CONCERT REVIEW: Royal Thunder – Spotlights – Boozewa Live at Saint Vitus Bar


1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

This was a hell of a show from start to finish and the best way I could have started the 2023 year if you want to quantize it that way. Boozewa (ˈbooze-ˌwä), features members of Backwoods Payback, hailing from West Chester, PA started the night off. Good lord, riffmas stayed late this year and treated Brooklyn with a healthy heaping of head-banging, fun time signatures, thick bass, and caveman drums.

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

 

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

 

Spotlights were next, they’ve leveled Vitus more than once in their ten-plus year’s thrashing eardrums and didn’t disappoint this night. They’re a nice sonic treat, jazzy, spacey, soul-battering.

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

It’s hard to believe it had been five years since Royal Thunder played a show and holy shit did they not disappoint. We were gifted with a plethora of new tracks with a spattering of old favourites in different time signatures, making for what felt like a unique and beautiful experience.

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

1-5-23, St Vitus, Brooklyn, NY

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY DANTE TORRIERI of USELESS REBEL IMAGING