SCARS ON BROADWAY SHOW OFF "CRAZY ENERGY" AT LOS ANGELES TRAIN STATION
Rolling Stone
008/07/29/scars-on-broadway-show-off-crazy-energy- at-los-angeles-train-station/
July 29 2008
On Monday night, singer-guitarist Daron Malakian and drummer John
Dolmayan of System of a Down gave fans another vivid glimpse of their
new band, Scars on Broadway, at a special show at Los Angeles Union
Station, a 1930s-era landmark in the band’s hometown. On the eve
of today’s release of their self-titled Interscope debut, Scars on
Broadway performed a 40-minute set in the monumental north wing of
the train station, as fans moshed on a dancefloor of polished marble
and clay.
It was only the band’s ninth show ever, following a brief promotional
tour of Europe and sets at Coachella, KROQ’s Weenie Roast, a benefit
in L.A. with Metallica, and its unannounced April debut at the Whisky
a-Go-Go. In the band’s trailer before the show, drummer John Dolmayan
said, "We’ve got something special. We’ve got a good live vibe. The
energy is crazy. We’re playing with three guys that are very hungry,
and we’re very hungry."
The show-closing rocker "They Say" was well-known to the crowd after
months of local radio airplay, but the set also introduced several
contemplative, angry hard rock songs from the new album. The crowd
clapped along to the anxious beat of "Chemicals," and Malakian opened
his arms wide during "Universe," looking up and singing, "Mother,
are we flying through the universe? Are we dying in the universe?"
After a driving, dreamy "Enemy," Malakian’s floppy hat and mirrored
shades flew off during the headbanging instrumental "Scars on
Broadway," which is not on the new album and can only be heard live
(and maybe on YouTube) as the band riffs through some thundering,
Sabbath-like gloom. Malakian’s eyes widened as he wailed the
high-tension "Whoring Streets," and one fan held up an Armenian flag
of red, blue and orange.
He then began an impromptu take on "China Girl" (the David Bowie/Iggy
Pop standard), singing and playing alone on guitar and adjusting
the lyrics: "I’ll give you a man who wants to fuck the world!" He
was soon joined by guitarist Franky Perez doing his best Stevie Ray
Vaughan licks and keyboardist Danny Shamoun adding playful organ riffs.
Along with bassist Dominic Cifarelli, Scars already sound like a tight
hard-rock unit, not unlike what Malakian and Dolmayan enjoyed with
the other members of System, now on indefinite hiatus. "One thing they
have in common with Serj [Tankian] and Shavo [Odadjian] is that they’re
good people, they’re family people. We feel a family vibe from them,"
said Malakian backstage. "I felt momentum from the first show — right
away great energy at the Whisky. And it’s been consistent ever since."