On a hot Monday night in El Paso, a record crowd of people lined up to enter the Rockhouse Dive Bar and Grill to see the Louisiana band Crowbar. Many of the fans were middle-aged, but there was a great mix of younger rock fans in the mix as well. They brought with them EyeHateGod, a fellow Louisianan, to open for them. Two local bands opened the show before them, Ojo Malo and Jo-Hobo Witness.
Ojo Malo is a total stoner doom metal band that brings their fast-paced, in-your-face message to every performance. Their theory is that if you are not partying, you’re not ready to hear them. Matt (Skin Basher), Steve (Throat Basher), Mike (Axe Basher), and Oscar (Thunder Basher) bring the energy to the stage every time. The band released their debut CD in 2025, titled Sludgement Day, and are already producing their next CD.
More about Ojo Malo in these links:
https://www.facebook.com/1OjoMalo
https://www.instagram.com/1ojomalo?
Jo-Hobo Witness is an alternative junk metal band formed in 2012 by Geo Gomez and the late Danny Contreras, who passed away in 2016. They sat down and started writing songs over a few bottles of JD and Soco. By the end of the day, they had put together a few songs, and their small fanbase loved them and asked for more. They have developed a solid following and create new stuff all the time. Hobos just look like they are having a good time on stage every time I see them. The band has carved out a niche in the El Paso market; it does not look like they are going away anytime soon.
A few links to follow the band:
https://www.facebook.com/JoHoboWitness
https://www.instagram.com/johobowitness915
EyeHateGod is a powerful sludge metal band created in 1988, coming from the New Orleans metal world. I believe the saying written on the Gary Mader bass guitar says it all: “This is LA, not L.A.,” which pretty much sets the tone that they are from the deep south. Crowbar, Melvins, and EyeHateGod are considered the inventors of the sludge metal scene and have travelled across the world to spread the word since 1990.
EyeHateGod has four members in the band: vocalist Mike IX Williams, guitarist Jimmy Bower, bassist Gary Mader, and drummer Aaron Hill. Bower and Williams are the oldest members; the current bassist and drummer were brought in during the 2000’s. With six albums completed, they are looking to release a new album, hopefully in 2026.
The band, when they hit the stage, brought the crowd to the barricades and were ready to rock. So much to say about this band, they truly were a solid fit for this tour. If you want to know more, follow these links:
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEyeHateGod
https://www.instagram.com/eyehategodnola?
Crowbar, a 1990 sludge band from New Orleans, has always had Kirk Windstein as its vocalist, and he is the oldest member of the band. I guess a requirement to be in the band is a beard, but I’m not sure if the drummer has discovered that yet. They have been one of the founders of sludge metal and continue to rule the scene, bringing that unique style to all their songs. The band consists, as mentioned before, Kirk Windstein as vocalist, Matt Brunson as guitarist, Pat Bruder as bassist, and Tommy Buckley as drummer. They all bring something special to the band.
As they entered the stage, all 400 attendees pushed themselves to the front, all jockeying to get a good view. From the first notes, the crowd went crazy, jumping, singing, and trying to mosh in tiny circles; some were on the shoulders of their friends. The atmosphere was electric. The crowd was not unruly; they were hyper-focused on the band, hanging onto every word. For an hour, everyone stood shouting as song after song was performed. If you knew the song, you would sing it. For many, it was a night to remember, and fans will be talking about it for weeks.
As with all the bands, below are the links to follow them on their social media and to follow the concert. If Crowbar is coming to your city, I would get your tickets soon.
https://www.facebook.com/crowbarmusic
https://www.instagram.com/crowbarmusic?
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