Prong

Prong Scorches Las Vegas' Fremont Street

New York's Tommy Victor and Prong are the opening act for Overkill on some dates of this current US tour. However, tonight they were the headliner at the Las Vegas Country Saloon on the World Famous Fremont Street. In support of their new album "Ruining Lives," the band performed a blistering 90 minute-plus set to a handful of dedicated fans. Although the club could probably hold 400 audience members, only about 150 fans were actually here tonight.

Opening the set with "For Dear Life" and segueing into "Beg to Differ," the band performed fan favorites from the 1990s mixed with a few selections from the new release "Ruining Lives." Each song blended from one to another nicely with a heavy dose of feedback provided by Tommy Victor's Schecter guitar. If there were a vote, Victor's guitar work, vocals, solos and stage calisthenics might get him nominated for the hardest working metal guitarist in the business. New drummer Art Cruz was a beast behind the kit as well. Midway through the set, Mr. Victor and pounding bassist Jason Christopher beckoned the crowd to get loud and “get up”, but some audience members were seemingly perfectly comfortable sitting on the club's couches during the show.

Personally, I enjoyed the older cuts "Third from the Sun," "Rude Awakening," 2012's "Revenge... Best Served Cold" and the new single "Turnover." I first listened to Prong in 1994, and although I hadn't put it all together before, at one point, I realized during the song “Unconditional”. that this band at times sounds like punk rock with a hard 'n' heavy dose of loud guitar; fast, hard-driving and loosely maniacal. Also, at one break during the set, with the standing fans screaming requests over the aforementioned feedback, Victor actually gave the crowd a chance to vote for what to hear next, "Another Worldly Device" or "Broken Peace." The band obliged by playing both cuts and then ended the set with the band's biggest hits "Whose Fist Is This Anyway?" and "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck."

No Backing Tapes, No Pyrotechnics, No Video; this new band is simply Energy and Raw Power. I think that this was a fun show, and I felt lucky that I got to be a part of a unique experience, where I am up close, up front to see and hear a band this good. Unfortunately, it is way late on a Thursday night/Friday morning, and not a lot people were here to witness it. They missed out.