The Axis of Justice Benefit Concert
Serj Tankian and Tom Morello
The Avalon
Hollywood, CA
July 17, 2004

Words and Images
by Caren Spitler

There is a method to their music.

Never has there been a more important time to help pull our youth from the sinking quagmire of apathy. It was once considered cool to be uninformed and scoff at politics, but the rising tides of danger are pushing the waves of urgency ever closer to our shores. The time for indifference has quickly slipped through our grasp. There is just too much at stake not to claim your voice when and where you can.

We are lucky that people like Tom Morello of Audioslave, and Serj Tankian from System of a Down have the ambition and the passion to help inform others and to help re-ignite the spark of social conscience. They aren't here to force feed you their point of view but to show you the options and invite you to think.

The second Axis of justice show featured the Axis House Band with Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pete Yorn, Brad Wilk of (Audioslave), Maynard James Keenan ( APC and Tool), Morello, and Tankian. The show also included performances by Jurassic 5, Pete Yorn and his band, Serj (solo), Tom Morello as the Nightwatchman, and spoken-word by Knowledge.

Tom Morello

Serj Tankian

The event was not only to boost awareness, but to battle hunger and help end homelessness. All the proceeds from this sold-out benefit went to shelters and food banks in Downtown Los Angeles.

This event had a slightly different flavor than the first one. The audience was pretty darn jaded. Seems they got word that System of a Down played the first show and all they wanted to see were the big acts. They were actually rude at points. Between acts they'd call out for System to play, or for Maynard, or even Rage Against the Machine (like that was gonna happen). The crowd got pissy when people like Maynard didn't play enough for their liking. The atmosphere of the audience did influence the people on stage (sorry to say). This did not stop them from putting on a great show for a good cause, but it was still sad.

The show was hosted by comedian Amed Amed, who was just a little less than prepared for the amount of hosting he would be doing at the event. Due to that fact the rabid crowd had no respect or patience for him.

The first act on the stage was poet Ray Witter (aka Knowledge) he did spoken-word on various themes of war, terrorism and genocide. His first poem was accompanied by Serj on the piano. his second was a tribute to those lost on 9/11. His voice proclaimed sadness and loss as he said the words "I rhyme for them"

Tom Morello's folk/activist persona the Nightwatchman took stage. He played four tunes accompanying himself on acoustic guitar to "House Gone Up In Flames", "Union Song," which he dedicated to Nelson Mandela, a cover of Devo's "Beautiful World" and one other song. Morello's voice is steady, deliberate with a slight rumble to it. His songs are reflective of the times in which we live, yet reminiscent of themes of the1960's.

"For the union men and women, standing up and standing tall."

Serj came out and played a pretty tune on the piano while layering his vocal acrobatics over the top. My GOD, the things that man can do with his voice, and the way he does them. He is at once absurd and operatic, with off-kilter timing and phrasing. No one sings like Serj, perhaps that is why so many people don't really understand his musical choices. It's also why so many adore him.

Pete Yorn and band played one of the longer sets. 9 songs in all, including a couple of his hits people may have known. He also did the song "For Nancy" which is an old favorite, and a tune about a poor dead cat titled "Blackie's Dead." His tunes of honest and heartfelt sincerity for everyday things and everyday people were set alive by the fact that his set was pretty guitar heavy. He had three additional guitars on stage. Two electric and one acoustic. This didn't make his own sound heavier or louder, but the over all range of the tunes felt more expansive as different parts were being played.

When Maynard finally arrived on the stage, the crowd was temporarily satisfied, until they realized he wasn't going to be on the stage for long. There is a reason he is one of the most respected vocalists in rock: he manages to prove the point time and time again. He sang a flawlessly executed a capella version of Joni Mitchell's "the Fiddle and the Drum." This was like an auditory wet dream - cool vocal silk poured into the wind. And yes, it made you want much, much more.

Maynard announced that A Perfect Circle was working on a new album of "political" songs which they hope to release before November of this year. Not surprising since Mr. Keenan has been rather vocal about this nation's current apathy.

The sextet of Akil, Chali 2Na, Marc 7even, Soup, along with the DJ duo of Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-mark known as Jurassic 5 played regular length sets. It's uncertain how many people came because of this band or how many even liked them, but the positive vibe and party atmosphere of this band was highly contagious. They worked rhymes off of each other with precision timing. Unlike many of their contemporaries in the rap genre, the music carries a message. Their themes are more universal than their counterparts who often glorify crime and misogyny. In the middle of the set, Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-mark came out and and played handheld turntables. Spinning a rapid fury of old scratchy 1930's jazz the two DJ played a well choreographed syncopated turn-table trance. I dare anyone in that crowd to say that wasn't talent. This band was just plain fun.

The show wrapped up with the Axis of Justice House Band doing a group jam of U2's " Where The Streets Have No Name" featuring Serj, Maynard and Pete Yorn singing.

The crowd wanted more. Who wouldn't, but this was a great show with some amazing performances. Music was the method, food for the hungry was the cause, and the message was open your mind.