Kings of Chaos rock the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

It was a sublimely chaotic night in Long Beach.

The all-star band Kings of Chaos proved that fast cars and rock ‘n’ roll go together like “Guns N’ Roses” as they closed out Day 2 of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a headlining performance on Saturday night, April 15.

Rock and race fans alike packed into the plaza in front of the Terrace Theater to hear the hard rock super group perform during the Grand Prix’s Saturday night concert.

The band is led by Long Beach native and iconic drummer Matt Sorum and features a rotating cast of rock ‘n’ roll royalty.

“I was born in Long Beach right up the street,” Sorum said as he took the stage. “After all the bands I’ve been in — Guns and Roses, Velvet Revolver, the Cult — I decided to start my own band. It was a bucket list thing and I hope you all enjoy tonight.”

All-star rock band Kings of Chaos continues the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach party with a live performance on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

Vernon Reid plays guitar for Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

Bass player James LoMenzo, formerly of Megadeath, performs with Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

Fans gather for a concert by all-star rock band Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

Drummer Matt Sorum, formerly of Guns N’ Roses, performs with Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

Fans gather for a concert by all-star rock band Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

A masked fan watches Kings of Chaos perform on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

Fans react to all-star rock band Kings of Chaos during a performance on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

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They certainly seemed to.

A large crowd that migrated over from the main part of the Grand Prix concourse in downtown Long Beach to the concert area rocked to fan-favorite songs to cap off Day 2 of the city’s biggest annual party.

“It’s like a super band,” said Long Beach resident Micaiah Robnett, beaming from ear to ear, “because you’re seeing all of these amazing songs that you love from so many incredible groups.”

Saturday’s special guests included Corey Taylor of Slipknot; Corey Glover and Vernon Reid from Living Colour; Lzzy Hale, lead vocalist-guitarist of rock band Halestorm; and Rome Ramirez of Long Beach’s Sublime with Rome. The core band also consists of includes guitarists Gilby Clarke of Guns N’ Roses, Billy Duffy of The Cult, Brent Woods formerly of Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders, and Megadeth bassist guitarist James LoMenzo.

The group previously headlined the 2017 Grand Prix — and on Saturday, the crowd welcomed them back warmly. When Glover challenged the audience to “drown out these cars” — referring to the final motorsports events out on the street circuit — the crowd responded with thunderous applause and screams.

And they had plenty to scream about, getting to listen to an all-star set list that combined the music of Guns N’ Roses, David Bowie, Sublime and Living Colour, among other iconic bands.

Long Beach native Eric Martincavage was among those in awe. He saw several of these performers live in the 1980s and was thrilled to see them take to the stage on Saturday.

“You put these guys together, it’s going to be a great sound explosion,” he said. “You’re talking about young talent and the older generation of the eighties coming together to perform. You can’t get any better than that, because it’s a mixing of rock ‘n’ roll generations.”

Another concert attendee, Dan Rosenbaum, had traveled from Las Vegas to see Kings of Chaos perform.

“I came out for the show first,” he said, “(the Grand Prix second.”

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The performance included many shout-outs to the city of Long Beach, which was not only the birthplace of Sorum, but also of American ska punk band Sublime.

Rome Ramirez, who toured with Sublime after the band’s original guitarist/vocalist Bradley Nowell died, led the Kings of Chaos through several of the Long Beach group’s greatest hits, including “Santeria,” “What I’ve Got” and “Doin’ Time.”

Rock ‘n’ roll and punk music, Rosenbaum said, was the perfect way to keep the adrenaline from the day’s races running high.

“You want to keep up that high intensity; you’ve got loud music, you’ve got loud cars, you’ve got the charging of people” he said. “It’s a killer combination.”

by
on April 16, 2023

Kings of Chaos rock the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

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