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BROTHERS IN ARMS

Damage Inc. recalls Metallica’s first four albums

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski smattering of the newer stuff.” Chris Knight remembers the first time he heard the acoustic intro to Metallica’s “Fade to Black” in his teens. The look of performances mirrors the Jason Newsted era. “I never saw Cliff live,” Knight says about the bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a tour bus crash in 1986. “I grew up on the Jason Newsted era. It was sad to

After that, nothing else mattered. see him go when the whole thing went

Knight performs the James Hetfield’s down.” vocals/rhythm guitar parts in the He is, however, impressed with the Orange County Metallica tribute band current bassist Rob Trujillo. Damage Inc. The band plays at We- “Rob is a cool, kicked-back, laidback Ko-Pa Casino Resort’s WKP Sports & kind of guy,” Knight says. “He’s the Entertainment bar on Saturday, July 31. polar opposite (of Newsted) on stage.

Damage Inc. also features bassist/ Rob looks like he’s going to catch a wave backup vocalist Kevin Knight, lead surfing.” guitarist Chris Brightwell and Tone Named after a Metallica song, DeCorte on drums. Damage Inc. is learning the band’s

“We pretty much play the whole self-titled collection (also known as “The catalog,” Knight says. “We know the Black Album”) for its 30th anniversary. first four albums front to back, with a “What we’ve done in the past, if there’s an anniversary, we play it front to back at a special engagement,” Knight says. “Our goal for later this year is to play ‘The Black Album’ in its entirety.”

Knight never aspired to play in a band like Damage Inc., which was formed in September 2004. It came about organically.

“My brother, who’s my junior of about four years, joined the Marines in 1994 or 1995,” Knight says. “While he was in the Marines, he saw a promotional video for the Marines that had ‘Hells Bells’ by AC/DC.

“He created a cover band in the Marines with other Marines. When he came to Camp Pendleton, he asked me to join the cover band. We eventually gravitated to the Metallica songs in 2004. That was my strong suit. Being in a cover band, paying tribute to one band, it’s surreal doing it every weekend. None of us have delusions of grandeur. We’re ‘mock stars,’ if you will.”

Knight caught on to Metallica after 1988’s “…And Justice for All.” He, along with his best friend, Jeff Clark, picked up the guitar at age 18. Their sisters received guitars as Christmas gifts. Clark’s lefthanded sister was gifted a right-handed guitar. Knight’s sister told him her guitar hurt her fingers and gave it up.

Although Knight has played guitar for 32 years, he finds Hetfield’s parts challenging.

“I taught myself to play guitar,” Knight says. “I never took a lesson, which you can probably tell in my playing. I emulated him as I was learning. I learned some other stuff, too. Modeling my guitar after James was something that came natural to me.”

Damage Inc.

WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday, July 31 WHERE: We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, 10438 WeKoPa Way, Fort McDowell COST: $20 to $35 INFO: 480.789.4957, wekopacasinoresort.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE JULY 2021

29 SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT

Cole Swindell expects a good time at Ak-Chin Casino

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski soon when he hits the Harrah’s AkCountry singer Cole Swindell is excited to see concert dates on his schedule — especially Arizona, where he Chin Casino stage in Maricopa at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 31. Afterward, he jumps on Thomas Rhett’s tour. In between rehearsals and the COVID-19 pandemic, Swindell has been working on his fourth album. Swindell may play performs and golfs. some of the new songs on these tours.

“I’ve always loved playing out there,” “When I’m making an album, for Swindell says. “I come out for a show me, the best song wins,” says Swindell, and sneak in some golf. Music and sports who partnered with Sugarlands are things I really enjoy.” Distilling Company for two flavors

A Georgia native who’s lived in of moonshine, pre-show punch and Nashville for 13 years, Swindell is a fan peppermint moonshine. “I have a variety of the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons of everything. and Georgia Southern, which he “The more I get to make music, the attended. more I try to grow as an artist. I have

As for golf, he’s the brand ambassador songs like ‘Single Saturday Night.’ I have for Diamond Resorts International and several that break your heart. I love the played in the recent LPGA Tournament fun stuff, but I’ve lived through the other of Champions golf tournament. stuff as well.”

Sports helped Swindell get through Those songs served him well, both the pandemic, just like new music. He professionally and personally. Growing up, appears on newbie Shy Carter’s new song the music of Alan Jackson, George Strait, “Beer with My Friends.” The Grammy- Reba McIntyre and Brooks and Dunn nominated artist saw his track “Single helped him through victories and defeats. Saturday Night” take off. “The radio and the artists I grew up

“We released it last summer, and it’s listening to were always there to be,” he finally trying to catch on,” Swindell says. says. “To be on the other side — write “I couldn’t be more excited about it. It’s songs to help people have a good time or been weird not being able to play our through a bad time — is amazing.” latest single for the crowd.”

“Single Saturday Night” went to No. Cole Swindell 7 on the all-genre iTunes chart during its first week of release, even without country radio airplay. Written by Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy and Mark Holman, “Single Saturday Night” was added to country radio on June 29. He’ll have a chance to play the song WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 31 WHERE: Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, 15406 Maricopa Road, Maricopa COST: $54.50 INFO: 480.802.5000, caesars. com/harrahs-ak-chin/shows

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