Sons Of Apollo and Sifting at The Belasco

Jeff Scott Soto from Sons Of Apollo

Sons Of Apollo, Sifting, The Belasco Theater, May 3, 2018

Sons Of Apollo

Sons Of Apollo is an all-star progressive metal extravaganza featuring members of Dream Theater, Guns ‘N Roses, Mr. Big, and Journey – a colossal amalgamation of talent! Their debut magnum opus Psychotic Symphony was unleashed late last year via InsideOut Music – and it was only a matter of time before this project would make their way across the States on what would be one of the most hotly anticipated tours of the year. And at The Belasco Theater deep in the heart of Downtown L.A., the Sons Of Apollo convened and delivered what was surely the event of a lifetime. Such a massive amount of talent assembled all in one place, ready to captivate the senses of the gathered masses – and Sons Of Apollo did just that with a profound amount of skill, precision and depth. In addition to the epic songs from the Psychotic Symphony masterwork, Sons Of Apollo treated fans to vibrant covers of songs from bands such as Dream Theater, Van Halen and Queen.

Billy Sheehan from Sons of Apollo

The membership found within the Sons Of Apollo collective are seasoned musicians at the very height of their creative prowess. Front and center is the magnificent Jeff Scott Soto, whose soaring vocals and exhilarating stage presence brought the lyrics to an ultra vivid life. One of the most sought after vocalists of the planet, Soto is at his most impassioned when presenting the Sons Of Apollo material within a live setting. Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal of Guns ‘N Roses infamy was extraordinary on a double barreled lead guitar, searing the air with imagination and flair! And not to be upstaged in the instrument department, the dynamic Billy Sheehan unveiled a two headed bass and proceeded to pummel the crowd with an absolutely thunderous low end. Derek Sherinian provided marvelous keyboard interludes that wondrously intrigued and dazzled the senses. And bringing it all home with fire and finesse was Mike Portnoy, whose drumming captivated the imagination.

It was no surprise to see a whole lot of local and national musicians in the crowd, all mesmerized by the auditory brilliance exuding from The Belasco stage. Certainly a night where legends met within the City Of Angels, bestowing a riches of sound that will be remembered by all in attendance for a lifetime! If you are anywhere within the continuing Sons Of Apollo tour, do not miss this spectacular event,  presented by some of the most fascinating musicians on the planet!

Sifting at The Belasco

Sifting

Opening the show much earlier in the evening was L.A.’s own Sifting – on the entire Sons Of Apollo tour and unleashing their own staggering performance upon the early arrivals. Opening with the one-two punch of Agents Of Chaos and Alone from their Not From Here magnum opus on Eclipse Records, Sifting presented an absolutely riveting set of diabolically heavy yet massively imaginative tapestries. Out front and center is Eduardo O Gil, whose superbly passionate vocals and spiraling guitar work is stunning to witness. Lead guitarist Richard Garcia’s rapturous guitar solos dazzle the senses and quite often defy gravity. And what a stunning and powerhouse rhythm section Sifting possesses, featuring the almighty talents of Wins Jarquin on bass and Joey Aguirre on drums.

The title track of Not From Here was performed with a grand amount of style and intensity. The instrumental Epsilon was then bestowed upon the burgeoning crowd, a pummeling masterwork showing each and every Sifting participant at their most inspirational and compelling. Closing out their set with a brand new song entitled A Critical Affair, Sifting without a doubt gained an army of new fans with their extraordinary tunes and astounding musicianship. Sifting definitely warmed the crowd up for the sheer greatness that is Sons Of Apollo. And with sets this resourceful and well receive, expect the glorious Sifting to be headlining their own blockbuster shows in the future days ahead!

(Review by Ken Morton – Photos by Jack Lue)

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