Pop : Danzig’s Own Vision Emerges at Irvine Meadows

Danzig borrowed from so many of rock’s pioneers during its Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre show on Saturday that it seemed to be trying to re-create the history of rock ‘n’ roll in a single evening.

Glenn Danzig, leader of the L.A.-based metal group, punctuated the thundering riffs churned out by his three bandmates with Elvis-like pelvic thrusts. Taking a page from punk godfather Iggy Pop’s book, Danzig leaned dangerously into the frantic crowd in the slam pit. His songs recall the plodding grandeur and satanic imagery of Black Sabbath, but with his bare-chested poses and exploration of the dark side, Danzig’s most obvious reference point was Jim Morrison.

Unlike most one-note metal gods, Danzig stretches out into unlikely directions, shifting into low gear after the fast and furious “Dirty Black Summer” and actually crooning the tender ballad, “Sistinas.” And as a veteran of hardcore punk, Danzig was right at home with the unruly crowd in the slam pit. Ultimately, Danzig managed to weave all his sources into a personal vision. The result was a show that was, paradoxically, both derivative and unique.