Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Iron Reagan, Havok
- Hectic
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
The Warfield
San Francisco, CA
June 27, 2026
I wasn’t planning on going to this show, even though I’m a big Iron Reagan fan. The modern metal sound of the bands topping the bill really isn’t my thing.
But when the people from The Warfield / Goldenvoice reached out to SanFran666co to let us start giving away tickets to their metal shows, with a staff pair as well, I thought why not!
Speaking of which:
Anyway, this was the last night of the Killswitch Engage tour. There was a big crowd there early, which is good since the first band went on at 6:30 PM. Definitely a different crowd than at a lot of the metal shows I go to. More short hair, fewer battle vests. A lot of young people, though that is also true (thankfully) at all ages thrash and death metal shows these days.
Havok opened the four band bill. This thrash band from Denver has been around for a couple of decades now apparently, but somehow this was my first time seeing them. Havok delivered some real headbangers, alternating fast thrash with the kind of heavy breakdowns I love. Very tight band, and unlike what seems like intentionally bad sound for opening bands at some big concerts, they had surprisingly great sound. I’m glad I got there early.
Up second was the band that many people in my group of metalheads were there to see, Iron Reagan. Their original lineup had recently reformed after a hiatus for a number of years, and they have a new EP coming out on Relapse records.
This was their first time playing the Bay Area in 8 years! That is quite some time, since even though they hail from Richmond, VA, their first release was on the Bay Area’s Tankcrimes label. I think that was because a couple members came out of Municipal Waste, also on Tankcrimes originally.
Iron Reagan also have the distinction of putting out one of the only split LPs that I really love, 2014’s Exhumed / Iron Reagan split. Recently repressed by Tankcrimes as well if you don’t have a copy. (Maybe I love the Carcass / Godflesh peel sessions split as well, but otherwise I’m not a big fan of splits, hard to make them seem like a complete and cohesive record.)
Anyway, Iron Reagan put on a great show of crossover thrash. Their guitar was a bit of a thinner sound than Havok, more like punk, but they were absolutely killer. Sick fast drumming from a dude with the long beard and hair of a member of Lynrd Skynrd in the early 70s.
Frontman Tony Foresta is also full of energy, running around the stage, jumping up on things, etc. “I have a feeling this town likes thrash!” I last saw him two years ago fronting the original reunion tour of punkers Rich Kids on LSD, which was fantastic as well.
Hopefully Iron Reagan will continue touring, maybe with a smaller tour package as a headliner even, as they were a lot of fun.
I hadn’t seen support act Machine Head in ages, and haven’t kept up with their catalog since the first two records back in the 90s. They were pretty killer live, even though 100% not my thing in terms of metal taste.
It was a bit of a relief when they did come out onstage, after their choice of Queen as their pre-set music, most of the crowd singing along badly. I don’t know what it is about Queen, they are indisputably a great band, but I hate hearing them. Nothing makes me change the radio in the car faster.
The main thing that struck me watching Machine Head’s set is how much they had gone in such a melodic, modern metal direction since their early days. They even had a full on ballad intro to one tune, like Bon Jovi with double bass. Not really, but it did remind me of the second greatest guy from New Jersey for some reason.
Great songwriting of course, and impressive performers, but the melodic songs were a bit of a shock. Rob Flynn can really sing, in addition to being a great frontman and guitarist.
Not sure when I last saw Machine Head, the only time I know for sure was in 1998 when they played a secret gig under the name Ten Ton Hammer at the Cocodrie (RIP) in San Francisco. (That’s also my favorite Machine Head song, metal songs about hammers are always the best – see Cannibal Corpse’s “Hammer Smashed Face” for more proof.)
Old Grandad supported them at that gig, and Machine Head played a bunch of covers, including “South of Heaven” with Kerry King guest appearance. Ah the late 90s.
I must have seen Machine Head since then but don’t recall. They closed their set with a song off their debut album Burn My Eyes that I did know, the heavy harmonics sound that drove a lot of 90s metal imitators. During that closing tune they had a cool animation of a spinning 3D room full of old flyers, where I tried to identify shows I might have been to. Biohazard, Machine Head, Thanatopsis at the old Haze Theatre (RIP) on Harrison? Maybe, but I don’t remember.
I hadn’t heard headliner Killswitch Engage before, except for a brief listen online pre-show. Definitely not my thing but they were impressive live. Though I couldn’t tell if their stage persona was supposed to be goofy or serious.
They came out to the Who’s “Baba O'Riley”, but with the lyrics changed from “Teenage Wasteland” to “We’re getting Wasted.”
And one of their guitarists looked like a cross between Will Ferrell from the movie Old School and Scorpions great Rudolf Schenker. Mohawk, beer headband, and a vibe that matched his “I’m with Stupid” t-shirt the whole time. The singer, however, seemed like a serious metalcore dude, except that he could actually sing.
Anyway, I stuck around for a few Killswitch Engage songs, then decided to walk down beautiful 6th street to meet the wife and friends at the Cat Club for Funkytown. Last Saturday night every month. I’m not a dance club guy, but gotta stay married.
Folsom Street was hopping on the Saturday night before the Pride Parade. And the Cat Club is a true San Francisco icon of weirdness. Imagine designing a club as non-corporate as possible, and then basically not changing it since the 1990s. Brick walls, everything painted black, nothing upscale, reasonably affordable drinks.
The music for Funkytown is good (70s disco and funk in the back room, 80s new wave and pop in the front), and the crowd is always SF – a mix of old goths and young dance clubbers, LGBTQIA and straight folks, even techies.
The Cat Club accepts all, as long as you dance or drink. I wasn’t even the only one wearing a metal t-shirt.
–Hectic
