Hold onto your air guitars, folks – CATEGORY 7, the hard rock/heavy metal supergroup that even METALLICA‘s JAMES HETFIELD called a “killer music discovery”, is finally dragging itself off the studio couch. Their live debut? The legendary Whisky A Go Go in LA on June 30. EVILDEAD will kick things off, with more openers TBA – because why stop at one apocalyptic warm-up act?
This gig’s basically band practice before their South America tour next month. VIP tickets (drop your paycheck here starting Friday) snag you a tee, a shiny laminate, a pic with the band, and the chance to shove merch in their faces for autographs. Pro tip: bring earplugs and a Sharpie.
The lineup reads like a metalhead’s fantasy draft: JOHN BUSH (ARMORED SAINT, ANTHRAX) on vocals – the guy who’s been belting anthems since hair metal was just called “hair.” Guitarists PHIL DEMMEL (ex-MACHINE HEAD, currently shredding for KERRY KING) and MIKE ORLANDO (ADRENALINE MOB) trade riffs like they’re trying to start wildfires. Bassist JACK GIBSON (EXODUS) and drummer JASON BITTNER (SHADOWS FALL) round out the rhythm section – because someone’s gotta keep this chaos on beat.
DEMMEL sums it up: “The stars have aligned and the initial C7 storm is about to hit Hollywood! Batten down those hatches, because CATEGORY 7 is coming to lay waste!!” Translation: Expect shattered eardrums and tinnitus merch.
Tour dates for your headbanging calendar (school-night shows at your own risk):
6/30 The Whiskey A Go Go, Los Angeles, USA
7/3 Mar del Plata, Argentina
7/4 Buenos Aires, Argentina
7/5 Rosario, Argentina
7/6 Córdoba, Argentina
7/8 Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (yes, they’re playing THE END OF THE EARTH)
7/10 Santiago, Chile
7/12 Sao Paulo, Brazil
9/12 TBA (probably someone’s basement)
The whole shebang’s getting filmed – concerts, backstage antics, probably that time someone spills beer on the mixing board.
