Watch: DARON MALAKIAN's SCARS ON BROADWAY Performs Live For First Time In More Than Five Years

October 6, 2024

SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian's side project SCARS ON BROADWAY played its first concert in more than five years Saturday (October 5) at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California as the support act for KORN. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

Featured songs:

01. Chemicals 1:02
02. Sickening Wars 4:42
03. Fucking 6:59
04. Universe 9:25
05. Insane 13:29
06. Scars On Broadway 16:48
07. World Long Gone 19:30
08. Cute Machines 22:36
09. Guns Are Loaded 25:33
10. Fuck 'N Kill 29:29
11. Exploding/Reloading 33:10
12. Stoner Hate 35:16
13. They Say 37:37

Prior to the BMO concert, DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY hadn't played live since completing a short West Coast tour in March 2019.

Joining Daron in the current SCARS ON BROADWAY lineup are Orbel Babayan (rhythm guitar, backing vocals),Niko Chantziantoniou (bass) and Roman Lomtadze (drums).

SCARS ON BROADWAY's latest album, "Dictator", was released in July 2018.

SCARS ON BROADWAY, now rebranded DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY, has undergone a complete overhaul, with none of the members from the group's 2008 debut — including SYSTEM drummer John Dolmayan — appearing on the most recent songs.

Malakian explained the personnel changes in an online post, saying: "Nobody quit. When I first started SCARS, I always said that it would be different lineups from album to album. Depends on the type of direction I want to take. Different musicians work for different styles. That is partly why I added my name in front of the band's."

"Dictator" saw Malakian write, produce and play every instrument — including all vocals — over the course of a 10-day recording session. The album's cover art was created by Daron's father, Vartan Malakian, who also designed the artwork for SYSTEM OF A DOWN's twin 2005 releases, "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize".

"Dictator" was recorded in 2012 but remained unreleased until 2018.

SCARS ON BROADWAY previously performed in 2012 as the opening act for DEFTONES in Los Angeles.

The group has only played live sporadically over the years: a headlining trek in 2008 was canceled, with Malakian citing his lack of enthusiasm and "his heart not being into touring" as the chief reasons behind the decision.

The guitarist later explained that he thought it was "almost too soon" for him to go on the road after SYSTEM OF A DOWN went on hiatus in 2006, also citing issues in his personal life that "made it impossible" for him to tour.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 19 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they raised over $600,000.

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