Nuoffer Media

Zero9:36

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


Underoath

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



Bad Omens

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



Madame Mayhem

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.


Uncured

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

ITheBreather

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


Sleep Waker

01/30/2022
Sleep Waker @ The Annex
Madison, WI

Having found these guys during the early days of the pandemic, I began listening to their “Don’t Look At The Moon” album quite frequently. These Michiganders are the new face of Metalcore within the Midwest. Their quick rise and rapid growth of their craft are noticeable between their first album mentioned previously and their newest release “Alias.”

Sleep Waker’s live show is a brutal assault upon your entire existence. Gut wrenching screams and intense growls project quickly from vocalist Hunter Courtright. Plenty of chest pounding and head banging fill the stage.  Guitarists Jake Impellizerri and Jason Caudill are unrelenting in their slaying of the strings. Riffs are laid out in a vicious nature all while swinging the headstocks around often.  Drummer Frankie Mish and bassist Aaron Lutas are the rhythm that makes them tick. Mish is completely focused on the business at hand. Rarely does he interact out side of slamming his kit. Lutas is a wild man though. He paces, stomps and hair swings non-stop. 

As a whole these guys don’t miss. It was also an absolute pleasure to meet and chat with them after their set. I was blown away by their set. Not bad for a band that is on the bill as support. I cannot wait to see them again.


Setlist:
1. Skin
2. Alias
3. Turnaround
4. Hell
5. Synthetic Veins
6. Melatonin
7. Distance


Magic Sword

01/20/2022
Magic Sword 
The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

Magic Sword was direct support for Avatar’s “Going Hunting” tour.


Avatar

01/20/2022
Avatar @ The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

Amazingly enough I had never seen Avatar live before. I have watched videos and live performances, but never in person. I guess it was fitting I finally see them in my favorite venue out there. It was everything I could have asked for. The band were tight and the stage theatrics fit everything I have seen on video. It was pretty obvious they are very good at their craft. The crowd ate it up as well. Both levels were packed with people. You couldn’t walk around nor could you find an open spot the watch. 

I was really happy they opened the show with “Hail the Apocalypse”. Arguably, my favorite song by them. With that song the intro was a little longer to build up the anticipation of the entire bands entrance to the stage. They hit the stage fashioned in their traditional circus style costumes and lead right into head banging and hair swings. Another pretty fire moment they provided was when they pulled out a full sized piano on the the floor stage right. Vocalist, Johannes Eckerstrom, performed a riveting version of “Gun” while surrounded by audience members holding up cell phones. A pretty special and unique moment, for sure.

These guys truly put on a killer show and I can see why they are so loved when they come around. I am really looking forward to seeing them again hopefully in the near future.

 

Set List:
1. Hail The Apocalypse
2. Get In Line
3. Silence In The Age Of Apes
4. Bloody Eagle
5. The Eagle Has Landed
6. Paint Me Red

7. A Secret Door
8. For The Swarm
9. Torn Apart
10. Gun
11. Colossus
12. Let It Burn
13. Vultures Fly
14. A Statue Of The King
15. Avatar Country
16. Wormhole
17. Smells Like A Freakshow

All Good Things

12/11/2021
All Good Things @ The Sylvee
Madison, WI

Setlist:
1. Kingdom
2. Machines
3. Hold On
4. Push Me Down
5. The Come Back
6. Survivor (Destinys Child cover)
7. For The Glory

Starset

12/11/2021
Starset @ The Sylvee
Madison, WI

I am going to preface this by saying I LOVE Starset. I have had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with them before. I once covered Starset performing an acoustic gigs for WJJO at the Leinie’s Lodge in Chippewa Falls, WI. Dustin, their vocalist and song writer, is one interesting fellow. I could’ve talked to that guy for hours that day. Flash forward a few years and here we are, The Sylvee. One of the most modern and incredible venues in the country. Madison truly is spoiled with that venue. Starset put the full demonstration on display. Lasers, light boards, suits, CO2 and more. If there is anything Starset is known for live, it is the theatrics of their show. Their albums are a journey off into the expanse of space and time. The merging of those two things formed a creative need to blow the doors off of every predetermined concert concept that exists. This is where Starset destroys every perception of them being just another rock band. Their strings portion of the band blends with the atmospherically astounding lighting during most of the show. Having them in those dark corners keeps their exquisite playing as an additional layer to the aurora in place. It is so well timed out that if you are simply watching it makes your head spin with the multitude of concepts and meanings they are trying to disperse amongst the crowd. The entire band dons matching white and gray outfits that give off vibes of an almost Mad Max desolate future. Match that with the setlist and it is all the feels one could ask for. During their first break they came out and went old school on everyone changing the entire tone of the show by going old school Starset by rocking the spacesuits. My interpretation of the two halves of the show are this: First half was a destruction and the second half was a discovery and survival phase. Everyone interprets things differently. All in all, the performance was about an hour and 50 minutes long. Despite that, the crowd clamored for more after they finished. It was so sonically pleasing you couldn’t help, but want more. I have seen them before but never with the full stage show it was either outdoors of acoustic. Pretty amazing show.

Setlist:
1. Intro
2. The Breech
3. Where The Skies End
4. Infected
5. Carnivore
6. Let It Die
7. Trials
8. Manifest
9. Echo
10. Monster
11. Point of No Return
*Interlude*
12. It Has Begun
13. Earthrise
14. Satellite
15. Devolution
16. For Whom The Bell Tolls  (Metallica string cover)
17. Ricochet
18. Die For You
*Encore Interlude*
19. My Demons

The Word Alive

12/11/2021
The Word Alive @ The Sylvee
Madison, WI
Setlist:
1. Monomania
2. Searching For Glory
3. Heartless
4. Misery
5. No Way Out
6. Red Clouds
7. Trapped
8. Wonderland
9. Why Am I Like This?

Born of Osiris

11/16/2021
Born of Osiris @ The Annex
Madison, WI

Setlist:
1. Angel or Alien
2. Bow Down
3. Divergency
4. Post Child
5. Threat of Your Presence
6. Crossface
7. Silence The Echo
8. Under The Gun
9. Empires Erased
10. Oathbreaker
11. Abstract Art
12. Throw Me in The Jungle
13. White Nile
14. Shadowmourne
15. Machine

Shadow of Intent

11/16/2021
Shadow of Intent @ The Annex
Madison, WI

Setlist:
1. Melancholy
2. Intensified Genocide
3. Barren and Breathless Macrocosm
4. The Heretic Prevails
5. Where Millions Have Come To Die
6. Gravesinger
7. From Ruin… We Rise
8. Malediction


Jinjer

11/11/2021
Jinjer

The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

Once again, I am attending another show at the beautiful Rave building. The history attracts me to it. I always walk around and look. Anyways, The Rave room is an open room with a wrap around balcony. The lights are bright(but not this show) and normally full of a multitude of colors. This show however there were zero front lights and was entirely lit from the monstrous laser/ribbon boards encompassing the back wall of the stage. I acquired a media credential, but had to shoot out in the public due to covid. There are many great sightlines in The Rave room, but it was extremely dark. Meaning I had to get crafty with my photography skills. Totally worth it.

I mentioned before a huge wall of light, set up right in front of it and in the center was drummer Vladislav Ulasevich’s kit. This man slays. Every snap of his arm he lays out is violent and clean upon the skins. Creativity flows shine through on his fills. Every. Single. Time. He does it all with such a calm and content character.  Stage left bassist, Eugene Abdukhanov, blew me away for the billionth time in my life. Arguably, one of the best bassist out there right now. The level of technicality and aggression he brings to his live playing is no different than that of their recordings. With his weapon of choice strapped close to his chest he sways and headbangs over the frets with his hair pulled back. On occasion he screams out at the eager and engaged crowd. On the opposite side of the stage an almost reclusive guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov walks and sways back and forth and backed away from the front monitor. The man lays out nasty riffs and looks like he is just enjoying his day while melting faces in what I would call his signature bucket hat. Ripping across his strings and dishing out punishing sounds while also crossing genres into what some would call reggae or rocksteady. His creativity shows through time after time. With massive time signature changes and punk flare just for kicks each song is a new experience from his playing. It is simply brilliant.

No one draws more attention on that stage than vocalist, Tatiana Shmailyuk. When it comes to modern metalcore vocalists there might be no one in the business better than her going at it right now. Her dynamism and command draws music nuts in to pay attention. She moves across the entire front of the stage. Standing straight up to scream and leaning over the metal foot stands to unleash intense growls and screams. The simplicity of her back and forth from a beautiful clean vocal to a nightmarish scream are things of extreme scarcity within metal. Her performance alone is always worth the price of admission.

I have seen this band multiple times over the last 5 years and they keep bringing the heat. The Ukrainian foursome is easily one of my favorite bands out there. They have gone from maybe a few hundred people as support to headlining a few thousand a night. I was there. I saw it. I know. The explosion in attendance though is a direct response to their superiority within their scene. Their live shows leave you stunned, dazed and wondering what just happened. The amount of vivid lyrical content matched with an incredibly vast genre bending reach will only grow over time. I cannot wait to seem them on their next US tour. Absolutely killer.


Set list:
1. Call Me A Symbol
2. On The Top
3. Pit of Consciousness
4. I Speak Astronomy
5. Disclosure
6. Judgement
7. Sleep of The Righteous
8. Ape
9. Retrospection
10. Perennial
11. Teacher, Teacher
12. Wallflower
13. As I Boil Ice
14. Mediator
15. Colossus

Suicide Silence

11/11/2021
Suicide Silence @ The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

Setlist:
1. Unanswered
2. You Only Live Once
3. Disengage
4. Slaves to Substance
5. Fuck Everything
6. Love Me To Death
7. Wake Up
8. Dying Life
9. Hold Me Up, Hold Me Down
10. No Pity For A Coward

Gwar

11/04/2021
Gwar @ The Rave
Milwaukee, WI


The Legendary Gwar took to the road to celebrate 30 human years of their “Scumdogs of the Universe” albums. I have seen Gwar many, many times. I obviously knew what I was getting into when I requested a media credential. Their live shows are things of art, comedy and just downright good tunes. In the late 90s. my friends and I used to play this album during our parties and get togethers. It is a classic. When I read they were playing it live, I knew there was no possible way I could miss it. 


Musically, they are tight as they ever could be. After 38 years of constant touring and random shows how could they not be. Attending a Gwar show though is an experience. It is stand up comedy meet punk rock. As if the satirical styling wasn’t enough, you will get blood or piss on you. The come ready to hose everyone down. Their stage show is full of characters. Aliens, slaves and animals. Hell, they beheaded the president as always then eventually chased and fought a redneck. The Gwar experience is really something else. They even opened the show with their now passed on vocalists Oderus Urungus’s head being held out by current vocalist Blothar. Overall, bands members do not move around too much. If you had those costumes on you wouldn’t either. Their Earthling slaves do all of the work for them. During “The Years Without Light” one of the slaves slashed open a wolfs head. I took a direct hit to the chest from the blood that blasted from the severed wolfs head. Once it snapped open a direct blast nailed me I was covered in blood. That is one of the main attractions though. Their stage show blasts anyone in range. The thing to do is buy a tour shirt or bring a white t-shirt with. Leaving the show you have a tie-dye shirt in hand. It has been a tradition amongst fans for decades now. There is just so much to watch and it is all great.

I highly suggest never missing a chance to see the legendary Gwar perform. Check them out atleast once in your life.

Set List:
1. The Salaminizer
2. Sick of You
3. The Years Without Light
4. I’ll Be Your Monster
5. Black and Huge
6. Love Surgery
7. Vlad The Impaler
8. Death Pod
9. Maggots
10. Horror of Yig
11. King Queen
12. The Private Pain of Techno Destructo
13. Cool Place to Park
14. Fuck This Place


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