01.31.10

Hammering Away

Everyone likes the story of the underdog. Everyone also likes the story of a second chance—Canadian heavy metal band Anvil got just that.

Made up of Steve “Lips” Kudlow (lead vocals, guitar), Robb Reiner (drums) and Glenn Five (bass), Anvil first formed while in high school in 1973. But despite being together for so may decades, Anvil only recently shot to fame with the release of documentary, ‘Anvil! The Story of Anvil in 2009.’

Here’s the story: Anvil once performed at rock festivals, such as the Super Rock festival in Japan. The line-up in 1984? Anvil, Scorpions, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi—all household, commercial names; all with millions of records sold. That is, of course, for Anvil.

Fast forward some 20 years later and members of Anvil are instead truck drivers, construction workers… homeless. They receive an inquiry from a fan in Europe, offering a tour. They accept but it’s all downhill from there—dismal crowds, scuffles between venue owners, scuffles between bandmates. Though Anvil! The Story of Anvil may seem like a downer, it’s actually pretty heartwarming to watch—especially when it came down to the optimistic ending.

But the best news here? Anvil is experiencing a nice amount of fame as a result of the positive reception to the documentary, and now they’re taking the show on the road. Again. But this time, we have a feeling people will actually show up.

The Anvil Experience: Thurs., Feb. 4, 8 p.m., $20-$25. House of Blues, 1530 S. Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, 714.778.2583. All ages.

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