THE ACCUSED / MUNICIPAL WASTE
July 27, 2005
El Corazon, Seattle, WA
This was a very
last-minute thing for me but I’m glad that I ended up going. There
were two local bands opening which I missed, but I thankfully
managed to catch Municipal Waste’s set in its entirety. Damn these
guys are tight! Imagine a cross between D.R.I. and Wehrmacht –
fast, short, brutal thrashcore tunes played with precision and more
than a little energy. Despite a half-full venue, the band managed
to whip up an impressively frenzied mosh pit pretty much from the
first song onward. The music was fun and the band seemed to be
having a really good time, which always makes a show more enjoyable.
The Accused had a decidedly different attack, though
still quite effective. Sound-wise, things were a bit messier,
especially the bass which seemed like a rumbling wall of noise half
the time. But there was no lack of energy here either as the band
ripped through many classics including “Mechanized Death,”
“Autopsy,” “Inherit the Earth,” and my personal fave “Starved to
Death.” Blaine was a dynamo, an angry little ball of pure energy,
and the band definitely has a more punk vibe on stage than on
record.
[Daniel Hinds]
NIGHTWISH / LULLACRY
September 5, 2004
Graceland, Seattle, WA
The night of nights, where expectations are met
and turned to dust. Since this show was announced over six months
prior (and I had my tickets for nearly as long), I was
half-expecting something to go wrong, anything from poor sound to a
total cancellation. With the band encountering visa problems and
having to cancel the first few shows of the already short tour, I
was gritting my teeth, but alas the show not only went on, it was
utterly spectacular.
Lullacry opened with a dramatic intro tape (a classical piece that
was quite familiar from its use on an old Mekong Delta album) and
launched into their full sonic glory with “This Time.” Tanya was a
little laid-back at first but the rest of the band was headbanging
and running around (at least as much as the Graceland stage allows),
connecting with the audience immediately. Even though several
people I talked to before the show weren’t familiar with Lullacry,
they got an enthusiastic response and no doubt won over many new
fans as they raged through such classics as “Every Single Day,”
“Trust” and “Don’t Touch the Flame.” As if their own material
wasn’t good enough (and it surely was), they threw in a ripping
cover of W.A.S.P.’s “L.O.V.E. Machine” that brought the house down,
including a great sing-a-long near the end. Tanya hit a couple of
slightly flat notes here and there (noticeably on “Pitch Black
Emotions”), but overall her performance was excellent and she really
put a lot of feeling and energy into her vocals. Lullacry are
blessed with many, many great tunes and they proved tonight that
they are just as adept at performing as they are at writing.
Few bands could follow up such a superlative set, but Nightwish did
it and they did it with confidence and style. The symphonic
grandeur of the band’s recorded output translated surprisingly well
to the stage, with Tuomas manning the keyboards like a starship
pilot and the vocal team of Tarja and Marco projecting the beautiful
melodies flawlessly. Tarja is often the center of attention of
Nightwish, as her gorgeous operatic vocals soar above the metallic
compositions with pure grace and she pulled off the most challenging
bits like it was second nature. Though my personal setlist for the
band would have included several cuts from Angels Fall First
and Oceanborn, the band did not disappoint with songs like
“Dark Chest of Wonders,” “Bless the Child,” “Sleeping Sun,”
“Everdream” and the infectious single “Nemo.” On top of this, three
covers were included and diverse they were, indeed. Though I’m not
much of an Andrew Lloyd Weber fan (Roger Waters occasionally makes
sense), Nightwish managed to make “Phantom of the Opera” an
involving number. Nothing like what they did with Gary Moore’s
“Over the Hills and Far Away,” though – that song was rousing to say
the least and had the entire audience going nuts. The strangest
choice perhaps was Megadeth’s “Symphony of Destruction,” but they
delivered that pleasingly as well, with Marco handling all the
vocals (damn, wouldn’t you just love to hear Tarja attempt a
Mustaine vocal line?). A full 90-minute set was closed on a pure
high note as the band stormed through “Wish I Had an Angel.” I have
rarely seen an audience as supportive and energized as they were for
Nightwish and it bodes well for the future of these Finnish
maestros.
[Daniel Hinds]
CHILDREN OF BODOM / EVERGREY
May 15, 2004
Graceland, Seattle, WA
After waiting in a seemingly endless line (ooh,
should have saved that one for my Death Angel concert review!), we
finally got inside and were able to enjoy the newly expanded bar
area at the Graceland. Fortunately, the wait inside wasn't bad and
I pushed my way through the capacity crowd to catch a glimpse of
Sweden's Evergrey. The band got a pretty damn good reaction from
the crowd (other than the guy in the back who kept yelling shit like
"Play heavier!" and "Iced Earth!!") and made up for the lack of
stage space with plenty of headbanging. Still, the band just
doesn't have terribly interesting songs and I became more aware of
how sore my feet were getting standing on the concrete floor than I
was of what the band was playing. Not to slam them because they are
first-rate musicians and I have heard oh so many far worse bands,
but there was just no fire.
Fortunately, Children of Bodom were more than happy to make up for
Evergrey. Launching on stage early and with little warning, the
band plowed straight into "Hate Me!" with plenty of energy. Alexi
Laiho screams with utter abandon, more than matching his already
impressive studio efforts, and the dueling between him and
keyboardist Janne Warman is simply stunning. Other highlights of
the far-too-short set included killer renditions of "Silent Night,
Bodom Night," and "Needled 24/7." Though I would have liked to hear
at least a couple tunes off Something Wild, the band simply
ripped on every track they played. Children of Bodom should be
headlining shows at much bigger venues than this, dammit, and they
certainly shouldn't be forced to open for Iced Earth (and get stuck
with no stage space and a 45 minute set, just like In Flames did a
couple years back). Suffice to say, I left drenched and satisfied
after Bodom's set as the evening was truly over.
[Daniel Hinds]
KING DIAMOND / ENTOMBED
October 25, 2003
The Fenix, Seattle, WA
I walked into the newly revamped (and
relocated) Fenix just in time to push my way through the already
considerable crowd and catch the last song by Texas industrial
metallers Nocturne. They sounded good and seemed to be having a
good time on stage, so I’m kind of sorry I missed the rest of their
set, but hopefully they will return again soon.
The main reason I was here hit the stage about
fifteen minutes later with little fanfare. Entombed may be one of
the originators of Swedish death metal, but their presence and
approach has more to do with Motorhead and some of the more extreme
punk bands from the 80s than anything else. They just turn up the
volume and plough through their songs with wonderful abandon. Tunes
were drawn from their entire career, with classics from Left Hand
Path and Wolverine Blues fitting in perfectly alongside such great
new tracks like “The Fix is In” and “Chief Rebel Angel.” The crowd
raged, the pit was jubilant (though not too annoyingly so), and the
band stomped about the stage, banged and glared in just the right
measures. Really wish I could have made the follow-up show at
Studio 7, but I’m glad I was able to catch this set, which was a
full hour in length.
King Diamond’s vision has always out-paced his
budget and tonight was no exception, though, as usual, he made the
best of things and certainly entertained everyone in attendance.
Starting with the Abigail coffin and doll (which saw plenty of
abuse), the band tore through “Mansion in Darkness,” “The Family
Ghost,” and an absolutely killer version of “Black Horsemen.”
Plenty of theatrics throughout, with King interacting with the props
as well as a ‘pregnant’ Miriam who was in full melodrama mode.
Following that were (I believe) a few tracks from Abigail II –
enjoyable enough but I’m just not that familiar with that album
still. “The Eye of the Witch” got me banging again, though – a
great song from King’s most underrated album. My memory may fail me
as far as song order but I’m pretty sure this was followed by the
equally impressive “Sleepless Nights,” after which the band launched
into several cuts from The Puppet Master. Again, more props and
another actress playing the part of a puppet (kinda dull, but nice
outfit at least). The crowd went nuts as Grandma was wheeled out
and “Welcome Home” was executed with precision. It’s weird that
this is kind of King’s one “hit” as it was an MTV staple for a while
(on the Ball anyway), but it is another fine example of his (and
Andy LaRoque’s) complex yet memorable song-writing skills.
I know I’m forgetting some of the other cuts
thrown in, including at least one other from Them that went down a
storm, but the band played a good-length set and closed with the
seasonal “Halloween,” leaving the crowd happy but still wanting
more. King’s voice sounded in good form tonight, though the mix was
a bit shoddy especially at first and I think he sounded a bit
stronger on the House of God tour. Still, he sounded good, the band
sounded great and the new backing vocalist did an excellent job of
filling in with some of the vocal harmonies that King so does love.
A great night of metal that even the absence of any Fate material
couldn’t mar.
[Daniel Hinds]
OPETH / LACUNA COIL
April 29, 2003
Graceland, Seattle, WA
As expected with two bands as known as this,
the Graceland was completely packed. It was to the point where it
would have made far more sense to have had the show somewhere like
the Showbox, so hopefully next time through, they’ll get a venue
upgrade.
The night was scheduled very precisely and I
was impressed to see Lacuna Coil on and off stage at the appointed
times. Sadly, this meant a set that was only half as long as
Opeth’s, a mere 45 minutes. I’m not sure the reason for this but
considering both bands had to travel from Europe and this was their
first time through Seattle, it’s really too bad Lacuna Coil didn’t
get to play longer.
Time constraints aside, the band put on a good
show. This was the first show of the tour and there was a little
bit of warming up. The stage lights remained black through half of
the first song and the band seemed a bit stiff for the first few
tunes, but once they settled in and opened up, the show got really
good. Cristina’s sounded a bit hesitant early on, but once she got
going, she was really belting out the lyrics with a great deal of
passion. Andrea’s voice didn’t fair quite as well and it sounded
like he was maybe trying a little too hard. His voice is not
particularly big or powerful and he comes across a lot better when
he realizes that and just lets the melody flow. The rest of the
band was animated and played their parts well. No real standout
tracks come to mind, but the set was a good, varied cross-section of
the band’s oeuvre. One amusing incident that I must relate:
Between songs, people kept shouting out songs they wanted to hear.
Following a couple of shouts and a comedic pause, someone yells out
“SLAYER!!” The audience erupts into laughter and Cristina just
smiles and says, ‘I’d have to shave my head…”
Opeth took the stage in their own laidback
fashion and dove straight into their set. Sound and playing-wise, I
think Opeth delivered a tighter set, making up in those areas for
their general lack of stage presence. Vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt
delivered the most deadpan stage raps between songs I’ve ever heard,
injecting a bit of extra dry humor at a couple of points. When
someone kept shouting “Play Vancouver!!” while he was explaining the
band’s plan to tour with Porcupine Tree later this year for the
Damnation release, he ends with “…and we’ll only be playing in
Vancouver” without batting an eye. I ended up leaving about halfway
through the set as I can only take so much Opeth at one time – the
overwrought arrangements end up making all the songs sound the same
after a while. They played well though, the crowd absolutely loved
them and I am looking forward to the Damnation tour.
[Daniel Hinds]
THE DATSUNS / THE SIGHTS
April 9, 2003
The Graceland, Seattle, WA
Being as old as I am, my first real musical memories were of hearing great
rock bands like Styx, AC/DC, Van Halen and Foreigner on FM radio in the late
70s. While my tastes expanded later to include everything from metal
to thrash to industrial and beyond, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart
for the classic, no-frills rock bands of yesteryear. So it is a rather
nice to see a trend of bands looking back to that era for inspiration and
actually making a dent in today’s pop market. Bands like The Vines,
The Hives, Sahara Hotnights and The Donnas all deliver some great power-chord
laden excitement and The Datsuns are the latest to get their US debut.
A late show, I made a point of showing up even later and managed to
miss the first band, but I did catch The Sights. Hailing from Detroit,
the band takes a generally kinder/gentler approach than the likes of their
forefathers like the MC5 and Ted Nugent. The inclusion of organ and
tambourine helps give the band’s garage rock a distinctly late 60s feel.
The lead vocals are also pretty laid-back most of the time, but the band
do know how to rock and demonstrated that on several of the songs.
I kept hoping for a bit more energy to emanate from the stage, but The Sights
are pretty good at doing what they do and are easily one of the better ‘unknown’
(to me anyway) opening bands I’ve seen in a while.
But The Datsuns were clearly the stars here. The band saunters in with
their no-nonsense T-shirt and jeans look and proceed to blast through Cheap
Trick’s classic “Hello There.” From here, the band storms through a
set made up mostly of cuts from their eponymous debut, with songs like “Harmonic
Generator,” “Fink For the Man,” “In Love” and “Freeze Sucker” getting deservedly
enthusiastic responses from the audience. The band have fun on stage
and aren’t afraid to take off on extended jams or audience participation
bits just for the hell of it. Straight-forward hard rock hasn’t sounded
this fresh and lively since I saw New American Shame on what turned out to
be one of their last shows several years back. Guitarist Phil Datsun
(sic) has that great wild, bluesy abandon that made guitarists like Angus
Young and Gary Moore so good, plus he’s got all the melodramatic poses down
to go with it. As the encore seemed to never end, the band always starting
up again just when you thought it was done, Phil passes his guitar out over
the crowd, followed by various drums, hi-hats, mic stands, etc. It
was entertaining to watch him gingerly handing the items out onto the waiting
hands, which passed them around a bit until the roadie invariably came running
to retrieve each piece of gear. Our guitar hero also planted a serious
kiss on a certain female audience member and did a nice stage dive with her
in tow (or was it two different girls? I kind of lost track – there was a
lot to watch by this point).
The bottom line is that honest hard rock is alive and well (in New Zealand
at least) and The Datsuns are definite contenders to be leaders of this much-needed
retro pack. A total blast live, you should definitely go see them if
they hit your town.
[Daniel Hinds]
AMON AMARTH / BEHEMOTH / REVENGE / VEHEMENCE
March 25, 2003
The Graceland, Seattle, WA
When I first heard that Deicide wouldn’t be playing this show, I was a bit
disappointed. Sure I’ve never much cared for Deicide but seeing a band
of that status who has slugged it out for this many years would be interesting
at the very least. Then I got to thinking maybe it is good, maybe the
show will get over earlier and I can actually catch my bus home. Sadly,
no, they just made us wait outside an extra hour and pushed everything back
so I ended up missing half of Amon Amarth’s set in order to avoid being stranded
in Seattle.
But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Since I got in via Vehemence’s
set list, I wish I could have all kinds of great, complimentary things to
say about their performance. Unfortunately, the band left me nearly
as flat on stage as they did on record. Good chops were on display
as they ploughed through their brand of non-descript death metal, but the
music just never came alive. And the vocalist seemed to be in his own
stoned-out slow-mo dimension, making for a rather odd contrast with the fast,
brutal music surrounding him. Not a terrible set, but nothing I would
go out of my way to see again.
Which is a hell of a lot more than can be said for Revenge. This was
incredibly simplistic death metal that had a bit of a hardcore edge to it
and no depth whatsoever. The chorus to most of the songs seemed to
be just the name of song repeated over and over without much enthusiasm.
To top it off, the playing wasn’t particularly tight and they had the worse
sound of the evening by far. Considering this trio is led by former
Angelcorpse man Pete Helmkamp, I was expecting something more complex and
sonically inspired. While Vehemence may not have been terrible, Revenge
was.
Behemoth finally got things moving in the right direction when they hit the
stage. A great, punchy sound and some incredible musicianship really
helped catapult Behemoth’s music into the live setting. Mainman Nergal
seemed like a man possessed, obviously taking great joy in performing and
belting out the band’s highly evolved blend of death and black metal.
The intricate arrangements and high energy reminded me of when I saw Coroner
opening for Kreator back in the late 80s – very impressive.
Somehow, I was expecting Amon Amarth to be a bit of an anti-climax, but damn
I couldn’t have been more wrong! Stalking on stage with the utmost
confidence, these Swedes blasted out their unique blend of Viking and death
metal like it was second nature. The songs all sounded great live,
even the ones that never did much for me in their recorded forms. Amon
Amarth has a very deliberate pacing to their music and it really gives their
set a tremendous amount of power. While I was sad to leave early, the
half hour I did manage to catch was spectacular and I can’t wait to see them
again on the Metal Gods tour.
[Daniel Hinds]
TESTAMENT / VIO-LENCE
December 27th, 2002
Roseland Theatre, Portland, Oregon
Walking up the stairs as Vio-lence launched into their set, I was stoked
that we hadn't missed them. The band was full of energy and seemed
to be having a really good time on stage, a feeling reflected amply by the
raucous pit that broke out immediately. Charging through classics
like "Calling Out the Coroner," "Officer Nice," "Phobophobia," "Bodies on
Bodies," and "T.D.S. (Take It As You Will)," the years since their last tour
seemed to have gone by
without affecting the band one iota. Sean Killian stomped around with evil
glee as Phil Demmel and the rest of the boys thrashed right along with him.
As good as the whole set was, "Kill on Command" and the devastating "World
in a World" were my personal highlights.
Testament has never impressed me much in the live arena, but damn if they
haven't come a long way in recent years. Opening with the one-two punch
of "Over the Wall" and "Into the Pit," the classic tunes took on a whole new
level of power. Where Chuck Billy once hit those high screams, he now
roared forth in near-death metal growl. "House of Seance," "Trial By
Fire," "Low," "Souls of Black," and "3 Days in Darkness" showed the band's
evolution, all coming across well. The set closing "Disciples of the
Watch" sounded better than ever, with the whole room shouting along "OBEY!!"
in perfect unison. Sadly, there was no "Curse of the Legions of Death"
or "Apocalyptic City," but the hour-long set was packed with quality cuts
delivered with just the right amount of ferocity. The moment the band
left the stage, the crowd took up the chant of "TES-TA-MENT! TES-TA-MENT!"
[Daniel Hinds]
JUCIFER
November 8, 2002
Dante’s, Portland, Oregon
The band whose name is inspired by the evil, murderous, OJ Simpson and the
Prince of Darkness himself, Jucifer, recently brought its unique brand of
decibel abuse to Portland. A two piece band formed by two lovers, Jucifer
takes the audience into their twisted little world of dark spaces and white
noise. Jucifer have managed to find a niche in the crossover music market,
with an exploratory jam style that is Grateful Dead-gone-Black Sabbath with
enough simple energy to attract a strong punk contingent. This makes them
a bit of an enigma in their Athens, Georgia, home town, but the band has
gradually gained national attention despite a series of failures by the micro
labels they’ve signed to. Drummer Ed Livengood anchors one half of the stage
with a Tasmanian Devil-like performance that conjures memories of Bill Ward
in his cocaine crazy heyday. Amber Valentine provides an interesting contrast
with her pensive, brooding performance like Carrie, doused in pigs' blood,
ready to burn her high school classmates alive. Valentine plays through bass
amplification and cabinets, ala Kyuss, and omits the high E string to help
create the flame thrower roar that makes this two piece work. Definitely
a band that is ready for an established label and organization to take them
to the next level.
[Ted Hinds]
NILE / ARCH ENEMY / HATE ETERNAL / ORIGIN
July 21, 2002
The Graceland, Seattle, WA
I've been waiting for this one for quite a while, ever since hearing Wages of Sin
and seeing how new vocalist Angela Gossow had transformed their sound.
Plus, Nile blew me away last year at the Cradle of Filth show, so I was all
prepared for a kick-ass evening.
Arriving a bit late, I still managed to catch the last half of Origin's set.
At least I'm assuming it was Origin. They played an utterly ferocious
set of intense grindcore, which I don't seem to remember them for when I
heard them (which, granted, was a couple years ago). Not the kind of
thing I can take for too long, but impressive nonetheless. Less interesting
was Hate Eternal, who ploughed through competent but ultimately faceless
death metal. It's hard to believe Erik Rutan, the man responsible for
the excellent Alas album (not to mention his excellent work with Morbid Angel
and Ripping Corpse) could churn out such blah material. They did have
the coolest T-shirts of all the bands, though.
Arch Enemy finally took the stage and made the unbearable heat and cramped
club worthwhile. Tearing through mostly cuts from Wages of Sin,
the band played with utmost precision and plenty of energy. Angela
looked great, delivering some truly evil expressions to match her demonic
voice. The lower, more guttural style of hers came through incredibly
well live. The highlights for me were "Heart of Darkness" and a blasting
rendition of "Black Earth." Sadly, the band had a slightly late start
and with the tight scheduling had to end a bit abruptly, but it was a hell
of a set.
Nile may not be my favorite death metal band on vinyl (er, plastic I guess),
but on stage they are one of the single most impressive bands I've ever witnessed.
Plenty of bands play as fast as they do, but very few can make it look as
easy as Nile. And the conviction is impossible to beat, laying down
each note as a tribute to metal itself. Unfortunately, due to my lack
of a ride, I had to leave halfway through to catch the final bus home, but
I did manage to catch at least one new track from the upcoming disc and it
was just as intense as anything I've heard from the band yet.
[Daniel Hinds]
HYPOCRISY / SOILWORK / SCAR CULTURE
June 8th, 2002
Experience Music Project, Seattle, WA
This was bound to be interesting show for a couple of reasons: it was the
last show of the tour and it was being held in the Sky Church at the EMP
(Paul Allen's grotesque tribute to rock 'n' roll). Now, the only other
show I had seen at the EMP was Heart, so I wasn't sure how the place would
handle a mob of unruly death metal afficiandos, but the evenig turned out
to be a blast.
Scar Culture got up and did their thing, which isn't too spectacular but
at least the vocalist had a good sense of humor. Next up was Soilwork,
one of the Sweden's hottest exports at the moment. They made good use
of the rear-projection system the EMP has (which is just killer, btw, very
high-tech looking). The band was electrifying on stage as they stormed
through many cuts from Natural Born Chaos and A Predator's Portrait. My personal favorite cuts were the more brutal tracks they lifted from the Chainheart Machine
disc, but everything sounded good. Vocalist Bjorn Strid makes for
an imposing presence as he stalks about the stage and both guitarists (Peter
Wichers and Ola Frenning) dished out the speedy, melodic riffs like it was
second nature. The band also scored extra points by having keyboardist
Sven Karlsson right up front instead of hidden off stage or behind the gear,
as his contributions are just as important as anyone else's to Soilwork's
intense sound.
Hypocrisy are a whole different kettle of fish, stylistically speaking, but
they were just as hot. Kicking off with a slower, longer track was
an odd choice, but there was no shortage of the more brutal side of the band.
Lots of cuts from the excellent Catch 22 disc were offered up, with
"Destroyed" sounding particularly fiery. The band's sound was maybe
a little less clearn than Soilwork's but it worked for their grittier style
and wa good enought to keep the fast songs from becoming incoherrent.
Of course, being the last show and all, the two Swedish bands did their best
to mess with each other. The stage antics were amusing but never got
too out of hand as to distract from the performances. Two great performances
at a cool venue, you can't ask for much more than that. The best part
was being greeted by the EMP staff on the way out, 'We hope you enjoyed your
evening!' Gee, the folks at the Graceland never wish me a good night...
[Daniel Hinds]
MANOWAR / IMMORTAL / CATASTROPHIC
May 12th, 2002
The Graceland, Seattle, WA
I missed the chance to see Manowar back on the Fighting the World
tour and have been regretting it ever since. Of course, they havent' bothered
to tour this part of the country since then either, so it was mandatory that
I make it to see them this time. And I'm damn glad I did, as this was
one hell of a show!
Arriving late, I missed the opening acts, but did manage to catch most of
Catastrophic's set. The crowd was a bit less than entrhalled, but the
band put on a good show. Churning out Trevor Peres' patented brand
of Celtic Frost-inspired death metal, there were many times you would have
been forgiven for mistaking this for Obituary. The songs started to
sound kind of the same after a bit, but you can't argue with those big, utterly
sick riffs - good stuff.
Immortal were next and I would have paid twice as much jsut to see them.
This Norwegian trio is just as brilliant on stage as they are on vinyl.
The sound and the mix were just right, too, allowing the hammering drums
and driving guitars to cut right through. Abbath's vocal's were spot-on
as well and I was even able to understand the lyrics, a major shock for a
black metal band in the live environment. Pretty much everything they
played sounded great and they extracted classics form just about every album,
relying more on the latest (Damned in Black, Sons of Northern Darkness
). Immortal also impressed me with their presence. They had the
distant and serious expressions one would expect from a black metal outfit
of their stature, but also managed to interact with the crowd in an intelligent
manner. Considering the crowd was mostly there for Manowar alone, the
response was excellent, with some very die-hard fans up front going nuts
(me included).
As the crew set up for Manowar, the crowd began to get into the spirit early.
You'd hear someone shout out a line from a Manowar song and pretty soon the
whole audience was singing the rest of the verse! It was truly amazing
and goes a long way to justify Manowar's claims to having the most devoted
fans in the world. Then the band actually came on and started play8ing
and everyone went completely nuts - yelling, headbanging, slamming.
It was pure energy and the band was more than happy to feed off that energy
and send it right back out. The band were in great form and Eric Adams'
voice sounded really good. While I would have enjoyed more focus on
the early albums, the set was still thoroughly enjoyable as the band ripped
through "Kill With Power," "Hail and Kill," "Warriors of World United," "The
Power," "Kings of Metal," "Sign of the Hammer," "FIghting the World," "Black
Wind, Fire and Steel" and, of course, "Manowar." Getting to hear "Blood
of My Enemies" live was a special treat as well.
Overall, this was easily one of the best shows I've seen in years (and there
have been some really good shows lately, so that is saying something).
Watching Immortal grind their way thorugh their unique brand of black metal
was almost a religious experience and then witnessing the Kings of Metal
themselves, well, as the cliche goes, it just doesn't get any better than
this.
[Daniel Hind]
ICED EARTH / IN FLAMES / JAG PANZER
April 27, 2002
The Graceland, Seattle, WA
After an unusually long wait in the chill spring air, the lengthy line of
metalheads was finally admitted to the dingy little club that is the Graceland.
Fortunately, the wait inside was much shorter and Jag Panzer took the stage
with an energy I wasn’t expecting from such a veteran act. Launching
full-throttle into “License to Kill,” the band was quite animated and had
the hardcore metal fans up front going nuts. Looking around the rest
of the venue, I couldn’t help but smile at the thought that a good number
of the kids present weren’t even born when Ample Destruction was released
back in ’84. Equal conviction was applied to newer cuts like “Tyranny,”
“Iron Eagle,” “Take to the Sky” and the classic “Black.” It was a short
but quite enjoyable set that hopefully sparked the imaginations of those
present who weren’t previously familiar with this underrated band.
In Flames decided to torment (enlighten?) the crowd with some Massive Attack
before climbing on stage and laying down their unique brand of melodic modern
metal. Having seen them a couple years back, I wasn’t too surprised
by their incredible energy and stage presence, but it was still impressive.
Note must be made also of the band’s incredible sound – the drums in particular
just sounded huge. The band slams through such infectious tracks as
“Only For the Weak,” “Bullet Ride,” “Artifacts of the Black Rain” and “Episode
666” with utter precision and incredible feeling. The crowd was bouncing
around so hard at points, it felt like the floor was going to cave in.
The recent re-issue of Lunar Strain meant we were treated to some oldies,
namely the pounding “Behind Space” and the even better “Clad in Shadows.”
The band closed up with “Colony,” bringing an all-too-short set to a close.
Iced Earth didn’t have quite the same quality of sound (with an annoyingly
loud and wooden snare drum sticking out in the mix), but they delivered in
every other way. Vocalist Mat Barlow sounded great, delivering the
heartfelt melodic lines just as powerfully as the venom-filled ones.
With so many albums to glean material from, the band easily put together
a killer setlist, rampaging through “My Own Saviour,” “The Hunter,” “Melancholy,”
“Watching Over Me,” “Wolf,” “Damien” and the full Something Wicked
trilogy. While I could have personally done without the (literal)
flag-waving that heralded in the band's set, to each their own and it certainly
fits with Iced Earth's convictions.
It's rare that I get to see a show with three such killer metal bands and
I must congratulate whoever it was that put together such a fine touring
line-up. Heavy metal, power metal and melodic death all co-existed
for one hell of a night.
[Daniel Hinds]
DIMMU BORGIR / CRYPTOPSY / KRISIUN / DIABOLIC
March 16, 2002
The Graceland, Seattle, WA
The icy mix of rain and snow that enshrouded Seattle today was the perfect
welcome for Norway's black metal masters Dimmu Borgir. Sadly, Diabolic
went on early and I missed them entirely, but Krisiun set everything right.
After a rather inauspicious start, the band quickly worked itself and the
audience into a frenzy with its brand of Brazilian death metal. Their
uncompromising speed and brutality always left me a bit flat on CD, but live
it is thoroughly compelling. Where the influence of Slayer can be felt
in Krisiun's approach, Cryptopsy obviously grew up more with Morbid Angel.
Hailing from Canada, this lot unleashed a sound that was as technically complex
as it was utterly ferocious. The double bass drum hammering threatened
to rearrange my heartbeat, while new vocalist Martin Lacroix was pure adrenaline
and unleashed fierce death growls like he was born to do nothing else.
Highlight was a ripping version of "Open Face Surgery" from their '94 debut,
but the entire set was impressive the same way Nile's was last year.
While it seemed unlikely the pit action could get any more intense after
Cryptopsy, Dimmu Borgir proved otherwise. Their mix of symphonic keyboards
and raging black metal works just as well live as on the records, a fact
that came as a bit of a surprise. Also, vocalist Shagrath does a good
job of maintaining an air of detachment while still interacting effectively
with the crowd. The playing was spot-on from all involved as the band
tore through mostly newer material with plenty of hateful zeal, closing with
a storming version of "Mourning Palace" that actually had the audience shouting
the lyrics along in unison. Only downside to the evening was the brevity
of each band's set, but the performances were great and the crowd was energized
from start to finish.
[Daniel Hinds]
SCORPIONS + SAN JOSE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / NIGHT RANGER
/ PAT TRAVERS
September 2, 2000
Cow Palace, San Francisco, California
The Scorpions recently visited American shores for two historic concerts
in Los Angeles and San Francisco, supporting their recent philharmonic
rock fusion album, Moment of Glory. With the support of the San Jose
Symphony, the German rock legends stung Metallica’s 1999 symphonic rock
effort with Michael Kamen and the San Francisco Symphonic Orchestra in
their own backyard. For fans who began to question the validity of
Scorpions in the new millennium, myself included, the performance was like
a reunion with a best friend you’ve not seen for twenty years.
Conceived as a promotional stunt and plugged relentlessly as “The Bone
Bash,” by San Francisco’s KSAN 107.7 FM (aka The Bone), the show also featured
Night Ranger and Pat Travers, plus a Zeppelin cover outfit called Heartbreaker.
The show began early in afternoon with live broadcasts, a bone BBQ, and
freebies galore in the south Exhibit Hall. Travers went on about 5:30 and
offered up his catalogue of blues brawling favorites which were well received
by the fat and variably wasted audience. Having never seen Travers
in his hey day, I must admit to being impressed by his genuine stage demeanor
and rock and roll enthusiasm, though I only got to see the last couple
of songs, which included a racous enchore of Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights).
When the lights did go out there was an ensuing gate crash from the
Exhibit Hall into the Cow Palace that dangerously approached stampede proportions
when Night Ranger began to play. It seems that KSAN failed to predict
that 8,000 people would have to exit two doors and enter two more in the
course of about 20 minutes to get to the Cow Palace arena. Expecting Night
Ranger to suck, I took the safer approach and stood clear of the mob, fearing
a potential Who at Cincinnati Riverfront tragedy. Fortunately this
didn’t occur and Night Ranger followed through with the suck factor.
The Cow Palace is a virtual time capsule of early 20th century commerce
and entertainment. Like a giant ashtray with a concrete lid, the
levels of seating offer little slope as they stretch farther from the stage
into the rafters. The walls of its foyer exhibit the images of 60’s
and 70’s supergroups like the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart. Nearly
obsolescent as a sports arena, it remains a popular venue for large punk
and metal concerts. Tucked away on the more working class side of
working class San Francisco, and surrounded by aging poplar trees and rusted
chain link fence, even the parking lot of the Cow Palace has the peculiar
charm of puke and piss stains from the great preshow parties of yesteryear.
The venue made the magic of The Scorpions’ performance that much more
enchanting as the San Jose Symphony began the opening arrangement of Hurricane
2000. Sporting their contemporary new look, Germany's finest graciously
shared the stage with their company of musicians as they took a roller
coaster ride of ballads and rockers that included Send Me An Angel, Big
City Nights, Winds of Change and a mesmerizing version of The Zoo.
Indeed, the San Jose Symphony shared most of the stage and the spotlight
throughout the performance, and seemed somewhat surprised by the appreciation
shown them by the diversified crowd of Bay Area rockers.
More so than any other performance I've seen from Scorpions, the band
seemed content to step out of the "rock star" personna and embrace the
audience on a more informal level. "This song is dedicated to all
the long-time fans of Scorpions," stated Klaus Meine as the band and orchestra
started into We'll Burn The Sky on cue. Half of the near capacity
crowd sang along to a song that is out of print and has not been played
live in America for more the 20 years while the other half raised their
lighters in tribute. It was at that point in time that the true fan
knew he was in the company of friends and the band knew it was in the company
of true fans. A scorching instrumental version of He's A Woman, She's
A Man brought the Cow Palace to the boiling point. Dynamite made it a meltdown.
The Scopions returned and stood aside as the San Jose Symphony received
a standing ovation. Proclaiming the event a "a special night," Klaus
led the ensemble into two brilliant enchores with Still Loving You and
and a medley of Holiday/No One Like You. Artist and audience member
alike stumbled out of the Cow Palace after the final bow was taken, drunk
on the musical coctail they had just slammed.
[Ted Hinds]
KING DIAMOND / SHADOWS FALL /
BABYLON WHORES / DEEP
July 24, 2000
The Catwalk, Seattle, Washington
I was expecting a long, slow night, with 4 bands and all, but the bands
got set up and playing in a very timely manner. First up was an unknown
to me, Pavement's Deep. From their no-nonsense attire, I was expecting
some kind of dead-dull hardcore-metal, but Deep surprised me. Hailing
from Houston, Texas, the band whipped up quite a fury of thrash metal.
Not completely old school, but there were some cool harmonies and solos
to be had, plus the vocalist had a nice, raw-throated approach not unlike
Mille from Kreator.
After a very brief setup, Finland's Babylon Whores took the stage.
The band seems to have a much more punk-like energy on stage, but they
carried off their gothic/Sabbath brand of metal really well. Running
through mainly tracks from the recent (and brilliant) King Fear, the band
threw in some older tracks, too. Sadly, the audience just stared
in utter apathy, a reaction I just could not fathom. Oh well - they
rocked and I had a good time.
The over-hyped Shadows Fall was next and had a lot to live up to.
Sporting probably the best sound of the evening, the band launched into
a frenzied set of death/thrash/hardcore metal. The vocalist sported
some truly dangerous looking dreads, which he took great pleasure in whipping
around, and the rest of the band was equally animated. The playing
was also very impressive - extremely tight, even on the most complex tracks.
Unfortunately, their actual songs still didn't really come alive for me
and I was more than ready for their set to end by the time it did.
King Diamond is a legend and it is easy to see why. The man has
recorded countless albums of classic metal, toured year after year, and
yet still manages to put on a great show. While the theatrical part
of this show has been toned down this time around (consisting mainly of
a female dancer that came out dressed in various costumes throughout the
set), the music end of things was pure bliss. Running through tracks
from nearly every album, the band really set fire to tracks like "Sleepless
Nights," "Dressed in White," "Abigail," "Black Horsemen," "Voodoo" and
a particularly fierce "Burn." Four cuts from the newest, House of
God, were stuck together in the middle of the set, with "Black Devil" and
"Help!!!" being the obvious winners. My only complaint was that he
didn't play longer, but it was still a very satisfying set from one of
metal's true masters.
[Daniel Hinds]
MERCYFUL FATE / NEVERMORE
September 27, 1999
The Fenix Aboveground, Seattle, Washington
Having bought tickets to Fate's Seattle engagement last summer and ultimately
missing the show, I was extremely psyched that they were back again this
year. Not only that, but they were touring with a better album and
had one of Seattle's greatest, Nevermore, opening the show.
Actually, local boys M.A.C. opened the proceedings, but I was caught
up chatting with a devoted power metaller outside the venue during their
set. From what was bleeding outside, they were in the metal-core
vein ala Pissing Razors and Pantera, but I couldn't tell you much beyond
that.
Once inside, it was a short while before Nevermore started their set.
Not being that familiar with their material (I've only got In Memory
and Politics of Ecstasy), I wasn't sure how much I'd get into the
show. Fortunately, the band put on a kick-ass show and I was even
getting into the songs I didn't know (which were surprisingly few).
Highlights of their set would have to be the raging "Next in Line," the
brilliantly executed medley of Bauhaus' "Double Dare" and "Silent Hedges,"
and the epic "Dreaming Neon Black." The woman who came out to duet
with singer Warrel Dane did an amazing job - hope to hear more of her in
the future. Dane's stage raps were fairly entertaining, too, and
he was adamant that more people should be stage-diving and moshing.
His unique voice sounded just as good live as on record and the whole band
delivered a powerful, energetic set.
Nevermore's set was certainly going to be difficult to top, but if there
is any band up to the task, it is Mercyful Fate. After the poorly-chosen
opening track "9," the band launch into "Evil" and the fun really begins.
Mike Wead has integrated perfectly into the band and King Diamond's voice
was in great form tonight (much better than last time I saw him, back on
the In the Shadows trek). Overcoming the lack of any real stage set
(or even much of a stage, for that matter), the band blasted through new
tunes "Burn In Hell," "Last Rites" and "Sold My Soul," making them all
sound even better than their recorded counterparts. Of course, everyone
wanted to hear the classics and the Danes (and Swedes!) didn't disappoint.
Tracks like "Doomed By the Living Dead," "Come to the Sabbath," "Nightmare,"
"A Dangerous Meeting" and "Desecration of Souls" are all executed with
perfection, but the highlight of the evening had to be the full-length
assault known as "Satan's Fall."
All in all, a totally satisfying evening of metal My neck is still
sore, two days later...
[Daniel Hinds]
HATE DEPT.
December 22, 1998
Doc's Nightclub Monterey, California
"No shit!" was the first utterance from my lips when I saw the listing
for this show in my tiny tourist trap of a town (Monterey, CA). I had to
look at the listing again to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating from
lack of caffeine so early in the morning. I wasn't and on the 22nd I found
myself at the tiny yet accommodating bar/club named after the famous Ed
"Doc" Rickets (read Steinbeck's Cannery Row and you'll
know who I'm talking about). Since Tuesday nights are usually "Local Showcase
Night" I had to endure two local blues bands before Hate Dept. took
the stage. In the meanwhile Seibold (vocals for Hate Dept.)
and my friends and I struck up quite a repartee and were invited to coffee
after the show with the band. They finally went on around 11pm with plenty
of angst and energy for this girl to dance to...
Monterey is not really a town that is used to an Industrial band playing
in their midst (hell I am one of the few Goths in this place) and it was
quite evident with most of the crowd leaving after about 6 songs. Alternating
between the first two releases and with a smattering of new tracks intertwined
Hate
Dept. was solid and couldn't have sounded better.Oh yah, they are really
nice guys too, but don't let them know I told you that.
[A. Nocturna]
IMPOTENT SEA SNAKES / LESBIAN MUFF DIVERS
/ JOE'S FRIEND
The Fenix, Seattle, Washington
July 30, 1998
Seattle is a town desperate and violent to maintain its credentials. Just
barely surviving the onslaught of the MTV Barbarian Hordes that raped and
pillaged the local music community, leaving the dead strewn across the
city as the Horde continues its mad conquest for The Next Big Thing, the
Emerald City has retreated upon itself into a musical Luddite mentality.
Its low-fi survivors cling desperately to its previous tenets of faith,
defending the DIY approach with religious zeal that casts its stones upon
those who would dare bring the lost art of showmanship into the mix. Punk
‘til you puke is the new golden rule, gentle readers, but that mentality
is slowly eroding from within as the music homogenizes into a steady unwaivering
white noise of 2/4 punk beats and three chord progressions.
Yet even the most conditioned of the indie-label priests must yield
to the overwhelming spectacle that comprises the Impotent Sea
Snakes, friends and loved ones. We are sadly deficient in our Outrageousness
Quotient in our music, slightly appalling for the city that hosts the Sisters
of Perpetual Indulgence and the Goddess Kring. On July 30th
, the Fenix hosted one of the strangest musical spectacles we’ve probably
allowed into our borders, their name alone warns you of the impending cerebral
damage you’re about to experience in their performance. The Snakes
do what they can to make sure you remember their merry antics, from topless
women being sodomized by nuns to a fire-eating stilt walker in fishnets
. Only P.T. Barnum the old codger himself could have dreamt of such
carnal madness, probably in those waking nightmares which ended in the
world blowing up. The details of their performances would only cheapen
the summation of their parts, but an attempt must be made to describe the
ensemble for posterity. A fifteen-piece traveling circus, only five of
which actually perform musically. These five lingerie-clad gentlemen invoke
musical memories of the Ramones if Joey had suggested they
wear drag instead of leather jackets, or perhaps the New York Dolls
if David Johannsen had suggested they practice. Very tight, punchy
cock-inspired rock that keeps the music momentum in a constant pulse. (I
could have done very well without the squeaky blonde bimbo doing the occasional
vocals, I must admit. But any excuse to show a pair of tits, I suppose
is a good enough excuse.) The music serves as a backdrop to the elaborate
stage show that accompanies their musical shenanigans, which literally
throws every possible kink and flash at the audience. A little something
to offend (or tantalize) anyone and everyone. Bondage women raping stuffed
animals? You betcha. Industrial metal-grinders against a pair of steel
panties (being worn, of course)? Thrown into the mix as well. A human piñata
hanging on a bungee cord from the ceiling? Add the metal hooks through
his back to hold him up, and you’re well on your way to knowing the Big
Picture here. It’s the official soundtrack to the destruction of Sodom
and Gomorroh, my friends. And a damn good beat to boot.
Let’s not forget the valiant efforts of the Lesbian Muff Divers and
Joe’s
Friend, who opened the show with pluck and daring (considering what
they had to open for). A local band, the Lesbian Muff Divers can
be best described as cute and fun, but definitely not up to the outrageousness
of the Snakes. Three actual musicians (their bassist is quite good),
and four female back-up singers which seem to serve the purpose of being,
well, cute. There does seem to be an inside joke, however, regarding their
name. I can just hear them introduced themselves with, “Hi. I’m a Lesbian
Muff Diver. Tee hee!” Awww, how cute. But they performed well, a very tight
performance (no jokes, please), and ended their set with the 50’s cover,
“The
Lion Sleeps Tonight”. What do you think of that? Yeah, me too.
Cute.
Joe’s Friend, although completely lacking the sexual audacity
of the Sea Snakes or the cute factor of the Muff Divers,
opened with a good crowd response based solely on their own efforts. On
tour from San Francisco, their musical ability was top-notch and perhaps
technically better than the other two bands combined. As my musical companion
[Dr. Badger] noted, “They look like the poster children for Mad
Magazine”. Very apt. With a guitarist that kept biting his own arm
and deep-throating his microphone, a bassist with green hair partially
shaved and goatee and a lead singer jerking around while smearing shaving
cream all over himself, they did warrant a comparison to a Sergio Arroganes
drawing of the typical rock band gone totally insane. Still, opening to
a cold audience in an unknown town, Joe’s Friend rose quickly to
the challenge (a sign of a good touring band). When the lead singer commented
on how easy it was to work with a guitarist on loan from an asylum (as
the guitarist ticked and grimaced in time with the music), it seemed just
a shade from possibility, and I like that. I don’t know where they ran
screaming to after the show, but who cares. Rock isn’t supposed to make
sense. Is that where we go wrong? Has Seattle grown too serious for its
own good, even about its pop music? Perhaps, but as long as we have SeaSnakes
and Muff Divers and guitarists on loan from asylums playing our
clubs from time to time, I think we’ll weather the storm.
[P.T. Swizzlestick]
SWITCHBLADE SYMPHONY / SUNSHINE
BLIND / NUMANTRA
The Fenix, Seattle, Washington
June 19, 1997
When we got to the show it was halfway through Numantra's set, which
is a shame because they were a fairly decent band. They had apparently
just formed recently which made it more of a surprise. At the center of
the band is their sitarist. If I had a problem with the sitar is that it
was the at the forefront of all of the songs. Also, it had a tendency to
get drowned out by the other instruments when things would really get going.
The other principle actor in Numantra is their female lead singer.
She was really good also, but every song that included vocals sounded exactly
alike and one had to wonder if she could only sing to that specific rhythm
at that specific speed. As for the instrumentals, they were really upbeat
and sounded somewhat similar as well. They basically need to work on blending
elements of sound and rhythm better. I think the deftness of the drummer
might have been overlooked. Actually, this may have happened with all three
bands, but the drumming was superb from opening to close.
Sunshine Blind played before a fairly fullhouse which was cool.
I had the impression that a lot of people had not heard of Sunshine
Blind and really didn't know what to expect. Sunshine Blind
put on a really excellent show mixing tracks from their two albums fairly
well together to create a rocking atmosphere. I was actually surprised
as to the extent that they really rocked in concert. They seemed to pass
on playing their longer more atmospheric pieces. As an opening act, I think
they made the right choice. Caroline is a really strong presence
on stage and her voice has a tendency to carry the music along at points,
but only when it is supposed to and it is meant to. CHWK guitar
playing provide the perfect backdrop for her vocals. They seemed to catch
some of the audience offguard with their rendition of "I Ran" and
Caroline
seemed
to catch her second wind somewhere near the beginning of that song.
With two strong opening bands it almost felt like a letdown was imminent.
Switchblade
Symphony were nothing of the kind. From the very opening moments with
the 4 foot cut out cats and the bubble machine going, the entire set was
a whole bunch of fun and somewhat magical at the same time.
Tina is
great on stage. Not only does she pull off her vocals with relative ease,
she also finds time to play with the entire audience. And she's ever so
gracious and humble. It's all quite cute actually. On the other hand, Susan
stands
behind her keyboard head swaying around and around her eyes glazed over
like she is in some kind of trance or possessed even. It was all too much
fun to be an actual gothic concert. The sheer positiveness and vivacity
of life traits that seem to be alive and well in Switchblade. And
then maybe the happiest news of the night, Tina
announced that there
would be a new album coming out sometime in August. Joy.
[Victor Mejia]
XORCIST / CHRIST ANALOGUE / SCAR
TISSUE
The Fenix, Seattle, Washington
May 29th, 1997
I had just seen Scar Tissue not two weeks earlier and, well, I wasn't
impressed. This time around, though, they laid out some very distinct and
well-designed sounds. The DAT machines played more tribal percussion loops
and some compelling ambient soundscapes. At least at first. The duo soon
fell back on a more typical industrial style-- drum/snare patterns and
unrecognizeable vocals. To spice it up throughout the show, the guitarist
and the singer made sounds with various toys, which gave Scar Tissue
a sense of levity you wouldn't expect from looks or sound.
Christ Analogue wasn't as creative with their sound, but was
perhaps a little tighter. They sounded and looked like Nitzer Ebb,
wearing more vinyl and sporting a drummer. Think fast synth lines and dense
drumming layered over already dense drum-machine programming. Add a little
guitar and well-done shout/sung vocals. Next time you see them, see if
the keyboardist attempts a stage dive again.
Xorcist was... um... yeah, well, you have to see them. Their
music translates very dirtectly to the live setting. They have some interesting
films to show. Have you seen pictures of Peter Stone? Very interesting
man to see on stage, I couldn't tell if he hated being up there or it was
just a part of the whole untra-goth-persona. His drummer was equally intriguing
to watch, but she couldn't keep a rhythm. Because 99% of the sound came
from unmanned machines, the whole spectacle of these two seemed very disembodied
from the music. Disembodied is a good word for the whole attitude Xorcist
the
band exuded while Xorcist's music played.
[Laird Sheldahl]
16 VOLT / RORSCHACH TEST / SCAR TISSUE
The Fenix, Seattle, Washington
April 3, 1997
This was my first experience with the Fenix and I was pleased to discover
it’s a decent, if somewhat small, club right next to the King Dome in downtown
Seattle. Arriving at about 9:30, the turnout looked dismal, but by the
time Rorschach Test went on, it was filling in nicely, and 16 Volt had
a full (though not packed) crowd going on.
Up first, though, were Scar Tissue, a two-man project on 21st Circuitry
(and featured in the latest IN). Unfamiliar as I was with their material,
this probably wasn’t the best way to experience it. The sound was not good,
with the vocals effected to the point of incomprehensibility, which was
fine as they tended to get buried along with everything else under the
overwhelming drums and noisy samples. The more upbeat numbers worked best,
whereas the rest of the material became tedious very quickly and the cheesy
vocal effects didn’t help, either. The blank response from the crowd assembled
by that point pretty much said it all...
Rorschach Test are more of a full-on band, with live guitar and drums,
plus no real vocal effects. Once again, I’m not familiar with most of their
work, most of which had a metallic edge without sounding ‘metal’ at all.
These tunes didn’t really work for me, as the vocals tended to get a bit
screechy, but the more mellow songs were surprisingly good and showed a
dimension to the band I wouldn’t have guessed existed. I would have much
preferred more selections in this direction, but it was still a halfway
decent set. Whoever was running the strobe must have been drunk, though...
Apparently 16 Volt had canceled their past couple of Seattle shows,
so they really had a lot to live up to with this one. Kicking off with
“The Dreams That Rot In Your Heart,” the band quickly got up to speed and
the brilliant mesh of guitars and electronics that Eric Powell & Co.
have built three albums on. The energy really shone through on cuts like
“Breed,” “Head of Stone” and “The Cut Collector.” Two cuts from the second
album, Skin, came across particularly well, namely “Perfectly Fake” and
the title track. The band admittedly have a heavier sound live than on
disc, but it works, especially with the newer tracks and the band seemed
far more into the show than either of the previous bands, which helped
get the audience moving during the more upbeat songs.
A mixed evening that ended on a good note, with a band that never seems
to tire of touring....and it shows.
[Daniel Hinds]
SKY CRIES MARY
WOW Hall, Eugene, Oregon
March 19, 1997
When you see a band once and they really impress you and you decide to
go see them again, you're basically setting yourself up for a letdown.
This is what happened when I saw Sky Cries Mary the other night. I don't
know what it is, but it seems like the band has abandoned a lot of their
ethereal qualities which I liked so much and have gone more in a psychedelic
rock direction.
The first time I saw them I was really drunk and I think that added
to the experience. I am sad to say that I really don't think a person can
get the full effect of a Sky Cries Mary concert without being on some kind
of drug. The first time I saw them I was basically enthralled watching
the band and for some reason the other night I was bored watching the band
and I focused on the psychedelic images on the screen behind the band.
Anyone who has seen or heard this band will know that their greatest strength
is the combination of Roderick and Anisa Romero's vocals. Well at this
show, the vocals were mixed a bit too low and were often drowned out by
the guitars. The first show I saw had some glitches, one of the monitors
didn't work so they couldn't perform a couple of their songs and Roderick
broke some stuff, but they at least seemed to be trying to overcome all
of those things and I think that they did. This show it didn't even seem
like they were trying.
[Victor Mejia]
CLUSTER / THE BRAIN w/ BOND BERGLAND
W.O.W. Hall, Eugene, Oregon
July 10, 1996
I wasn't too sure what to expect from this show, as I'd never actually
heard either Cluster or The Brain before. Guitarist Bond Bergland took
the stage first, immediately drawing the crowd in with his unifque style
of effects-driven guitar-playing. Building one piece on top of the previous
one, it sounded like an entire band playing at some points. Very impressive.
About three or four songs into his set (and these were long songs),
the two members of The Brain took the stage and started adding their analog-heavy
synth work to the mix. This is where things really got going and was my
favorite part of the night. The Brain are equally expert at developing
chest-rattling bass-line grooves and hyper-ambient atmospherics. The sogns
were lengthy but never boring, accompanied by diverse images projected
on the wall behind the band.
Finally, the headliners, Cluster, took the stage on their first ever
U.S. tour in their 25+ year existence. A dramatically stark set-up, where
Hans Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius each stood behind a rack of electronic
equipment and silently maniupulated it to great effect. Cluster were far
more ambient than The Brain, forcing their machines to produce such organic-sounding
noises, it was incredible. Each piece of music evoked vivid imagery, whether
it was a cold stream in the dense jungle beyond all civilization, a hot
and dusty attic-room of long-forgotten tools, or a damp subway in the early
hours of a dying metropolis. Okay, well maybe not everyone got those images,
but I sure did and Cluster made everything look so easy, too.
Definitely a rare show for the Eugene area and a thoroughly offbeat
and enjoyable evening. Check them out if they come through your town.
[Daniel Hinds]
SCORPIONS / ALICE COOPER / DDT
Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
July 5, 1996
It's a testament to the Scorpions' devoted following that, in this day
of Green Day and Pearl Jam, they can still play a place like the Rose Garden.
Of course, Alice has a pretty loyal crowd, too, and made for a great co-headline
type bill that was well-received by the aging but enthusiastic audience.
Openers DDT (terrible name!) were new to me and, from the response they
got, everyone else, too. Surprisingly, they put on a good show, reminding
me of a cross between Ugly Kid Joe and Faith No More, with some ska influences
as well. But this wasn't what everyone had paid $30+ to see and, after
about 25 minutes, DDT made way for the master of shock rock...
Alice Cooper was in fine form. Backed by a band of top-notch musicians,
he tore through such classics as "No More Mr. Nice Guy," "Under My Wheels,"
"18" and "Billion Dollar Babies." Later in the set, he slowed things down
for a couple tunes, namely "Only Women Bleed" and the classic "Welcome
to My Nightmare." In terms of newer material, it was obvious Alice knew
where his strengths were so he only played "Lost In America," "Feed My
Frankenstein" and "Poison." I would have liked to hear more material from
The Last Temptation, but hearing the oldies was just as good.
Back 'in the day,' Alice was as much about theater and performance as
about music, and some of that tradition is carried on still. Saving these
bits for the last few songs was a good idea, focusing only on the music
for the first half of the set. Donning his usual over-the-top outfit for
"School's Out," he then left the crowd satisfied with the timely "Elected."
Finally, the legendary German qunitet took the stage with the straight-forward
rocker "Tease Me, Please Me." During the first few songs, such as "Loving
You Sunday Morning" and "Bad Boys Running Wild," the band were right on
target but seemed a little lacking in the energy department. My fear that
they'd gotten too old to still rock the house were laid to rest, though,
as the band charged up such classics as "Blackout," "Big City Nights" "Alien
Nation" and "The Zoo." Known for their power-ballads, the Scorps didn't
disappoint in this department either, delivering a fine acoustic "Holiday,"
along with "Wind of Change" and the epic "Still Loving You." As the show
wound down, they brought out some contest winners (or is that weiners?)
and launched into a surprisingly lively rendition of their latest single,
"Wild Child," before closing down with "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and
thanking everyone for coming.
I must admit a certain sense of awe when the Scorpions first took the
stage, just thinking about how many stages this band has occupied in the
past 25 years in just about every corner of the globe. Maybe they're not
the dynamos they were fifteen years ago, but they can still pull off a
great show and that's just what they did. [Daniel Hinds]
FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY / DIE KRUPPS / NUMB
La Luna, Portland, Oregon
March 23, 1996
Definitely one of the most eargerly anticipated shows in a long time, this
evening was no disappointment. The La Luna was packed for this one, the
first stop on this tour. Numb kicked things off in fine style. This Vancouver
electro act has been on the scene for a lot longer than many and were one
of the first bands to (successfully) combine heavy guitar with an electronic
foundation. The first few numbers were high-speed, metal-injected numbers,
but they covered the bases with some slower (but no less intesne) cuts,
my favorites of which were "Blood" and "Shithammer." The vocals were a
lot angrier than on their most recent album Wasted Sky and the beats were
relentless. A solid and very enjoyable set.
As much as I hate to pick a favorite from this set, I'd have to say
that Die Krupps put in the most impressive performance of the evening.
Concentrating on newer material, the band just pummelled the audience with
tracks like "Iron Man," "Isolation" and "To The Hilt." Throwing some twists
into the set, the band peformed the emotional "Fatherland," (Jurgen to
audience: "FUCKING LISTEN!!!") and added some well-placed metal percussion
to tracks like "Metal Machine Muzik." The band really throw themselves
into their performance, especially Jurgen and guitarist Lee Altus (who's
sound was fucking HEAVY).
After a very extended intro version of "Mortal," Front Line Assembly
kicked into a thoroughly dazzling set of new material and classics. The
light show FLA has is very impressive and well complements the music, though
they should lose the TVs hanging off each side of the stage. Bill Leeb's
stage presense is...odd to say the least. He seems to be constantly in
motion, detached from the crowd but always aware of it. His vocal style
doesn't translate as well to a live medium as I had hoped, losing out to
the power of the music at times. Still, the band was in fine form and seemed
to be enjoying themselves as much as the audience was. I had to leave early,
but a couple highlights I caught were a stunning version of "Resist" (the
most head-banging tune of the entire evening, believe it or not) and a
drum-frenzied rendition of "Barcode" that thoroughly impressed me. I thought
it was interesting how they added some guitar lines here and there to some
of the songs from Tactical Neural Implant. It worked to make the show more
cohesive without losing the integrity of the original versions. I wish
I could have seen the whole set, as Front Line have long been one of my
favorites. A class act, to be sure.
If you live even remotely near a city on this tour, DO NOT MISS IT!
[Daniel Hinds]
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
The Mill Camp, Springfield, Oregon
February 8, 1996
One of the most original and underrated heavy rock bands from the 70s,
Blue Öyster Cult have maintained a level of quality with their releases
over the past twenty years that many bands can't keep up for more than
one album. Yet, unlike other great rock actts like AC/DC or even Black
Sabbath, BÖC has never stagnated and fallen into the trap of re-writing
past glories.
This tour coincides with the release of a double-CD greatest hits package
on Columbia and marks (I believe) the introduction of a new bassist and
drummer (their names escape me, I'm afraid). It was obvious at a few points
that the new faces were still trying to find their space, resulting in
a couple of missed beats and an awkward bass solo during "Godzilla." Overall,
though, the band was up to their usual professional standard and really
clicked on tracks like "Cities on Flame," newie "I Want To See You In Black"
and the ripping "The Red & The Black." Other set highlights included
the poetic "Last Days of May," the storming "Dominance & Submission,"
and the revamped "O.D.'ed on Life Itself." As usual, BÖC threw some
surprises into the mix, this time in the guise of "Teen Archer," "Before
The Kiss (A Redcap)" and a blistering version of "Lips In The Hills." The
other new tune, "Harvest Moon," was more laid-back (a typical Buck song),
but also quite impressive. The stage raps were nothing new and the band
wasn't at their most energetic, but they had just come through Canada and
Washington during the severe storms and floods, so any lack of energy can
be
forgiven. Still, when it worked (such as during the encore, for example),
the result was breathtaking.
So while fads come and go, bands splash and disappear, Blue Öyster
Cult are still here, spinning tales of science and mystery, darkness and
intrigue. If you've never checked them out before or written them off as
a one-hit wonder, go back and give an earful to albums like "Secret Treaties"
and "Fire of Unknown Origin." The BÖC sound is unique and should interest
all types of music fans. Astronomy: the career of evil... [Daniel Hinds] |
