Smash Magazine Presents Helmet at Backstage Bar & Billiards April 30
Smash Magazine presents the Helmet 2015 US Betty Tour on Thursday, April 30 at Backstage Bar & Billiards (601 E. Fremont. St. Las Vegas).
Helmet will play the critically-lauded “Betty” album from start to finish, followed by a second set spanning the entirety of Helmet’s catalog.
Billed as the “thinking man’s metal band,” Helmet provided an alternative to the grunge bands of the time with their clean cut aesthetic and raw, unrelenting, propulsive sound. Betty (1994) came on the trails of the band’s first mainstream success, 1992’s Meantime. The cut “Milquetoast” became a music video staple on MTV and the album was critically praised for its genre-defying exploration into jazz, blues and improvisation. As music writer Darrell Bassett wrote upon the album’s release, “The thump and grind of Betty fully reflects the seemingly meaningless forces that shape our hi-tech existences, the inner pressure that waxes and wanes as life’s pace explodes exponentially and its occasional moments of grace. Betty is a surprising album, one which grows as it unfolds its subtleties.”
Helmet was formed in New York City in 1989 by founding members Page Hamilton, Henry Bogdan, Peter Mengede and John Stanier. The group signed to Amphetamine Reptile Records and released their first full-length album, Strap It On (1991). A year later, they signed to Interscope Records.
The band found mainstream success with their Interscope debut, Meantime (1992), which debuted at No. 68 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the hits “Unsung” and “In the Meantime.” In 1994, Helmet explored new sonic territories with the fan favorite and critically acclaimed Betty, which incorporated elements of jazz and blues into their “thinking man’s metal.” Following an additional album, Helmet broke up in 1998, while Hamilton explored other projects, including various collaborations and film scores. In 2004, Hamilton reformed Helmet with a new lineup, releasing the album Size Matters that same year. In 2006, they released Monochrome on Warcon records and then released their most recent album, Seeing Eye Dog, via Work Song in 2010.
Since the 2004 revival, Helmet has toured extensively all over the world. In 2012, they toured Europe in light of the 20th anniversary of Meantime and, most recently, embarked on a similar tour for the 20th anniversary of Betty. For additional information on Helmet, please visit http://www.helmetmusic.com.
Doors open at 8 p.m. with the show beginning at 9 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $21 day of show. Advance tickets are on sale now and available online at www.smashmagazine.com or www.ticketfly.com. The show is 21+ with valid ID.