016 with a “classic lineup” reunion tour that played its second to last show of the “Die Mother F*cker Die” North American tour in Anaheim, CA on Saturday night October 29. Dope headlining this tour along with openers Flaw and Motograter (Flaw did not play on this night) played a grueling 48 nights in a row without a day-off.
The band took the stage and played a solid 75 minute set that included large video screens as the backdrop that often had the lyrics of the songs being displayed. Not only was this the first major headline tour for Dope in many years, it was also a reunion of their “classic” lineup that along with Edsel Dope included guitarist Virus, Acey Slade on Bass and Racci Shay on drums. There is really no filler in Dope’s setlist as they began the night with “Violence”, “Debonaire” and “Everything Sucks” before Edsel thanked everyone again and again for coming out to see them then going into a cover of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”.
While Virus and Slade were jumping around and trading places on each end of the stage, Edsel seemed a bit tired and after looking at the tour schedule you can see why – this night was number 47 out of 48 in a row. He became a bit more energetic towards the last few songs of the show, and certainly gets an “A” for effort as it was definitely an grand night of raw, in your face, anthems as only Dope can deliver.
Oddly enough the band had just released their new album Blood Money Part 1 the day before on October 28 but did not play any songs from the album and focused on the classics. Edsel did state that Dope will be back touring in 2017 to support Blood Money. Although it was a bit of a thin crowd at City National Grove (partially due to Five Finger Death Punch playing across the street at Honda Center), those in attendance were defiantly rockin out throughout the show and several mosh pits even broke out at times.
Edsel told the crowd instead of the band leaving the stage and the lights going black and leaving the crowd wondering if the band would return for an encore, that Dope would end the night with a five song medley and that would be it and that began the best part of the show – a five song medley that included “Die Motherfucker Die”, “I’m Back”, “Sick”, “Burn” and “F*ck the Police”, an epic way to finish the show!
Be sure to pick up Blood Money Part 1, and be on the lookout for Dope to hit your town in 2017.
The post Dope @ City National Grove – 10/29/2016 appeared first on SoCalMusicToday.com.