The Thrash and Burn Tour tore it up at the Lincoln Theatre…

On August 7, 2009, the Thrash and Burn Tour descended upon Raleigh, NC with 9 bands and a 6 1/2 hour show resulting in nothing less than satisfaction for local NC metalheads!

Out of the 9 bands that played, the 4 that I was really stoked to see (or see again) were Thy Will Be Done, MyChildren MyBride, Emmure, and DevilDriver. The other bands that were played were Periphery, Oceano, For The Fallen Dreams, Veil Of Maya, and Despised Icon. Overall, these 9 bands put on a sick show!

Opening the show at 4 pm was Thy Will Be Done. Once again, I was stoked to see these guys play and I definitely wasn’t let down. Being on the of the straight up Metal bands in the entire show, it was great to see them get a pretty decent crowd response, but I definitely would have liked to see a little better reaction. But, hey, what can one guy do, right? Moving on, I don’t remember the exact order in which the line-up went between TWBD and Emmure, but Periphery was pretty decent, Oceano was brutal, but not exactly my normal cup of tea, and For The Fallen Dreams was pretty good. The one band that was there that I didn’t know what they sounded like that I enjoyed was Veil Of Maya.

Just like most of the bands there, Veil Of Maya was in the category of either Deathcore, which basically means that they included breakdowns in their music instead of playing straight up Metal. Seeing as how I like well executed breakdowns, Veil Of Maya was right up my alley and their overall sound was definitely tight. I enjoyed their overall set and I’ll definitely have to check out some of their recorded stuff for my arsenal. After Veil Of Maya, it was time for MyChildren MyBride to play. Honestly, these guys were one of my favorites of the whole night. I had already heard a couple of their songs, so I knew what their sound was like, but they still blew me away. I was really impressed with how tight their overall live sound was and it was nearly identical to their recorded sound. To me, those are traits of an excellent band. Plus, I like the fact that they are a Christian Metalcore band; that’s a bonus in my opinion. Next after MyChildren Mybride was Despised Icon. Being a big name in Metal these days, I had heard of these guys, but I had never listened to them before. Just as with some of the other bands that night, they were good, just not my cup of tea.

Next to play was the actual direct support band for the tour, and one I had seen before…Emmure. As usual, these guys tore the house down with their well executed breakdowns, bass blasts (provided by the ever loved 808 module), and overall performance. Most of their set came from their album The Respect Issue, but they also played a track or two off of their upcoming release Felony. Overall, I was just as impressed with their performance as the first time I heard them on CD and the first time I saw them live. If you’re ever looking for a band with sick breakdowns and the ability to pump up an entire room with no problem, Emmure is the band to see.

Last, but mot definitely not least, to play was tour headliner DevilDriver. Just as with Emmure, this was the second time I got the great opportunity to see DevilDriver live and I certainly hope it’s not the last! With four full length releases under their belts, they had plenty of great material to choose from for their set list and I believe they threw together a pretty well balanced list of songs from all of their albums. I was really hoping they might play a bit more from their newest release Pray For Villains, but like I said, they had a well balanced list and I can’t complain with them playing any of their songs. After all, they ARE one of the bands that really got me into newer Metal.

All in all, I’m glad I got the concert tickets to go to this show. The overall line-up was sick, the atmosphere was great (despite most of the show being played while it was still light outside)…it was a great day for Metal!

The sounds of Brooklyn make their mark on Chapel Hill…

On March 27, 2009, Brooklyn, NY based band Appomattox and TK Webb & The Visions played at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC. Unfortunately, you just about count the number of people in the building (including the bands) on two hands, but that didn’t stop both bands from playing a great show and using the freedom to present new material and get everything straight.

The first band to play was Appomattox. These three guys hit the stage and starting playing and you could feel the atmosphere change even with only a few people there to watch. Even with the situation they had presented to them, Appomattox really put on a great show and it was to experience them in the setting I did because they were free to just have fun and not even stick to a set list. Guitarist/Vocalist Nick Gaynier would just call put whatever song they were going to play and they played it. It was great! Also, after the show, I got to hang out and talk to this guys fairly in depth and they are a great group of guys to hang out with and to hear their great music. As far as I’m concerned, this band is really bringing out what the underground music scene has to offer and I wish the best of luck to them in future endeavors!

The second and last band to play was the reason I was there in the first place, TK Webb & The Visions. This was the second time I got to see these guys play and they impress me every time I see them. This particular time, they actually only played a song or two from their last release Ancestor and actually played a lot of material that will be on their next album due to the circumstances of the show. Just as with Appomattox, I got to hang out with and talk to TK and the guys for a while and they, too, are a great bunch of guys with a great sound in their music that should be heard by more people. I hope they come back to NC soon and I can’t wait for their next album release!

Overall, the circumstances of the show played out in a fortunate and unfortunate way all at the same time. Because there were few people there, the experience was more laid back and I had a lot better time than if the place had been packed out. Both of these bands are really great and certainly underrated on the overall scale. All in all, I wish both of these bands the best of luck in the future and I can’t wait until either of them comes back around!

On a side note, both of these bands were also better than the “dance party” that took place after they played. As far as I’m concerned, both bands should have been able to play for as long as they needed. Just my opinion…

The Saints of Los Angeles bless Greenville, SC…

On Wednesday, February 25th, 2009, the kings of debauchery also known as Mötley Crüe made their way through Greenville, SC with their Saints of Los Angeles 2009 Tour. Opening acts for the Crüe were The Last Vegas, Theory of a Deadman, and Hinder.

The first band to play was The Last Vegas from Chicago, IL. Having never even heard of these guys before, I wasn’t sure at all what to expect, but I definitely liked what I heard. From the bit of their set I caught, I can most accurately describe them as a raunchy mix up of Mötley Crüe and Guns ‘n’ Roses. They played pure Rock ‘n’ Roll and I loved every minute of it!

The second band to play was mainstream act Theory of a Deadman. To be perfectly honest, I thought I was gonna have the most hope (other than Mötley Crüe) in this band for this show, but I was utterly disappointed. Not being very familiar with their work, I didn’t know quite what I was getting into and I’m definitely not in line with what I witnessed. I really don’t feel like they fit the bill at all and I just didn’t like their performance whatsoever, but you can’t like them all I suppose!

The third and next last band to play was my personal underdog from the start, Hinder. Getting right into it, I have to sincerely admit that I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. I won’t ever be known as the biggest Hinder fan, but I have a lot of respect for their live performance and I was surprised to see that I really did enjoy them. Just as with the previous two bands, I was (and still am) unfamiliar with their work aside from their big hit song “Lips of an Angel” (which, of course, was part of the set list). Based on that, I didn’t really expect to like them at all, but I can’t stress enough how wrong I was. They put on an excellent live show their material wasn’t all that bad.

The last band to play was the one I’ve been waiting to see for quite some time, Mötley Crüe! As soon as they hit the stage, the level on intense energy stayed through the roof until the point they finished their one encore (“Home Sweet Home”). With a stage set up consisting of LOS ANGELES spelled out backwards from right to left in light up metal frames, tons of lights that came down from the ceiling on scissor lifts, Tommy Lee’s over-sized bass drum/drum kit, Nikki Sixx’s and Mick Mars’ spiral mic stands, and an insane pyrotechnic show (the first I’ve ever seen in person), this show was immediately sky rocketed into the top three concerts I’ve been too! With a set list containing songs from their newest album Saints of Los Angeles as well as Shout at the Devil, Dr. Feelgood, and more, the Crüe kicked off with “Kickstart My Heart” and “Wild Side” followed by songs including but not limited to: “Saints of Los Angeles”, “White Trash Circus”, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Looks That Kill”, “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)”, “Shout at the Devil”, “Dr. Feelgood”, “Live Wire”, and their version of the classic “Jailhouse Rock”. One of the most memorable parts of their performance for me was when guitarist Mick Mars launched off into a short montage of Jimi Hendrix songs as one of his solo performances. On top of the musicians sounding good, Vince Neil’s voice was excellent and helped make this performance almost exactly how I would have dreamed it.

Overall, this show was definitely was, again, one of the best concerts I’ve ever been too and it was definitely worth a 3 1/2 drive both ways and I’d do it all again if given the chance!

Nuclear Blast Records was well represented as the Death By Decibels Tour made a stop in Raleigh, NC…

On October 5, 2008, Kataklysm lead the Death By Decibels Tour in a hellacious attack on the non-Metal scene in Raleigh, NC! The supporting group of bands involved in this brutal show was constructed of local opener Edward Teach, Norway’s own Keep of Kalessin, Dying Fetus, and Eluveitie from Switzerland. Altogether, these five bands put on a great show!

The first band to play was Edward Teach from Chapel Hill, NC. Although they are not directly connected to the Death By Decibels Tour (except for this show), they were certainly the right band to kick off the show. Even though I’m not a follower of the Death metal genre, I did enjoy a good part of this band’s set. One thing I liked was their rhythm that was similar to that of the great Death/Viking metal band Amon Amarth. The, almost, overuse of blast beats did throw me off a bit, but other than that, Edward Teach played a great sounding set.

The next band to hit the stage was (as Obsidian Claw refers to them) Epic Extreme metal band Keep of Kalessin. I was stoked to finally witness the power that is Keep of Kalessin live, and I was certainly not disappointed! With a set containing material from, but not limited to, their albums Armada and their newest release Kolossus, these four guys showed why their popularity is growing and that their current line-up is solid. Overall, they played an awesome set and I enjoyed their great stage presence.

Next to hit the stage was the band I was the most excited to see live. This band, of course, is the eight piece Folk metal Eluveitie. To be honest, this was my favorite band to see during the entire show because of the great stage presence between all eight members of the band and I love the mix of Traditional Celtic Folk music and a more modern style of Metal that Eluveitie presents. Also, this was the first time I’ve ever seen someone hairspin while playing a hurdygurdy much less play one in general! Overall, this band was great to see live and and I was pleased with my overall experience with them personally and watching their liver performance.

Playing fourth was the most brutal band of the night, Dying Fetus. With a preceding reputation for pure brutality in their music, this three piece proceeded to blow me away with their set. Just as with Edward Teach, I’m not a big fan of their style and I’m certainly not familiar with their material, but I would recommend their live show to anyone who is. They really did put on a good show and they keep my hope for successful power trios alive!

The final band to give a proverbial punch to the face to all that is not Metal was Canada’s own Kataklysm! I must admit that I’m not as familiar with Kataklysm’s material as I probably should be, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying my second time seeing them live. These four guys really do put on a great show and they’re definitely a cool group of guys to hang out with and talk to. I do believe that the most of their set was from their newest album Prevail, but I can’t confirm that the entire was. Either way, they played a great show and were definitely the right band to headline this excellent tour!

Overall, I had yet another great night of Metal in Raleigh and I definitely can’t wait for the next one! To anyone who are fans of any of these bands from this tour, if you haven’t seen them live, do it! It will be well worth your time, energy, and money!

Clutch rocks their way through Fayetteville, NC…

On September 20, 2008, Clutch headlined a great show at Jester’s Pub in Fayetteville, NC. The supporting line-up was Never Got Caught, Graveyard, and The Sword. Overall, this was a great night for the NC Rock scene!

The first band too play was Never Got Caught from Boston, Mass. Although these guys are a newer band on the Rock scene, they definitely deserved to be on this tour (apart from the fact that their guitarist is Clutch’s guitar tech). Even though there were only a few people in the venue when they played, this power trio played some great tunes and really impressed me.

The second band to play was Graveyard from Sweden. This show being the second show in a week I got to experience this band, I knew what I was in for and I was ready to rock to some Witchcraft style psychedelic grooves! I’m not sure of all the songs they played,but the set list did included a great mix of really fast songs and even more slow, really groovy songs. These four guys continued to impress me in their show and I hope to see them again soon!

The third band to hit the stage was The Sword from Austin, TX. I’ve been waiting to see this great Stoner rock band play for months, and I was not disappointed by any means! Playing from both of their full length albums (Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth), The Sword put on a great show with songs including “Maiden, Mother, and Crone”, “How Heavy This Axe”, “Barael’s Blade”, “Freya”, and more. Overall, The Sword’s set was excellent, their stage presence was excellent, and i definitely can’t wait to see them again!

The final band to play on this long Saturday night was none other than the almighty Rock band Clutch! I haven’t been a Clutch fan for nearly as long as most of the people attending the show, but I definitely had a good time as Clutch played songs from nearly (if not all) all of their albums including songs such as “Mice and Gods”, “Texan Book of the Dead”, “Electric Worry”, and “Gravel Road”. Each of these songs and the others incorporated into the set really showed the reasons why Clutch can be classified under many categories including Rock, Stoner rock, Funk metal, and others. Overall, I really enjoyed their set and I’m busily looking into more and more Clutch material!

As far as the overall night went, this show was definitely worth going to! Really, I would recommend any of these bands to Rock fans for listening and I definitely recommend any Clutch fan to see them live if they haven’t already!

It was another great weekend for Metal in Fayetteville, NC…

September 6, 2008 marked the second weekend in a row Jester’s Pub held some kind of sick showcase of pure Metal! It was due time for the 36 Crazyfists to make another appearance, and they certainly delivered headlining this great show with the very talented band Straight Line Stitch!

The first band to kick off the show was a local NC band and happens to actually be my old band, Seventh Denial. I definitely have to give props to these guys being my old band or not…they tore that stage up! Other than a few slight mess ups here and there and a couple technical difficulties, they certainly proved why they were opening for national acts.

The second band that played was local NC band Romeo Falls. They were pretty musically, but I wasn’t really diggin’ their singer. Not to mention the fact that they were nowhere even CLOSE to be being in the same genre as any of the other bands, but I digress.

Ironically, this was my third time having the privilege to experience the night’s third band Straight Line Stitch. Seriously, I swear this band is better every time I see them (and that’s hard to say seeing as how awesome they were the first time I saw them)! Alexis Brown was just as brutal as always throwin’ her braids around as SLS played through new and older material including “Black Veil” and “Promise Me” from their brand new album When Skies Wash Ashore. Musically, Seth, Pat, Jason, and Patrick were all spot on as always and really put on a great show. These five individuals really come together as an effective unit when they play live! And I have to mention, offstage, these are some of the coolest people I’ve had the opportunity to converse with and I really appreciate what they’ve done and I wish them good luck with the rest of this tour and through their next tour with DevilDriver coming up soon!

At last, it was time for the mayhem to be unleashed at the 36 Crazyfists hit the stage! This was my second time seeing these guys in action and man do they put on a crazy show! Throughout their set, the 36 CF’s threw down with some new and old material from all of their albums including their newest release entitled The Tide and Its Takers. When I say that these guys were throwin’ it down, I have to say that they are one of the craziest, most energetic bands I’ve seen live. Seriously, their live speed compared to their album speed is definitely faster, but they still keep it tight and definitely sick.

Overall, this was another great show I have the priviledge of attending and I definitely can’t wait for Straight Line Stitch, the 36 Crazyfists, or my boys in Seventh Denial to rip it up in NC again!

No alcohol was spared as the Brew-Tality Tour swept through Fayetteville, NC…

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Brew-Tality Tour made its way on through NC and was an absolutely awesome tour! The show I was able to catch took place at Jester’s Pub in Fayetteville, NC on August 29, 2008 and I had a blast!

The main tour consisted of the bands Ekotren, Within Chaos, Straight Line Stitch, and Bleed the Sky, but at this particular show, local NC band NILAH tagged along as the opening act. I have seen these guys before, but they blew me away once again. This time around, NILAH played, I believe, their first show with their new lead guitarist guitarist Andy Fetzer. This addition, as seconded by vocalist Josh Nation, was definitely for the better of the band. Their overall sound and show was great and they really kicked the night off with a bang (even if there weren’t that any people there at the time).

The second band to play was Ekotren. Honestly, I’d never even heard OF this band before, but they certainly made their impression on me…and it was a good one! Their style is definitely along the lines of newer Metal, but the one factor that really made me enjoy this band was the groove they had radiating off the drum beats. It was excellent! Overall, not a whole lot to say about these guys (since this was my first experience with them) except that they were definitely brutal and cool to hang out with!

The next band to play was one I had heard of, but I had never heard any of their material. This band is none other than the great Within Chaos! Once again, I was really diggin’ these guys and they were really cool to talk to as well. As with Ekotren, this was another first experience, so I’m not quite sure what to say about them other than mentioning that they are definitely brutal as well and worth going to see live.

The fourth band to play was one I had an experience of seeing open for DevilDriver back in March. This excellent band is known as Straight Line Stitch. Just as my previous experience, I was blown away by the talent of this band and the utter brutality of vocalist Alexis Brown. That girl is awesome! And of course, the shredding guitars of Pat Pattison and Seth Thacker, the insane bass skills of Jason White, and the sick double bass of Patrick Haynes. Not having heard a huge amount of SLS’s material before, I don’t recollect any of the songs they played by title, but I know the underlying brutality and skill was there for sure! I definitely can’t wait to see these guys play again soon!

Last, but most definitely not least was OKC’s own Bleed the Sky! Well, 4/5 of Bleed the Sky. Although they were down a guitarist, these guys absolutely delivered a great show (with the help of Pat from Straight Line Stitch on one of their older songs). Heading up the group with his vicious vocals was Noah Robinson being backed up by guitarist Justin Warrick shredding the six strings, Ryan Clark thundering on his bass, and Austin D’Amond playing the hell out of his drums! Fortunately, I was familiar with BTS’s newest album Murder the Dance, so I recognized a few of the songs played (including “Murder the Dance” and “Poseidon”) throughout their incredible set that ended sometime after 1:00 am. Overall, the guys from Bleed the Sky are some of the coolest guys I’ve been able to hang out with at a show and I appreciate them being that cool and commend them for headlining a SICK show/tour.

All in all, the whole night was a great one for me and I really appreciate the conversations with everybody I encountered from the five bands over the course of the night. I can’t wait to see any of these bands again when they come through NC the next time!

Metal Masters plows its way through Bristow, VA…

To say that the Metal Masters Tour stop at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA was the greatest and LOUDEST concert I’ve EVER been to would be a complete understatement. Not only was it the best and loudest concert, it was absolutely surreal to finally see some of my favorite bands from around the ’70s and ’80s in action!

The first band to hit the stage was legendary Thrash metal band Testament. I was lucky to get a photo pass for the first three songs of their set, so I got to experience them up close and personal, and they put on an awesome show! Chuck Billy sounds absolutely incredible these days and the whole band looked great. I didn’t recognize a lot of there set because it was made of a bunch of older material and a few of the new songs, but I did happen to catch “Practice What You Preach” and “The Formation of Damnation” out of their set for sure. Overall, Testament put on a sick show and definitely deserved to be on this tour.

The second band to play also deserved to be on this tour as much as anyone, and they don’t call them “the loudest band in the world” for nothing. The band I’m speaking of is none other than Motörhead! As soon as Lemmy and the gang hit the stage and he announced “We are Motörhead and we play Rock ‘n’ Roll”, I knew “it was on” so to speak. Although Lemmy’s bass and Phil Campbell’s guitar were drowned out a bit by Mikkey Dee’s drums, the whole set was great (even though the only song I REALLY recognized was “Ace of Spades”) and Mikey Dee’s drum solo was the best of the entire night. this performance confirmed my thoughts that I need to look more into more of Motörhead’s material, because they absolutely tore it up!

Next after Motörhead was the third out of four bands to play and it was none other than the legendary Heaven and Hell! I was extremely stoked about seeing these guys live because I love Black Sabbath, Dio, and the mixture of the two from back in the early ’80s and in 1992 when they released Dehumanizer with Ronnie James Dio singing again. Honestly, this was one of the most surreal moments I’ve experienced at a concert because of the magnitude of this band and the fact that I have had such a huge respect and love for the music of Black Sabbath for so long. Although the band is reformed under the name Heaven and Hell, nothing has changed for this line-up of guys since Vinnie Appice started drumming for the band halfway through the tour for Mob Rules. Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler absolutely tore it up as usual with Ronnie James Dio sounded just as good as he ever has as they played through songs from all three studio albums they recorded together (Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, and Dehumanizer). The set started off with “The Mob Rules” and they played songs including (if this isn’t all of the set) “Neon Knights”(encore), “Heaven and Hell”, “The Sign of the Southern Cross”, “I”, “Falling Off the Edge of the World”, “Children of the Sea”, “Time Machine”, and “Die Young”. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a much better set unless they played a few of the original Black Sabbath songs from the Ozzy years. After they got finished, I couldn’t believe there was still more to go, but my favorite band of all time was coming up next.

That’s right! It was time for JUDAS PRIEST! This set was just as surreal as Heaven and Hell’s since I’ve been a Priest fan for years and this night could not have ended any better than with their amazing set. The set consisted of a few new songs, but it was mostly classics. It all started with the recording of the first track from Nostradamus “Dawn of Creation” until the band ripped into the second track from the album “Prophecy”. After that, I didn’t recognize every song, but I do know they played “Metal Gods”, Breaking the Law”, “Hellbent for Leather” (with Rob Halford on his motorcycle), “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ “, “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)”, and more. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for much more of a greater set from these guys either and it was pretty cool to see Rob Halford in about 10 or 11 different jackets and use the elevator and sliding doors in their awesome stage set up! Overall, Ron Halford sounded incredible and K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton absolutely tore it up with Ian Hill and Scott Travis blasting the outdoor venue with absolute bass power.

All in all, I will say once again that this was the best concert I’ve been to hands down and the whole night was just awesome and totally worth a six hour drive. I hope I get the chance to see any of these bands live again!

The Deth Tour makes a stop in Myrtle Beach, SC…

That’s right, folks! On Sunday, June 29, 2008, Dethklok’s Deth Tour with Chimaira and Soilent Green made it’s mark on the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC! This show definitely contained too much Metal for one night!

The first band to play was Soilent Green. As always, these guys tore up the stage with their chaotic Sludge metal straight from New Orleans! Really, SG was a good choice to open this once in a lifetime show. Their set consisted of a good mix of older songs and a few new songs from their most recent album Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction. Overall, they played a great set!

The second band to hit the stage was none other than Chimaira! Just like Soilent Green, Chimaira, once again, played an insane set consisting of older songs and songs from their most recent album Resurrection including “Resurrection”, “Power Trip”, “The Flame”, “Worthless”, “Nothing Remains”, “Salvation”, and more! As with the first time I witnessed Chimaira play live, their “808’s” (bass blasts) were absolutely insane! Overall, another great set that Chimaira was another great choice for this tour of destruction!

After quite a few anticipating minutes after Chimaira got finished and sound check was complete, the time finally came! The most brutal cartoon band in existence was brought to life as Brendon Small, Gene Hoglan, Mike Keneally, and Bryan Beller took the stage (Brendon Small and Gene Hoglan are the only current members of the band, but the other two tour with them to fill out the band). Honestly, this was one of the coolest concert experiences I’ve EVER had as I witnessed these four guys playing most of Dethklok’s songs as videos were playing in sync behind them. It was absolutely incredible how talented these guys are and how well they stayed in time with the videos! The set they played consisted of some of the most brutal tunes to hit the cartoon scene including “Briefcase Full of Guts”, “Murmaider”, “Go Forth and Die”, “Thunderhorse”, “Deththeme”, “Castratikron”, “Hatredcopter”, “Bloodtrocuted”, and a few others. As mentioned above, this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen live and I will never forget this awesome showcase of talent and pure cartoon BRUTALITY!

All in all, this was an awesome show and most definitely worth the 3 hour drive to Myrtle Beach! If you are ever presented with the opportunity to see Dethklok live, TAKE IT! You won’t regret it!

Opeth and 3 put on a great show during a side date from the Progressive Nation Tour…

On May 29, 2008, Opeth and 3 played an off date from their current tour, the Progressive Nation Tour with Dream Theater and Between the Buried and Me, at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC. With the combined efforts of Opeth, 3, and local Myrtle Beach band Circles in Autumn, this show was an incredible way to spend a Thursday night!

The first band to play was Progressive Death metal band Circles in Autumn. Honestly, I was really impressed with their overall performance. I think they only played three or four songs because of the lengths of the songs, but their musicianship and talent were definitely up to par! Really, I think they were the perfect band to play this show because of their sound that is similar to that of Opeth. Again, overall, these guys were really good and I’d love to see them again!

The second band to play was the “band with a number for a name”, 3. Having seen these guys play not too long ago, I somewhat knew what to expect. I really couldn’t have asked for a better performance out of these guys, and I was really glad to see them perform most of their most recent album The End is Begun. On top of playing most of the material from that album, I was once again impressed by the acoustic guitar skills of guitarist and lead vocalist Joey Eppard when 3 played “Bramfatura” from their album Wake Pig. On top of Joey’s incredible skills, drummer Chris Gartmann and Joe Stote did their awesome drum battle again! Seriously, I can’t stress enough how much skill and talent is packed into those few minutes of showmanship between both Chris and Joe doing their thing, and when Joey plays “Bramfatura”. To see it live is better than any recording or even any video recording of it. It all just adds to an incredible experience that is a 3 set. Overall, I was really glad to get to see 3 play again, and they continue to impress me every time. On a bit of a more personal note, I want to thank these guys again for letting me hang with them for a while and I was really glad they recognized me from the last show. These five guys are truly talented and I can’t wait to see them again!

As if the night couldn’t get any better, Opeth finally hit the stage! Having waited for two years or so to see these guys play live, I was anticipating this very moment and I was NOT disappointed! Honestly, they sound almost exactly like they do on an album, but with an extreme amount of bass in their sound. They were absolutely amazing! Mikael Åkerfeldt’s voice live is just as awesome as on the album, and he really made the set even more enjoyable with his great sense of humor. On top of great vocals and a great sense of humor from Mikael, everyone in the band was on their game, whether it was playing the songs in their set or playing the beginning of requests taken from the crowd before stopping and taking more just to mess with the crowd. the overall set and set experience was one I won’t forget and I would definitely like to experience again.

All in all, this show was a great show with lots of talent packed into three bands and I would go see this exact line-up play again any day of the week!