PENTAGRAM Frontman Hospitalized Following Aborted D.C. Concert - Jan. 16, 2005

PENTAGRAM frontman Bobby Liebling was reportedly hospitalized Saturday night (Jan. 15) after failing to perform as scheduled at the band's show at the Black Cat club in Washington D.C. Also appearing on the bill were ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY and THE HIDDEN HAND. One person who attended the show, "supernerd23", has posted the following report on the ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY message board:

"For me, the show at the Black Cat last night was just as awesome of a way to kick off the New Year as I had hoped it would be. Two of my favorite current bands to see live on the same bill was pretty much all I needed to satisfy me.

"In my mind there was never that much of an emphasis on the whole PENTAGRAM aspect of the show because I figured there wasn't more than a 50-50 chance that Bobby would make it. I've seen him out and about over the past few months while in D.C. for different shows. I saw him hop up on stage with PLACE OF SKULLS back in July and do a few songs and he seemed fairly together — at least while performing. I've been close enough to reach out and touch the man (not that I would want to) so I've seen with my own eyes the overall wretched condition he is in. I also know that he had been putting a lot of stock into this big PENTAGRAM debut having turned down other opportunities to perform in recent months when the band wouldn't have been the headliner.

"The new PENTAGRAM album with Bobby on vocals and Kelly, Adam and Mike from INTERNAL VOID as the band is pretty killer — I've really enjoyed listening to it. So I was psyched that there was a chance to see this material (and older stuff) performed live — but again, I knew better than to pin all of my hopes for happiness and satisfaction on the reliability of a junkie who's penchant for disappointing fans and bandmates is legendary.

"So apparently Bobby locked himself in a backstage bathroom, did whatever damage to himself he did, collapsed, revived and wanted to get on stage, got on stage with some help and by crawling, collapsed again, convulsed, was carried off stage, loaded into an ambulance and sent to the hospital. As Gomer Pyle would say, 'Surpise, surprise, surprise!'

"I really dug the set that the guys from INTERNAL VOID went ahead and charged into. I've caught these guys a couple of times in the last few months and have been really impressed by Kelly Carmichael's guitar playing. He (with Adam on bass and Mike on drums) really threw down some cool instrumental jams of some PENTAGRAM songs that even without vocals showed why this music has been worshipped by so many people for so many years. Eventually they were joined on stage by the INTERNAL VOID vocalist J.D. and Dave Sherman who sang a couple of songs, including 'Forever My Queen'. Joe Hasselvander (formerly of PENTAGRAM) came up and sang '20 Buck Spin' and the always entertaining Skull of BLACK MANTA was there to sing a few songs also.

"So the set pretty much turned into a PENTAGRAM tribute of sorts. I stuck with it and enjoyed it for what it was."

Pentagram singer BOBBY LIEBLING collapsed on stage in Washington DC last night before the band had even played one song. OMID from OUTLAW records sent the following to ROB of DOOMED PLANET records...

"wow... what a DISASTER!!! I took the bus 4 hours to DC to see the PENTAGRAM last night... and Bobby basically almost died on stage! He had taken an overdose or been partying too hard, so he CRAWLED onto stage and before they could start first song he had to be carried off. Then the ambulance came and took him away.

I'm sorry, but that was the last time I think I can try to see that band.The last times I've gone to see them this has happened. Lucky for me I was around to see "THE TRUE" Pentagram in the early 90's around when "Be Forewarned" came out, but the recent condition of Bobby has made it impossible to do live shows anymore I think. It was really sad to be honest."