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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Upcoming show reminder/update!


Hey dudes and dudettes! It's been a while since some new shows were added, but there have been some and I'll put em all here in a sec! But here's a quick reminder of some killer shows coming up between now and the end of May:

Overkill w/ God Forbid, Suidakra, Diamond Plate, Marasmus at the Beaumont Club on April 26th!
Kittie w/ Warbringer, Pathology, The Agonist, Bonded By Blood, Blackguard at the Beaumont Club on May 9th!
Bible of the Devil at the Riot Room on May 9th!
Origin w/ Cattle Decapitation, Aborted, Decrepit Birth, Battlecross, Troglodyte at The Granada on May 18th!
Danzig and Doyle play Misfits! w/ Hammerlord at Uptown Theater on May 31st!

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Now, here are some shows that have been announced recently:

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The father of theatrics and shock rock, Alice Cooper, returns to Kansas City after a long while on June 15th at the Midland Theater! I saw him a few years back at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, and he put on an amazing show! Can't wait to see this legend again.





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Torche is taking a break from their tour with Corrosion of Conformity to bring possibly the heaviest show of the year to the Riot Room on June 17th! Also with them is The Slowdown!





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A pretty big concert for Kansas City - Dream Theater will be making a semi-rare appearance at Starlight Theater on June 29th! Opening for them will be a King Crimson cover band featuring ex-members of the band! Should be a fantastic show.




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My personal concert that I'm super excited for is the return of probably the heaviest duo on the planet - BLACK COBRA. They'll be bringing crazy awesome sludgey/crusty/grindy guru's Gaza to the Riot Room on July 2nd! I was floored when I saw these guys a couple years ago. Their last album was amazing, so this show will be off the charts crazy.






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And finally, just announced - Nightwish will be returning to Kansas City at the Beaumont Club on September 27th. Along with them is Kamelot. It's not often you see these two bands around these parts, so it's a can't-miss show!





Friday, April 20, 2012

Sabaton -- Kansas City, MO -- April 19th, 2012

First things first: go see Sabaton if they are EVER near you. They packed the most energy and showmanship into a live performance I may have ever seen. And this is coming from someone who really hadn't even listened to the band before this week!

Before the band took the stage, they played The Final Countdown over the speakers and everyone was singing along. It was in that moment that I knew the crowd for this show would be amazing, and it really was one of the best crowds I've ever been a part of, even if there weren't a ton of people there. The band exploded onto stage for Ghost Division, and the vocalist Par Sundstrom had the most energy I've seen from a frontman in a long time. He was all over the stage, pounding his fists and jumping up on the monitors. Very animated and very fun to watch. The new guitarists did their jobs perfectly and didn't miss a note. The whole band was all smiles and joking around with each other during the show and it just made the whole experience that much better.

The crowd was very, very loud and energetic throughout Sabaton's entire performance. After every show, we started chanting "Sabaton!" and every time it flabbergasted the band. I know every band says something to the same effect, but I truly believe they weren't expecting a small crowd (200~) on a Thursday night at their very first show in Kansas City to be so crazy and sing along with every single song in the set. The crowd went nuts for every song, but mostly for 40:1, Attero Dominatus, and Swedish Pagans. Par threw his sunglasses out into the crowd during Metal Crue, and it just capped off an excellent night. As someone who was pretty much oblivious to the band until I saw them, they put on one of the best shows I've EVER seen. No joke. See them.

The opening bands were awesome as well! The first band was Alsatia, and they might just be my new favorite power metal band from Kansas City. They were really fast and pretty technical power metal, and it was just great fun. Every member of the band was fantastic.

The second band of the night was Obliterate the Apex, featuring James King (ex-Origin) on drums. While that dude is a beast, so is everyone else in the band! They were the odd band out on the line-up, being technical death metal, but I think their talent and technical prowess won the band over. The two guitarists were blowing my mind at multiple times during the set. Can't wait to see them again!

The last opening band was classic KC power metal band Ancient Creation. Nearing their tenth year as a band, these dudes had a throwback sound to other KC metal like Manilla Road, and it was awesome. Lots of great melodies and great vocals to compliment their fun set. Some of the crowd was singing along as well!

All in all - DON'T MISS SABATON.

Sabaton:

Intro: The March to War
Ghost Division
Uprising
40:1
Cliffs of Gallipoli
Midway
The Art of War
Into the Fire
Carolus Rex
Swedish Pagans
Attero Dominatus
The Price of a Mile
Coat of Arms
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Primo Victoria
Metal Crue

Ancient Creation (out of order/partial):

Bringer of Evil
Profane Destiny
Apocalypse

[artist]Sabaton[/artist]: 10/10
[artist]Ancient Creation[/artist]: 8/10
[artist]Obliterate the Apex[/artist]: 8.5/10
[artist]Alsatia[/artist]: 9/10

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Behemoth -- Lawrence, KS -- April 16th, 2012

I've never had a show ruined for me because of sound problems, but last night came pretty close. Luckily, it ended up still being a fantastic concert.

The first band was In Solitude. Although they play pretty much straight-up heavy metal, it kind of had a tinge of black metal to the sound in some songs. The vocalist looked like he was insane, he was muttering to himself and drooling everywhere during the whole set. It was definitely awesome.

The Devil's Blood was the surprising highlight for me. Their brand of occult rock translates so well live, and the guitar players can really shred. In every song, there was at least one solo (usually more) that just made my jaw drop. The vocalist had an insane presence and had the best singing voice of the night and just hit every single note. It was really awesome, and I'm hooked on them now.

Our date was the first date that Watain played on the tour. Throughout the whole night I kept smelling a skunk but it never really hit me until right before Watain just where the smell was coming from. They brought out some giant inverted crosses and hung animal skulls and bones on some poles, then put out some skinned animal heads. Those smelled pretty bad, but it was nothing compared to when Watain themselves took the stage. They were wearing the carcasses of dead animals and the smell was almost unbearable. But it just made for that much of a better show. Watain is probably the purest black metal band I've ever seen. Although I'd consider myself more of a Marduk fan (I don't know why, but I always group the two bands together), Watain put on a pure evil show. All the songs sounded straight out of black metal's glory days in the early 90s, and Erik Danielsson is a great frontman. "Stellarvore" especially was great. Don't miss them!

The fact that Nergal is doing alive, let alone doing a Behemoth tour, after everything that's happened made me in awe to see him in the flesh. The entire crowd was so stoked just to have him there. That said, the sound was, to me, the worst of the night during Behemoth. Which is a shame, because their performance was outstanding. "Moonspell Rites" was the best song played that night - total black metal. "Alas Lord Is Upon Me" was ripping too, and 23 (The Youth Manifesto) was awesome. Just having them back is amazing enough, but they are still as vicious as ever!

Behemoth:

Ov Fire and the Void
Demigod
Moonspell Rites
Conquer All
The Thousand Plagues I Witness
Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
The Seed ov I
Decade of Therion
At the Left Hand ov God
Slaves Shall Serve
Chant for Eschaton 2000
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23 (The Youth Manifesto)
Lucifer

Watain: (partial set. Sorry bros, I couldn't really hear Erik announce the songs that he did announce. The ones here they 100% played, though. The set was about 7-8 songs long, and they ended with a long one.)

The Serpent's Chalice
Stellarvore

The Devil's Blood (partial set, five/six songs long, some songs extended, ended with Christ Or Cocaine):

The Heavens Cry Out For The Devil's Blood
Christ Or Cocaine

In Solitude:

We Were Never Here
The World, The Flesh, The Devil
To Her Darkness
Witches Sabbath
On Burning Paths

Behemoth: 8/10
Watain: 8.5/10
The Devil's Blood: 9/10
In Solitude: 8/10

Monday, April 16, 2012

Metal Alliance Tour -- Lawrence, KS -- April 15th, 2012

Even though the lineup of this year's Metal Alliance tour paled in comparison to last year's, it was still a really fun show. The Granada had a good amount of people in it that were ready to mosh and give their all for each band on the bill.

The first band of the day was local band Enemies Laid To Rest. The music they played was a big like a typical melodic metalcore band, not so unlike Killswitch Engage or As I Lay Dying. Their drummer was the vocalist as well, and he really worked his small kit all over the place. A great drummer. They weren't great by any means, but they were alright. Kind of just how an opening band should be!

The first band of the tour was Wretched. I really hadn't listened to them before, but they did a great job! I felt like they were the perfect combination of deathcore and technical death metal that just caused for great stupid fun. Their guitarists can shred, too. Fun stuff, if not the most intellectually stimulating music.

After them was Impending Doom. I've seen them before and while I definitely didn't like their performance, at least they didn't preach about their religion that much. But that wasn't the case this time. I couldn't care less about what religion people are or if it is used in their lyrics or anything, but to force those on the crowd you're playing to and then having a flippant attitude toward them if it isn't received very well just isn't cool in my book. They still play supremely boring deathcore - still one of the worst bands in the genre.

Next was 3 Inches of Blood, the first band I was super excited to see. And they slayed! The stuff they played off their new album sounded fantastic, I'm going to have to pick it up. The circle pits didn't stop for them the entire time they were on stage, and Cam Pipes has never sounded better. I think tonight might have been the best time I've ever seen 'em! Deadly Sinners was epic as always.

And then that band came on stage. Yes, that band. Job For A Cowboy. This marks the...hold on.........sixth (I think) time I have paid money to witness Job For A Cowboy. It was my fourth time actually seeing them. Yes, I've tried listening to their albums. Yes, I've checked out their new stuff. Yes, I agree they aren't deathcore anymore. They still are supremely boring death metal and everything in their live sound just runs together. I will say that their closer, "Constitutional Masturbation" sounded pretty good in some parts. Other than that...pass.

But now was the point in the concert that I'd been waiting over five years for - Dying Fetus. They played the 2nd metal concert I ever went to, and I haven't had a chance to see them until now. And it was totally worth the wait. Their brand of slamming brutal/technical death metal translated so well live. They didn't rely on gimmicky breakdowns or anything, and the riffing is what got pits and stage divers going, not the singer endlessly chiding the audience to get up there. Every member of Dying Fetus is so ridiculously good at their instruments, especially Sean Beasly for me - the bass during Homicidal Retribution killed me. It was some of the purest, excellent moshing I've ever seen for a band, and everyone in the venue ate up everything Dying Fetus was putting out. Spot on in every song, and the new songs sounded great too. Honestly probably in my top 3 performances I've ever seen. I need to see them again, RIGHT NOW.

The Faceless closed out the show for me. I thought I wouldn't like them because there was no way to follow up Dying Fetus, but I'm really glad I stuck around for all of their set. They opened up with Prison Born, which I don't think they've done all tour long. The Planetary Duality songs sounded magnificent and all the solo's and technical riffs sounded just like the album. The new song was super, super weird, but in a good way! Again, I'll be jonesin' to see these dudes soon in the future.

I left before DevilDriver - It's kind of my ritual nowadays.

But yeah, would I have liked another Metal Alliance tour in the same style as the 2011 version? Of course. And I really hope the tour goes back to that style in years to come. But tonight was a fantastic show. Behemoth tomorrow.

Wretched:

Cimmerian Shamballa
Dilated Disappointment
Repeat? The End Is Near
My Carrion
Fetal Consumption

Impending Doom:

Murderer
There Will Be Violence
Anything Goes
For The Wicked
More Than Conquerors

3 Inches of Blood:

Leather Lord
Deadly Sinners
Metal Woman
God of the Cold White Silence
Battles and Brotherhood
Dark Messenger
The Goatriders Horde

Job For A Cowboy:

Entombment of a Machine/Embedded
Black Discharge
Regurgitated Disinfomation
Imperium Wolves
Unfurling a Darkened Gospel
Plastic Idols
Constitutional Masturbation

Dying Fetus:

Your Treachery Will Die With You
From Womb to Waste
Homicidal Retribution
Invert the Idols
One Shot, One Kill
Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)
Killing on Adrenaline
Kill Your Mother / Rape Your Dog

The Faceless:

Prison Born
Sons of Belial
New Song
Legion of the Serpent
An Autopsy
Xenochrist

The Faceless: 8.5/10
Dying Fetus: 11/10
Job For A Cowboy: 4/10
3 Inches Of Blood: 8.5/10
Impending Doom: 2/10
Wretched: 7/10
Enemies Laid To Rest: 6/10

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Speedwolf -- Lawrence, KS -- April 8th, 2012

Happy Easter everybody! I hope you all went to church today. I just got home from the Church of SPEED METAL. Denver speed metal outfit Speedwolf ended their lengthy tour with a show in the basement of a house here in Lawrence, but what a show it was!

The only opening band I caught was Stiff Middle Fingers from Lawrence. Out of all the local punk bands I've ever seen open shows, they were probably the best. Most of their set were covers, including 3 from the Descendents, "In My Eyes" by Minor Threat, "Where Eagles Dare" by the Misfits, and they closed with a Stiff Little Fingers cover. Really awesome stuff. Just bass, guitar, drums and a vocalist, and the crowd responded really well. It was a lot of fun!

Speedwolf was complete chaos from beginning to end. The Overlook is just a house and the bands played in a basement, but there was a good-sized crowd and they were going nuts for every single song. Probably one of the best crowds I've ever been a part of. Speedwolf is just as fast live as they are on album. They ripped through each song with extreme aggression and the same rock and roll groove that Motorhead can call their own. They also covered Motorhead and also "The Rocker" by Thin Lizzy. We were the last stop on their tour, so they were all smiles, laughs and jokes, albeit tired ones. Didn't hinder their performance whatsoever. Right before "Denver 666", the vocalist said "Fuck the Chiefs!", but stopped in the middle of the song and gave a great big "Fuck. Tim. Tebow." which made everyone cheer! A great night full of pure, unadulterated METAL.

Speedwolf included (plus about 2 more):

Speedwolf
Up All Night
Out On Bail
I Am The Demon
I Can't Die
The Hammer (Motorhead cover)
The Rocker (Thin Lizzy cover)
New song (It might have been Breakin Down)
Another new song (I think it was called Hour of the Wolf)
Denver 666 (KANSAS 666!)

Speedwolf: 9/10
Stiff Middle Fingers: 8/10

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Last minute show: Speedwolf in Lawrence!

Hey guys! Don't know how this one slipped past me, but Speedwolf will be playing at The Overlook (house on the corner of 6th and Alabama) for only $5! A few other bands will be playing, including Boreas (KC black metal) and Stiff Middle Fingers (punk covers!) so it should be a fun time!

Remember though, The Overlook is a house and people live there, so try to be respectful to everything! Woo!





Thursday, April 5, 2012

Upcoming show: Alice Cooper!

The godfather of shock rock returns to Kansas City! He always puts on a fantastic show. He'll be at the Midland Theater on June 15th!