Daily Variety
April 26, 2005, Tuesday
System of a Down
by TROY J. AUGUSTO
(Universal Amphitheater; 6,125 capacity; $ 45)
Presented by KROQ & House of Blues Concerts Band: Serj Tankian, Daron
Malakian, Shavo Odadjian, John Dolmayan. Reviewed April 24, 2005.
Glendale’s System of a Down made clear from the start of this “Souls
2005” benefit show — with proceeds earmarked for various
human-rights groups — that the band’s politics would share the
spotlight equally with its combustible music.
Before the music started, a short film on the Armenian genocide was
shown, eliciting passionate responses from the Armenian-heavy aud.
Boos cascaded when Turkish political figures were pictured, and
cheers erupted when Armenians were pictured.
Quartet then took the stage to a hero’s welcome from the sold-out
house, and launched into a powerful performance of more than two
dozen songs, including a trio from the yet-to-be-released albums
“Mezmorize,” which is due next month, and “Hypnotize,” likely coming
in the third quarter of the year. “B.Y.O.B.,” a frenetic anti-war
rant that is already a hit, was the evening’s opening musical salvo.
Bulk of the perf, however, was a veritable greatest-hits roundup from
SOAD’s three platinum-certified Columbia studio albums, with plenty
of on-topic between-song remarks punctuating the songs. “The Ottoman
Mountains do NOT belong to Turkey,” shouted singer Serj Tankian as
the band ignited “Holy Mountains,” just one of many overtly political
songs in the band’s oeuvre.
Many of the band’s best tracks feature dueling two-part vocals from
Tankian and guitarist Daron Malakian, particularly on “Prison Song,”
the combustible lead-track from the “Toxicity” album, and on the
frenzied “Needles.” Other highlights included “Spiders,” which gained
intense momentum as it progressed, and the mock-boasting of new track
“Cigaro.”
Show closed with the band’s take on “Sardarabad,” a traditional tune
learned by most Armenians of elementary school age that has become
something of an Armenian national anthem.
The onstage action was shown on two large screens over the stage, but
lackluster production and uninspired camerawork made for a
particularly poor display, the only weak part of the show.
This “Souls” benefit supports numerous charity orgs, including
Amnesty Intl., Axis of Justice, Cambodian Student Society and the
Armenian National Committee of America.