Instrumental Refuge

Time to talk about some of the (predominantly) instrumental bands I've seen live, who tend to fall into the whole "post rock" category. The three that shall be discussed are God Is An Astronaut, Mogwai, and Russian Circles, each with their respective opening acts for those shows. These go back a little bit, but I want to have a little bit talking about them here non the less.

God Is An Astronaut - 8/5/11 Bowery Ballroom

The opening act, was Brooklyn based indie band Monogold. Both bands really sounded great, and the whole vibe of the show was really chill. There were occasions during GIAA's set where moshing actually occurred (and the band ended up cuing the audience when to mosh at times). Nothing to extreme, but it was interesting and a bit fun to be around because everyone was just really into the music. There were times where they can just really put you into what seems like another world. The venue itself I recall being pretty nice, small, and easy to get close to the stage without being overcrowded. The whole show was really just fantastic overall though, and the next time they come to the states I would definitely go and see them again. They really put on an amazing show, with a lot of emotion, and everyone just really into the world created by their music.

Here is what their lovely set was that night:
01. Remaining Light | 02. Fragile | 03. Age of the Fifth Sun | 04. Echoes | 05. Remembrance Day | 06. Shadows | 07. Worlds In Collision | 08. Zodiac | 09. Snowfall | 10. Suicide By Star | 11. Forever Lost | 12. Route 666 | 13. All Is Violent, All Is Bright

Mogwai - 6/15/12 Webster Hall

Third time is the charm with finally getting to do this show in NYC.. with an opening act of Balam Acab. Now, by the "third time's the charm" I am referring to how this was the third time that Mowai tried to have these shows (two nights in a row) at Webster Hall. The first time being back in April 2011, and the second in September of that same year. Both of these shows ended up being cancelled either due to medical or visa problems with the band. They finally made it to New York though for the June 14th and 15th shows. I must say, their performance made it worth the wait. They sounded fantastic in their set, and really like GIAA's concert, put you in another mindset. With their instrumentals, use of feedback, and occasionally vocal songs, it just really added into a great set. It was just wonderful for them to finally make it over to the states, and everyone in the audience was enjoying it so much to see them after the long wait.

Their set was as follows:
01. Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home | 02. White Noise | 03. I Know You Are But What Am I? | 04. San Pedro | 05. Mexican Grand Prix | 06. Stanley Kubrick | 07. Stop Coming To My House | 08. Cody | 09. Ex-Cowboy | 10. How to Be a Werewolf | 11. 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong | 12. Ratts of the Capital
Encore: 13. Rano Pano | 14. I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead | 15. We're No Here

Russian Circles - 8/18/12 Highline Ballroom

For this tour Russian Circles was performing with two opening bands; Marriages and Chelsea Wolfe. The opening bands were each good, having a very chill vibe to them and the audience during their sets. Once Russian Circles came on, they really put on a great set. On various parts of the stage they had a few lamps set up which I thought was pretty neat. Their set really sounded great, and they were quite into the music. After their last song of the main set, the venue put the lights on. However that was fixed by everyone chanting for them to come back for an encore, which they did wonderfully. One of their songs even led to a small bit of moshing in part of the crowd. But really overall, the whole show was great.

Here was their set:
01. 309 | 02. Harper Lewis | 03. Geneva | 04. Carpe | 05. Schiphol | 06. Youngblood | 07. Mlàdek
Encore: 08. Death Rides a Horse

Through thunder and lightning..

System of a Down, Jones Beach 8/5/12

Now, way back when in the beginning of August..
System of a Down's performance at the Nikon Theater on Jones Beach went on through the storm, to be a fantastic show. SOAD is a band that I have loved since I was in elementary school, and since I missed seeing them in 2006 had no clue if I would ever get an opportunity again to actually see them. I am so glad that they reunited, putting on this tour making it where I finally did get to see them.

The opening act was Deftones, who started out their set with decent weather. In the middle of their performance a huge, dark, and well ominous cloud was coming over the theater. Being in the highest section does make you worry about well, lightning striking with a black cloud quickly engulfing the entire sky and people mentioning tornado warnings (even though it's Long Island). Well it started poring in their set, but they continued through it. Myself and basically everyone in the stands headed in a bit for shelter, since lightning quickly followed the downpour. It became difficult to hear their performance over the rain, thunder, and crowd, but I give them props for playing through all that. Their set was the following:
01. Rocket Skates | 03. Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) | 04. My Own Summer (Shove It) | 05. Digital Bath | 06. You've Seen the Butcher | 07. Fireal [First part only] | 08. Engine No. 9 | 09. Rosemary | 10. Change (In the House of Flies) | 11. 7 Words

There was probably about a half an hour between the end of Deftones' set and when SOAD came on, due to the extreme weather and the venue being outside. But still just imagine a dark cloud like this quickly heading over you during the opening act, when you are in the highest section (not highest seat, but still up there) of the Nikon Theater.

This was a show that I was really looking forward to, but once they started playing it really hit me of how much I loved listening to their music growing up, and just how much it meant to me finally getting to see them. That just made the show more special for me, despite the pouring rain, I am so very glad I got to see them. Now there aren’t too many concerts where I know all the words to every single song they play, but for System this was for sure and that just made me really happy. Now not including my sentimental connection to this show, they really put on a fantastic set. Some of the songs they varied how they played compared to the album, or even expanded some, which really added to it. Getting to hear all of their old songs, with their new additions and alterations was great. Plus they all just sounded great, and the whole crowd loved it. Worth every second of getting soaked in the rain.

Their set consisted of:
01. Prison Song | 02. Soldier Side - Intro | 03. B.Y.O.B. | 04. Needles | 05. Deer Dance | 06. Radio/Video | 07. Hypnotize | 08. Question! | 09. Suggestions | 10. Psycho | 11. Chop Suey! | 12. Lonely Day | 13. Bounce | 14. Kill Rock 'n Roll | 15. Lost in Hollywood | 16. Forest | 17. Mr. Jack | 18. Holy Mountains | 19. Aerials | 20. Tentative | 21. Cigaro | 22. Suite-Pee | 23. War? | 24. Sultans of Swing (interlude) [Dire Straits cover] | 25. Toxicity | 26. Sugar

Epic Kings & Idols at Irving Plaza

This past Sunday, September 23rd, Katatonia performed at Irving Plaza as part of the Epic Kings & Idols Tour with Devin Townsend Project, Paradise Lost, and Stolen Babies.

Stolen Babies opened up the night, with their dark cabaret styled metal. Their music was a lot different from the other bands playing, but I'm glad they were part of this tour since they really sounded great. Some of the people at the show didn't seem very enthusiastic about them, but even if they weren't your cup of tea, they still put on a good show.

Their set was:
01. Mind Your Eyes | 02. Second Sleep | 03. Never Come Back | 04. Filistata | 05. Civil Disguise | 06. Push Button | 07. Spill


Following them was Paradise Lost, a gothic-doom metal band who also put on a really good show. Durring their set I did hear a few (or just one person yelling it a few times), that they should be co-headlining. From hearing them play, I do see how them being co-headling with Katatonia would make a but more sense musically than Townsend. I haven't heard enough of them or Townsend to decide which I would have preferred being the co-headliner, but the show that actually was still very good.

Their set was as follows:
01. Enchantment | 02. Erased | 03. The Enemy | 04. Tragic Idol | 05. Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us | 06. In This We Dwell | 07. Say Just Words

The co-headliner for the night was Devin Townsend Project, who went on third. For me, the highlight of his set was when Dominique (from Stolen Babies) joined the band onstage to sing and play accordion. For me, having her with the band really added to the song ("Wild Colonial Boy"). His set was good, it seemed to alternate with songs I thought were pretty cool and ones that were just okay. Some of his stage antics I found a bit immature, especially for someone his age, but it’s not like he out on a bad show or anything. It was good, he should have just kept the talking to a minimum (which was really my main complaint).

His set was the following, alternating between songs from Devin Townsend Project as well his other projects:

01. Supercrush! | 02. Kingdom [Devin Townsend song] | 03. Regulator [Devin Townsend song] | 04. Planet of the Apes | 05. Where We Belong | 06. War [Devin Townsend song] | 07. Wild Colonial Boy (feat. Dominique) [Devin Townsend song] | 08. Vampira [The Devin Townsend Band] | 09. Lucky Animals | 10. Juular | 11. Grace

Lastly, Katatonia closed out the night, and while doing so really stole the show with their performance. After Townsend's set surprisings a lot of people left, which surprised me since Katatonia still was yet to go on. But they were the ones missing out, and that just allowed for more room. I personally am really glad that for this show they were the headliner, because this allowed them to have an encore going over the allotted hour that Townsend had. I seriously loved their set, and I honestly think they completely blew away all the preceding bands with their performance. Plus I think that after their performance I would have been disappointed with whomever followed. But they were the main reason I went to this concert, so I was just so happy to get to see them. I feel like they just put so much into their songs, and it really got everyone into the music even more so. Their set seemed to be the only one that really got the crowd going, and the only one that people were actually moshing to. Just to show how much the power of gloom compels you. But in all seriousness, just seeing how everyone was so much more into the music for them really added to the whole experience.

Their set consisted of a variety of their discography, which was as followed:
01. Dead Letters | 02. Buildings | 03. The Longest Year | 04. Deliberation | 05. My Twin | 06. The Racing Heart | 07. Lethean | 08. Teargas | 09. Deadhouse | 10. Walking by a Wire | 11. July


Encore: 12. Day and Then the Shade | 13. Forsaker | 14. Leaders 

Three tours

While I am waiting until the end of the month to see the Epic Kings & Idols Tour, I'll take this time to discuss three tours that I had seen.

Saints and Sinners Tour; 12/11/11 Best Buy Theater

This show had three fantastic bands playing; Between the Buried and Me, Animals As Leaders, and TesseracT. Now if you also got this poster, you'll probably notice that the 12/11 date is not there, that is probably because they added that date after the tour announcement making it the last stop on the tour. Let me just say, that it was a fantastic and insane show. For example, during BTBAM's set (specifically the song "Specular Reflection") all of Animals As Leaders came on stage in their underwear and started dancing on stage. A very memorable moment indeed.

To start off the night, TesseracT was on first with their singer at the time Elliot Coleman. They were filled with energy and I thought did a great set. At the end of the show when I went to get some merch, I got to meet them since they were at the table selling items and they were really nice and signed my copy of One that I purchased.

Second on was Animals As Leaders, who put on as you may expect a fantastic show. They are instrumental, and extremely technical with their songs. Their set for the night was the following:

01. An Infinte Regression | 02. Tempting Time | 03. Song of Solomon | 04. Point to Point | 05. Cylindrical Sea | 06. Isolated Incidents | 07. Wave of Babies | 08. CAFO 

To close out the show, Between the Buried and Me came on. For me with each band the night just kept getting better and better. Throughout their set the pit was insane, I wasn't intentionally in it, but during the first song it kind of appeared all of a sudden everywhere. But it was crazy, and BTBAM's playing was fantastic. Their set was:

01. Mirrors | 02. Obfuscation | 03. (B) The Decade Of Statues | 04. Disease, Injury, Madness | 05. Specular Reflection | 06. Alaska / All Bodies / Arsonist / Shevanel Cut A Flip / Aspirations / Fire For a Dry Mouth / Lost Perfection: Anablephobia (Medly) | 07. Viridian | 08. White Walls | Encore: 09. Mordecai

Heritage Hunter Tour; 4/11/12 Roseland Ballroom

 Here we have two very well known progressive metal bands co-headlining this tour. Opeth, Mastodon, and an opening act of the Swedish occult doom metal band Ghost. It was really a wonderful combination for a night.

Ghost is very theatrical in their performance, with the lead singer dressed in satanic priest robes and a skull mask covering their face, while the rest of the band is in black robes that also hide their identity.
01. Con Clavi Con Dio | 02. Elizabeth | 03. Death Knell | 04. Prime Mover | 05. Satan Prayer | 06. Ritual 

Second on was the really overall wonderful, Opeth. They mainly played their set with songs that had clean vocals, up until their encore of "Demon of the Fall" where it is just straight up harsh vocals death metal. That was so sick, I seriously loved every second of it.

 

That encore was a real treat for me, considering this was the first time I had gotten to see Opeth live. Also according to setlist.fm (where I mainly get the setlists from), it was the first time they played that song live since 2010. I really enjoyed their entire set though, there is no denying that. The rest of their set consisted of:
01. The Devil’s Orchard | 02. I Feel the Dark | 03. Slither | 04. Windowpane | 05. Burden | 06. The Lines in My Hand | 07. Folklore | 08. The Grand Conjuration | Encore: Demon of the Fall

Now to close out the show for this night, Mastodon was the headlining band. They put on a great show, as did Opeth and Ghost. They had a lot of energy I thought, and really between their stage set up and everything were just great. Their set was:
01. Black Tongue | 02. Hand of Stone | 03. Crystal Skull | 04. Dry Bone Valley | 05. Thickening | 06. Octopus Has No Friends | 07. Blasteroid | 08. Stargasm | 09. The Hunter | 10. Crack the Skye | 11. All the Heavy Lifting | 12. Spectrelight | 13. Curl of the Burl | 14. Bedazzled Fingernails | 15. Aqua Dementia | 16. Blood and Thunder | 17. The Sparrow

The Ophidian Trek; 5/23/12 Terminal 5

This tour consisted of Meshuggah, Baroness, and Decapitated. That stuff's crazy man.

So to start things off, Decapitated was the opening act. Out of the three bands that played, their crowd I must say was the most intense. I'll be honest, I was not too familiar with them before the show (and still not too much), I had only heard one of their albums maybe once or twice. But they put on an enjoyable show, even with getting a bit squished and moved around by the crowd.

Second on was Baroness, who I thought were fantastic. The crown during their set was really chill, so I really got to experience and appreciate their music, as well as overall performance, to it's fullest. I think their set was actually my favorite of the night, it was just really flowing and kind of captivating.

Finally to close out the night, Meshuggah came on. Their performance was fantastic,and pretty intense as I'm sure you would expect from their music. I was at a different part of the crowd for their set, but it didn't appear to be as intense as far as moshing goes as Decapitated. I really enjoyed the whole show though. Their set consisted of:
[Obsidian] | 01. Demiurge | 02. Pravus | 03. Combustion | 04. Glints Collide | 05. Lethargica | 06. Do Not Look Down | 07. The Hurt That Finds You First | [Mind’s Mirrors] | 08. In Death - Is Life | 09. In Death - Is Death | 10. Bleed | 11. New Millennium Cyanide Christ | 12. I Am Colossus | 13. Rational Gaze
Encore: 14. Future Breed Machine | 15. Dancers to a Discordant System |[The Last Vigil]