CONCERT REVIEW: Disturbed – Breaking Benjamin – Jinjer Live at St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheatre


 

St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheatre at Lakeview played host to an epic evening of music featuring three bands: Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, and Jinjer. Opened as the Lakeview Amphitheater in 2015, the venue is perched on the shores of Lake Onondaga and boasts 5000 seats under cover in the pavilion and a capacity of another 12,500 on the lawn. Being conveniently located at the intersection of two major area highways, driving there is relatively easy and the $20 for parking seemed reasonable compared to most other similar venues. It should be noted that the geography of being between the lake and the highway dictates that the parking lot be long and narrow. It can be a long walk to and from the stage and coming and going can take some time so plan accordingly. The staff did an excellent job moving everyone quickly and efficiently through the process.

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CONCERT REVIEW: The Convalescence – W.o.R. – Yes Devil Live at D.N.A. Lounge


 

One of my favorite things about living in the Bay Area is the sheer number and variety of metal shows on a weekly basis. There’s nothing else quite like it and one can always find something new to step outside their musical comfort zone. This week was no exception as I booked it across the bridge to DNA Lounge in San Francisco to hear The Convalescence, W.o.R, and Yes Devil.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Haken – Arch Echo Live at The Neptune


 

Being unfamiliar with a band when seeing them live has become a preference over the 30 years I’ve been going to live performances. Favorite bands continue to surprise and dominate, and even sometimes disappoint, but going in blind to a show offers a special experience that cannot be rivaled. Moreover, not being particularly familiar with prog metal shows, I wasn’t entirely sure what the experience would be like as I set out to see Haken, the six-piece outfit Haken from the United Kingdom. Similarly, Arch Echo, the only other act on the bill, was a mystery to me as well.

 

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CONCERT REVIEW: Voivod – Imperial Triumphant – Vacuous Depths Live at Floridian Social Club


 

Canadian space thrashers Voivod are celebrating forty years of bringing metal to mortals in the manner you might expect from them… on the road. Given the rising costs of touring this band has become a labor of love. I have seen Voivod multiple times going back to the 80s and while I only listen to them a fraction of what I did growing up, they always hold a place in my heart that inspires me to catch them whenever they land in town. They have a knack for picking hungry young band which forces Voivod to dig into their reserves and bring the A game. When I first saw them on the Nothingface tour Soundgarden opened up for them, as they toured to support “Louder Than Love”. Soundgarden’s live energy was at its peak then, forcing Voivod to turn up their post-apocalyptic heaviness.

 

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CONCERT REVIEW: Killswitch Engage – Fit For An Autopsy – Death Ray Vision Live at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom


 

I waited 18 years to see Killswitch Engage live. Tonight was definitely a show for the books.

Massachusetts metalcore leaders Killswitch Engage decided that Hampton Beach needed some love and did a one-off show last week at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom alongside deathcore titans Fit For An Autopsy, Death Ray Vision, and Paradise Slaves.

 

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CONCERT REVIEW: Covet – ScaryPoolParty – Alto Palo Live at The Crescent Ballroom


 

Covet’s latest American tour in support of their latest album Catharsis, started in April in Portland, OR, and recently came to a successful close this May in Santa Cruz, CA. I was able to experience Covet for the first time along with supporting acts ScaryPoolParty and Alto Palo in Phoenix, AZ, during which I was excited and curious to see how each of these bands would blend together.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Polyphia – Johan Lenox Live at O2 Ritz, Manchester


Johan Lenox kicked off the night at the O2 Ritz venue, and even for the opening act of a two-band bill, the venue was already pretty full and the atmosphere positively electric. Right from the start, Johan’s performance was a sublime mixture of classical and hip-hop, highlighted by his absolutely divine voice. The audience and I include myself in that, was mesmerized, and the sea of phone lights only added to the visual impact.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Stabbing Westward – The Hunger – Unitcode:Machine Live at Scout Bar


 

This weekend saw fans of Industrial music flocking to a pair of shows in Texas. A three-band bill consisting of Unitcode:Machine, The Hunger, and headliner Stabbing Westward promised an evening not soon forgotten. Friday night was in San Antonio at Paper Tiger and Saturday was the Scout Bar in Houston. Both are one thousand plus capacity (at least according to fire code) and feature powerful sound systems that render earplugs inadequate. Tying all everything together is the fact that lead singer for Stabbing Westward, Christopher Hall, has been working with the other two bands on their music and even producing the latest albums from both of them. The setlists and performances stayed the same at both locations and were well worth seeing twice.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Mastodon – Gojira – Lorna Shore Live at Arizona Financial Theater


 

Lorna Shore burst onto the stage with just the right vibe to start this show out. Thundering unrelenting drums colored with technical guitar riffs and solos filled the theater and spawned energetic mosh pits, while the intense vocals topped it all off. In between songs, the singer Will Ramos, threw out positive uplifting comments and platitudes that reminded me why metalheads; despite their rough exterior, are the nicest people you can meet.

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