P.O.D. at the Highline Ballroom

Sonny Sandoval asked H.R. of Bad Brains to sing with him

P.O.D. (Payable on Death) began in San Diego, California, in 1992. Much like Bad Brains on the East Coast, P.O.D. cleverly married punk and reggae music, but then also weaved in rap and hard rock anthems for a unique mix. During P.O.D.’s peak years, 1999-2003, “Youth of the Nation”, "Southtown", "Rock the Party (Off the Hook)", "Alive", "Boom" and "Satellite" attracted larger audiences to rapcore and nu metal. The band has recorded eight studio albums. The band's present line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, guitarist Marcos Curiel, bassist Traa Daniels and drummer Wuv Bernardo.

Just a few years ago, P.O.D. was headlining venues as large as the Roseland Ballroom. Tonight the band performed at the Highline Ballroom, a much smaller venue, and there was room to spare. Nevertheless, P.O.D. proved that while fickle music audiences gravitated away, the band remained true to its rock hard core and performed it well. The band crushed from the opening “Boom” to the closing “Satellite,” with Sandoval himself frequently appearing to get lost in the music, jumping to the heavy rhythms behind him. Newer songs like “Murdered Love” and “Eyez” were performed well, but it was the better known songs like “Alive” and “Youth of the Nation” that rallied the audience to the edge of the stage. As a singer, Sandoval did not exhibit a vocal range that would allow him to stand out in rock circles; his unique gift was in the passionate story-telling style of his vocal delivery. Unfortunately, the vocals were mixed down and the Curiel’s guitar chords were overwhelmingly loud, making for an uncomfortable balance of sound. In the end, P.O.D. showed it continues to be a formidable band, whether or not rapcore regains popularity.