Powerman 5000

4/12/2025 - The Parish Room at House of Blues - Anaheim, California.

POWERMAN 5000 – Spring West Coast Tour 2025

I was beyond fired up to finally see Powerman 5000 live. I've been trying to catch them for years. For this sold-out show, they brought along Julien-K and Makes My Blood Dance to kick things off. This was the second stop on their Spring West Coast Tour in the Parish Room at the House of Blues in Anaheim. It's a smaller, more intimate venue, and it was the perfect setting for a night like this.

Makes My Blood Dance (gallery) opened the evening with flashing LED lights and high energy. Their electro-pop meets disco-metal sound filled the room fast. Vocalist EV0 brought major Beetlejuice vibes, quirky, animated, and totally fun.

Jon Kristian handled guitar and programming with full intensity, while bassist Marie Tornetto (aka Spacey Bass Babe) locked in a thick groove.

Drummer Greg Kerrigan kept everything tight and moving.

If you're into industrial goth party sounds with a modern twist, this band is for you.

Julien-K (gallery) followed and immediately connected with the crowd. Their synthy industrial rock sound created a dark, danceable atmosphere.

Ryan Shuck’s vocals were smooth and infectious, while Amir Derakh bounced between guitar and synth with ease.

Galen Waling’s drumming felt heavier than the studio versions and the pulse hits you right in the chest. When Shuck and Derakh (both formerly of Orgy) played “Blue Monday,” the crowd lit up. It turned into a full goth dance floor and I was all in.

Then Powerman 5000 took the stage. Michael Cummings came out grinning from ear to ear, and the energy shifted instantly. You could feel the crowd ready to erupt and the band delivered. From the first riff from guitarists Dan Schiz and Taylor Haycraft, the room exploded. Murv Douglas kept things groovy on the bass and Rattan’s drumming brought energy. They powered through a mix of older hits and newer material, and the audience and I were with them every second. The room shook with every lyric with voices screaming along and fists in the air.

Crowd favorites like “Bombshell” and “Nobody’s Real” had people losing their minds, but the biggest moment of the night came with the closer, “When Worlds Collide.” The second that opening riff hit, it was pure chaos in the best way. Everyone was dancing, shouting every lyric, completely immersed.

The intimate space of the Parish Room made everything feel even more intense. Powerman 5000 didn’t just play a show. They turned the night into a full-on experience. Anaheim showed up ready, and the band gave them everything they came for.