04/22/2022
Megadeth
Resch Center
Green Bay, WI

04/06/2022
Slipknot
Resch Center
Green Bay, WI
Knotfest Road Show Tour

The Resch Center is nestled across the street from Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers. The area is decked out in Green and Gold, but when Slipknot comes to town the metalheads filled the bars and restaurants in black and red.

The Resch Center itself is a large circular arena that is mainly used for hockey and other indoor sports. This didn’t matter though. The stage was about 9 to 10 feet off the ground and situated in the open end of the arena.  On top of the stage were 2 levels. On the first level from left to right, keyboardist Chris Jones has his Yamaha rig are set out. Then in the middle of the stage, drummer Jay Weinberg has his kit perched. Finally, at the far right on that level Sid Wilson’s turntables are set out on a covered table. Above that walkway is another level. That level is used as a walkway. It was primarily used by bassist Alessandro Venturella. Especially when he carrying his flamethrower bass. From up above, he would fire huge fireballs out over the middle of the stage. Back down on the main stage level were percussionists Shawn Crahan and Michael Pfaff’s elevated drum kits. These kits have three huge toms and an empty keg mounted to each. The percussionists crawl all over the top of them all show. To get to these kits though, they have to climb up ladders and across a short plank. These kits are positioned on each side of the stage. Finally, on the main level were 3 separate metal stands for James Root, Corey Taylor, and Mick Thomson to stand and lean on. Around and above the entire stage are massive video boards. Each is finely tuned to sync with the songs and pyro by the second. The accompanying images below will show this.

The performance itself was one of the craziest experiences of my life. For me, Slipknot is the pinnacle of modern metal. They are what metal and hard rock bands strive to be. Their growth was an exponential explosion done on the backs of fans and heavy touring early on. We know they are masters of their craft at this point. Their stage costumes are uniform, yet display their individual personalities. To some, that’s a major draw. Regardless, they each play their part. Sid is not only a DJ but as his alien character almost an MC without the talking. He roams the stage and interacts with whoever is in front of him. Photographers included. When not smashing kegs with bats or additional drums Crahan and Pfaff, roam the stage freely. Dishing out all sorts of madness upon each other. Not only that they are jumping off ledges and risers on stage. Daredevil-type stuff at times. Those guys alone are worth the watch if you aren’t too busy headbanging. 

Slipknot has delivered monster hit after monster hit over their careers. The set list reflected that, but a few songs that really stuck out to me were “Spit It Out”, “Disasterpiece”, and “The Chapeltown Rag”. To understand the excellence of Corey Taylor as a frontman you have to acknowledge the fact that he demands your attention and will literally tell you when you are being a garbage crowd. The man commands participation throughout the night. When that massive Slipknot curtain drops and sucks back up to the ceiling after the guitar lead intro of “Disasterpiece”, Corey is already center stage perched on his metal stand and leaning into his microphone. His signature snarl and vocal growling scream were prominent and oh so very clean. Having this song as the opener was perfect. You felt the energy of the band flow from the stage through you. It was so intense you could feel your body shake. 

“Spit It Out” is normally every Slipknot fan favorite, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone I picked this. Since the first album’s release, the band performs the song halfway through and then tells everyone to kneel down. Corey over and over tells everyone to get down. Meanwhile, drummer Jay Weinberg along with the two guitarists held the main beat until the explosion of people went off. That eruption happens when he screams “Jump the fuck up” and you do just that. It is one of the coolest experiences. Bodies fly everywhere. The pit opens wider than before. It really brings home the fact that concerts are about having fun and experiencing that special euphoria. 

Finally, this song stood out among the rest simply because it was the newest release. Hearing a brand new release performed live is how you see its true form. Videos are nice and flashy, but the live experience is the true test. “The Chapeltown Rag” is a speedy and naturally aggressive song that passed every test with flying colors. James Root and Mick Thomson really really go to town ripping through riff after riff. Corey Taylor’s clean vocals during the chorus accentuate his vocal capabilities. Naturally, he spent the entire song screaming out pure brutality, but it is a compliment to the structure of the song to create those chorus’ without it. Additionally, Crahan and Pfaff play drums set up mid-stage in front of Weinberg’s kit. They were perfectly in sync and provided an unexpected layer to it all. Weinberg really stole my attention. He was so fast and efficient while destroying his kit. “The Chapeltown Rag” is such a fantastic tune as is, but live it plays very well. They surely have another piece of art that will be tough to remove from their already packed setlist. 

Listen, we all know Slipknot are the title holders of metals live performance and I guarantee these nine men on that stage blew away each attendee’s minds. I know because I was one of them. This was not my first Slipknot show and I can promise that it will not be the last. Every album cycle is a new experience. They just keep picking up steam, flames, and creative opportunities to showcase each individual performer. Slipknot is a fine wine so to say. They are only getting better with age and experience.  

Setlist:
1. Disasterpiece
2. Wait and Bleed
3. Sulfur
4. Before I Forget
5. The Chapeltown Rag
6. Dead Memories
7. Unsainted
8. The Heretic Anthem
9. Psychosocial
10. The Devil in I
11. Solway Firth
12. All Out Life
13. Snuff
14. Vermillion
15. Duality
16. Custer
17. Spit It Out
18. People = Shit
19. (Sic)
20. Surfacing

04/06/2022
Wage War
Resch Center
Green Bay, WI

Wage War filled in an opening on the first leg of the 2022 Knotfest Roadshow.

04/03/2022
Ice Nine Kills
Trinity of Terror Tour
Oshkosh Arena
Oshkosh, WI

The Oshkosh Arena seemed like the perfect location for a good old-fashioned brew haha. The room is large with seating that wraps around the venue in a horseshoe pattern. The stage is erected where the open end of that horseshoe is. When not hosting concerts it is primarily used as a basketball arena for the Milwaukee Bucks D-League team. Regardless, 3,400 plus people filled the arena and sold the venue out for the night.

How does one describe attending an Ice Nine Kills show? It can best be described as a theatrical cabaret of metal and horror. Pique your interest yet?  It should. The setlist covers songs from both of the Silver Screens albums. Mostly, the “Welcome to Horrorwood” album though. In case you have no idea about these guys’ most recent albums, each song is based on a separate horror film. A pretty unique view of songwriting. Frontman Spencer Charnas and primary owner of the band really found his niche when he moved on from creating songs about classic novels and general hardcore workings. Despite those being excellent, he created an infinite amount of metal show tune numbers that could take the band’s amazing live show to even greater feats. Well, I am proud to report they have accomplished just that. 

Let us start with the setlist. It provided so many amazing shock and awe moments with the theatrics. A few of the standouts were, “Hip to Be Scared”, “Funeral Derangements”, “IT is The End” and “Ex-Mortis”. These songs were enhanced by so many different characters that joined in. For instance, a helpless business-type person was knocked out and eventually hacked to death while in a chair center stage by a plastic coat wearing Charnas and a full-sized ax like in “American Psycho.” “Funeral Derangements” provided arguably the heaviest performance on the night. The song provides breakdown after breakdown. The laser screen in the background provided a clip of “Pet Semetary” with the band members standing out front wearing different animal masks. During that, the stage filled with smoke, and gravestones appeared on the backing boards. Charnas wields a shovel and repeatedly acts like he is digging. He acts the parts out routinely. “IT is The End” might be the most dramatic and cabaret-like of them all. It opens with a small person in a yellow coat center stage. They were reading a note just like depicted in the movie “IT” by the master of horror Stephen King. Walking out from the right side of the stage Charnas is wearing a clown mask and hands over a red balloon to the presumed child in yellow. During this, he is serenading the child without any backing vocals or instrumentals assisting him. It might have been the most impressive vocal performance I saw on the evening. With ease, Charnas transitions from a nice smooth wholesome vocalization into their traditional rough and brutal screaming that grabs at the ears. Finally, “Ex Mortis” gave every “Evil Dead” fan something to scream about. Charnas walks the stage carrying the Necronomicon and raises the dead. A woman wearing a nightgown runs the stage. On several points just like on the album you hear Ash say, “Groovy” and then the word pops up on the video board. Further proving how in time and finely tuned INK was. How could one ask for more?

Individually, bassist Joe Occhiuti and drummer Patrick Galante are the thundering force on the low end of the spectrum. Their performance was so clean and concise that you knew they were the reason you felt it. Occhiuti also has such a ferocious growl that it is often used when leading to a breakdown. Guitarist Ricky Armellino had what felt like the most vocal contributions amongst the backing vocals. Partnered with the other guitarist Chris Kelly they performed as a tight-knit shred factory. Kelly would often step forward in front of his microphone or center stage up and the metal walkway and lay down a tasty shred session. He ate up the limelight. The previously mentioned Charnas is more like an MC at times, others a skilled actor, but don’t be fooled he is a natural frontman with heart smashing screams and delicate serenades.

This quintet has found what makes them great. The production work and additional song-related ideas are bringing forth their creativity. Their freshly founded direction has truly created a new rock opera for the masses. I for one am all about it. I say bravo and let’s do it all over again very, very soon. 

Setlist:
1. Welcome to Horrorwood
2. Wurst Vacation
3. Hip to Be Scared
4. Stabbing in The Dark
5. Rainy Day
6. IT is The End
7. Take Your Pick
8. Ex-Mortis
9. The Shower Scene
10. Funeral Derangements
11. The American Nightmare

04/03/2022
Lillith Czar 
Trinity of Terror Tour
Oshkosh Arena
Oshkosh, WI

 This fresh musical venture by the former Voice contestant, Juliet Simms, was a welcomed experience. Having moved on from her successful past she created Lilith Czar. A powerful and fresh ride into the more than welcomed women’s rock movement. Along with her on this adventure is a gifted backing band. This combined force left the audience and myself wanting more.

As the band takes the stage, they are positioned near the band of the stage line. Only Lilith Czar’s mic stand sits front a center. In front of it is a small metal walkway that is lined with black and white rose bouquets. Lilith Czar walks onto the stage while a prerecorded poem plays through the PA. The stage was doused in red light. Czar, approaches the front of the stage in a slender red dress fitting the mood portrayed. Once she reaches her mic stand she yells into the mic and the band kick into the opening song “Feed My Chaos.” There was no better way for them to open the show. Just a grab your attention song that was backed up by Czar’s movements across the stage. She utilized the space between roses on the metal walkway to kneel down and create a visual moment. Throughout the set, this was a reoccurring theme. It also resonated with her choice of songs for this performance. The setlist was littered with emotionally charged songs about love, growth, and independence. She covered Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen.” Having seen Stevie Nicks perform before I can see the massive influence she has upon Czar. “Unholy” was a perfect encapsulation of a fierce and precise display of vocal acuity and control. Attention wasn’t asked for but commanded. 

Through the years I have seen Juliet Simms perform. Whether it was in Automatic Love Letter or on her solo run, I knew she was a tremendously gifted performer and songwriter. This performance under her Lilith Czar moniker was something far more special. I look forward to catching her again in May.

Setlist:
1. Intro Poem
2. Feed My Chaos
3. 100 Little Deaths
4. Unholy
5. Edge of Seventeen (Stevie Nicks Cover)
6. Diamonds to Dust
7. King
8. Anarchy

04/03/2022
Motionless in White
Trinity of Terror Tour
Oshkosh Arena
Oshkosh, WI

The Oshkosh Arena seemed like the perfect location for a good old-fashioned brew haha. The room is large with seating that wraps around the venue in a horseshoe pattern. The stage is erected where the open end of that horseshoe is. When not hosting concerts it is primarily used as a basketball arena for the Milwaukee Bucks D-League team. Regardless, 3,400 plus people filled the arena and sold the venue out for the night.

Having seen Motionless In White over 50 times, one could say I have a soft spot for them. What I know better than some is about their live show. They meticulously pick the setlist, lighting, and every other little detail. It was a little different this time though. They walked out onto the stage as a 4 piece. Missing was bassist Justin Murrow. No real reason is known at the time of this posting, but somehow Motionless in White still crushed it without him.

On the night a few songs really stood out. Opening with “Thoughts & Prayers” is a perfect selection. A pitch-black stage with strobes of white lighting and a misty red blast across the stage. Guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Olsen walk to the front of the stage and shred. Often smiling and leaning over the edge of the stage and unleashing random fist pumps and yelling. The song is heavy and moves fast. The mosh pit opened up extremely quickly. Bodies were crowd surfing over the top in record time.

“Voices” might have been the loudest the arena had been all night. Every song was a sing-along, but this one just seemed different. Drummer Vinne Mauro made this song. He managed to project his kit’s sound over the raucous screams and singing of the crowd. I even managed to catch the normally controlled beat maker smiling over to the stagehand on an occasion or two. I was glad to see he was having fun with it. Then at the end of the song, “Voices” was displayed in LGBT flag colors and ran across the large laser light board that stretched the length of the stage.

Heading into the encore they performed “Cyber Hex” which was by far the most entertaining song of the evening. “Cyber Hex” is a brand new release that was accompanied online with a video. It was extremely popular amongst the crowd. Motionless in White brought up 5 children to watch from on the stage. Two kids were obviously terrified even after their parents were brought up to enjoy the experience as well. The band did everything they could to comfort and lighten the mood for the kids. They were showered with drumsticks, guitar picks, and attention. You could tell the happiness in the families’ faces. That is what it is all about. Fun and memories made. 

Finally, frontman Chris Motionless lived on the edge of the stage. Having no fear of standing on monitors or being surrounded by loose cables he walked all over them to interact with the crowd. Chris was virtually serenading every single woman in the crowd. Even after finishing “Eternally Yours”, Chris handed out black roses to the women in the audience. The ladies ate it up. Each trying to outreach the other for the souvenir. It was one of the best signs of gratitude towards a component of your fanbase that always seems to be overlooked within the metal scene.

Motionless in White is the band that lets their freak flag fly and doesn’t really care your opinion about it. There are plenty of stage antics that are backed up by a fantastic light show as well. Their ability to mend nu-metal, goth rock, metal, and so on only becomes that more impressive after seeing them blend all of those songs live. With this specific craft, they may be one of the best at it. Goth rock is alive and well. They will continue to produce excellence and I will continue to attend.

Setlist:
1. Thoughts & Prayers
2. Reincarnate
3. Necessary Evil
4. Voices
5. Soft
6. Rats
7. Brand New Numb
8. Cyber Hex
9. Another Life
10. Somebody Told Me (The Killers Cover)
11. Eternally Yours

03/31/2022
Islander
The Annex
Madison, WI

Islander was touring support for Attila. I attended this as a fan.

Setlist:
1. Skateboard Flowers
2. Evil…
3. My Friends
4. Mayday
5. Hearts Grow Cold
6. Skin Crawl
7. Tear It Down
8. Lucky Rabbit
9. Counteract
10. Coconut Dracula

03/31/2022
He is Legend
The Annex
Madison, WI

He is Legend is on the bill as direct support for Attila. I went as a fan. Enjoy!

03/28/2022
The Darkness
The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

The Darkness bought their one-way ticket to hell and showed up at The Rave Hall in Milwaukee, WI. During the covid lockdowns, there were a few changes made. The venue changed the stage lighting, fixed the hardwood flooring(the flooring in the middle was formerly bowling lanes), and downsized the platforms for patrons to watch on. These small changes made it a perfect location for an all-time classic performance. The band is on the road touring in support of their fantastic new album “Motorheart” which was released in November of 2021. They represented that by opening the event with the track “Welcome Tae Glasgae” and sprinkling in “Motorheart” and “It’s Love, Jim.” The setlist covered every single album they have released except “Hot Cakes.” In fact, there were two songs they put into the setlist that I never thought they would perform, “Barbarian” and “Japanese Prisoner of Love.” It was a fantastic surprise.

Justin Hawkins is a treasure. As an avid fan of The Darkness and the “Justin Hawkins Rides Again” Youtube page, you would instantly recognize that he is a true and straightforward performer. Having no fear, he nailed falsetto after falsetto with his trademarked vocals. The man is a true definition of a showman. Every 70’s rock legend persona balled up into one incredible package. Adding multiple outfit changes to match the setlist, the attention most of the show was directed towards the superstar frontman. His incredible vocal talents were equaled by his dynamic guitar playing. While ripping solos he stood between the monitors on the edge of the stage or walked around smiling. He dispensed those sweet riffs casually through his collection of Gibsons. Hawkins was electric.

Next to Justin Hawkins, his brother, Dan Hawkins, is a fellow guitar ace. Donning a black leather jacket with a Thin Lizzy shirt exposed, he strummed and picked away at his Gibsons as also. Often he would take a few giant steps backward while playing and shoot a smile across the stage to bassist Frank Poullain. Hawkins often places one foot up on the monitor while delivering solid and full backing vocals. In his own right, Dan is one hell of a guitar player. He often laid out intricate riffs that intertwined smoothly with his brothers. The man is a true rocker in every sense of the word. He pours out pure energy with every swipe of the strings.

The aforementioned Poullain puts down the rumbling low end while moving around the right side of the stage. The slender bassist exudes classic rock vibes with his black leather garb, black-framed glasses, and small afro. His performance was entertaining as well. If you stood in front of him, he engaged with you in some form. He often smiles, points, and leans over the monitor.  Perched on the drum riser, Rufus Taylor put his energetic drumming style on display. He often peered out through a gap between a crash cymbal and a small tom sharing glances with Poullain. The man has his own flare but obviously picked up his family’s genes.

There were a multitude of sing-alongs, especially if the song came off of the “Permission to Land” album. “Get Your Hand Off My Woman” had the entire crowd screaming and singing vocally as high as they could. Before they finished the song the tempo slowed down and Justin Hawkins told a story and spoke candidly with the crowd. He eventually sang the finale backed by a massive musical breakdown. They followed with the encore of “I Believe In A Thing Called Love.” The eruption created by the audience shook the room. Where I stood you could barely hear the band. The singing was deafening.

Perhaps the best moments were the constant crowd interactions in between songs. Justin engaged with individual fans often and cracked multiple jokes. At times it seemed like a stand-up act. He quipped and laughed about the dirt on top of a huge speaker that he grabbed only to get a small dap of hand sanitizer from his road crew. The room erupted in laughter. You couldn’t have asked for more fun. There were also wholesome moments that occurred. Hawkins engaged with an 8-year-old front and center with their parents. Throughout the show, the entire band interacted with the child rocking out. Throwing what seemed to be a few dozen guitar picks their way. Those moments were very neat to witness. They also threw out what seemed to be a bucket of guitar picks. If you were in the front few rows of people, you most definitely went home with a very cool souvenir.

All in all, this performance was an immeasurable masterpiece of rock music. The Darkness showcased why they’ve attained their legendary status as live performers. Easily, in the top concerts, I have ever attended. Since we have all returned from the covid lockouts, the performances have been fantastic, but it was hard to match the level of astonishment this night left me with. Thank You, The Darkness.

Setlist:
1. Welcome To Glasgae
2. One Way Ticket To Hell
3. Growing on Me
4. Motorheart
5. Open Fire
6. Solid Gold
7. Givin’ Up
8. It’s Love, Jim
9. Black Shuck 
10. Heart Explodes
11. Friday Night
12. Love Is Only A Feeling
13. Japanese Prisoner of Love
14. Barbarian
15. Get Your Hands Off My Woman
16. I Believe In A Thing Called Love

03/28/2022
The Dead Deads
The Rave Hall
Milwaukee, WI

The Dead Deads were the direct support for The Darkness US tour 2022.

03/27/2022
The World Over
The Annex
Madison, WI

The World Over was direct tour support for Powerman5000 .

03/27/2022
Powerman5000
The Annex
Madison, WI

To say I was overly excited to see Powerman5000 would’ve been a massive understatement. This was my first time seeing them. I have been a fan for a long time roughly 23 years. Their tour dates just never seemed to work out for me. Midwest Mix-up announced this show over a year ago. I marked my calendar and circled it twice as covid shut it down the first time. When the day arrived, I was ready and one of the first people in line to enter.

To enter The Annex you must walk through the Red Zone bar. There were a ton of people waiting around, but no one lined up. Being the guy I am, I walked and stood right at the front of the line. As you enter The Annex you pass through the security check and the ticketing table. Then you turn left into the main room. On your right are the merch tables. There an abundant amount of rad shirts were available, but nothing in my size. Sometimes it sucks being a bigger guy. Next to the merch tables is a massive bar area. As you pass through, you move into the actual music room. From there I posted up just right of dead center.

Powerman5000’s setup had the two guitarists on each end of the stage, the bassist stage left of center, with the drum kit straight back center in front of a massive PM5K aliens head logo. They pumped an obscene amount of smoke along the floor the lighting flipped to a vibrant blue. The members of Powerman5000 entered the stage wearing laser cuffs that they pointed to and waved across the room. They wasted no additional time and lept right into “Footsteps and Voices.” The frontman and band founder, Spider One, walked onto the stage. For the moment, the crowd went bonkers. Spider was his notable high-energy self. He dished out an abundance of fist pumps and flashed his Billy Idol-style lip curl throughout the show. The spirit of rock was alive and well. The setlist covered their entire career. They threw in a few songs I didn’t expect. Mainly, “Invade, Destroy, and Repeat” and “Play God or Play Dead”. Not only that, right in the middle of “Horror Show” they switched up to play “7 Nation Army” by The White Stripes. It was a seamless transition into the song and out of it.

The audience was a mixture of young and old, mostly in the 30+ range. At the end of the night, Spider brought up an insightful observation, a portion of the crowd were not even born when their first few albums were released. He also went on to say it is a pretty awesome thing for the band’s longevity. I wholeheartedly agree. This show lived up to my expectations. After witnessing the event, it wasn’t a surprise they continue to fill venues night after night. The bombshell was definitely dropped.

Setlist:
1. Footsteps and Voices
2. Nobody’s Real
3. Invade, Destroy, Repeat
4. Hey, That’s Right
5. Super Villain
6. Play God or Play Dead
7. Black Lipstick
8. How To Be Human.
9. Horror Show
10. 7 Nation Army(cover)
11. V is For Vampire
12. Bombshell
13. Supernova Goes Pop
14. When Worlds Collide.

03/22/2022
Omnium Gatherum
Crucible
Madison, WI

Finnish death metal is its own category in the vast expanse of the Metalverse. What happens when within that specific genre of awesomeness you add a ton of melody and harmonizing to it? You get Omnium Gatherum. Their sound is so unique. Nine albums later they remain, so creative. Last year they released, “Origin”. A massively guitar-driven album. Despite that, they haven’t mutated from what makes them great. The consistency in their songwriting should be applauded.

Being armed with all of their talent and knowledge, they stormed into Crucible and gave the eager attendees an in-your-face performance. Crucible is basically a huge, black room with a stage and a bar off to the side behind a wall. The stage has all of its light over the center of the stage. The corners and back of the stage are dark yet dimly light if the angle is just right. Luckily, that isn’t much of an issue for Omnium Gatherum, they are extremely active and move around the stage often. Not only that they stand right on the very front lip of the stage or have one foot up on the monitors.

Frontman Jukka Pelkonen had his vocals on point. His ability to switch cadences on a drop of a dime while screaming or singing was mighty impressive. At times his vocal projection didn’t need a microphone to amplify it. He was full force. Frequently he held out the metal horns that also doubled as part of their insignia. He often touched horns with fans during songs to create a live rendition of their insignia as well.

All in all, they left me with no doubt that their live show cements their legacy within Finnish metal. The straightforward, fast-paced riffs continually break way for smoother melodies. The classical training and historically sound Finnish music scenes influences are noticeable all over their set. The confidence in their artistry is well noticed. Overall, their triumphant performance with a hungry crowd couldn’t have made the evening any more perfect. I am kicking myself for never seeing these guys before, but the building hype in my head was absolutely answered, if not exceeded in multiple ways. 

Setlist:
1. Emergence
2. Paragon
3. The Pit
4. Rest In Your Heart
5. Reckoning
6. Frontiers
7. The Unknowing
8. Be The Sky
9. Nail
10. Friction
11. New World Shadows
12. Gods Go First
13. Shadows
14. Luoto
15. New Dynamic
16. Solemn
 

03/22/2022
Allegaeon
Crucible
Madison, WI

Allegaeon cruise into Crucible having just released another fantastic album on Metal Blade Records. Their last album, “Aptosis” was released back in 2019, so it had been 3 years and a pandemic closing down life in that wait for new tunes. Not a bad wait, relatively speaking. I couldn’t have been more excited though. Since the new album is beyond excellent and nearly perfect in my opinion. I couldn’t wait to see the precision of these absurdly talented and creative masterminds of metal.

Anyways, Heading into this performance I was too thrilled to hear the new stuff played. Crucible is perfect for a show like this. It is dark with limited amounts of stage lighting. Being a photographer I can tell you that it is one of the most challenging places I have shot.  One thing I noticed was they performed at least one song from every album, but their first two releases. “Of Beasts and Worms” has such a flux in vocalist Riley McShane’s ability to sing and scream. He killed it. For a lead single, it is an almost 7-minute masterpiece of modern death metal. McShane puts on a clinic for his brutally wicked vocals.

The guitarists really steal the show though. Greg Burgess and Michael Stancel are so technically fine and in rhythm with each other from the start. Their classical music influences are extremely noticeable within every note strummed. They slash and rip through every chaotic chord. A powerful intensity radiates from the strings. Rare glimpses of smiling crack through the headbanging and hair swirls. These dudes were on point. The 8 song setlist felt like one big symphony of face-melting savagery and beauty. Their combined artistry really blew me away. On the low end, Brandon Michael pounds the bass. He was fully engaged with the crowd that was pushing forward onto the stage. Whether yelling, high-fiving, or leaning over the monitors he was on it. Combine that with the relatively new drummer Jeff Saltzman. Saltzman delivers explosively quick snaps and heavy smashes across his kit.

The band was a finely-tuned machine. Every song was a work of art. Purely a metal mastery. Next time they come around there is no doubt I will have my ticket in hand and ready to go again.  

Setlist:
1. Threshold of Perception
2. Into Embers
3. Of Beasts and Worms
4. Gray Matter Mechanics - Apassionata Ex Machinea
5. Vermin
6. Metaphobia
7. Stellar Tidal Disruption
8. 1,618

03/22/2022
Black Crown Initiate
Crucible
Madison, WI

Openers for Omnium Gatherum

03/21/2022
Zero936
High Noon Saloon
Madison, WI

The Monster Outbreak tour came into Madison, WI and offered up quite a few goodies. Zero936 has been to town a multitude of times. He returns on his own headlining tour in support of a stand alone single “I Am Not” and a 2020 EP release “…If You Don’t Save Yourself.” On this stop though, the local radio station WJJO had offered up a soundcheck preshow and I happened to be one of the people to win a pair tickets. Having been through many sound checks in a previous life, I always find them a unique experience to really hear the artist without interference. This experience was no different. 

As for the show itself, it was fire. The High Noon Saloon feels like the perfect venue for this event. The room is long and the stage is about 2 feet off of the ground. Sound is always solid and the lighting is dark, but it doesn’t interfere with the performance. On the stage they had 2 Monster Energy drink signs in front of the two string players mic stands. On each side of the drummer were 2 separate digital boards that repeatedly flashed each letter of the word “Zero” and “9:36” across all 4 boards. Other than that, the set up was simple and concise. These small additions though made the performance a bit more dramatic, not that Zero really needed the help. Zero9:36 or Matthew Cullen, came out of the gate firing. Having lived through and still loving Nu-Metal I always compare the music to those stylings. He is definitely not that at all, so I initially mis judged the live show and I am okay admitting I was wrong. Vocally, he was commanding. Physically, he was on the edge of the stage and up on small boxes. Between high fives and fist bumps, Zero936 rocked the room. The crowd were totally engaged and singing back to him during chorus’. At one point a small mosh pit opened up for a few song and bodies were jumping. Through it all they were musically precise. So much fun.

In the end, it was hard to argue with how good the setlist was. It encompassed most of his current release and a few older songs. They even played “The End” twice. That really had the room moving around. I am kind of kicking myself for not checking his show out earlier. If you dig rap rock you have to check this show out.

Setlist:
1. I Am Not
2. Leave The Light On
3. One By One
4. WWYDF
5. Take Me Instead
6. Fade Out
7. In My Hands
8. Left Alone
9. Reset
10. Come Thru
11. II X Two
12. The End
13. Adrenaline
14. The End

03/22/2022
Garzi 
High Noon Saloon
Madison, WI

03/22/2022
Fame of Fire
High Noon Saloon
Madison, WI

03/07/2022
Underoath
The Fillmore
Minneapolis, MN

Underoath hit the road in support of their new album, “Voyeurist.” This current tour hits every major market in the US. The album itself is a slight detour from the tradition metalcore styles of previous album. Personally, that is why I believe it to be so fantastic. They have once again expanded their creativity. Whether the tempo is slowed way down or purely controlled chaos. It hits. The lead single, “Hallelujah” has had some heavy rotation through out the Upper Midwest. “Damn Excuses” is and was a perfect opener to help set the pace. The song is a fiercely brash song that could’ve been on any of their previous albums. It is classic Underoath.

There are very few certainties in life, but Underoath carry with them a few. I had never been to The Fillmore in Minneapolis, MN before and I can easily say it is one of the more beautiful and unique venues in the Upper Midwest. It was an extremely cold evening, but upon entering the facility it was going to be packed to the gills, so no worries. The 4 bright blue chandeliers hang high above the main floor. There were so many people that it was pretty hard to navigate through it. The crowd itself was a mix of generations. For instance I was there from their “The Changing of Times” album. Many of the crowd I talked to were more familiar with their new album, Voyeurist or Erase Me. That is a fantastic sign for an artists longevity. 

Now back to what I feel are a few certainties in life. Underoath bringing nothing, but pure energy. I have seen them enough over the years to know that you feel every performance. This was no different. Aaron Gillespie’s drum kit stood in the back left corner across from him on the right side of the stage was Christopher Dudley’s keyboard set up. Those two guys bring an intense spirit. They are non-stop. Gillespie though does it all. He eggs on the crowd, slays on the kit and sings while playing. This was most notable during the introduction of, “Reinventing Your Exit.” He sings quite a bit through the entire song. Meanwhile, his counterpart is pure fire. The man is completely engaged. He flails is arms sporadically, but continuously head bangs and screams while slamming his hands on the keys. 

Guitarist Timothy McTague really showed out during “On My Teeth”. During that song I was positioned right in front of him. Pure intensity seeped from his pores. McTague, spent most of the show committing to getting the crowd in front of him moving around. With yells, screams, backing vocals and wild facial expressions, he laid down riff after riff to perfection. His counterpart, James Smith, stood across the stage in his tall stoic fashion. He truly seems like a man hyper focused at all times at the job on hand. Very rarely does he not rip the riffs with exact precision. His movements are calculated. He headbangs with every break down. A master of his craft. 

Bassist Grant Brandell might’ve been the easiest person to photograph and watch. Whether finger tapping or punishing the strings on his Fender 5-string. While playing he had one foot up on the monitor and and stood right on the ledge. Despite being perched right on the edge he stood no less than a few feet away from Vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, who was dead center most of the show. One thing I know about Chamberlain, is he moves back and forth a lot and leans into the microphone for his screams. He loves jumping around and flinging his hair all over. The amount of vitality and enthusiasm over the years for his craft has been superb. This was no different.

This show was fantastic. Despite a smaller stage set up than when I saw them in 2019, the lighting was impeccable. The sound was precise.  The attendees seemed to be more receptive than ever before. Proving that their growth musically and live show are built to last generations. Genuinely a can miss show everytime.

Setlist:

1. Damn Excuses
2. Breathing In New Mentality
3. On My Teeth
4. Its Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
5. In Regards To Myself
6. Hallelujah
7. No Frame
8. Reinventing Your Exit
9. A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine
10. There Could Be Nothing After This
11. Too Bright To See, Too Loud To Hear
12. A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White
13. Pneumonia
14. Thorn
15. Writing On The Walls

03/07/2022
Bad Omens
The Fillmore
Minneapolis, MN

Bad Omen hit the road in support of their brand new album, “The Death of Peace of Mind” and as touring support for Underoath. The brand new album is one monstrously incredible song after another. With it being a break from previous recordings it opened the door for their shows to have a larger ambience. The classic Bad Omens heaviness is present at every turn, but vocalist Noah Sebastian really used the album to showcase he can sing a bit more than normal. This is growth where a lot of people conflate it for some other nonsense. This is professionalism and song writing at its peak. Overall, it translated extremely well to their live performance. I do know this was one thing that pretty much everyone I talked to in line was pretty much curious about. They were also curious if it would flow seamlessly with the older tunes. It clearly did. 

Sebastian, walked out onto the pitch black stage by himself and slowly started singing the intro to “The Death of Peace of Mind”. After getting through the first verse the stage illuminated in red and the rest of the band were placed in their prospective spots.  Once the drums hit, the lights flip consistently through blue and red. Sebastian paces the entire set from left to right and occasionally pauses to scream in the microphone or at the crowd. During “Artificial Suicide” his alter ego arrived wearing a black full faced mask with the bands logos stitched dead center on his fore head. He had the poise of a seasoned musician. Behind him drummer, Nick Folio, crushed the skins. Everything popped so cleanly and with such a vibration you felt it. His bass kicks slammed perfectly in sync with every lighting shift. His performance was extremely noticeable to those in attendance. 

Joakim Karlsson and Nicholas Ruffilo were lethal. Ruffilo is so consistent with the bass and that thundering sometimes drowns out the guitars. You can tell this was done intentionally for atmosphere. Despite this, Karlsson, remains in a rather solitary position on the right side of the stage. Riff for Riff his hair flows back and forth while head banging. Across the stage, his counterpart moved around and often gave solid glances across the room. They were very disciplined in their movements. These things were obviously designed and deliberately done. It worked well.

The setlist brought focus to their song writing and abilities to move across the genre with a comfort in their growth as a foursome. That was never more apparent than their choice of 4 new songs right off the bat. Each was was a banger in their own right and uniquely different. The setlist was only 7 songs, so the clearly picked through their catalog for maximum impact. They nailed it. Their final three songs are going to be in their setlists for a long time. Those were the songs that created their buzz. I couldn’t have been anymore pleased to have been there. I drove 4 and a half hours to see this show and it was one of the most worthwhile things I have done lately. I cannot wait for their return to the Upper Midwest. I have truly become a massive fan. Such an incredible show.

Setlist:
1. The Death of Peace of Mind
2. Artificial Suicide
3. Like A Villain
4. What Do You Want From Me?
5. Never Know
6. Limits
7. Dethrone

03/07/2022
Stray From The Path
The Fillmore 
Minneapolis, MN

02/24/2022
Madame Mayhem 
The Red Zone
Madison, WI

The Annex gets so many rad shows. Jake, the promoter(also known as Midwest Mix-up) always brings in the best line ups. When he put up the flyer for this show, I geeked. I love Madame Mayhem. I have seen them 4 or 5 times now. The band are fantastic and fun. Her voice is thick and powerful every single time. Lyrics written from an obviously female perspective, translate across to the male persuasion as well. As a band they know what works for them. They always know which of their songs work best live.  In fact I have been rocking their “Ready For Me” album for years now. I like to purchase CDs directly from the artist, so I had to wait for this tour to come around to pick up their back catalog. Worth every penny. Natalie or Mrs. Mayhem herself tossed in a few extra goodies for my friend and I. Quite generous.

The show itself was killer. It always is with them. The stage was rather dark, but they lit up the room with their energetic rock anthems. The band itself are a very tight group intent on making you leave knowing who they are. Madame Mayhem herself, is the obvious crown jewel of the group. She commands your attention and won’t give up until it is all hers. Every time she needed to belt out a line she was so powerful you could hear her voice straight past the microphone. Now in my experiences up front photographing artists, that doesn’t happen too often. You can feel the heart within the lyrics. Madame is also extremely animated and generally right on the front ledge of the stage. She is fully engaged with the crowd at all times. The images below will give you a taste of those movements. Drummer, J Bombs, is about as animated as a drummer can get. Between the glares, smiles and jumping around he has time to pound his kit. A very enthusiastic guy for sure. This band is so good. Percy on bass is a bad ass who delivers on backing vocals while being a perpetual back and forth swaying with a multitude of hair flips. Their guitars ripped. Neither had a problem laying down juicy riffs. 

Like I said before, this isn’t my first time seeing them. It surely will not be my last. They never disappoint. It is a rare occasion to actually say that.

02/24/2022
Uncured
The Red Zone
Madison, WI

The Annex is a great place to catch young and rising acts. The room may be smaller but they can pack people in. Generally, the lighting is abysmal there, but Uncured had it lit up pretty well. There were 4 road cases stamped with the band’s name across the front of the stage and a massive Uncured banner across the back of it as well. I honestly have never heard of Uncured before. I came for one of the earlier acts, to be honest. I am glad I stayed to watch because these guys kicked major butt. The level of shred by the Cox brothers, Rex and Zak were through the roof. I was hooked. These two brothers did it all. Splitting some vocal duties, lead guitars, rhythm guitars, and so on. Most importantly they were fully engaged with the crowd pressed into the stage barrier. Micah Smith was stage right ripping it up with Earth rattling bass tones. The man felt every note and commanded the stage and attention. Drummers are the tempo and driving force of every band’s life force. Nobody was happier and more focused on the task at hand than JP Vega. He swung the stick threw the air with ease. 
Overall, the song themselves were damn fine. Very rarely do I attend a show and find hidden gems, but these guys hit the nail on the head with that assessment. After the show, I met the guys at the merch table. Bought up their 3 albums for a $20 deal that included the newest album that wasn’t even released at that time. Fantastic stuff. I would go check these guys out again in a heartbeat and now I will have at least given myself a good lesson in the Uncured catalog.

Setlist:
1. My Heart is Bleeding
2. All Alone
3. Myopic
4. Cut Me Open
5. Take Me Away
6. I Won’t Break
7. We Are The Antidote
8. Living Like I’m Dead
9. (Dueling Guitar Solos)
10. Set The World Ablaze

02/24/2022
Versus Me
The Annex
Madison, WI

01/30/2022
ITheBreather @ The Annex
Madison, WI

10 Year Reunion tour.

Setlist:
1. The Common Good
2. High Rise
3. Longevity
4. False Prophet
5. Bruised & Broken
6. 4/12/11
7. Doomsday
8. Meaning (Victory)
9. Forgiven