Live@Hollywood, CA :: Whiskey-A-Go-Go 14.11.

1997
http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=whiskey97
Anyway you put it System of a Down are certainly creating quite a "buzz" in the
music world. Just recently they won the the Best Signed Band out of LA Award from
Rock City News (www.rockcitynews.com ) and Kerrang! magazine has said they are
creating the biggest street buzz of any band since Korn. As soon as you hear these
guys you'll know exactly why. If you have their demo and think it's good, you've
only just sampled a little taste of what System offers. If you haven't heard it
yet, just wait until you hear their new material, it is UNREAL!! Their reputation
is based upon their live show, it is dubbed "The Dark Red Experience". On the night
of Nov.14th 1997 at the Whiskey a Go-Go in LA I had the pleasure of seeing SOAD
live for the first time. Needless to say I was expecting alot from this band and
they certainly met and even exceeded every expectation I had for them. Their demo
tape had been implanted in my stereo since the day I got it, but nothing could have
prepared me for what I was about to encounter on that brisk November night. Serj,
Daron, Shavo and John appeared on stage around 12:20am, the lights were lowered,
and some Armenian style music was playing over the PA. Serj had his arms
outstretched, becoming one with the music and suddenly they erupted into demo track
and crowd favorite "Know". John's thick drumming pummeled into the air, Daron
pulverized his guitar, and Shavo pounded with booming accuracy on his bass, then
Serj screamed the opening words "Cursed Earth!!!!" and at that moment I knew that
SOAD are real, they are going to explode!! To explain their new material is like
trying to explain thier live show, it is something that needs to be heard or seen
to be comprehended. Honestly I can tell you this that it is some of the most
amazing and original material I've ever heard in my entire life. I swear I've never
heard a band that can execute tempo changes and make i work as brilliantly as SOAD.
Some of the material sounds like a few different songs weaved together to make a
perfect whole song. In their songs they'll take a heavy riff and either suddenly
change tempos and play something that's 10 times heavier, or they go down to a
dark, slowed down evil soundscape, filled Eastern European folk melodies, with tons
of Mediterranean style vox and really obscure keys. As for Serj's vocal style,
you've never heard anything like it before, the man can do it all. All the members
do their part and do it to perfection, combining into a band with the most amazing
potential. Not only do they have the music but they have that charisma, the aura
about them that every great band posseses. Not only that but the guys are really
cool and they truly care about their fans. I hadn't even mentioned this but the
concert I went to, Serj and Daron were really sick and had been puking all day.
Regardless they went on anyway because they felt they owed it to the fans and they
were still awesome. Currently they are recording their debut album for Columbia
Records which will hit the shelves around April/May of '98. With Rick Rubin at the
producing helm and Sylvia Massey mixing and engineering it should be one of the
greatest albums ever, you won't want to miss it. If you want to see for yourself
exactly what the Dark REd Experience is all about be sure to check them out when
they come to a venue near you. So spread the System, everywhere you go. Many people
nowadays are complaining about how music's all the same, this band just rips off
that band, lack of innovation, etc. NOw there's a band that is truly going to add
something new and unique in the world of music and that band is System of A Down.
Hop on board the System, everyone's invited, fasten your seatbelts and get ready
this is going to be one hell of a ride!! So come on everyone and sing along with
Serj, Daron, John, and Shavo as they lead the battle cry of "We Will Fight the
Heathens" into the next millenium. Maybe the future isn't looking so dim after all.
Review By: Dave Harte | Rating: -/- | tripod.com/~soadeu/

Live@Hollywood, CA :: The Roxy 24.1.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=roxy98
Setlist
War? /-/ Spiders /-/ X /-/ Suggestions /-/ Temper /-/ P.L.U.C.K.
As my roommate Anthony put it, "The animosity filled the air!" The smoke infected
air outside the Roxy last Saturday night for SYSTEM OF A DOWN along with special
guests STATIC, ULTRASPANK, and DROWN. The clubs capacity of 650 was filled easily,
and many ticket holders were left to wait outside until somebody having a nicotine
fit had to get their fix! Two out, two in! Some tough guys even had the balls to
say, "I got my ticket, so let me in biyatch!" You don't say biyatch to a 6'3,
300lbs. guy working the door who is already upset with everybody and their mother
complaining about not being let in to see SYSTEM. Bottom line, SYSTEM OF A DOWN is
huge! This infectious disease in LA is rapidly infiltrating the minds of many
across the globe. SOAD has had over 10 websites start up within a month's time. The
hype is so monstrous that other bands are wondering what the hell they are doing to
make this happen. Ancient Chinese Secret! I will not tell! But I can tell you that
they will be in San Diego on Feb. 4 for the GAVIN convention and March 19 in San
Antonio for SXSW. No local shows for quite some time. So those of you in attendance
were given a real treat to hear SPIDERS, X, SUGGESTIONS, and TEMPER. This was the
first time I had heard Temper live within 5 months. The boys are sounding better
than ever and will soon be mixing their debut album.
Review By: Mark Thompson | Rating: -/- | tripod.com/~soadeu/

Live@Tempe, AZ :: Club Rio 27.5.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=tempe98
Setlist
Suite-Pee /-/ X /-/ Know /-/ P.L.U.C.K. /-/ DDevil /-/ Mind /-/ War? /-/ Darts

Although virtually unknown to the sold-out crowd, system of a down received a

trememndously positive response from the crowd on the opening night of their first
tour in the United States. That night, they played suite-pee, pluck, know, mind,
war, X, darts, and suggestions. That night was the beginning of their dream---the
realization of their aspirations and accomplishment of their goals. As Daron put
it---it is his favorite band (slayer), and this has always been what he envisioned
for his future. although i didnt watch clutch, slayer played an incredible set, and
their fans were incredibly excited to hear some of their new songs. the night was
incredibly successful.
Review By: Jenny | Rating: -/- | tripod.com/~soadeu

Live@Tucson, AZ :: West Gotham 28.5.1998 - (1)

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=tucson98
Setlist
Suite-Pee /-/ Mind /-/ War? /-/ Know /-/ Soil /-/ Suggestions /-/ Darts /-/ X

thursday night, living off the momentum of the incredible show the night before,
SYSTEM OF A DOWN rocked the house with the set of suite-pee, mind, war, know, soil,
suggestions, darts, X. People here actually had an impression of who system of a
down was because of the great public relations work of Dave Harte, the street
teamer from Arizona who sent out all the demo tapes and system stuff to the fans.
The layout of the venue was very interesting---and had enough room that there were
three different pits, which is pretty mind-boggling, considering the number of
people there. System gave 110 percent that night, and the crowd was feeding off
their energy. The fans could see that the band was audience oriented and it made
them participate even more. This was the first show where i wasnt the only one
singing to the songs, which made me very excited to know that the revolution had
truly started. Something which was obvious in all the shows which i attended was
that the audience was visibly impressed by the 'tight' onstage presence that system
has. The first instance in which this was evident was when serj would speak before
each song, asking the audience if they knew the CIA was fucking them since the
50's, and if they were tired of their 9-5 mind fucking job. Secondly, the people
responded during WAR? --- in Daron's guitar solo, and the 'international security'
refrain. once again, i tried my best to avoid the clutch and slayer shows, because
i am a little person and i dont want to get killed. but, the slayer show must have
been crazy that night, because people were being brought out through the back, with
broken legs and arms, cuts and bruises, and others were just being thrown out =]
Incredible show, although the club was kinda small.
Review By: Jenny | Rating: -/- | tripod.com/~soadeu/

Live@San Diego, CA :: Soma 29.5.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=soma98
Setlist
Suite-Pee /-/ Soil /-/ Mind /-/ X /-/ Suggestions /-/ Know/-/ War? /-/ Darts

This was the third SYSTEM OF A DOWN show, and the band was happy in that they were
nearing their hometown of LA. There is a great fan base in San Diego, headed by
street teamer Josh Hayes (www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/venue/5447) and his
friends, so even prior to the show, we felt the audience welcoming the band. That
night they played suite-pee, soil, mind, X, suggestions, know, war, darts. This was
a show which typifies the type of growing pains that a band goes through in its
stages of infancy in the greater music scene. During the second song of the set,
John's kickhead broke---yet the band continued to play, not knowing what had
happened. John covered up the problem, proving his incredible talent as a drummer
=] When the drum was being fixed, serj spoke to the audience, and kept his cool in
the midst of what could have been a bad situation. Meanwhile, because Daron was
wearing a t-shirt with a picture of ozzy osbourne's guitarist on it, a fan yelled
out to him to play crazy train----and daron played the riff, and the audience
cheered him on. shavo thumped on the bass, and yelled out 'slayer' to the crowd,
and serj did the 'crowd fucking participation', and started the audience in a chant
of 'fuck the system'. When the drum was fixed, the set continued, and the audience
response was amazing. This was definitely not the venue to be in for a slayer
show---hence, i chickened out again.
Review By: Jenny | Rating: -/- | tripod.com/~soadeu
Review By: Alli | Rating: -/- | tripod.com/~soadeu

Live@Los Angeles, CA :: The Palace 30.5.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=palace98
System of a Down hit the stage first with an extremely energetic set. Although the
crowd was not at full capacity, those who were there, were certainly into System of
a Downs aggro sound. They opened with an intense rendition of "Suite-Pee" that had
the crowd going nuts. They then proceeded to rock the house for the next 35
minutes. System of a Down are definitely going to make their presence known in the
years to come.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | spinalcolumn.com

Live@Philadelphia, PA :: The Trocadero 13.6.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=phila98
Setlist
Know /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar /-/ DDevil /-/ Mind /-/ War? /-/ Darts

All three members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN were on stage except singer Serj Tankian, as
the intelligent words that explain the conceptual meaning of this unavoidable
SYSTEM OF A DOWN was amplified throughout the sold out venue. The fourth member in
place the puzzle was complete and they sparked their full-powered set off with
'Know'. Serj took some time to share his 'fuck the system' viewpoints about how our
freedom is being wrongfully taken away from us ,which many people in the crowd
including myself strongly agreed with. The Slayers fan's animosity began to brew
during this brief interlude from their music. Then the guitar harmonics of 'Suite-
Pee' set off the SYSTEM OF A DOWN fans in the crowd. At this point the die-hard
Slayer fans in the over 21 balcony were full-on. SYSTEM OF A DOWN joined in with
the Slayer chant stating that they are the biggest fucking Slayer fans in the
place. With the crowd somewhat pacified and dumbfounded by the band's clever
reaction they kicked into 'Sugar'. Guitar player Daron slipped in a high-pitched
"Slayer!" into the slot of the usual high-pitched "Sugar!" within the chorus. Serj
spilled his philosophical proverbs schizophrantically adding that the devil is so
pretty, conveniently setting up their song 'DDevil'. With singer Serj telling us
repeatedly to look at each other and with a quick mentioning that free thinkers are
dangerous, Shavo led into the brain -crunching 'Mind' with his tantalizing bass
line. Announcing that they were SYSTEM OF A DOWN, they were going to be playing
Ozzfest, and their album release date the guitar chokes of 'War' took over. Giving
it up one last time for tour mates Slayer they closed their set with the start and
stop dynamics of 'Darts'. SYSTEM OF A DOWN's energy on stage was inescapable. I'm
sure they picked up many new fans after their flawless set. They blew me the fuck
away!! I needed my anxiously awaited fill of their killer sound. They are so god
damn addicting!!!!!

Live@Holmdel, NJ :: Garden States Art Center 3.7.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=holmdel98
Setlist
Intro/Know /-/ War /-/ Suggestions /-/ Devil /-/ Mind /-/ Suite-Pee /-/
Peephole /-/ Sugar /-/ Darts

This appearance at Ozzfest was in fact three days before the release of the debut
album, but you can just about hear a good reception from the audience. If anything
can be criticized in the production, is that you can sometimes hardly hear the
crowd, taking away some of the atmosphere. As for the band, this performance is
stunning - crisp guitars and Serj faultless and lively. The songs are played very
much as on the album, but that is unsurprising given the timing. Serj uses the
opportunity of an Ozzfest stage to put across a lot of views also (see Politics).
Great stuff!
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | tpickles.worldonline.co.uk

Live@London, UK :: Astoria 25.-27.11.1998

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=astoria98
Setlist
Suggestions /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ DDevil /-/ Sugar /-/ Peephole /-/ War? /-/ Darts

I wondered how to do this review. Two seperate gig reviews, seperate ones for each
band? In the end, it's an all in oner. It's going to be long. It's going to be
confusing. And it's going to revolve around the band that I specifically came to
see, System of a Down.

I've been waiting to see SOAD for over a year now, and finally my chance came. And
did they disappoint. Don't be silly. I actually wasn't prepared for how good they
were. The album is great, live it's taken to an extra dimension. I know Serj does
all the vocals, but suddenly when you hear those bits in Suggestions or Sugar, it
still hits you with surprise. The variation the man has is what makes them so
wonderful. They've set the benchmark for new bands in this genre with the album,
and they're now doing it with the gigs. And do they take the easy option? Do they
hell. Different set each night. The first night sees the inclusion of Peephole,
which fails to rear it's head on the Friday. However, the awesome P.L.U.C.K. does.
For some reason, I didn't expect to hear this song, so was amazed at it. They play
a new song, X, featuring Serj on maracas or something like that, those things you
shake. The cover of Berlins' Metro is given an airing on the Friday. War and Suit-
Pee incite the biggest response from a crowd that is still entering the building
given the ridiculously short period of time from the doors being opened to the band
starting. I mean, they were on at 6.45 on Friday. Doors opened at 6.30. Silly.

Thursday night at the end, Shavo starts throwing something into the crowd. I stick
a hand up, and something sticks. I look at it. A System sampler, but the one my
beloved Kerrang! were giving away when they gave us the chance to hear the band
FIRST, before anyone else. This was 6 months after the samplers were being given
away in the UK. Anyway, about the only thing I've caught in my life, and it
features fucking Kerrang! And no, you can't have the tape then. I may not like the
magazine, but I'm keeping the tape.

Anyway, Friday saw an interview take place, it'll surface in the new year in YAZ
10. There's a tale to it, and the tale will be told. But they are seriously nice
people. And it was best summed up at the end of Friday, when Shavo, who was busy
videoing everything, was stopped by someone. "Look forward to seeing you when you
headline this place mate". Yep, that bests sums it up.

Ok, I'm going to make a special mention of this, cos it deserves it. Friday, there
was a coloured guy in security, the one wearing the red shirt for those that saw
the gigs. Long dreads. What a star. For every band he's up encouraging people to
come forward and surf. He encourages everyone to clap as the bands are due on.
Catches every single person that comes over the front, lays them down and lets them
out. Even holds one person in mid air so that he can try and touch hands with
Green. An absolute star, as Araya notes at the end of the Slayer set. "Like to say
thankyou to such awesome security". Amen to that. They should make a video of this
guy and force anyone who works in security at gigs like this to watch it and learn.
You help people, not fight them. And if you do so, even the most eventful gig can
be safe. A hell of a lot of people can learn so much from that guy.

The future of metal tours? Could be. Name bands touring together. They proved here
that if you can overcome ego, then it's logistically possible. And it's quite an
awesome sight. The only thing that needs to be resolved, is that venues get the
hang of opening the doors a little earlier so that people can get in to see that
first band. It's an easy concept. Open the doors.

Anyway, it's been Nottingham - London - Nottingham for the last two days. Me tired.
Brain fried. But I've seen System, and I've got the interview tucked away safely.
Seps tonight, and then I can relax. Well, I would if I didn't have some work that
has to be done tomorrow.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | crg.cs.nott.ac.uk

Live@Las Vegas, NV :: Thomas and Mack Center 1.10.2001

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=vegas01
The festival's grand final is none other than System of A Down, everyone's new
favorite band. System of A Down's radio friendly and bouncy music comes off as
absolute noise and drivel in this large stadium, but the audience loves it and
clings to Serj's every word. Serj holds his microphone and displays a ballet of
floating crooning with screaming chaos as he practically memorizes every move he
makes in his music videos. System of A Down looks bored, as though they are doing
us some sort of favor by playing their music. Becoming mere parodies of themselves
on stage, SOAD plays their songs lacking what appears to be any sort of love for
them. It seems they are playing them because they are in a contract with the radio
station to do so, and because it is something intrinsically 'System of a Down' to
do. This attitude is instantly apparent upon reading the guitarist's T-shirt which
simply screams the words that epitomize the attitude that every band on the radio
has engraved upon their rusty souls: 'Fuck Music.' It's blazingly obvious that
whatever tirades and politically conscious lyrics System will throw at us tonight
are lost in a frenzy of terrible musicianship and horridly comical stage antics.
Tonight, System of a Down has correctly torn down the system. Not a system of banal
political injustice, not a system of popularity, but a system of appreciation for
music. A shame for those concert-goers who have never experienced the band in
proper form.
Review By: Peter Menocal | Rating: -/- | kludgemagazine.com

Live@Madison, WI :: Alliant Energy Center 12.10.2001

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=madison01
Setlist
Prison Song /-/ Jet Pilot /-/ X /-/ Shimmy(?) /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Aerials
/-/ Deer Dance /-/ Needles /-/ Toxicity /-/ Sugar

After this display of brilliance, I had high expectations for SYSTEM OF A DOWN.
They opened with "Prison Song," kicking the tightly packed floor fans into a
frenzy. Their stage show was simple, utilizing only a large video screen backdrop
and three "soapboxes" if you will, that Serj(vocals), Daron(Guitar,vocals) and
Shavo(bass), stood on to overlook their disciples. Tearing through songs with their
twisted, punk-like political delivery, we were treated to many tunes off their new
"Toxicity" CD and a few old ones. I must say that I can't seem to get their
"Toxicity" CD out of my car stereo and hearing songs live such as; "Needles," "Deer
Dance," "Jet Pilot," "X," "Shimmy," "Toxicity," "Psycho," "Aerials," and my
favorite "Chop Suey," kicked complete ass. They also did "Bounce," you know the
one.....pogo, pogo, pogo, and asked the crowd to dance like the people shown on the
video screen. They were doing some insane dance, similar to the twist, but it was
too close quartered for this to work as intended. They closed the set with "Sugar."
I heard other songs off their debut release but their names escaped me last night.
Review By: Jason Savage | Rating: -/- | blistering.com

Live@San Jose, CA :: Compaq Center 7.12.2001

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=sanjose01
Setlist
X /-/ Forest /-/ Chop Suey /-/ Suggestions /-/ Toxicity /-/ Sugar
(not complete)

Bay Area radio station Live 105 sponsored this Christmas charity concert at the
home of the San Jose Sharks, the Compaq Center at San Jose. Overall it was a great
night of modern hard rock. Some bands did better than others, but by the end of the
night, I was quite satisfied.

A large venue is never a great place to see bands, but once I was able to get
around security and get to the floor, it was a great experience. The arena was
still set up for hockey, except the glass had been removed from the boards and
there was no ice on the floor. The stage was set up over where the goal line would
be and I spent most of the night on the floor near the blue line.

System Of A Down. This was both the best and worst part of the show, all in one 40
minute set. The set started out very strong, playing "X," "Forest" and "Chop Suey"
from their newest CD, followed by "Suggestions" from their last CD. The three new
songs are easily the best songs from "Toxicity" and the crowd was seriously into it
... pits opened up all over the place and everyone was jumping around and yelling
the lyrics. Next, the band played a few of the much weaker songs from "Toxicity,"
which mellowed the crowd out a bit. Then, while the bass player, Shavo Odadjian,
left the stage, lead singer Serj Tankian spent the time with generic rants about
the evils of rich Americans ... which just happened to be his audience. After that,
the band had completely lost them. Even playing their hit, "Sugar" from the last CD
couldn't recover the crowd.
Review By: Paco | Rating: -/- | roughedge.com

Live@Melbourne, Australia :: The Palace 27.1.2002

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=melbourne02
Setlist
Prison Song /-/ Drugs /-/ Know /-/ War? /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Jet Pilot /-/ X /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Honey /-/ Bounce /-/ Interlude /-/
Spiders /-/ Ddevil /-/ Aerials /-/ Needles /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

I don't think I will ever go to a Popular band concert ever again in my life! I got
through the doors about 8:30 - grabbed myself a drink and started talking to
another girl that was there by herself - then I grabbed a bottle of water and went
into the Mosh Pit to wait for Frankenbok - I was getting really hot before they
even came out - and the Palace didn't even put their 6 huge electric fans on - So
it got bloody hot - FrankenBok were good - a bit loud - and the lead singers talent
on using the microphone like a didgeridoo was amazing! There version of 'Don't call
me baby' by Madison Avenue was timeless -

I was about 5 from the front just off the centre the crowd was pretty damn good -
just moving with the music - it was really good - THEN before Frankenbok started to
sing 'cocaine' about 5 6'3 extremely big men came pushing into the dead centre of
the Mosh Pit and went...let me say - SPASTIC!!! they were pushing everyone - and
managed to make a 2 metre clearing around themselves. There was about a hour wait
before System of a Down came out - so everyone pretty much just stood there - and
chanted - it was getting pretty hot - and then the chant of 'Hurry up cunts'
started to roar though the venue.

The girl next to me said 'I'm going to get hurt' - I thought she was kidding - I
was 5 from the front then after the idiots next to me went epileptic I was pushed
back to tenth spot - then SOAD came out - I have never felt so much pushing in my
life! - It was way worst than my memories of General High school Assembly! - It was
so foolish - I managed to stay in the middle of the mosh for the first song - but
after getting a elbow on the back of the head and then whacked on the breast and
then having someone's head clash with my forehead creating the 'Thunk!" noise I
decided to let the crowd push me to the side - I must have moved back and forth of
the most pit about 15 times in a matter of 60 seconds - I do remember falling off
the stage and then falling back on it and creating a bit of space for a short time
when I did so - I managed to jump around for a good 6 songs of SOAD - then I
noticed I lost my watch and I could feel it under my shoes which the shoe laces had
well and truly been untied and I had tripped on them numerous amounts of times -

Allot of guys were shirtless - and this creates more sweat - and at one stage I was
surround by 4 guys and it was just like bloody stinky Niagara falls - I was not
happy - but I did notice that one of the guys in front of me had the STATIC-X logo
tattooed in the middle of his back.

Daron or Serj started to do a talking piece - where you couldn't see them on the
stage but you could hear them - of what I remember they were saying '...seagulls
all stuck in a heap pushing for no reasons foolish morons...' I actually thought it
was quite offensive, but I felt the same way - then someone must have had some
really strong wacky tobacci or something cause I just got really sick of a sudden -
Like I thought I was going to vomit - and I didn't want to fall cause then I knew I
would get stepped on - so I managed to get to a near by bar - and get a bottle of
water - I leaned on the bar - and I couldn't focus on anything - all the lights and
noise blurred into one - and I was really feeling like collapsing - I think I
missed about 4 SOAD songs - I remember the last song I moshed to was POGO - and I
think I missed forest and ...no I don't even remember what there last song was...

I had my water and I then got my sight back - there were so many people - they were
evening hanging out side the door - I remember all the people around me at the bar
- I remember asking for a glass of water - and as soon as I did - I turned around
and realized the show was over! so I stayed at the bar and waited till the crowd
left finished my water and went outside - and I must have tripped up 5 times from
people standing on me just trying to get out - it was slightly raining outside -
but it was cool and refreshing - My smoked sneakers were now black - and I had
about 3000 over peoples sweat ringing in my t-shirt..

Frankenbok had more on stage presences and more respect for the crowd - they
actually spoke to us - and didn't consider themselves as the all mighty - and as
much as I don't like Frankenbok that much - I think there Set was much much better
than SOADs - SOADs set was just under a hour long - I couldn't time it exactly. And
though I was trying to stay conscious I don't think they sang 'Spiders' or
'Peephole'. They did sing one new song - which was pretty darn good - and it's
funny how if people don't know a song - they don't move - I moved to that it was
good - but I don't know what it was called.

Over all - the crowd's pushing was not required and the idea of "female" and "male"
gigs only should maybe be bought up - cause I saw allot of 5 foot women in there -
and quite frankly I can see how allot of people can get very very hurt at these
gigs - I'm 6 foot and pretty dam strong and I got hurt!

Even the Megadeath concert I went to in August wasn't this bad - they did ban crowd
surfing and stage diving - but it still happened - no cameras were allowed but
people were still taking photos - well that's my spiel! -grims
Review By: Grims | Rating: 3.5/5 | anemicmagazine.com

Live@Birmingham, UK :: Birmingham Academy 19.3.2002

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=birmin02
Setlist
Prison Song /-/ Know /-/ War? /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Jet Pilot /-/ X /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Bounce /-/ ATWA /-/ Spiders /-/
Aerials /-/ Needles /-/ Science /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar /-/ PLUCK /-/
Sartarabad

Tonight, over seven months on from its release, they bring Toxicity to British
shores for the first time. And it starts like this. CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH! A
rhythmic burst of death-metal chug that tumbles off the walls like breaking tsunami
waves. CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH! System frontman Serj
Tankian - wild-eyed and devilishly-bearded, looking like a demented Cossack mystic
- marches to the front of the stage, lifts a microphone to his lips, and hisses
"Theyre tryna build a prison!" And then the dense slaughterhouse thrash of
Prison Song grinds into life.

"All research and successful drug policy show that that treatment should be
increased!" shrieks Tankian, bounding around the stage like hes dancing on hot
coals, "And law enforcement should be decreased, while abolishing mandatory minimum
sentences!" Its a song about the US governments draconian zero-tolerance
narcotics policy. Yeah, one of those. And itd be unbearably pretentious, if it
didnt sound so fucking incredible.

But thats System Of A Down all over. Their songs are terrifying visions of sky-
rending apocalyptica - grinning kamikaze pilots with horses heads (Jet Pilot),
roaming militas of gun-toting child soldiers (Deer Dance), coke-ravaged Los
Angeles starfuckers (Psycho), and fungus people that suck out your brains
(Sugar). But even though they press-gang everything from fiddle-de-dee Armenian
folk to skull-crushing Slayer -style psychometal to tempo-skipping wonder-prog into
their mutating, malleable design, luckily, you only remember the fantastic moments.

Like a building-levelling Suite-Pee, which unexpectedly segues in and out of a

totally serious, and impassioned chorus ofJohn Lennons Give Peace A Chance. A
pious take on their airtime-hogging Chop Suey, where Tankian turns his eyes to
heaven and plays out his crucified Messianic fantasies, part theatrical pantomime
posturing, part Christian-baiting blasphemy. Or that adrenaline-filled moment in
Toxicity, where the roar of bassist Shavo Odadjian and guitarist Daron Malakians
instruments fall away, drummer John Dolmayan rings out a tense military crack on
his snare drum, and Tankian bellows "Disorder! Disorder! Disorder!" like the sky is
falling in, and devils are dancing around his shoes.

Oh, its a faith thing, thats for sure. It has to be. Because there is no real
logic to the System Of A Down design but there is also no faux-meaningful stage
banter, and no state-the-fucking-obvious political spoon-feeding, no cloying feel-
my-pain bullshit and no simpering pussy-punk fashioneering. Nothing, in fact, but a
simple, visceral screech of affirmation. And isnt that exactly what you want? A
band that promise nothing, yet somehow, deliver everything?

Right now, System Of A Down are the most significant metal act since Slipknot. In
time, they may become the most significant metal act sinceMetallica. Disorder,
disorder, disorder: its a song of the times, a sign of the times, the only slogan
you need.
Review By: Louis Pattison | Rating: -/- | nme.com

Live@Glasgow, UK :: Barrowlands 30.3.2002

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=glasgow02
Setlist
Prison Song /-/ Drugs /-/ Know /-/ Saratabad /-/ War? /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Jet
Pilot /-/ X /-/ Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Fuck The System /-/
Bounce /-/ Arto /-/ ATWA /-/ Interlude /-/ Spiders /-/ China Girl /-/ Aerials /-/
Needles /-/ Science /-/ Goodbye Blue Sky /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Intro &
Sugar

Don't be put off by the fact that this isn't a soundboard recording - though the
levels are rather low, turn it up a bit and you get a wonderful gig. At some point
being able to hear the audience is an advantage - they're in good voices for some
sing-a-long sections. There's little said by Serj or Daron during this gig, but you
do get some great instrumental sections, with the part after Know, and the outro
being great Eastern sounding clap-a-long melodies with classy drumming as well.
Serj and Daron are both on top form when it comes to singing, and that makes this
an exciting gig to listen to.

One of the highlights has to be Bounce... Daron says "Hey everybody - Bounce, Pogo,
Pogo, Pogo, Jump, Pogo, Pogo, Pogo..." and after speeding up through the first part
of the song, Barrowlands erupts... Serj and Daron create a great double act on the
vocals, and there's a great almost-ska style breakdown with bongo style drumming in
the middle. Also look out for Serj with a voice changer sounding like an elf,
before going into the harmonic falsetto part with Daron. A very classy two minutes.

Also in this gig are several of the in-between-song sections used only at gig -
they're undescribable, but interesting. The section after Spiders being
particularly well done here.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | tpickles.worldonline.co.uk

Live@Hamilton, Canada :: Copps Colliseum 1.8.2002

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=hamilton02
Setlist
Intro /-/ IEAIAIO /-/ Jet Pilot /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Marmalade /-/ Suggestions /-/
Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ La Isla Bonita /-/ Bounce /-/ ATWA /-/ Forest /-/
Peephole /-/ Innervision /-/ Ddevil /-/ Snowblind /-/ Toxicity /-/ Sultans of Swing
/-/ Aerials /-/ Jam /-/ Needles /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee (Part I) /-/ War? /-/
Sugar (Part I) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sugar (Part II)

There's something about Hamilton and metal that go hand in hand. Maybe it's the
blue collar work ethic of the community, but any heavy metal show in the Hammer
always seems like a perfect fit. I always get a happy feeling whenever I see a
large throng of metalheads (young and old) heading into the downtown core whenever
a banger show thrashes its way into town. This time around, the crowd in question
converged upon Copps Coliseum to see one of the genre's hottest bands, System Of A
Down.

System Of A Down, on the other hand, are more than ready for the arena rock
circuit. Taking to the stage amidst deafening applause, the band instantly got the
whole floor moving as they launched into their 80-minute set. Lead singer Serj
Tankian quickly became the focal point of the show as he jumped, danced, grabbed
his groin and fell to his knees in prayer while singing, screaming, rapping and
chanting his lyrics. Clad in a brown housecoat, he took on the appearance of a
disenchanted monk as he used his astounding vocal range to deliver his message to
the thousands of disciples present. Guitarist Daron Malakian and bassist Shavo
Odadjian took turns taunting the roaring audience while running across the stage.
Images and films danced on a giant screen behind the band but weren't necessary, as
all eyes were on them. Aside from thanking the crowd for being the loudest audience
on the band's current tour and giving props to Ozzy (the band is playing as part of
this summer's Ozzfest) before launching into a cover of Sabbath's "Snowblind"
little was said between songs. Stage banter wasn't needed though, as the energy and
emotion created by the band's brand of nu-metal spoke for itself.

Performing cuts from their self-titled debut and last year's critically acclaimed
Toxicity, it seemed that System could do no wrong as everyone on the floor and in
the stands screamed along to every lyric. The adoration was often overwhelming and
I for one can't remember that the last time I've seen a crowd go absolutely apeshit
for a band the way fans at Copps Coliseum did for System Of A Down. As the show
ended and the sweaty masses exited the arena it became evident that with rabid fans
like this, little is going to stand in the way of System's rise to the top of the
metal ranks.
Review By: Shawn Despres | Rating: -/- | chartattack.com

Live@San Bernardino, CA :: Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavillion 31.8.2002

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=devore02
All day long stage sets have been changed extremely fast giving fans minimal
waiting time in between bands, but all changes as Rob Zombie departs and System of
a Down is supposed to start. After a good twenty five minutes of waiting time, the
lights dim down and the crowd goes insane. The biggest treat is to look back and
see 70% of the 70,000 people in attendance with their lighters up and the darkness
glowing, making it an incredible sight. In the meantime, the four members of System
of a Down come out in strange costumes looking like four warriors that emerge on
stage to celebrate victory. It is indeed a victory they are celebrating as this
show represents System's last show before they go into a nine month hiatus,
overcoming all odds and barriers as their album soared to the number one spot
despite being so commercially different. Their set is the definite highlight of
this year's festival, as the band uses the big screen to display their own chosen
images rather than allowing the cameras to follow them so fans far behind can see
what's going on stage. The images are fast and frenetic, just like System of a
Down's music, portraying dancers at a very high fast forward speed for "Bounce" and
trippy images that go along in perfect synch with every one of their songs.

Best of all is the fact that System of a Down has entirely changed the way they
play. Rather than playing the songs with a CD resemblance, they strive away from
convention and flourish totally made up lyrics and interesting time signature
changes that are out of place in the songs, yet make them different and lively.
Guitarist Daron Malakian takes a very important role in vocals, singing several
songs of his own, making it hard to say whether they were made up on the spot or
previously [somewhat] rehearsed. Topics in his small songs include weed smoking and
the hipocrisy of the world, with his voice's pitch being very high yet pleasing for
the ear, in that cartoonish Bugs Bunny sense. For "Aerials," singer Serj Tankian
actually picks up a guitar to give the song a fuller effect, though it is clear
that Serj is not used to playing a guitar at the same time he sings, as he shows
signs of confusion and careful concentration not to mess up. He doesn't.

Bassist Shavo Odadjian moves left and right, getting closer to the fans and even
crouching to the very front so everyone that is close can see his fingers on the
bass. A very wrecking minute as you can see all the kids with the biggest urge to
touch his strings and ruin the song. Though many cannot help it and touch his bald
head with the biggest sense of endearment. The three volatile members of System of
a Down move around non stop making it very hard for photographers to get good
shots, (as you can see from our very own pictures!) as the non stop energy is
apparent. Drummer John Dolmayan rules his drum set, comfortably hiding behind the
crowd, free to feel the music without needing to show any emotions. It is probably
better off to let him be that way as Dolmayan has definitely proven to be one of
the best drummers of our current rock era. The band shows smirks and smiles as well
as full enjoyment, giving it their all, changing their songs and being one of the
deeper/most innovative acts of the entire festival. A truly exquisite moment, and a
must see live band when they come out of their hiatus.
Review By: Arturo Perez | Rating: -/- | kludgemagazine.com

Live@Reading, UK :: Reading Festival 26.8.2003

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=reading03
Setlist
Intro /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Jet Pilot /-/ Chic 'n' Stu /-/ Forest /-/ Mind
/-/ Transelvanian Hunger (Darkthrone cover) /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Bounce /-/
Bubbles /-/ Aerials /-/ P.L.U.C.K. /-/ Psycho /-/ A.D.D. /-/ Ddevil /-/ Suggestions
/-/ Toxicity /-/ Streamline /-/ Mr. Jack /-/ Sorry, not Sorry (Amen cover) /-/ War?
/-/ IEAIAIO /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar (Part I) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sugar (Part II)

With the last day of Reading 2003 coming to an end, System Of A Down really had
bare minimum to prove. The sunset created another atmosphere within the festival
and the band made their appearance. looking completely different infact. Daron
Malakian almost looked unrecognisable with the hideous amount of hair on his face,
in contrast to Serj who managed to take a step forward and trim the goods. System
managed to pull off another memorable performance for the Reading crowd, blasting
classics such as War? Suite-Pee and Know. At this stage, the crowd were out of
control, huge, dangerous slam pits with the taste of dust amongst us. System were
not done, they managed to play almost every song of theirs you could think of, many
from "Steal This Album" and from the huge album "Toxicity". This was a tremendous
warm up for what was to come afterwards (headliners Metallica), but System really
showed what they were capable of. Daron also proved he can play songs without
messing up, which came as a surprise, maybe the hair made a difference. Not quite
as good of a set as they did back in 2001 but this was close. Other songs the band
played were, Chop Suey, Toxicity, Forest, Prison Song, Chic n Stu, Innervision,
IEAIAIO and many more.
Review By: Punesh | Rating: 9/10 | reading-festival.org.uk

Live@Sydney :: Hordern Pavillion 25.1.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=hordern05
Setlist
01 Aerials /-/ 02 Mr. Jack /-/ 03 Suggestions /-/ 04 Psycho /-/ 05 Chop Suey! /-/
06 Cigaro /-/ 07 Needles /-/ 08 Deer Dance /-/ 09 Science /-/ 10 Spiders /-/ 11
Streamline /-/ 12 Bounce /-/ 13 Forest /-/ 14 Holy Mountain /-/ 15 ATWA /-/ 16 War-
/-/ 17 Prison Song /-/ 18 Roulette /-/ 19 Toxicty /-/ 20 Kill Rock n Roll /-/ 21
Suite- Pee /-/ 22 Sugar

System of a Down play a blistering sideshow on the eve of their Sydney Big Day Out
appearance. The setlist featured heavily from the album toxicity however a few new
tracks from the forthcoming album were thrown into the mix.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | abc.net.au

Live@London :: Astoria 4.4.2005 - (1)

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=astoria05
Setlist
01 B.Y.O.B. /-/ 02 SCIENCE /-/ 03 SUGGESTIONS /-/ 04 PSYCHO /-/ 05 CHOP SUEY! /-/
06 MR JACK /-/ 07 NEEDLES /-/ 08 DEER DANCE /-/ 09 AERIALS /-/ 10 HOLY MOUNTAIN /-/
11 SPIDERS /-/ 12 STREAMLINE /-/ 13 BOUNCE /-/ 14 A.T.W.A. /-/ 15 FOREST /-/ 16
CIGARO /-/ 17 HIGHWAY SONG /-/ 18 WAR? (interlude) /-/ 19 PRISON SONG /-/ 20
ROULETTE /-/ 21 TOXICITY /-/ 22 SUITE-PEE /-/ 23 SUGAR

System of a Down have been relatively quiet recently, a Carling Weekend festival
appearance in 2003 being their most notable contribution in the UK. Their last
album Toxicity was released in September 2001 and became one of the most
influential metal/rock albums of 2002. They are now back after spending last year
recording a two part album.

Mesmerize is the title of the first album which is due for release on May 17th
2005. The second album Hypnotize is expected to follow around September. Both
albums, equating to around 30 songs in total, were recorded in the Summer and
Autumn of 2004. They follow in the previous albums Steel This album and
Toxicity in that they were again put together and produced by the renowned Rick
Rubin and the bands own Daron Malakian.

This last minute gig was added to the mesmerize European tour, which may explain
the lack of a support act. The tour also includes the band headlining the final day
at this years Download Festival on June 12th. The expectation was for a lot of new
music, with a few favourites thrown in. This was not the case. If anything this gig
was more a chance to get the material from the last few albums played live again.

The gig opened with and extended version of the awesome new track BYOB- Bring Your
Own bombs, a song that questions Americas involvement in wars around the world.
This has the typical system sound of brutal metal riffs inter-twined with powerful
melodic choruses. The set also included the new track 'Cigaro', which was released
as the first new track from the new project.

Surprisingly the rest of the set reverted to material from the first 3 albums. Its
expected that more new material will creep into the set as the tour progresses-
particularly once the Mezmerize album is released. The Astoria set enabled the
band to play their older tracks before the influx of the new material which is
going to happen in the coming months. The standard favourites Chop Suey!,
Toxicity, Sugar and an extended play of Mr.Jack were obvious choices in the
set list. However, in the 95 minute set included a good amount of album tracks that
we all love differently. For me personally inclusion of Forest and an interlude
that incorporated a good section of the track Roulette from Steal This Album
were massive highlights. The pit was in strong flow for the vast majority of the
gig Psycho being one of the most energetic, the atmosphere was incredible
throughout.

In short there were no songs that I was yearning to hear, that didnt get played.
Possibly one of the greatest gigs Ive attended, something for everyone from 16yr
old mini-moshers, through to balding 30 something Kerry King look-a-likes,
Review By: Bert | Posted On: 24 April 2005 | Rating: 9/10 | rockreview.co.uk

Live@London :: Astoria 4.4.2005 - (2)

How can a metal band be this good? It?s faultless. Everything: the tunes, the
musicianship, the style, the performance; the lot. Live, you?ve always got a head
start if you?re back catalogue is amazing ? and with a show that consisted nearly
exclusively of material from past masterpieces, ?Steal This Album? and ?Toxicity?
they?d have to pull out all the stops to fuck this up.

Thirty year old guitarist, songwriter and lyricist Daron Malakian and his
American/Armenian four-piece seem able to make more noise and noises than you might
think possible. With only one guitar the Armenian-born manages to execute every
studio programmed and layered voice with his Gibson SG live on stage with only the
aid of a few foot pedals (looking like a cross between Cheech Marin and Tony
Robinson).

While the band sent tracks like ?Aerials? and ?Chop Suey? and ?Shimmy? into orbit ?
the crowd went absolutely berserk - kids and young adults (ok, and some old adults
too), bouncing off the walls. Singer Serj Tankian?s voice is one of the most
distinctive in the world today ? bringing Eastern European melodies to a western
audience via the medium of metal. Political metal. Amazingly intricate, eccentric,
catchy, politically loaded metal.

In amongst the set, were scattered a select few tracks from the as yet unreleased
new album. And now trusting that their live performance is a pretty good indicator
of how they sound on tape, the whole world should be waiting with bated pogo-sticks
for the forthcoming System Of A Down album.

It?s always surprising how quickly people get over ?first album hype? ? and how
often good bands get less than they deserve; but always so wonderfully reassuring
when a band return for a third album to the surprise of the nay-saying press. No
one expects a band to last one album, let alone make it through a second to a
third; but SOAD have everything they need to become the next Metallica or Iron
Maiden. If I could watch this band as often a Neighbours, I?d be a happy bunny.
Review By: JG | clickmusic.co.uk

Live@Paris :: Le Trabendo 7.4.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=trabendo05
Setlist
01 B.Y.O.B /-/ 02 Science /-/ 03 Kill rock 'n' roll /-/ 04 Suggestions /-/ 05
Psycho /-/ 06 Chop suey! /-/ 07 Mr. Jack (interlude of saratabad) /-/ 08
Needles /-/ 09 Deer dance /-/ 10 Aerials /-/ 11 Holy mountain /-/ 12 Spiders /-/ 13
Streamline /-/ 14 Bounce /-/ 15 Atwa /-/ 16 Forest /-/ 17 Cigaro /-/ 18 Highway
song /-/ 19 War? (interlude)/-/ 20 Prison song /-/ 21 Roulette /-/ 22 Toxicity /-/
23 Suite-pee /-/ 24 Sugar /-/

I was there too.... IT WAS AMAZING the band loves the show, they were looking so
happy. They let us sing a lot, Daron jumped into the crowd 3 times, they were 90%
of the show on amps. It was so great.

During "Roulette" Shavo took a break and began to drink Alcohol and smoking a
"Cigarette that make people laugh" and then he gave me this cigarette. AMAZING...

The show was great, they did the robot thing, and other funky things. Daron ask us
to dance like him during psycho...
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | lswf.jexiste.fr

Live@Kln :: Live Music Hall 9.4.2005 - (1)

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=kolin05
Setlist
01 B.Y.O.B /-/ 02 Science /-/ 03 Kill rock 'n' roll /-/ 04 Suggestions /-/ 05
Psycho /-/ 06 Chop suey! /-/ 07 Mr. Jack /-/ 08 Needles /-/ 09 Deer dance /-/ 10
Aerials /-/ 11 Holy mountain /-/ 12 Spiders /-/ 13 Streamline /-/ 14 Bounce /-/ 15
Atwa /-/ 16 Forest /-/ 17 Cigaro /-/ 18 Highway song /-/ 19 War? /-/ 20 Prison song
/-/ 21 Roulette /-/ 22 Toxicity /-/ 23 Suite-pee /-/ 24 Sugar

Doch dann: Die Lichter gingen aus und das Geschrei los. Auffllig hier: Es war
hher als sonst. Dies lies darauf schlieen, dass zur Freude der mnnlichen
Besucher mehr Mdels im Publikum waren, was sich durchaus besttigen sollte. Als
Opener wurde das neue B.Y.O.B. prsentiert, welches auch gleichzeitig die neue
Singleauskopplung zu Mezmerize sein wird, aber nicht wirklich als Anheizer zu
Beginn taugt, da es durch den fast poppigen Refrain zu lahm ist. Was dann folgte,
war eine uerst gelungene Mischung aus den drei alten Alben und zudem noch neuen,
unverffentlichten Songs. Gewhnungsbedrftig war das seit einiger Zeit vernderte
Aussehen des Sngers, Serj Tankian, der die Haare wieder lang trug, dafr den Bart
stark reduziert hat (bse Mnder behaupten, das auf dem Kopf seien die Barthaare).
Ebenfalls gewhnungsbedrftig war, dass zwei Keyboards auf der Bhne standen
eines fr den Snger, das andere fr Gitarrist Daron Malakian. Beide sollten im
Laufe des Abends gekonnt abgefremdete Parts zu den jeweiligen Songs prsentieren.
SOAD lagen bei vielen Stcken Wert darauf, sie in irgendeiner Form zu verndern.
Besonders Mastermind Daron stach in diesem Punkt hervor und bewies seine Qualitten
als Solospieler (Mr. Jack), aber auch Serj zeigte im Mittelstck von War? seine
instrumentelles Knnen an den Tasten. Doch ab diese Soloeinlagen immer wirklich
aufeinander abgestimmt und harmonisch klangen, sei dahingestellt.
Review By: David | Rating: -/- | metal.de

Live@Kln :: Live Music Hall 9.4.2005 - (2)

it was so amazing when they jumped on stage and started playin byob. daron was
standing in front of me...he and serj where about 1.5 metres away from me...well i
waited 8 hours in front of the hall to get this plase in the front...

after byob daron played a classic..."we're on drugs"...lol at first he looked to

serj and his eyes where like sayin:"...where are we?" while they played science,
daron was running around on stage and lurching...right into johns drumset...he
crashed against the toms but nothing really serious happened they didnt stop
playing and a roadi fixed everything up very fast. btw serjs brother sevag is still
roadie from soad, he is lookin so cool with his full beard he is like the "cooler
version of serj" Very Happy

before they played kill rock n roll daron said: "so i felt like the biggest
asshole, when i killed your beloved rock n roll... iam gonna mow down all the sexy
people in here...and kiss all the ugly ones... ladies and gentleman, i dont know
what iam talkin about" the whole concert was really cool, because the band had a
lot of fun they where smilin and laughing most of the time... hehe during kill rnr
i had one of those "groupie moments" it was during the part "...everytime i look in
youre eyes"..because while singin that daron was standin in front of me and looked
with his big eyes into mine...wuah... after they played the song daron said "you're
not supposed to know this one yet"...hehe Rolling Eyes

i was a little bit shocked by shavo it looked like now he is the "drug guy"...but i
had really much fun with him especially during needles... we pointed fingers at
each other and smiledhehe...that was funny... i also did that with john...he threw
a drumstick...but it was to high for me to grab it -_-

what more to say hmmm... in the half of prison song where normally the quieter
bridge starts, they started playin roulette...while serj and daron where playin
shavo sat down in front of his speakers and smoked that what his doctor told him to
smoke... or he and john where throwing towels at each other...

in nearly every third song daron put his special parts in and danced around. in the
middle of "war?" they put a roboter part in and serj sang something with
soldiers...maybe in this kind the sodier side intro on mezmerize will be. i
recorded war? you can download it here:
http://www.soadfans.de/seite/downloads/war_live_at_cologne.mpg its not a real good
quality but quite ok i think...i also got byob i think iam goin' to upload it
tomorrow...

as you can see the last song was sugar and during that song daron made a joke...he
said something about shavo but i couldnt udnerstand what...all 4 guys where
laughing and serj even had problems to sing because he had to laugh so much...its
strange to see him laughing while singing the part " i sit in my desolate room..."
hehe...after that song the band went down from stage and didnt came back in
anyway...the security and people from the wanted evetio get out as fast as
possible...

next to the doors was a little merchandise sales both...and it was like this told
me once again that soad is not anymore "your little pretty unknown favourite band"
they got a hoodie only with "system of a down" written on it for nearly about 85 $
those "my one is bigger than yours" shirts for 45 $ each and a normal basecasp with
nothing special also sold for 45$...i mean wtf? Undecided
Review By: Herm | Rating: -/- | soadfans.de
Live@Dallas, TX :: Granada Theater 29.4.2005
http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=dallas05
Setlist
B.Y.O.B. /-/ Science /-/ Kill Rock N' Roll /-/ Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey
/-/ Mr. Jack /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/ Holy Mountains /-/
Spiders /-/ ATWA /-/ Forest /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

After two years of virtually no shows in the United States, how eager are the fans
for the return of System of a Down? Eager enough to sell out the Granada Theater
with relatively little publicity and with tickets going on sale the day of the
show, apparently. And why not, it's a pretty kickass band, and it has failed to
disappoint in any significant way through its career so far.

The critical acclaim of the band's debut, coupled with the commercial success of
its follow-up and subsequent odds and ends album (kind of like "Re-Load," only with
more integrity) makes the band's forthcoming album, "Mesmerize," the first in a set
of two, all the more hotly anticipated and relatively mysterious, with only the new
single, "B.Y.O.B.," and the other new cuts played on the so-called 'guerilla tour,'
giving hints as to the album's contents.

As soon as the band came onstage, the resulting din rendered the first half of
"B.Y.O.B." a sort of aural diarrhea, but fortunately mixing problems were resolved
as the set progressed. Frontman Serj Tankian, who sadly looks a little less
frightening without his Castro beard, started off in a subdued fashion, dancing
moving with every fourth beat, perhaps as to not muss the tucked in, button-up work
shirt he was wearing. Eventually, around the time "Suggestions" rolled around, he
was hopping around and making a glorious spectacle of himself.

The new tunes the band pulled out Friday, including "Kill Rock N' Roll," "Holy
Mountains," and the aforementioned single, brought out more of the dual vocal
stylings the band employed on "Steal this Album!," featuring traded passages
between Tankian and guitarist Daron Malakain that add a more frenzied, if slightly
jumbled air to the songs. But as far as the whole 'jumbled' thing goes, SOAD was
never a band to embrace convention, so jarring stops and starts come with little
consequence.

As the show went on, the mood throughout the venue was noticeably jubilant, as
opposed to the mildly spiteful air that seems to permeate the shows of the band's
peers. I'm not sure if it was because people were more drunk on the balcony or if
the music is just too bouncy to get pissed too, but it was the happiest damn metal
show I've been to.

The band was a little shaky on a few passages, particularly on "Chop Suey!," which
almost seemed in danger of falling apart at a few points. Malakain's guitar playing
sounded slightly ragged, particularly on his clean passages during verses, which
made him the loose cannon of the night. It would either sound like his guitar was
out of tune or like he just didn't remember the part, but the rumble of Shavo
Odadjian's bass ably filled the void.

Tankian sounded fantastic throughout the entire hour-long set, especially on

"Spiders," which might be the best showcase for his voice in the band's catalog.
His circular hops at the end of "Mr. Jack" were undeniably reminiscent of Zack de
la Rocha, which was also helped by his screaming "Fuck you, pigs," repeatedly. From
the harmonic shriekings of "Science" to the primal pound of "Deer Dance," it was
impossible for the joyless among us to not derive even the simplest of pleasures
from the set. Even though the band's set was roughly 30% shorter than the other
shows on the tour (the band cut seven songs from a set that had previously been 24
strong), it still packed enough of a punch to send most home happy, primed and
ready for the release of "Mesmerize."
Review By: Chris Steffen | Rating: -/- | dallasmusicguide.com

Live@New York, NY :: Irving Plaza 9.5.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=nyc05
Setlist
B.Y.O.B. /-/ Science /-/ Kill Rock 'n' Roll /-/ Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop
Suey /-/ Mr. Jack /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/ Holy Mountains /-/
Spiders /-/ Streamline /-/ Bounce /-/ Atwa /-/ Forest /-/ Cigaro /-/ Highway
Song /-/ War? /-/ Prison Song /-/ Roulette /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

NEW YORK Fans of avant-garde metal troupe System of a Down started lining up
outside Irving Plaza as soon as the venue for Monday evening's gig one of the
last stops on the band's 10-city road primer was announced Friday evening.

For a handful of System extremists, sacrificing a weekend in their young lives was
a small price to pay a pittance, really for what was without question the
hottest ticket in town, even with Dave Matthews' tour bus parked some 40-odd blocks
away at Roseland.

To their credit, System of a Down made every minute of that wait worthwhile for the
holdouts. They delivered a thunderous, high-octane set that mixed the fresh with
the dated, but never let up, not even for a second.

The 1,100-seater was packed to the rafters, the crowd teeming with rabid fans and
Italian-suit-sporting industry wheelers who gave little regard to New York's
smoking ban. Even that skeletal, womanly dude from H.I.M. made it out for the rawk
show, which followed less than 48 hours after guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian
uttered the F-word during the band's "Saturday Night Live" appearance.

"I wasn't offended, were you?" Malakian asked the undulating crowd midway through
the foursome's powerful, 90-plus-minute set of rock and roll fury.

Surprisingly, System didn't attempt much new material, concentrating instead on

songs they've been playing for years especially cuts from 2001's Toxicity and
2002's Steal This Album! But the band did set the tone early with one of its
freshest ditties: "B.Y.O.B.," the first single from System's forthcoming, two-
pronged attack, Mezmerize/Hypnotize. The first disc hits stores next week (see
"System Of A Down Album Preview: Band Pulls No Punches With The Pummeling
Mezmerize"), while "Hypnotize" is due this fall.

Pulsating, seizure-inducing strobes plastered the throbbing, pogo-prone masses,

their arms collectively reaching for the ceiling. Beneath a splash of white light,
floppy-fro'd frontman Serj Tankian crooned the song's chorus, "Everybody's going to
the party, have a real good time/ Dancing in the desert, blowing up the sunshine."

Malakian's bulging, "crazy like your uncle's" eyes scanned the sea of sweaty bros
rhythmically swaying in time with Shavo Odadjian's pounding, penetrating bass
lines, ready to launch into 'roid mode as the funky breakdown neared its end.
"Blast off, it's party time, and we don't live in a fascist nation," Malakian
screamed, sending the crowd into a lawless fury with hats, cups and sneakers
hurtling through the air like cattle in a tornado.

"Science" was next, but as with the rest of the show, it was difficult to discern
where one song left off and another began. System ripped through 24 songs with
virtually no break between, blending them together effortlessly. Of course, it
became more than evident why they chose to merely graze the forthcoming material:
"Kill Rock 'n' Roll," the only track the band would touch from Hypnotize, cooled
the crowd from a frantic, spastic flail to a placid body bop caused by utter
unfamiliarity.

Of course, no System of a Down concert would feel complete especially for the
band's Johnny-come-latelies without the singles. And for System's longtime
loyalists, completely ignoring the rockers' self-titled 1998 debut would be cause
for a riot. Both sets were placated as Serj led the crowd through a vicious sonic
assault that included "Chop Suey," "Sugar," "Toxicity," "Spiders," "Aerials" and
"Suite-Pee," all the while doing a haphazard onstage jig with a lopsided grin
pasted across his face.

When System tackled "Cigaro," the third and last morsel of newness, Irving Plaza
was nearly leveled. The song's crushing riffs, Tankian's genre-defying,
schizophrenic vocals, the floorboard-snapping bass, and drummer John Dolmayan's
explosive skin swatting ignited a rumbling and unleashed a wave of energy that sent
shudders through the building; heard from below, you'd have thought a stampeding
elephant had cut through the mosh pit. That sound was unchecked aggression, a sound
the swath of security that went charging up the stairs recognized all too well.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | mtv.com

Live@Philadelphia, PA :: Theatre of Living Arts 10.5.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=phila05
Setlist
1. B.Y.O.B. /-/ 2. Science /-/ 3. Suggestions /-/ 4. Psycho /-/ 5. Chop Suey! /-/
6. Mr. Jack /-/ 7. Needles /-/ 8. Deer Dance /-/ 9. Aerials /-/ 10. Spiders /-/ 11.
Bounce /-/ 12. Atwa /-/ 13. Forest /-/ 14. War? /-/ 15. Prison Song /-/ 16.
Toxicity /-/ 17. Suite-Pee /-/ 18. Sugar /-/

This was really an amazing show, the Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA) on South
Street, Philly is extremely small! The high school I went to had a bigger stage
then what the TLA has. But this DVD has just amazing quality. The sound is perfect
and for as much screaming I heard right up close to the stage, you can barely hear
it on the DVD. You can tell that the person who taped this has done this quite a
few times. The camera seems to have been up on the balcony part to the right hand
side. The camera would show parts of the stage and crowd and then zoom in on the
band. Up close camera shots of Serj singing and close ups of Daron while on guitar
solos and such. One thing I really have to warn you about is the lights could give
you a seizure. The strobe lights in some songs are just crazy blinking, but they do
not do it that often. If you check out the screen shots below, you can see that
most of them are a blue color, but for the most part it is really red, for some
reason the capture feature on my DVD program turned everything blue?

System of a Down mainly stuck with playing songs from their self-titled and
Toxicity albums, but they did open the show by playing B.Y.O.B. from their new
album. The singing and music were just great. And while watching the show I could
now see all the slight variations they did. Like in Mr. Jack, they usually have a
small jam session in the middle, but in this one you can hear Bubbles being played.
Or in Toxicity, they played part of the song and then it blended into Suite-Pee.
Serj really wasnt all too crazy jumping up and down, he was mainly just grooving
along to the music, but in some songs he really got in to it, and his singing was
great. Daron was very strange to watch him play the guitar just some of his hand
movements were a bit odd, but still played amazingly. Also some of Darons facial
expressions were a bit odd and scary at times when he was singing. And we cant
forget about Shavo and John, they were just great too and right on. Shavo was all
over the stage and John was just banging away on the drums.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | soadfans.com

Live@Washington, DC :: 9:30 Club 11.5.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=dc05
Setlist
1.BYOB /-/ 2.Science /-/ 3.Suggestions /-/ 4.Psycho /-/ 5.Chop Suey! /-/ 6.Mr. Jack
/-/ 7.Needles /-/ 8.Deer Dance /-/ 9.Aerials /-/ 10.Holy Mountains /-/
11.Spiders /-/ 12.Bounce /-/ 13.ATWA /-/ 14.Forest /-/ 15.War? /-/ 16.Prison
Song /-/ 17.Toxicity /-/ 18.Suite Pee /-/ 19.Sugar

People love a novelty. It arrives and you marvel at the newness with all the wonder
of a chick on the day of its hatching. Genius! you scream but nearly as soon as
the thought of a further accolade begins to form you realize that you have already
started down the path to loathing. It is simply the nature of the novelty to take
the sweet to sour within a single attention span. System Of A Down exists as an
example of a group that was once mistaken for a novelty but is finally and
righteously revealing itself as a legitimate sonic pioneer.

What groups like King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and Tool were to their generation System
Of A Down will likely be to theirs and the best evidence for the claim came last
night at the 9:30 Club where SOAD debuted tracks from their new album Mezmerize
in a live set for a select club audience.

Despite guitarist Daron Malakians slightly dialed back performance, (reportedly

due to a virus), SOAD was its usual manic preaching self while blending fist
pumping politics and progressive Heavy Metal into a fine mash that was rabidly
devoured by the overflow crowd. Bodies only left the clubs main floor by bouncer
led ejection or fatigue induced unconsciousness and when floor space did appear the
scramble to fill it was near riotous. The music was beyond rapturous and the
performers near messianic. If Rock and Roll needed saving, (it did), salvation was
obviously at hand.

The set was wonderfully crafted from the old, the new and the obscure into 90
minutes of lightly controlled mayhem with the groups biggest hit, Chop Suey,
causing a sway so fierce the barricade was literally lifted from the floor and
thrown a good measure forward. Though the set featured a healthy dose of Toxicity
era material the night was really all about introducing the new record and what was
played from it couldnt have been better received. Occasionally the room would slow
its revolution just enough to get a handle on the new music but in each case by
songs end everyone had fallen completely for it. Look for B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your
Own Bombs)and perhaps Cigaro to deliver another platinum album to SOAD and years
of unending play time in whatever contraption they come up with to play music on
next.

At the end of it all Toxicity and Suite Pee were used to drive the nail the
rest of the way home and SOAD left an exhausted crowd to stumble off into the
night, a perfect end to a perfect evening.

SOAD is many things to many people but one thing that they will never be mistaken
for again is a novelty act.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- | theinterviewarchives.com

Live@Milan, Italy :: Filaforum 30.5.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=milan05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B /-/ Revenga /-/ Kill Rock'n'Roll /-/ Suggestions /-/
Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Aerials /-/ Holy Mountain /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A /-/ Forest /-/ Spider /-/ Lost in
Hollywood /-/ Jet Pilot /-/ Question! /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Prison Song /-/
Roulette /-/ War? /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar /-/

The show was spectacular, Daron sings a lot better than last years and serj has a
beautiful voice...I think in some parts maybe better than album.

Serj played the guitar intro of question with an acoustic guitar, there was a
robotic interlude in war with daron who played the piano, and an interlude in the
middle of mr.Jack
Review By: - | Rating: -/- |

Live@Lyon, France :: Tony Garnier Hall 31.5.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=lyon05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ Suite-pee /-/ Sugar + Robotic Intro /-/ Suggestions /-/
Spiders /-/ War? /-/ Prison Song /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Jet Pilot /-/
BYOB /-/ Revenga /-/ Cigaro /-/ Question! /-/ Chop Suey /-/ Bounce /-/ Forest /-/
ATWA /-/ Science /-/ Toxicity /-/ Psycho /-/ Lost in Hollywood /-/ Kill Rock'n Roll
/-/ Aerials /-/ Mr. Jack /-/ Roulette /-/

The Mezmerize painting was watching the crowd from the black curtain hiding the
stage. And then it began : Soldier Side and Darons shadow singing behind the
curtain until it fell down and they really kicked off the show with BYOB, which
drove the crowd insane so much that after the first minute of the song the
barriers protecting the stage broke down under the peoples pressure. So SOAD had
to stop the show, Serj asked everyone to step back, and Daron tried to calm down
the audience with a mellow love song (I dont remember the exact lyrics, but he
replaced once the words I will always be loving you by I will always be
fucking you so daron-ish).SOAD had to leave the stage, but they came back ten
minutes later and resumed BYOB exactly where they had stopped it, which was
powerful.

During the first half of the show, Daron and Serj were very calm, not moving much.
Shavo was the only one walking on the stage from side to side, headbanging. This
guy rocks ! He looked delighted and was smiling to people. The whole group got
wilder after a while, the best parts were probably Toxicity (Daron mimed eating
seeds as a pastime activity in such a way that he looked like he was eating
something else I will never forget his face), War ? with a great interlude and
Sugar of course !!!! Daron had the same haircut as on the Burbank pics. So, sorry
guys, no mohawk cut.

Sadly, there was no encore, which disappointed the crowd a bit. But the show was
really awesome. The sound wasnt perfect, but the setlist was really great (same
one as the previous shows) and the way they went through it with only small breaks
made the gig intense.

Unforgettable.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- |

Live@Paris, France :: Bercy 1.6.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=bercy05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ BYOB /-/ Revenga /-/ Science /-/ Kill Rock 'n Roll /-/ Suggestions
/-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey /-/ Interlude /-/ Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack /-/ Needles /-/ Deer
Dance /-/ Interlude /-/ Aerials /-/ Holy Mountain /-/ Spiders /-/ Bounce /-/
ATWA /-/ Forest /-/ Lost in Hollywood /-/ Question! /-/ War? /-/ Prison Song /-/
Roulette /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Interlude /-/ Sugar /-/ Outro

"This is the second best gig I ever saw in my life, just after Queen with Paul
Rodgers 2 months ago. Wednesday june 1st will remain in my mind for a while : SOAD
performing in Bercy. My sister and I arrive at 4 pm, we sat on the stairs of Bercy
among many others teenagers dressed the same way... super.... One hour later we all
went near the doors, at the begining of the queue. The price was the same (37
euros) whatever the place you wanted : sitting or standing. Our door was the first
to be open so we rushed to the second entry. then my sister's friends went right in
front of the stage, but as we are girls and quite vulnerable we rushed on the seats
very very near the stage, having a wonderful view on Serj's mike!! 7:30 pm : An
hysterical band, that the audience seems not to have liked, but to my mind they
didn't deserve it Then a huge "flag" was installed representing the Mesmerize album
At exactly 8:30 a shadow appears behind the flag : it's daron singing Soldier
Side.. Then BYOB the rest of the bands appears, Serj with his new look, very very
nice :p I'm glad that at almost 40 he gave up his "kid" clothes and his huge beard
that hid half of his (wonderful) face! -He was quite in tune, he sang better than I
thought, and that I ever heard in other gigs. Although he didn't really take risks
at the begining of the concert -I believe he's been perfect on stage : not like an
hectic, or not sitting down and remaining in the same position, he moved just well
-I noticed that he had a problem with his mike during one or two songs, and he
started to run all around the stage to fix that, it was quite funny! -We were
sitting on the side where Shavo was, and I've really liked to way he tried to
communicate with us, he seemed to be really nice -I regret the fact that they
didn't try to communicate with the audience, they almost didn't say hello, they
almost haven't spoken in english so not in french as well. They left without coming
back on stage a second time, we were all very surprised of that -Daron jumped on
the crowd, I was totally scared he wouldn't come back!!! Fortunately it didn't
happen lol -the crowd was extatic (and drunk lol!), we all yelled, there was a lot
of pogos and people being carried by the crowd. At the begining, just before SOAD
came onstage, there's even been a fight, but about 10 security guys solvec quikly
this small detail... -My sister's friends who were standing in front of the stage
said it was worse than Slipknot and Metallica! -I say it again, but like others
Rockbands from england or America, they could have learnt some french words,
"merci" at least, but no they didn't do that effort, but it's not really important,
it's the talent that counts ^^ The day after the gig I couldn't speak, I used all
my voice during the gig The atmosphere was very electric
Review By: - | Rating: -/- |

Live@London, UK :: Brixton Academy 3.6.2005 - (1)

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=brixton05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Science /-/ Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack (with interlude) /-/
Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/ Holy Mountains /-/ Spiders /-/ Bounce /-/
A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ Question! /-/ War? (with extended
interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Roulette /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Robotic
Intro /-/ Sugar

Last night I saw system of a down at Brixton academy in the south of London. It was
a good night , i was worried about us not getting there on time because of the bad
weather. Me and my good friend Ben got a train all the way to the south of London.
we were sure to be late! Some how we got off the train at 7.30 and got to the
'academy' in a good time, there wasn't que at all.

I hid my camera in my pants , so they wouldn't take it. I really regret not taking
my video camera!

when waiting then some man next to me was checking me out acording to Ben , and he
was I caught him. NO-one paid attention to the first band so well will ignore that.

System got all theit stuff set up and the crowd were set to get it on. sadly they
took the piss we were waiting more than a hour for them to come one. people were
( including myself) were 'boooing' them before they even came on.shouting ' we want
system' and from the 'byob' song ' where the fuck are you ' which was really funny.

some of the gaurd were squirting water in the crowd, i got the attention of one of
them and he got it all in my mouth (no-homo) and over my shirt and camera!

The lights went out, the crowd went nuts. a little silhouette of a man appeared in
the left cornor of the stage/ in front of me. and started to sing , it was derron!
he played the 'solider song'. the crowd were singing why i was taking some picture.
i honestly don't like that song. then that ended...

the starting rift for 'byob'... we went nuts. the screen dropped and already elbows
in my back being crushed! It was great all singing the songs and going tits up, it
was hetic .

After the first few song i made my way to the pit and kicked some ass, they pit was
pretty mad. some big beef blokes . someone knocked my camera out my hand and i
nearly lost it. i threated to hit him. In the pit i was flying kicking and going
tits up.

I was surrounded by fists, sweaty bodys ( no-homo) then as the music eased out, the
pit opened and there was me going tits up which was funny! Many times i went to the
bathroom to get drinks. when i was waiting to get some water i saw a bloody town
and a sink full of water and with drops of blood in it. someones obviousy been
punched in the face.

I kept going in for songs in the pit, at one point i fell over and hand to get up
quick before bing trampled to death! thank fuck i got up and i helped all the other
people up as well as others. Fists were flying and so were my kicks. I took my
shirt off at one point and said to some man , ' look at my tits' he laughed and
shooked my hand. i'm sre he was gonna touch them!

There were many attactive girls there! many took thier tops off and just wearing
their bras which you can't help but look. It was odd like your rubbing up against
all these hot girls and i didn't even pay any attention to it. but if i was say in
a club i would be shitting myself! It was cool though.

I was soaked in sweat,water,and beer. Towards the
their songs song very different to the album ons,
songs were what! towards the end sugar came on. I
rushed to the pit and got in fists flying! people
myself!
end i was kinda bored beacsuse
it was hard to make out what
had to go in for this. so i
were going nuts as well as

I found that derron seem'd to rule the show! I didn't like it! he sounds so gay and
looks about 50-60! he has a voice like a 14 year old european girl.

Me and Ben made our way out of the academy and toward the station. we go on the
tube which was there. we got in the front carage. it was a bit busy with all the
fans. so we got a seat at the front, i didn't realsie no-one was sitting there
because these to forigen men were shooting up and smoking heroin! i was sat right
next to him and got a photo. some hot women i was talking to could see it all
happening.we talked about it when they left and we all laughed.

When i was sitting next to those men i could smell shit, i'm sure they were
sleeping rough. they probally were but it was Ben who was farting and it smelt so
bad. when most people left, there two bloke got on and sat down opostie us. one
said ' whats the smell ' his facial exspresion was so funny. i burst out laughing
and made out it was something funny .

we got onto the next tube and Ben kept farting again and i didn't know. i nearly
fell out my seat laughing! some man next to Ben didn't look to pleased. we were
just about to get off and he did the most fucked up fart and i had to move down the
tube.

we got off and got in his car and made the short journey home, passing countless
food shops which were 'closed'

I would rate the gig about 8/10 it was good but it doesn't compare to KoRn at all!
KoRn are alot better.
Review By: | Rating: 8/10 |

Live@London, UK :: Brixton Academy 3.6.2005 - (2)

It's been over an hour since The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster left the stage,
System Of A Down are late, and the crowd is getting edgy. But when the curtain
finally falls the Armenian-Americans get the kind of devoted response that suggests
the crowd would have waited well into the end of next week for just a glimpse of
them. Ripping immediately into a career-spanning set with new single 'B.Y.O.B.',
Serj Tankian gives only a brief 'Hello London' before SOAD get straight to the
business of 'Rocking your Motherfucking arses'. The next two hours is filled with
robot alien vocals, precious harmonies juxtaposed with demonic screaming, and most
importantly those riffs that can turn a theatre full of people into nodding dogs.

Tracks from the new album highlight a move toward more varied arrangements, with
acoustic guitars out for 'Revenga', and Daron Malakian's melancholic solo run
through 'Old School Hollywood'. Material from 'Hypnotize' (the sister record to the
recently released 'Mesmerize') is met with an underwhelming response, but promises
some interesting experimentation with odd harmonies, keyboards, and more of those
alien robot vocals. Any brief lulls are quickly forgotten though since headlong
runs into politically-charged favourites 'Chop Suey', 'Prison Song' and 'Toxicity',
are all no less than bone crushing. Fortunately for all their political lyricism,
SOAD are also a refreshingly silly band. 'Pogo Stick' ('Jump! pogo, pogo, pogo,
pogo, pogo'!') and the ridiculous machismo of 'Cigaro' ('My dick is much bigger
than yours') offering welcome comic respites. Crazy, wild-eyed, and with the balls
to stand up and ask questions, SOAD are the loudest, maddest and most dangerous
four horsemen heavy metal has seen for some time.
Review By: James Kirsch | Rating: -/- | gigwise.com

Live@Munich, Germany :: Zenith 7.6.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=munich05
Setlist
SOLDIER SIDE /-/ BYOB /-/ REVENGA /-/ SCIENCE /-/ KILL ROCK N ROLL /-/
SUGGESTIONS /-/ PSYCHO /-/ CHOP SUEY /-/ CIGARO /-/ MR JACK /-/ NEEDLES /-/ DEER
DANCE /-/ AERIALS /-/ HOLY MOUNTAINS /-/ SPIDERS /-/ BOUNCE /-/ ATWA /-/ FOREST /-/
LOST IN HOLLYWOOD /-/ QUESTION! /-/ WAR? /-/ PRISON /-/ ROULETTE /-/ TOXICITY /-/
SUITE-PEE /-/ SUGAR
I was going to see my favourite band live. Some people hate me because Ive already
seen SYSTEM OF A DOWN live, in Rock im Park festival three years before. I was so
excited I cant tell you, but there was also the fear of a possible disappointment,
a fear that was confirmed during the show. Ill explain later. First, let me
describe what we, the lucky bastards, heard and saw that night of June.

Although Zenith is a huge place (I think it was used as garage for constucting
machines or something like that), the show was sold out. At least 4000 tickets were
sold and the fact that the place had room for another 1000 was relieving, coz it
meant that the conditions wouldnt be so inhuman.

Nine oclock, and the four Armenians, dressed in black shirts and trousers, entered
the stage, hidden behind a huge cloth with the Mesmerize cover on it. They
started with Soldiers side and as the opening riff from B.Y.O.B. filled the
room, the cloth fell and dream started. Their sound was super clear and heavy, just
perfect and the audience showed reactions of mass hysteria. Revenga follows, and
dozens of small moshing pits fill the space while the crowd was singing all the way
long to the end of the show. Im gonna write down every single song they played,
just to cause SYSTEM-maniancs that little pinch in the stomach and make them
jealous for not being there that night. Here we go: they delivered the whole
Toxicity album except for three songs. We heard Prison song, Needles, Deer
dance, Chop Suey! (religious reactions!), Bounce (pogo till you drop!),
Forest, ATWA, Science, Toxicity, Psycho (refreshing) and Aerials. From
Mesmerize they played six songs, the first three in the beginning and Cigaro,
Question! and Lost in Hollywood (my only objection, they could have played
Violent pornography or Radio/Video instead) later. There also were two songs
unknown to me and I assume they were taken from the upcoming release Hypnotize,
but I can assure you, they sounded very promising, heavy and full of alternations.
From Steal this album they played Roulette (pleasant surprise) and Mr. Jack
(fuck yeaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!). Finally, from my personal favourite System of a down,
the Armenian godz offered Suite-pee (headbanging and moshing everywhere),
Spiders, Suggestions, War? (I fuckin love ya!!!) and before ending the show
with Sugar, Daron Malakian sung with the robotic voice he uses in Old school
Holywood the unforgettable words: The kombucha mushroom people, sitting around
all day, who can believe you, let your mother pray...!

So, after one hour and thirtyfive minutes of M-U-S-I-C and 26 (!!) songs, the dream
was over and everybody (meaning 4000 people) was more than satisfied, but...
theres a but. Yes, there is. These four people I saw that night rocking, are not
the same people I knew from Spiders, performed live on Conan OBrien-Show, or
from Sugar video. SYSTEM OF DOWN I knew were something more than professional
rockstars, that wont communicate and have fun with the thousands of people who
were there to support them and made them what they are today. SYSTEM OF A DOWN I
knew were different, annoying, special, or at least I thought they were. And as I
look at the M?V logo on the ticket, Im convinced that all the money and success
made them something else. Well, life sucks sometimes. However, SYSTEM OF A DOWN are
still my fave band, Merchandise ( Ilias) is still the best thing I heard in 2005
and this show was one of the best Ive seen in my life. Hast du kiff?
Review By: Vaggelis Evaggelou | Rating: -/- | metal-invader.com

Live@Neuhausen, Germany :: Southside Festival 10.6.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=southside05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Science /-/ Kill Rock 'n'Roll /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack (with interlude) /-/
Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/ Holy Mountain /-/ Spiders /-/ Bounce /-/
A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ Question! /-/ War? /-/ Prison
Song /-/ Roulette /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Robotic Intro /-/ Sugar

Die neue Scheibe Mezmerize lie Groes von den US-Armeniern erwarten, keine andere
Band wurde auf dem Zeltplatzgelnde derart hoch- und runtergedudelt. Man darf
behaupten, dass SoaD diese Erwartungen bertroffen haben.

Eine Bhne weiter gab der Neu-Scientologe Beck sein Gastspiel, vor der Hauptbhne
hie es allerdings Pltze sichern fr System Of A Down. Und was die Vier boten,
stellte den frhzeitigen Hhepunkt des Festivals dar. Der Einstieg war identisch
mit den ersten drei Stcken der aktuellen Platte ?Mezmerize?, die einen
(hoffentlich vorlufigen) Scheitelpunkt ihres musikalischen Schaffens darstellt.
SoaD boten live genau das, was auch ?Mezmerize? auszeichnet: Fantastisch eingngige
Refrains neben knppelharten Passagen, an Dadaismus grenzende Frickeleien,
politisch und sozialkritisch klar Stellung beziehende Texte, denen trotzdem ? wie
auch der Musik ? Humor und Skurrilitt nicht abgehen. Ein Gewchs aus Hardcore und
Punk, das Zappa durchaus wahrgenommen hat, auch Slayer sehr zu schtzen wei und
keine Angst vor Pathos hat. Last but not least: Die armenischen Wurzeln Daron
Malakians (git), Serj Tankian (vc) und Shavo Odadjians (Bass). Die Art derartigen
Przisionsspeed aus dem Handgelenk zu schtteln, scheint durchaus aus dem
musikalischen Wachstum an tanzfreudiger Folklore entstanden.

SoaD sind auf der Bhne prgnante Figuren und trotz des langmhnigen Sngers und
des perfekt getimten Kopfschttelns der Seitefraktion von stereotypen Rockstar-
Gehabe so weit entfernt wie ihre Haltung. Besondere Schmankerl sind die
knochentrockenen Ansagen Malakians. Gesang, Attitde und die Art gesellschaftliche
Probleme mit bissigen, bsartigen Slogans und Humor anzugehen, liegen in der Tat
wesentlich dichter bei den Dead Kennedys und Acts aus derem Umfeld wie Alice Donut,
als an irgendwelchen Nu Metall-Genregren. Der Gig wchst trotz einiger
Stolpersteine zum Einstieg ? der SoaD auszeichnende Chorgesang wirkt bei BYOB
(Bring your own Bomb) noch etwas zerfahren - im weiteren Verlauf zu absoluter
Perfektion zusammenzuwachsen.

Das Material der ohnehin nur 36 Minuten langen Mezmerize stand nicht im
Vordergrund, nach den ersten drei Songs wurden lediglich Cigaro, Lost in Hollywood
(wenn das kein Hit wird ...) und Question eingestreut. Ansonsten gab es einen
Querschlag durch das SoaD-Universum von Chop Suey ber Aerials bis zu Toxicity.
Kurz nach Beginn musste der Gig unterbrochen werden, da einige Zuschauer gegen den
Wellenbrecher vor dem Moshpit gedrckt wurden. Was allerdings glimpflich abging,
das Los auf dem Hurricane, wo whrend des SoaD-Konzerts mehrfach die Boxen
ausfielen, wre weitaus schlimmer gewesen, denn von diesem Auftritt wollte man
keine Sekunde missen.
Review By: Gerald Merkel | Rating: -/- | regioactive.de

Live@Donnington, UK :: Download Festival 12.6.2005 - (1)

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=download05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Science /-/ Kill Rock 'n'Roll /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/
Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ Question! /-/ War? /-/ Prison Song /-/
Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Everything She Wants (George Michael cover) /-/ Sugar

System of a Down are a band that make you think "What the fuck?" How exactly did
System of a Down get so big? They've been around since their self-titled mainstream
debut in 1999 but it was 2001's 'Chop Suey!' from 'Toxicity' that propelled them
into the limelight. With their b-side release 'Steal This Album!' after that and
the first part of the double album 'Mezmerize' recently released, they're a band
that have more than enough material to headline, but why would 60,000 people want
to watch a group of Armenians mixing political statements and irreverent humour to,
what can best be called, schizophrenic metal.

After an hour delay and several topless ladies cheered for by the crowd, the
introduction to 'Soldierside' rings out with a silhouette of guitarist Daron
Malkien illuminated behind a System of a Down backdrop. This is immediately
followed by cheers as 'BYOB' rolls out to 60,000 people spread across the whole
site at Donington.

With the latest album 'Mezmerize' already engraved on the hearts of all System
fans, in just one month, it's no surprise as the whole crowd sing along to the
chorus of 'Revenga' as well as the following 'Science'.

Songs that once played to 1,200 fans in small venues across the country are now
being played to, in the course of two weeks, around 100,000 British people. As
Daron announces "I'm a big asshole", there is a realisation that there's something
about System of a Down that's different from all other bands. They should come
across as conceited and immature, yet instead they manage to portray themselves as
a genuine, intense, caring band that they now are.

The memories of the dismal Ozzfest 2002 and System of a Down's short performance is
now in the past, and as Daron talks through the opening lyrics of 'Cigaro', it is
now obvious that the band are the perfect choice to end Downlaod 2005. There's no
other band quite like them anywhere else; they constantly reinvent themselves and
push the boundaries of any genre that the media try to box them in - yet fans of
Feeder and Sabbath alike will all scream the same when System of a Down are
performing.

It goes without saying that, from a musical point of view, System of a Down are
flawless. Donington's PA may be able to flounder Nightwish's opera trained
vocalist, but not System of a Down, who put out a rich, innovative and complete
song at all times. You don't just hear the CD played live - instead Daron Malkien
constantly changes the direction of the song and links songs together with guitar
solos.

There's no doubt that 'Toxicity' is a favourite album as the crowd go mad for song
after song - be it 'Needles', 'Deer Dance' or 'Bounce'.

The set carries on along the same path - a fantastic end to Download 2005 that no
other band would be able to pull off after the eclectic mix of bands over the last
three days.

As System of a Down end their set with 'Suite Pea' and 'Sugar', the crowd depart
for their cars, the campsite, and nearby hotels as the dust settles over
Donington's once green racetrack. The perfect end to the most diverse Download
Festival ever.
Review By: Guy Powell | Rating: 13/13 | roomthirteen.com

Live@Donnington, UK :: Download Festival 12.6.2005 - (2)

Like every year, I packed my bags and set off to my yearly spiritual destination
(apart from Armenia) which is the Download Festival. Download is a heavy metal
festival which attracts about 100,000 people each year, but has still managed to
keep it underground and healthy, unlike, let's say Glastonbury or Reading
Festivals, which have become increasingly commercial. This year's Download Festival
took place in Donington Park near Derby on the 9th, 10th and 11th of June. There
were 108 bands appearing on four different stages during the three days. Each night
the last band on each stage is the headliner of that stage, and obviously the
headliner on the main stage is the most important band. Moreover, the headliner of
the main stage on the final night, is the Main Headliner of the whole Download
Festival. This year that Main Headlining band happened to be four Armenian boys
under the name of System of A Down....

The fact that Ozzy Osborne's Black Sabbath (The godfathers of Heavy Metal) were
headlining the second night and SOAD headlining the final night goes to prove how
important and vital SOAD are at the moment. To cut a long story short, after two
days of witnessing amazing bands and three nights of sleeping in a tent, and a
number of strange incidents, (like getting a big emotional hug from a fat drunk guy
on the second night just because I was from the same country as SOAD!), I woke up
feeling excited and ready for their show. Even my sister drove up from London to
see them.

The third day was packed with big names like Nightwish, Slayer, Killswitch Engage.
The band Slipknot were the co-headliners. When they were playing, a nasty wind
started blowing & it started raining. I wasn't surprised, since it had been cloudy
and grey all day. When Slipknot finished their set, and the crew started changing
the stage-set for SOAD, music on the other stages gradually ended and all 100,000
people gathered to witness the mighty SOAD. At the same time the rain stopped & the
sky cleared up and turned to a nice orange colour behind the stage.

When Daron Malekian's guitar intro to "Soldier Side" started, the crowd went crazy.
"B.Y.O.B" (their new single) followed, with the crowd singing every word of the
amazingly strange lyrics. It was an amazing spectrum to see 100,000 people chanting
"why do they always send the poor" referring to the American policy of sending the
poor to fight their wars. Then a set of hits followed. We got "Aerials", "Chop
Suey", "Toxicity", "Cigaro", "war?" (a song dedicated to the Armenian Genocide),
and "Mr. Jack", "Forest".

Watching SOAD for the eighth time, six years after seeing them play their debut gig
in UK, supporting Slayer at the tiny London Astoria, was an emotional experience.
How these four boys have improved musically is just incredible. They are a much
tighter band now. John Dolmaian has improved so much as a drummer in mixing Metal,
R'n'B, and Hip-Hop grooves. Singer Serj Tankian can now play piano and guitar
whilst hypnotising us with his beautiful voice. Shavo Odadjan is an amazing and
fast bass player.

The driving force behind this band, Daron Malekian (the guitarist), who has written
most of the songs and the lyrics on the latest SOAD album is simply genius. I love
the fact that he doesn't really obey any musical rules when it comes to song
writing or playing guitar, and that is the definition of a true musician to me.

For me, the highlight of the set was when they played "Psycho"... it is not my
favourite SOAD song but the fact that Serj replaces some of the lyrics with famous
Armenian poetry "yes im anush Haiastani arevaham barn em sirum" is just amazing.
The 100,000 crowd looked puzzled, since this is the only line during SOAD's set
that they don't recall having heard before.

SOAD bring the Download Festival 2005 to a beautiful end, knowing the fact that
their time is now... The crowd goes back to their tents "Mezmorised" and
"Hypnotised", talking about nothing but SOAD. I drive home longing for a hot
shower, wondering why weren't there any Armenian flags in the crowd, and by now,
kind of understanding why that fat guy hugged me... coz we armoes are really
special....
Review By: Andre Simonian | groong.usc.edu
Live@Manchester, UK :: M.E.N. Arena 14.6.2005 - (1)
http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=men05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Science /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young
cover) /-/ Kill Rock 'n'Roll /-/ Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/
Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack (with interlude) /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/
Holy Mountain /-/ Spiders /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In
Hollywood /-/ Question! /-/ War? /-/ Prison Song /-/ Roulette /-/ Toxicity /-/
Suite-Pee /-/ Everything She Wants (George Michael cover) /-/ Sugar

Manchester's MEN Arena is stretched to its 21,000 capacity for tonights System Of A
Down gig which was an intsant sell out. The atmosphere is one of excitement from
the crowd which consists of people of all ages who wear variating styles of metal,
punk, old-school rock and indie; displaying the wide range that System's music
spans.

The four piece come on to a raucous display of screams and whistles and front man
Serj Tankian is stood in the centre of the stage at his keyboards, as the band
welcome the crowd with the harmonious vocals of Soldier Side- Intro, gently lulling
the crowd into a false calm before launching into the archaic B.Y.O.B.

The crowd react wildly morphing into one large pit beneath Daron Malakian, who is
attacking his guitar ferociously. Serj's vocals switch from slow melodies to high
pitched screaming and his medieval coat swings about all around him as he travels
the stage. Mezmirize has not long been released yet the new songs are received with
as much triumph as the older ones.

System Of A Down are quick to spot the danger as people become crushed and urge the
fans to calm down as they play Revenga and Psycho. The crowd have transformed into
multiple circle pits all adjacent to one another, containing crazy dancing and
smack-downs inspired by the rhythmic conduction from John Domayan's white drums and
Serj's relentless fast singing.

The band sing to the fans to clap their hands and suddenly the bitter melodies of
Chop Suey can be heard as the tone changes to one of melancholy. They shift along
with the movement of the song, bouncing and shouting and then swaying with arms
raised as they sing along emphatically during slower moments.

Light relief comes swiftly as the atmosphere becomes comical and Serj screams: My
cock is much bigger than yours. His keyboard has been replaced with a guitar which
is producing synth noises, and his coat has been shedded in the heat. The crowd
eagerly jump around in front of him enjoying the cartoon-esque Cigaro. Bassist
Shavo Odadjian is stood to the right of the stage, as his head bobs up and down the
long plait of his beard swings about him.

The band all move to the middle of the stage to face each other, indulging in their
instruments. They instruct the crowd to dance and play an Armenian eastern
influenced instrumental drawing on their roots which is reminiscent of a belly-
dancing song that enchants the crowd into a slow dance.

Needles brings the pace back up and the dancing becomes jumping again for what
becomes the Toxicity part of the show. Serj demonstrates his vocal capabilities as
he sings speedily sometimes slipping into a rap, then immediately changes to high
pitched squeals and or low growls. The chaos continues as the band play through
Deer Dance.

Sadness and futility transforms the mood as System Of A Down perform a powerful
Aerials, and the tear-jerking harmonies echo around the arena.
During Forest John builds the rhythm up with rolling drums and the band ad-lib
shouting: Hey! Hey! motivating the crowd, who show no signs of exhaustion yet.
Serj dances around his central spot on the stage; controlling the crowd like a
ringmaster.

The dystopian ballad Lost In Hollywood blankets the crowd in a sense of calm and
induces wild antics as it becomes heavier and builds up dramatically.

All you bitches put your hands in the air, And wave them like you just don't care

War , the first song tonight from System Of A Down's debut album is received with
much enthusiasm. The people on the stalls are dancing and shouting energetically,
while the pit at the front has expanded out, everyone in the arena is moving. Shavo
rolls his head back and forth as he moves his hand along his bass.

There is little banter between songs tonight and the band rarely address the crowd,
however the music and the performance speaks for itself, interacting with the crowd
on its own level so there is little need for words.

There is some Armenian influenced chanting which vibrates around the whole arena,
accompanied by claps from the fans followed by the faint whisper from Prison Song,
which gets everyone cheering and bouncing around ecstatically. The intro starts but
is halted as the band tease the crowd. The placid silence contrasts to the manic
following throughout the song.

An acoustic guitar appears for Roulette from 2002's Steal This Album and the pace
decreases. The sorrowful tone continues through the calm first half of Toxicity
then the drum beats become painfully bowel crunching.

The muscles on Daron's biceps bulge in peaks as he moves his hands through
continuous chord changes as they become raw and aggressive. The band appear
tireless and display a dedication for putting on a good show for their fans.

The scaling riffs of Suite-Pea is received with high pitched squeals of

appreciation, speeding things up to a climax. Serj brings his arms up and down as
he sings at their fans and the song ends abruptly as he chats amongst the band and
addresses the crowd before resuming the song, bringing relief to the crowd.
Numerous surfers are traveling desperately to the front scrambling above a
franticly bouncing crowd.

The band announce the final song and the synth noises emerge for an unrecognisable
big-haired 80's inspired electro-pop remix of Sugar, which portrays System Of A
Down's more comical and entertaining nature. People are dancing in jest and await
the chords of the original version which induces some extremely high jumping for a
dramatic finale. The song is played much faster than usual and the synthy vocals
are replaced with an exploration of Serj's vocal chords as he shouts, screams and
sweetly sings the lyrics to the crowd who react wildly in front of him, shouting
all the words back effortlessly.

As the show draws to an end, he brings his arms up to salute the crowd in a
farewell and John throws his drumsticks out in celebration, which disappear into
the sea of snatching hands as the band depart.
Review By: Sofi | Rating: 9/10 | rockreview.co.uk

Live@Manchester, UK :: M.E.N. Arena 14.6.2005 - (2)

TICKETS prices were cheaper than average, the light show was basic and between-song
banter was non-existent.
This was no-frills arena rock and the near-capacity crowd loved every pulsating
minute. System dont deal in the niceties of showbusiness.

For them its a case of turn up, tune up and blast it out.

The result was a solid 90-minute set that had the crowd going wild from the start
and ended with grown men fighting over drumsticks lobbed into the crowd by
skinbeater John Dolmayan.

Their musical stew of thrash punk, heavy metal and progressive rock means this
Armenian-American four-piece serve up a sound similar to rock opera put through a
crusher.

The opening blasts of BYOB and Revenga and old chestnuts like Chop Suey showed a
band unafraid to change tempo and style. And the crowd loved them for it.
Review By: - | Rating: -/- |

Live@Glasgow, UK :: SECC Hall 15.6.2005 - (1)

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=secc05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Science /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young
cover) /-/ Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/
Cigaro /-/ Mr. Jack (with interlude) /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/ Needles /-/
Deer Dance /-/ Aerials /-/ Holy Mountain /-/ Spiders /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/
Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ Question! /-/ War? /-/ Prison Song /-/
Roulette /-/ Toxicity /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Everything She Wants (George Michael cover)
/-/ Sugar

SYSTEM Of A Down are a band who appeal to those struggling to decide which shade of
black to wear.

After ten years playing the world's toilets, they are now arena megastars. They
turned the SECC into a life-sized version of the Space Invaders arcade game and
even lined up huge mirrors behind them to create a rather bizarre illusion. The
songs, however, flew by as quickly as latest album, Mezmerise, has been selling.

Breakthrough hit Chop Suey - the one where singer Serj Tankian sounds like an irate
horse racing commentator - nearly caused fans to collapse the seating area. Cigaro
is a crushing piece of crazy metal-pop and BYOB makes Korn seem old hat. Metal is
truly alive - it just smells different
Review By: Tracey Martini | Rating: -/- | dailyrecord.co.uk

Live@Glasgow, UK :: SECC Hall 15.6.2005 - (2)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the SECC is not the best concert venue
in Glasgow. Sitting at the back of the hall in seat J7 doesn't help matters and
sadly for them, support band 'The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disasters' are not up to
the task of filling this large hall with it's high ceiling. Don't get me wrong,
they sound as if they have a few catchy glam-like sounds and some decent beats but
supporting a band as formidable as System Of A Down requires someone a bit more
metal and with more experience in this game (think how crazy someone like Napalm
Death would have been on this bill!!). The crowd seem up for it at first but
quickly lose interest and things are summed up by the first person in the standing
area to get up on someone else's shoulders (he does so simply to raise his two
middle fingers at the 'Disasters - you can't win 'em all)
A hero's welcome is what's in store for SOAD however, and you can't help but see
the similarity to Slayer fans in how utterly devoted they are to their band and how
incredibly up for it these Glaswegians are. The tension is further heightened by
the band taking to the stage in fabulously theatrical fashion, a huge curtain with
Mezmerize artwork covers the front of the stage and behind it we can make out the
unmistakable silhouette of Daron Malakian and his guitar, as he serenades us
through the 'Soldier Side' intro the crowd go absolutely wild in anticipation. The
curtain drops, the rest of the band appear and launch into first single from the
new album 'B.Y.O.B.' Sadly, if truth be known, the grand entrance and stunning song
are let down badly by that awful SECC sound again, totally drowning out all the
good work and the band look slightly frustrated too, it really is criminal when you
consider that this is one of the best songs of the decade and we can barely hear
the vocals. It's not much better as they launch into another devastating new song
'Revenga'.

Fortunately the sound gradually improves as the band keep turning the screw - 'Chop
Suey' making a surprise early appearance. Indeed a great number of tracks from the
Toxicity album are on display tonight, not surprising given the albums popularity
but at times you begin to wonder which is the new album they are trying to promote!
'Deer Dance' is absolutely stomping while 'Aerials' slows the pace slightly (a bit
of welcome relief in the stifling heat) but it still gets the same devoted reaction
from the crowd. For me though it's another slower moment that is the real jewel in
the crown. 'Lost In Hollywood' sounds utterly fabulous and it's ironic for a band
who've earned their reputation on mental shouts and sonic riffing that this is
quite possibly the highlight of the show, it really showcases their talent and you
cant help but think they've got it all in their armoury, if Hypnoztize follows suit
then SOAD could be set to take over the metal throne which has been lying vacant
for a few years now.

A couple of surprises on the night were that the band had next to no interaction
with the crowd between songs, it's strictly business and one song after another,
and there's little movement up on that stage. As well as that they don't do the
traditional encore but given the fact they had just played 'Prison Song' (where the
band finally looked a bit more animated), 'Toxicity' (which was great with
thousands of Scots chanting "Disorder") and 'Sugar' in a row you would be a fool to
expect one. The band walk off stage 1 hour and 35 minutes after taking to it safe
in the knowledge that they've put in a solid shift and sent the masses home
delirious.

Score: 9 - A great gig by a band right on top of their game, it's a rare complaint
but they could have got away with playing more new stuff tonight(where was
'Radio/Video'?). Only other complaint is that they were cheated out of the perfect
10 by criminal sound
Review By: Mark | Rating: 9/10 | swoj.com

Live@Rotterdam, Holland :: AHOY 21.6.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=ahoy05
Setlist
SOLDIER SIDE /-/ BYOB /-/ REVENGA /-/ SCIENCE /-/ KILL ROCK N ROLL /-/
SUGGESTIONS /-/ PSYCHO /-/ CHOP SUEY /-/ CIGARO /-/ MR JACK /-/ NEEDLES /-/ DEER
DANCE /-/ AERIALS /-/ HOLY MOUNTAINS /-/ SPIDERS /-/ BOUNCE /-/ ATWA /-/ FOREST /-/
LOST IN HOLLYWOOD /-/ QUESTION! /-/ WAR? /-/ PRISON /-/ ROULETTE /-/ TOXICITY /-/
SUITE-PEE /-/ SUGAR

How different are things for System Of A Down. The band gets a warm welcome and it
is clear from the beginning that SOAD's support act should have borrowed the band's
sound engineer. For as far this would be possible.
After Soldier Side, B.Y.O.B follows as on the new album. The double-voice parts of
Malakian and former opera singer Serj Tankian are just as good as on Mezmerize.
Mezmerize is part one of a double album, part 2 is titled Hypnotize and will be
released in the last months of 2005.

A lot of bigger bands of course follow a standard set list evening by evening. The
difference with SOAD is that they don't hide that fact from you. They just put the
set lists on the website! And so I can tell you the set list this night was exactly
like the one in London UK, Brixton - June 3, 2005 :

When we reach Science, I notice the very special light show that SOAD brought with
them. There has to be something for the eye too and together with the energetic
stage-performance of SOAD the eye is saturated. The lightshow reminds me of the TL-
lights I once saw Radiohead use.

Kill Rock 'n Roll is a song of which I know it comes from the upcoming part-2 album
Hypnotize. It sounds like this new album is only an extension of the party on
Mezmerize.

The audience is 100% devoted to Tankian and by the time that Chop Suey is launched,
the audience starts to party, throw beer like Rammstein is playing and poco their
asses off even in the middle of Ahoy where we thought to be safe at the mixing-
console. No way!

So when a little later the song BOUNCE starts you can imagine what then happens in
the audience.

We leave just before the last 2 songs start to catch our train. By that time I
heard about 24 songs and can only conclude that System is now live at least as good
as on their album. Where in the past the live performance could have been better,
this time everything works out.
Review By: Dennis van Elteren | Rating: -/- | pitfather.com

Live@Long Beach, CA :: Long Beach Arena 4.8.

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=longbeach4805
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

Bands kick off joint tour Thursday night in Long Beach. "Hey hey, my my/ Rock 'n'
roll will never die," System of a Down's Daron Malakian sang Thursday night as he
strummed a few lines from the Neil Young classic.

It was a rare tender moment that lasted no more than five seconds before the
singer/guitarist tore into the band's anti-"Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)," a
blistering tune from the upcoming Hypnotized titled "Kill Rock 'n' Roll."

And that's how System roll. Not killing rock, per say, but bending and twisting it
to its breaking point. Defying any songwriting rules, yet spitting out just enough
sensible melodies and pop-art poetry to keep an arena full of fans jumping and
singing along for nearly two hours.
If System's spring tour was a teaser for the first half of their ambitious double
album, Mezmerize/Hypnotize, their late-summer trek with the Mars Volta, which
kicked off Thursday at the Long Beach Arena, is an outright showcase.

Compared to a couple of new tunes the last tour around, Thursday's show featured
eight of Mezmerize's 11 tracks, beginning with the back-to-back-to-back punch of
the album's first three tracks, "Soldier Side (Intro)" (performed behind a black
curtain that dropped as the song segued into the next), "B.Y.O.B." and "Revenga."

With its screeching opening line ("Why do they always send the poor?"), breakneck
verses and party-time chorus, "B.Y.O.B." is the ultimate opener, and it's been just
that since the first time System played it. "Long Beach, are you having a good
time?" Serj Tankian asked after singing, "Everybody's going to the party have a
real good time."

Before the show, Malakian said backstage that System had only played some of the
new tunes together once, at a rehearsal the night before, but it was unnoticeable
during the show, as the band confidently and tightly cruised through a 25-song set.
It was easy to spot the new songs System has been playing for a while, though, as
the band reinvented them onstage, sometimes subtly and sometimes not.

"B.Y.O.B." featured an expanded ending, and for "Cigaro," Malakian changed the
entire first verse into an opera, hilariously using his sky-high falsetto to sing,
"My co-- is much bigger than yours/ My co-- can walk right through the door."

System are not ones to explain the meaning of songs, but Malakian offered a glimpse
into his thinking with short tirades before several of the songs. "In this country
we have blue people and in the country we have red people," he said before "Sad
Statue." "And blue people and red people together make purple people."

Malakian continues to take more of a standout role in System's shows, handling most
of the crowd interaction and constantly entertaining with antics like running
around in a circle until he dizzily falls on the stage.

Bassist Shavo Odadjian is from the same school, and Thursday's show would have been
thrilling to watch if it were just him onstage, sprinting around, shooting
psychotic stares and zipping picks at his bass tech. During "Mr. Jack," he flat out
got his groove on, shaking his ass to the tune's ethnic beat, while VIPs next to
the stage (including Rick Rubin and members of Deftones and the Donnas) laughed
along.

Singer Tankian, meanwhile, has become more of an instrumentalist, playing piano,

slide guitar, electric guitar and other gadgets for more than half the songs. On
Thursday, he even sat on a stool and strummed an acoustic guitar for a tune.

While System continue to take more risks onstage, the band is doing the same with
its business decisions, the big one this fall being the invitation to the Mars
Volta to open the tour. "They make great music," Malakian said backstage. "It's
that simple."

Well, not exactly. While both bands have been dubbed leaders of a new progressive-
rock movement, System are still a metal band at heart, while the Mars Volta are
more of a psychedelic jam band.

During its hour-long opening set which was about two hours less than the group's
typical show the eight-piece band performed four numbers: the five-minute, crowd-
pleasing single "The Widow," and three obviously extended jams, two from Frances
the Mute and one from De-Loused in the Comatorium. For one of the epics, Red Hot
Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante strolled onstage unannounced and joined
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez for a spellbinding guitar trip.

Singer Cedric Bixler Zavala only addressed the audience once ("Take care of each
other out there," he said. "I don't want to see any testicles flying in the air"),
but made up for it with his dead-on vocal performance throughout the Mars Volta's
show. It might not be the most accessible voice in rock, but it could be the most
powerful.

While there were certainly roars of excitement throughout, there were also a few
boos and water bottles thrown at the stage. "They play stuff that puts you to sleep
and makes you want to slit your wrists!" one bitter System fan wrote on the band's
Web site after the show. "Please guys, don't do that again. It's not nice to play
such cruel jokes on your fans! I'd prefer to watch Britney Spears."

Now that would be the death of rock and roll.

Review By: Corey Moss | Rating: -/- | mtv.com

Live@Long Beach, CA :: Long Beach Arena 5.8.

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=longbeach5805
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Aerials /-/
Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

System Rock the Arena

Hard rockers turn big show into a stripped-down affair

System of a Down have had an ambitious year, releasing Mezmerize -- the first of
their two-part album Mezmerize/Hypnotize, which debuted at Number One -- and
touring Europe, as well as playing a guerilla tour of small venues in nine U.S.
cities. Considering their bombastic year, which culminates in the release of
Hypnotize this fall, System's massive new tour is less of an arena-rock spectacle
and more straight-up rock & roll.

Opening for System at the sold-out Long Beach Arena in California were fellow
guitar-heavy, counter-culture rockers the Mars Volta, who provided a far more
visual show with oversized psychedelic projections. Guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
was in fine form after recovering from a stomach ailment that forced the band to
cancel its European tour dates earlier this year. And while rumors of an onstage
collaboration between Rodriguez-Lopez and System frontman Serj Tankian proved to be
just that, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante surprised the audience
by guesting on nearly the entire Mars Volta set.

Once System hit the stage, they powered through an hour and a half of material.
Although they opened with cuts off of the latest album, the hard-hitting "B.Y.O.B."
and "Revenga," System's set list featured several tracks off their eponymous 1998
debut and follow-up, 2001's Toxicity. In contrast to the Mars Volta's environment,
System's set was sparse, save for a few plush rugs, minimal L.E.D. projections and
a nice long row of Marshall amps. For such a big arena show, the stripped-down set
seemed to underscore the sense that this band has nothing to prove.

Midway through the show, Tankian, clad simply in black, finally spoke to the
audience, ominously uttering, "In America, we have red people and we have blue
people. Red people and blue people make purple people."

If playing a straightforward rock show with virtually no stage banter was System's
spin on the spectacle of arena rock, it seemed to work for the fans. As the band
hit its stride, tearing into their hit "Chop Suey!," Armenian flags were waved, and
five mosh pits churned with body surfers.

While System's sound is generally typified by their hard rock/metal tendencies and
Tankian's neo-goth vocals, highlights of their set came not from the over-the-top
hits but tracks off Mezmerize that took a softer turn. Prior to the song "Cigaro,"
Tankian picked up an acoustic guitar and played an almost classical version of the
track, inspiring fans to raise their lighters and cell phones into the air. Later,
on the biting "Lost in Hollywood," guitarist Daron Malakian and bassist Shavo
Odadjian backed Tankian with beautiful harmonies, and drummer John Dolmayan
launched into a moving drum solo.

The band wrapped up with the electrifying "Sugar," then walked off the stage.
Despite the thousands of fans chanting and stomping for an encore, System of a Down
did not return. So much for the rules of arena rock.
Review By: TATIANA SIMONIAN | Rating: -/- | rollingstone.com

Live@San Diego, CA :: Sports Arena 6.8.

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=sandiego05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

There are two distinct ways to rock out at a concert the System of a Down method
and The Mars Volta technique.

Those who follow System of a Down, as most of the 10,400 people who attended the
metal band's Saturday night concert did, they do their rocking loud and proud.

These fans hear a meaty guitar riff and they feel the urge to RUN AROUND IN A MOSH
PIT! and THROW BEER CUPS ON THE STAGE! WOO!

In this method, if you see something cool like the solo shadow of guitarist Daron
Malakian singing "Soldier Side" behind a black tarp it's OK to express
appreciation by throwing your fist in the air and pushing your neighbor.

On the other hand, followers of the experimental The Mars Volta are much more
contemplative.

Fans of this touring eight-piece prog-rock outfit are the kind of people who play
Dungeons & Dragons or smoke lots of marijuana in the garage or both.

Instead of moshing, these quieter rock enthusiasts close their eyes and go to the
disturbingly dreamy areas in their brains where the fairies and dragons live.

Pairing these two distinctly different rock styles may seem odd for a concert at
the ipayOne Center, but these L.A.-based outfits have more than just geography in
common: both are enjoying mainstream success for playing complex and hard-to-define
music.

System of a Down, with its adventurous blend of metal, alternative and Armenian
music, gave its moshing audience quite an aerobic workout by playing 27 songs over
90 minutes.

Wearing button-up shirts and black jeans, the four band members looked more like
eccentric uncles who tell funny stories at a family reunion than the politically-
charged leaders of this rock gathering.

On its four albums, System of a Down's music is intelligent and imaginative with
cleverly written lyrics attacking everything from government and war to Hollywood
and the media.

But live, this group likes to party.

The quartet, whose members are Armenian and Lebanese, led several fist-pumping
chants of "Hey!" and used dramatic lights and bass lines to accent songs like
"Prison" and "Revenga."

Between his operatic yowls, curly-haired singer Serj Tankian earned extra fist-
pumps for doing his "Fiddler on the Roof" jig around the stage. Not to be upstaged,
primary songwriter, Daron Malakian, spun in circles as he played guitar.

The group thrashed through almost all the songs from its latest album, "Mezmerize,"
and added older radio hits like "Chop Suey" and "Toxicity," getting the crowd so
pumped that one fan broke lose and ran on stage for a few seconds before being
tackled by a security guard.

Of course, there was no blatant display of enthusiasm during The Mars Volta's hour-
long set.

Those unfamiliar with The Mars Volta's sonically creative jazzy noodlings and
minimal audience interaction soon grew tired of the band's self-indulgent set.

The moody band performed what seemed like one very long piece, mostly because The
Mars Volta's latest album, "Frances the Mute" has no song breaks.

Though the band mostly ignored the crowd, frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala and
guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (both formerly of the group, At The Drive-In) had
plenty of stage presence between themselves.

Bixler-Zavala pranced around the stage looking like a 1970s frontman, occasionally
screaming Spanish and English lyrics in a high-pitched and muffled yell. Rodriguez-
Lopez sashayed around the stage and was extra enthusiastic during the flute and
saxophone jams.

Clearly, judging by the restless audience, this subdued rock style wasn't as
popular as System of a Down's party-boy antics.

But whether you chose to follow the path of rocking out loud or the path of getting
lost in prog heaven, each was ripe with its own, adventurous rewards.
Review By: Nina Garin | Rating: -/- | signonsandiego.com

Live@Phoenix, AZ :: America West Arena 8.8.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=phoenix05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

Valley music fans got a double dose of brain-teasing music on Monday night as
politically-charged alt-metallers System of a Down and Tex-Mex psychedelic rockers
The Mars Volta took the stage at America West Arena. The fans also saw two markedly
different ways of presenting said brain-teasing music.

During its hour onstage, the Mars Volta delivered a dense set of meandering and
mesmerizing improvisations, much to the chagrin of a lot of the audience. Stringing
together tracks from its new CD, "Frances the Mute", the music swirled from solo to
solo, powered by the yelping falsetto of singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala and the
incendiary fretwork of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. But as the improvs stretched towards
the half-hour mark, the audience became visibly bored, although never openly
hostile.

The crowd did come to life when the Mars Volta played its two recent radio hits,
"The Widow" and "LVia lViaquez", however. But as the tunes descended into Latin
jams, the attention quickly waned.

The lackluster reaction obviously frustrated Bixler.

I think Im more bored than you guys, he said as he dropped the mike and left the
stage after the set finished.

Considering he had also berated the sedate crowd at the bands' last Valley show, at
the Dodge Theatre in June, lets hope the band returns. The Mars Volta is one of the
most exciting new bands today, even if some Valley fans don't appreciate its music.

System of a Down, however, had the crowd from the first notes of its set. Taking
the stage behind a curtain with the cover of its latest CD, "Mezmerize", guitarist
Daron Malakian sang "Soldier Side." As the curtain dropped, the band launched into
its recent hit, the politically-charged indictment of the Bush Administration,
"BYOB," with Malakian alternating vocals with singer Serj Tankian.

The group launched into a relentless 90-minutes of frantic metal, tricky soloing,
world music touches and plenty of humor, balancing weighter tracks like "Sad
Statue" with classic metal like "Lost in Hollywood" and bathroom jokes like
"Cigaro." Think Rage Against the Machine meets Rush meets Frank Zappa meets a
Middle Eastern oudist.

Bassist Shavo Odajian seemed to be having the most fun, grinning madly as he danced
about the stage, leading the audience in singalongs, even tricking a security guard
into holding his microphone during one song. Malakian seemed content to ape AC/DC
guitarist Angus Young, strutting around stage, bobbing his head while serving up
searing riffs from his Gibson SG.

Mention also must be made of Tankian. The curly-haired singer has become one of the
finest in metal, able to go from a searing falsetto to a guttural growl in an
instant.

"Mezmerize" was featured heavily in the set, but the biggest response came from
older tracks like "Chop Suey" and "Toxicity." Malakian even threw in a cover of
Neil Youngs "My My, Hey Hey," leaving younger members of the audience scratching
their heads.

And although System is one of the most politically active bands around today, there
was little sloganeering. Malakian did all the talking, asking how many Armenians
were in the audience, a nod to the bands tragic ethnic heritage, and saying that
we should mix the red people and blue people in America together, making us all
"purple people."

And with another CD due next month from System of a Down, we can hope for a return
visit from these eccentric metal activists soon.
Review By: Michael Senft | Rating: -/- | azcentral.com

Live@San Antonio, TX :: SBC Arena 12.8.

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=sanantonio05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Aerials /-/
Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

The SBC Center, usually the temple of the San Antonio Spurs, turned into the temple
of System of a Down, the politically charged speed metal band, before 11,000 of its
disciples Friday night.

To use a clich, System of a Down was a well-oiled machine. A chainsaw to be exact

in the hands of that leather faced dude from Texas Chainsaw Massacre. SOD served
new material early (B.Y.O.B.) and older hits later (Toxicity), overall turning
in 23 songs in an hour and 30 minutes.

SOD opened with B.Y.O.B., the only song in its repertoire with a hint of pop
rock, to help its head-bang followers have a real good time, as the song goes.

After that, SOD revved up its engine for eight selections of pure unadulterated
heavy metal, one right after the other.

Given its strong anti-war stance, one would think the quartet would preach to its
followers throughout the show, but no. Just a few remarks, like, In the United
States we are divided into red people and blue people, lead singer Serj Tankian
said. Let's get united and turn ourselves into purple people.

For the most part, SOD let the music do the preaching.

During that eight-song rant was one of its early hits, Chop Suey!, where the band
really showed its talent for playing live. Tankian really can sing that fast and
the rhythm section really can stop on a dime.

SOD showed little fatigue even though they had played the American Airlines Center
in Dallas on Thursday. They delivered so much energy, you might have thought some
judge had prohibited them from playing their instruments for six months, and then
San Antonio happened.

SOD fans were their rowdy selves, head banging to drummer John Dolmayan's every
thump of the bass. Lighters and camera cell phones appeared during the melodic
moments. The diehards up front formed mosh pits and crowd-surfed and a fight broke
out in Section 24. The crazed fan that jumped on stage was immediately hauled off
by two bouncers at the very, very end, providing a monster conclusion.

In vast contrast to SOD, The Mars Volta stayed true to its own reputation as a
modern-day jam band, using its 55 minutes of stage time for a mere four songs. L'
Via L' Viaquez, already some 12 minutes on the album Frances the Mute, was
stretched to 20 minutes.

Though the spotlights caught the audience falling asleep at times, it was still
impressive how they mixed distortion, with bongo drums, and a flute.

Lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala was out of tune a couple of times during The
Widow, but hey, it is live music.

Bad Acid Trip, the opening act, delivered metal in its rawest form. Though this
band landed the hardest punch all night, it was the least accurate.
Review By: Benjamin Olivo | Rating: -/- | mysanantonio.com

Live@Houston, TX :: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 13.8.

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=houston05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

Saturday, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, an audience of young 20-

somethings and teens got a double bill of alt-metal by these two bands and few do
it better.

Those with a bit more memory know what the reverb-heavy irreverence of Jane's
Addiction and the speed metal of Metallica might have sounded like had the bands
forged a supergroup.

SOAD opened the show by acting out the opening of its latest album, Mezmerize. The
silhouette of guitarist Daron Malakian sounding the alarm of Soldier Side (Intro)
was all that could be seen behind a giant veil. It fell just it time for the party
to start with frat-house special B.Y.O.B. Groovy bass licks and singer Serj
Tankian's laid-back mumbles are passed at warp speed by Malakian's buzzing guitar
notes. It was a perfect example of mod-metal fusion.

Some SOAD songs such as the new Revenga and Lost In Hollywood bow so much at the
feet of Metallica's Black Album and the Scorpion's classic Love At First Sting,
they are in danger of copyright infringement. Others such as Aerials and Kill Rock
'n' Roll find lead singer Tankian combining his Johnny Lydon-esque voice with the
desperate emotions of arena rock for a sound that is unique to System of a Down.

The highlight of the two-hour-plus, 26-song set was Malakian's brief riff on Neil
Young's Hey Hey, My My following the electric jam of crowd favorite Chop Suey.

It was a respectful nod to a rock legend by a band that is quickly carving its own
niche.
The wait for SOAD's new album Hypnotize (due this fall) now feels much longer.

When El Paso's the Mars Volta brought its symphony of string and percussion anarchy
to the Verizon Wireless Theater in April, I went with hopes of loving the show and
came away disappointed. After this return trip, I concede it might have been a bad
first impression.

Most bands benefit from the intimacy of a smaller theater. Cedric Bixler Zavala and
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the former members of At the Drive-In who split to form the
Mars Volta four years ago, have stumbled upon a sound that actually benefits from
the endless acoustics of an open-air amphitheater.

The exotic, smoky layers of manic percussion and strings in a 20-minute incantation
on the 2-year-old Drunkship of Lanterns was able to separate into all its many
nuances with only the sky above absorbing sound. Indoors, the mix overloaded amps,
brass loops and snare snaps bounced off the walls, rendering them unintelligible.

On Saturday, Zavala's cries also added power to the yearnings of The Widow (the hit
single from new album Frances the Mute). His denouement "I'll never sleep alone"
was perfectly clear and perfectly spooky.

I'm gonna give the Mars Volta's album a second chance on my car's stereo, and this
time I'll listen with the top down.
Review By: MICHAEL D. CLARK | Rating: -/- | chron.com

Live@Orlando, FL :: TD Waterhouse Arena 16.8.

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=orlando05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

"The real war is being waged against our hearts,'' System of a Down singer Serj
Tankian told the crowd Tuesday at TD Waterhouse Centre. "Our minds are already
dead.''

In the battle for hearts and minds, System of a Down's thunderous, thought-
provoking music has never abandoned the latter. Yet the core of the band's intense
90-minute performance -- for an audience that failed to fill the upper bowl -- was
still a bone-rattling assault, leavened with elements of hip-hop and Eastern
influences.

It's world music for the mosh pit.

The bulk of Tuesday's show revolved around the band's new Mezmerize, the solid
first installment of a two-part album cycle to conclude with the fall release of
Hypnotize. System began the set with the album's opening salvo, the tantalizing
"Soldier Side'' introduction followed by "B.Y.O.B.,'' a blistering indictment of
the Iraq war.

The music's combination of power and precision, one of System's signature traits,
was accented by the band's understated sense of style. A silhouette of guitarist
Daron Malakian echoed the solitary feel of "Soldier Side,'' while the economical
stage design rightly focused attention on the band rather than special effects.

The set was a collection of gleaming metallic panels that acted as mirrors to
reflect images of the band and audience. There also was a row of spotlights and
short vertical neon tubes elevated on a second deck behind the musicians.

Not many bands are able to sustain energy in an arena without some fireworks or
explosions, but System did an admirable job on the pulsating "Revenga,'' another
Mezmerize song delivered early on. Although casual-looking Tankian isn't big on
rock-star gestures, Malakian and bassist Shavo Odadjian embrace the spotlight with
personality.

With his shaved head and belly-length braided beard, Odadjian was a captivating
figure, able to draw attention and hold it with his animated facial expressions and
incessant movement. Malakian also seemed incapable of standing still as he prowled,
danced, spun and dropped to his knees at different points.

The band's newer songs fit comfortably next to its best work, represented on
Tuesday by faithful tears through "Toxicity,'' "Aerials'' and "Chop Suey!''
Although Tankian's tenor and tongue-twisting delivery define the band's sound,
Malakian's rougher edges were a nice contrast, especially in the opening of the new
"Violent Pornography.''

Before System's grand anthems transcended metal, opening act Bad Acid Trip
unleashed a more primal brand of mayhem. An act on Tankian's Serjical Strike label,
BAT provided the night's least earnest moments, which included the comical "evil
stance'' and some graphic behavior with a children's doll.

BAT was followed by the Mars Volta, which employed eight musicians to deliver a
mind-bending dip into its Frances the Mute. Some of the sonic weirdness of the
studio version was lost in the arena, but what remained was exhilarating -- a word
that also would fit the rest of the evening.
Review By: Jim Abbott | Rating: -/- | orlandosentinel.com

Live@Ft. Lauderdale, FL :: Office Depot Center 17.8.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=ftlauterdale05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

Setting the mood's important in every facet of life. In rock concerts, that's
crucial.

On Wednesday night at the Office Depot Center, System of a Down hit perhaps the
perfect tone to start their show, not that a fervent, nearly full arena of fans
needed much prodding.

The band has become one of the biggest and most celebrated metal acts of recent
years, and the first of a two-disc 2005 onslaught, Mezmerize, only has served to
cement that reputation. (The second disc, Hypnotize, is due in November.)

So when a single spotlight centered on guitarist/vocalist Deron Malakian as he

began to sing Soldier Side, the new album's introduction, the crowd was clearly
ready.

What they were ready for, at least for starters, was B.Y.O.B., the new disc's
second track. It set the tone obviously with the lyrics "Everybody's going to the
party/have a real good time"; it set it in a topical sense with "Why don't
presidents fight the war/Why do they always send the poor?"; and it set it
musically, as the song contains the band's mad time-signature switches.

The changes in song structure helped turn the concert into the equivalent of a wild
rollercoaster, lurching the crowd from side to side and up and down. But the crowd
was with System for each shift.

And it didn't matter whether it was a newer cut from Mezmerize, a track from
Toxicity, the album that broke System in 2001, or even something like Mr. Jack, a
song from Steal This Album!, the stripped-down, highly politicized album that
System released in 2002.

For the most part, the band's sound bounces between the power of metal and the
aggressiveness and speed of punk. But System has moved to rock's forefront because
of the ingredients they add to that basic formula not just those time changes,
but also throwing in flashes of Middle Eastern music (showing the four band
members' Armenian heritage), and even a touch of jazz. This is a band unafraid to
turn a song completely on its ear, and its fans are savvy enough to realize that
and go with it.

Then there are the vocal histrionics of Serj Tankian, known for a staccato delivery
but willing to unleash a faux-operatic falsetto at times. Tankian's voice also
meshed well when Malakian added his vocals. Credit should also go to the rhythm
section bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan who handle System's
unorthodox style deftly.

The show hit an emotional apex during Toxicity's Aerials, a charged ballad that
received a good deal of airplay in 2001. The entire crowd helped Tankian with the
vocals, giving the song a choral feeling.

Support act the Mars Volta also adds a little of its heritage to its style in
their case, sometimes adding a Latin flavor to its hard-rocking songs. And like
System, the Volta's got a highly acclaimed new album out, Frances the Mute.

They're also incredibly skilled musicians, especially guitarist Omar Rodriguez-

Lopez, who maintained a smooth style even when the Mars Volta, too, fiddled with
the structure of the songs.

Unfortunately, the Mars Volta's decision to extend its songs to give them an
experimental feel, while at first thrilling, became tedious after a while. It was
enjoyable to see Rodriguez-Lopez and lithe lead singer Cedric Bixler take one of
their tunes into space-rock or jazz realms the first time, but they repeated
themselves.

Opening act Bad Acid Trip had half the equation right a wildly entertaining lead
singer, Dirk Rogers, to match Bixler and Tankian, at least in terms of stage
presence. Rogers was the most animated of the night's three singers (no mean feat,
considering Bixler at one point crawled around on his hands and knees). The bad
news was that the sound was basic hard core they play it well, but with two bands
who take their sound to extremes, Bad Acid Trip paled, but only by comparison.
Review By: Jonathan Tully | Rating: -/- | palmbeachpost.com
Live@Worcester, MA :: DCU Centrum 27.8. - (1)
http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=worcester05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Intro & Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

Mars Volta steps out, System steps up

Cedric Bixler Zavala, frontman for the Mars Volta, is a spectacular dancer.

Saturday night at the DCU Center, as his seven-piece band poured out highly mutated
progressive rock -- a sound that marries the titanic riffing of Led Zeppelin to the
polyrhythmic pulse of Fela Kuti's Afrobeat orchestras -- Zavala tore up the stage.
He stamped and twisted, backsliding on his Cuban heels, kicking away the base of
the mike stand to make a sudden drop, the bulb of his afro quivering indignantly
above the slim, black-clad body, and all of this without missing a note of his
wailing, swirling vocal lines. A saxophone screamed then chuckled; the music rose
around him like flames.

Physically astonishing, the Mars Volta is still somehow remote. There are grand
exorcisms in the music, but its demons are not announced. The lyrics read like
Dylan Thomas fed through a sci-fi blender, full of ruptured anatomies, altered
states, and other symptoms of an overheated mental life. A sub-section of the track
''Cassandra Gemini," off the band's latest album ''Frances the Mute," is called
''Plant a Nail in the Navel Stream." One wonders what goes on inside the tour bus.
Poetry slams? Birthing rituals?

It's a brave band that takes the Mars Volta out on the road, but the members of
System of a Down know what they're doing. These four Californian post-metal heads,
all of Armenian descent, have connected with their audience in a manner that only
highlights the opening act deficits. The crowd, churning excitedly under a gauzy,
germy haze, was wired into every flicker and time-change, every falsetto squeal,
and metallicized grunt. ''Violent Pornography," a cultural diatribe from this
year's hugely successful album ''Mesmerize," turned into the most ferocious sing-
along heard outside an English soccer stadium.

Singer Serj Tankian, nodding along in untucked shirt and comfortable trousers, has
less-than-dazzling stage moves. But his gestures -- the extended palm, the inclined
head -- are those of an orator, not a rock star.

In a gnawing, satirical voice often compared to the Dead Kennedy's Jello Biafra
(another highly politicized frontman), Tankian jabbers out his sermons while his
bandmates twitch and roar behind him. There's mockery in System of a Down's
presentation -- the posturings of guitarist Daron Malakian are particularly arch --
but the kids are in on it; each elaborate grimace and burlesqued cry of ''jump up
and down!" only heightened the fervor. ''You and me / Will all go down in history /
With a sad Statue of Liberty . . ." Young men with shaved heads and big beards, as
if their heads were on upside-down, thrashed exultantly. Like it or not, this is
the current face of protest music.
Review By: James Parker | Rating: -/- | boston.com

Live@Worcester, MA :: DCU Centrum 27.8. - (2)

System of a Down, the Mars Volta and Bad Acid Trip, at the DCU Center, Worcester,
Saturday night.

Smart-rock ruled Worcester this weekend.

Following the Mars Volta's cancellation of its European tour in June, due to
guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's illness, the experimental combo was back and in
stunning form, supporting System of a Down at the DCU Center.

This time out, too, Mars Volta included former At the Drive-In bandmate Paul
Hinojas, who recently quit Sparta (the other Drive-In offshoot), to man Volta's
tape loops and sound manipulation. Fronted by dapper-looking, pipe-thin singer
Cedric Bixler, the expanded eight-man touring lineup also added keyboards,
percussion, saxophone and flute - all jamming on Mars Volta's beautiful, fierce
music, which culls from prog rock, classic rock, Latino-Cuban and free jazz.
Familiar reference points aside, the result was epic songs that sounded unique and
boundless.

Similar to Mars Volta's delving into its founding members' Latin heritage,
headliner System of a Down co-opts curious, and amusing, Eastern European stylings
in its bombastic, thrash-rooted metal, echoing the Los Angeles quartet's Armenian
heritage. System of a Down is one band whose music fits a stadium with ease. No
need for added theatrics: The songs are already so intense they breathe heartily in
such a vast space, becoming truly realized. If on record the band is a manic,
frenzied affair, filled with agit-prop ADD rock, then live System of a Down is
dignified and commanding.

Though the band is touring for its recently released platinum-selling "Mezmerize,"
the avid Massachusetts fans got a taste of System's similarly styled forthcoming
companion disc, "Hypnotize," due in November.

The thrashy metal punch and Slavic strut at the base of most songs was blindsided
by abrupt passages of whacky reggae, and quieted by frontman Serj Tankian and
guitarist Daron Malakian's keen folky vocal harmonies, both adding more layers to
this voluptuous music. Then, amid all this pomp and punch, the catchy "Violent
Pornography," with its surfy guitar licks and sing-along chorus, came off as a pop
romp.

Metal, outside the box. Smart.

Review By: Linda Laban | Rating: -/- | groong.usc.edu

Live@Toronto, ON :: Air Canada Center 1.9.2005

http://systemofadown.tie-music.net/tours.php?review=toronto05
Setlist
Soldier Side /-/ B.Y.O.B. /-/ Revenga /-/ Know /-/ Needles /-/ Deer Dance /-/
Suggestions /-/ Psycho /-/ Chop Suey! /-/ My, My, Hey, Hey (Neil Young cover) /-/
Kill Rock'N'Roll /-/ Sad Statue /-/ Violent Pornography /-/ Mr. Jack (with
interlude) /-/ Intro & Cigaro /-/ This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This
Song /-/ Bounce /-/ A.T.W.A. /-/ Forest /-/ Lost In Hollywood /-/ So Sad /-/
Question! /-/ War? (with extended interlude) /-/ Prison Song /-/ Sultans of
Swing /-/ Aerials /-/ Toxicity /-/ Science /-/ Suite-Pee /-/ Sugar

Never underestimate the power of a good musical pummelling.

For who would have believed that System of a Down, four Armenian-American underdogs
playing complex, kooky, uncatchy hard rock with a communist (or at least very
socialist) manifesto could be stadium superstars.
The California group emerged from the late-90s Ozzfest scene to become a leading
voice for pierced activists and aged headbangers alike; their influence in the
underground has been growing as steadily as their goatees.

But as they proved last night at the Air Canada Centre in front of 15,000 stoked
fans, System of a Down are not actually the kings of nu metal -- they are the new
kings of metal.

Emerging onto a stark stage dressed all in black with fancy aristocratic jackets,
they took control of the crowd immediately with their recent hit BYOB and for
almost two hours, never let go.

It's almost impossible to sing along to their tunes, but leader Serj Tankian's mix
of rapid-fire speak and operatic singing was like a tribal war cry and the crowd
responded on cue.

Guitarist Daron Malakian was the team spazz, racing about. The rumbling bass and
rapid-fire kick drums had the power and fury of death metal, but without the
relentless pacing and ridiculous lyrics. Well, "pull the tapeworm out of your a--"
is pretty ridiculous and most of the songs that aren't political are equally goofy
but how else to turn everyone in the room into a fist-pumping 14-year-old boy?

Besides, the band's musicianship is so stunning, so dynamic and dramatic any

juvenile geeking out was forgiven.

This was not Fred Durst-style goofing off. It was utterly intense and refreshingly
playful.

When Serj sat down with an acoustic guitar to play Questions, it was the heaviest
unplugged interlude ever.

The band didn't say a word to the crowd, and didn't have to.

Tunes that sound chaotic on radio flowed seamlessly from one to the next, from
Violent Pornography to Mr. Jack to War to Prison Song, with ferocity and precision.

They even worked in some Neil Young and Dire Straight references.

By the time they got to bombastic hits like Ariel and Toxicity, System of a Down
were playing as good as Metallica in their heyday, and perhaps better than any
other metal bands on the road today.

Two devil saluting thumbs up.

Review By: LIISA LADOUCEUR | Rating: 5/5 | canoe.ca