Live shows

they played it when I saw em in Denver and it got me into that album. felt like a poser for not liking it as much as I do now.

 

Dream Theater was a cool experience. I think it confirmed the way I felt about them before seeing them live, which is they are hit and miss as songwriters but excellent musicans with great chemistry, and James LaBrie sounds great within a limited range, but too often veers out of that range.

The first set was a mix of songs. The Dark Eternal Night and As I Am slayed, but some of the other tracks, especially the ballads missed the mark. The second set was Images and Words front to back, which was an hour of absolute bliss. It was already one of my favorite prog metal albums, but I appreciate it even more after seeing it performed live.

Upcoming shows:
-Mayhem and Immolation
-Cryptopsy and Belphagor

And then further into the future:
-Kamelot
-Nightwish
-Judas Priest
-Helloween

 

Captain Beyond was rough to watch. Elder and Manilla Road killed it. Warning and cirith ungol tonight

 

Warnings Pat Walker just dedicated faces to John Brenner. So hard right now

 

Seeing Grand Magus tomorrow on a headline show with Evil Invaders and Elm Street. Are any of the supports good? @CASSETTEISGOD

 

Elm Street I think are an Australian band but I haven't checked them out, the dumb band name put me off.

Evil Invaders on the other hand, SLAY. Should be very enjoyable man.

 

Fuck me, Evil Invaders were great indeed. Lovely vocals and melodies. I also loved the drummer. Got a pick from them and regret I hadn't checked them out earlier as I only recognized one song

Grand Magus were great as always. I wished they'd play a bit longer, but still a good set.

1. I, the Jury
2. Varangian
3. On Hooves of Gold
4. Steel Versus Steel
5. Forged in Iron - Crowned in Steel
6. Ravens Guide Our Way
7. Freja's Choice w/ Drum Solo
8. Iron Will
9. Like the Oar Strikes the Water
10. Triumph and Power
11. Valhalla Rising
----------------------------------
12. Silver into Steel
13. Hammer of the North

 

Fuck yeah dude I knew you would.

 

@CASSETTEISGOD

Evil Invaders set

Mental Penitenciary
As Life Slowly Fades
Pulses of Pleasure
Tortured by the Beast
Suspended Reanimation
Broken Dreams in Isolation
Feed Me Violence
Stairway to Insanity
Oblivion
Raising Hell
Victim of Sacrifice

 

Download festival is coming to Australia next year to fill the gap created when Soundwave folded a couple of years ago and hooo boy what a lineup! *dons phat pants, fetches chin braid from drawer and begins sewing it back in*

 

Saw Immolation play a small dive bar last night. They played about an hour or so to a crowd of around 75. The songs from the new album sound great live. Next show is Exhumed on Saturday night.

 

Was the setlist something like this?

The Distorting Light
When the Jackals Come
Kingdom of Conspiracy
Majesty and Decay
Burial Ground
Above All
Destructive Currents
Fostering the Divide
Swarm of Terror
Unholy Cult
Lower
Rise the Heretics
The Purge
Epiphany
Dawn of Possession

 

That list is damn close to what they played. I don't think they played that many songs when I saw them though.

 

Seeing Mayhem and Immolation tonight. Seen both within the last calendar year, and both are well worth seeing again.

 

Mayhem and Immolation were both great, again. Then saw Cryptopsy last night, who also but yet again great. Those are evergreen bands for me now: if they come to Los Angeles, I’m there. I enjoyed Belphegor live as well, whose music I’ve never explored in depth before. Nothing groundbreaking but solid black/death with good stage presence.

 

Went to Blood Duster’s final two shows ever on Friday and Saturday night. Much beer and metal. Friday night was a better lineup for me, more stoner stuff before the grindcore onslaught. Saturday night was all grind and death.

 

I saw them in Joliet, IL. Mayhem's set was quite the visual experience, although the sound wasn't very good from my vantage point, standing as close to the stage as I did.

More recently, I saw GWAR this past Friday. I was standing at the stairs down to the lower pit, just out of range of their blood spatters, for the most part. I did get the occasional splash of fake blood, with some of it staining a few of the patches on my vest. I'd like to think of it as a badge of honour, but it doesn't look like blood under normal lighting. It looks more like grape juice or wine stains, which I'm more ambivalent about.

 

Best shows of 2017:

1. King Crimson- First time seeing them since 2003 and first time seeing them play a lot of their classic material. It was a phenomenal performance that included some of the all time great prog compositions played true to form. I don’t usually follow bands, but if they were to tour with this lineup again, I might drive down to San Diego to see them twice.

2A. Cryptopsy- Playing None So Vile in its entirety. An absolutely crushing and cathartic performance.

2B. Blind Guardian- Playing Imaginations From the Other Side in its entirety plus a number of other classics. So much fun from start to finish.

4. Mayhem- Playing DMDS from start to finish. Loved the ritualistic set-up and atmosphere. Totally changed my view of the record.

5. Megadeth- First time seeing them. Dave’s vocals aren’t what they once were, but the music absolutely slayed.

Honorable mentions:
-Immolation
-Incantation
-Dream Theater
-Slayer
-Wolves in the Throne Room
-Suffocation

Weakest headliners:

Scorpions- Boring and cheesy. Left halfway through the set.

Candlemass- Not a fan of the new singer. Felt like I was watching a cover band.

Morbid Angel- Dull and unengaging performance. I only stayed for the solos.

What were ya’lls best shows of 2017?

 

ye the mayhem DMDS set was killer. The Obsessed was boring AF, but it was cool to see Wino with like 15 people.

 

@crimsonfloyd

Are Scorpions not worth seeing? I reckon they dont play anything off Taken by Force, whereas they play all those cheesy ballads..