Category: Concert Review

Okay, I know I say this a lot, BUT this show was amazing. The lineup for this tour was absolutely genius and all the bands played a killer show!! This was a show that I have been looking forward to for a while! I have seen all the bands that were on the bill (Year of the Knife, Sanction, Terror, Counterparts, and Stick to Your Guns) before so I was prepared for the chaos that was yet to come.

The first band to start off the night was Year of the Knife and right when their set started, a pit broke out. Everyone was 2 stepping, kicking, and swinging the entire time. YOTK set the bar for what the rest of the night had in store for us.

Sanction hit the stage next and… WOW!!! Sanction never fails to impress me any time I see them. The pit started to get more rowdy once Sanction started playing. I love the stage performance that they have because they all just jam out and the singer is in the audience’s faces the entire time. People were running up to the front and jumping over people trying to grab the mic and sing. They also did a NCHC mosh call and that is when I got kicked in the kneecap and now I have a purple/green bruise. That’s so metal.

Terror came on and I hung out in the back during their set because I recently seen Terror in Charlotte with Hatebreed. Terror was the most traditional hardcore band on the lineup and people went off during their set! Terror always brings explosive energy while on stage. Their riffs are killer, and they are always jamming with the audience, pushing us to do more chaotic stuff.

Counterparts was the second to last band to play and I have never seen them before! I was really happy that I finally got to see them and WOW!!! They were SO GOOD!!!! The crowd went crazy for them!!!! You can tell that Counterparts loves what they are doing because you could see how much fun they were having throughout their entire set.

Stick to Your Guns finally hit the stage and they were jamming! They had a cool light show and they were very interactive with the crowd! The last time I saw Stick to Your Guns was in Carrboro and the crowd went wild! A handful of people left after Terror but the people who stayed for Stick to Your Guns were going off!! People were jumping off the stage, jumping onto the stage, and moshing everywhere.  

Did you go to the Pure Noise tour? What did you think about it? Who was your favorite?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

You read that right, y’all I went to a show that was in the back room of a barbershop in Winston-Salem. Now, the barbershop was cool as hell. They had leather couches, mirrors as walls; they also had some band shirts, and Harley Davidson shirts! The room that the bands were playing in was a decent size and it had some room for people to mosh and dance. There was no AC in the back room, though, so it was really hot. But other than that, the show was great! I wouldn’t mind going back to the Ardmore Barbershop to see a show!

The first band to perform was End Of Your Rope, a local band from Greensboro! Their riffs are undeniably headbanging worthy. This was my first time seeing them and I was impressed! I would love to see them again soon! Life’s Question was the second band to perform and people started moshing and dancing around a little bit more for them.

Bloodbather was next and besides Vatican, this was the band that I personally came to see. They stole the show that night. The singer was moshing, everyone in the band was headbanging, and the pit was rowdy as hell when they came on. Their energy and stage performance is a sight to see and their music tops it all off! One of my favorite bands to see live!

Typecaste was the second to last band and most of the crowd left, but the people who stayed were jamming their asses off! The guitarist was hitting people in the crowd and marching around with his guitar… it was so metal. I bought a shirt from them and it goes so hard 10/10 would recommend their merch.

And finally, Vatican took the stage! This was my second time seeing them! I saw them for the first time a couple of months ago in Greensboro! I was excited to see them again because I really like their music and they also put on a great show. They were on a time crunch because the show had to end by 10 pm and it was 9:40 pm by the time they got on… let’s just say for those 20 minutes, it was chaotic.

This show was really enjoyable because all the bands were good, the venue was great, and I got to catch up with some friends. It’s a Win-Win-Win for ya girl!

Have you seen Vatican or any of these bands before? What did you think?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Scream for me Charlotte!!!!! I went to see Iron Maiden, with my dad, at the PNC Pavilion in Charlotte this week and… WOW!! What a show!! My dad has been listening to Iron Maiden since the early ‘80s and he has seen them two other times (`84 and 2012)! I grew up listening to Iron Maiden and this was my first time seeing them!

I was looking forward to the show because the last time Iron Maiden came to NC it was on the same day I was graduating, long story short, the fam wouldn’t let me skip graduation to see Maiden.

When we got to the PNC Pavilion, we parked in Premiere parking; which was pretty sick because it was close to the entrance, so we didn’t have to walk a long way! Once we got inside, we went and found merch. I bought a shirt that has the cover of Live After Death on it (one of my favorite album covers!!). The view from our seats was awesome! We had seats under the awning and were near the right of the stage. I had a clear view of the stage and the 2 jumbo screens.

Iron Maiden has one of the best stage performances I have ever seen live! My dad read the Legacy of the Beast tour is the most expensive stage show that the band has ever put on! And boy, it sure was a show!

They started with an intro of Winston Churchill speaking and went straight into Aces High. While playing this song, the stage prop was an airplane that was hanging above them, and it was moving! Their backdrop and props would change with each song, and Bruce would have different props and costumes depending on the song. When they started playing The Trooper, Eddie (the famous band mascot) came out and Bruce started sword-fighting him on stage, it was cool!

Bruce Dickinson is the man. He is a pilot, has a Ph.D. in history, singer of Iron Maiden, AND beat cancer? What a badass. Bruce can still hit them high notes, too! He sounded so good live; it was incredible! The entire band sounded amazing! They were all jamming out and playing every song with ease. And they all (in their 60’s) still have great hair! Lucky them!!

Iron Maiden went on to play Flight of Icarus where they had an angel flying above them that “flew too close to the sun" (according to the old Greek myth) and crashed and burned at the end of the song! It was wild to see! They also played some of their most well-known songs such as Fear of the Dark, Number of the Beast, Iron Maiden, and Run to the Hills! They played my favorite Iron Maiden song, Hallowed Be Thy Name!! The crowd was awesome during this show as well. Everyone was singing the songs back to the band and overall having a great time.

Have you seen Iron Maiden live? What is your favorite song by them?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

I went to Canada last week with my mom! We were going up there for the Roxodus Festival that was supposed to be taking place, BUT a week after we got our wristbands in the mail, they canceled the event. Bummer I know, but my mom and I decided to go to Canada anyway and make the best of it.

Now, how did we get tickets to see Earth, Wind & Fire in Canada? How did we hear about the show? WELL. My mom told me about the show and I started playing their music and we were jamming! We looked up the tickets and it was sold out! But we were determined that we were going to find some tickets.

When we got to the Casino, we activated our cards and went to the slot machines. The legal age to gamble in Canada is 19, so I was able to go into the casino!! My mom and I eventually met this guy who had two tickets that he wasn’t using, we got 11^th row floor seats for Earth, Wind & Fire for $30 each!!!

The Rama Casino Resort is beautiful, they have great detailing both on the inside and outside. My mom and I found our seats, but once the show started, we went up to the front of the stage!

The band was jamming the entire time!! Three of the original members are still in the band, and all members were putting on a show (even after 50 years!!). They all wore suits that had some bling on them and they had a choreograph for their entire stage show. It was AWESOME!!

They played some of my favorite songs (like, Boogie Wonderland) and that is when everyone got on their feet and danced. Then they played September and that got people moving.

There was this lady beside me dancing in the biggest heels I have ever seen and she was KILLING IT!! She eventually got kicked out (she got too drunk), but she was very entertaining while I saw here.

I would totally go to another funk show, it was lit.

Have you ever seen Earth, Wind & Fire? What is your favorite song?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

WKNC gave me the opportunity to see Indigo De Souza and Joy again at the Kings venue in downtown Raleigh a couple of weeks ago. The show was amazing. The close-up venue and laid-back vibes of the bands really made the show feel more intimate. Not to mention the unforgettable ending when Joy again ended the concert with a unique outro version of winter snakes. Smaller indie shows like this have always been a personal favorite of mine, but these two bands really made the show memorable with how authentic and real they were on stage, it was almost like watching someone play in their home. All in all, it was a great show and I would definitely go and see them again

-DJ Psyched

Gojira is heading to Bonnaroo! But before they make their way to the big stage, they did a mini tour through North Carolina. They went to Raleigh, Charlotte, and Asheville on the Road to ‘Roo. Raleigh was their first stop and I went and saw them at the Ritz! I have been to the Ritz quite a bit and it is one of my favorite venues. The light shows that they do here are incredible.

The first band to hit the stage was All Them Witches. They are a three-piece rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They sounded really good up on stage, but there wasn’t a stage show and the crowd did not move for them at all. But all of them did head bang the entire time so… respect.

Deafheaven then took the stage and they are a post-metal band from San Francisco. Their sound was very unique. The singer did black metal vocals, but over soft rock. I couldn’t get into it that much just because it wasn’t as heavy. But their light show was impressive! The lights that they had were so vibrant and complimented them on stage well. The band also had a good stage performance. Their singer was entertaining to watch because he would stand up close to the crowd and then he would twirl and dance. Who said metal couldn’t be elegant and cute?

And finally, the band that I have been waiting for, Gojira. I have always been a fan of Gojira but I have never seen them live. Right when they hit the stage, it was like the entire crowd exploded; there were so many crowd surfers and moshers! There was a mosh pit for their entire set (and they had a long one). They came out to Only Pain and followed it with The Heaviest Matter of the Universe. Gojira’s energy is unbeatable and you could tell that both the band and the crowd was having a great time. They also played two of my favorite songs: Stranded and Silvera. Their light show was also amazing and their sound was crystal clear. At the end of their set, the singer came back on stage and said that we (Raleigh) were one of the best and rowdiest crowds they have ever seen. Can you blame them? We bring the heat over here in North Carolina!!

Have you seen Gojira? What did you think about them?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

What’s going on Butcher Crew!? I went to see Deicide, Origin, Jungle Rot, and The Absence in Durham at the Motorco Music Hall. This was the last date of the tour and I was excited to go to this show because I haven’t seen any of these bands, and I have never been to this venue before.

The venue is really nice! Along with the bar, it also has a restaurant right beside the music hall, so it was convenient to get food and drinks throughout the show. The venue did have parking that you could pay for and have a reserved spot, but since I bought my ticket a few days before the show, I had to get street parking. The venue is really spacious and has a lot of room for standing. There were also benches up the left side of the venue that people could stand/sit during the show. I would love to come back and see another band here!

The first two bands to play were local bands. Edge of Humanity is from Raleigh and they are a blackened death metal band. I was really impressed with them and I loved their riffs in their songs. Suppressive Fire is also from Raleigh and they are a blackened thrash band. I was also impressed by their set as well. Be sure to keep a look out for both of these bands and try to catch them live when you can!

The Absence came on next and this is when the crowd started to get into it. I would say that they are more melodic death metal, which I really like. They were really interactive with the crowd and set the tone for the bands to come. During their set, they Facetimed their bass player (he was at home in Florida) and he was so excited to see all of us at the show. After their set, the singer yelled “BYEEEEE” in a high pitch girl voice and it was hilarious.

Jungle Rot was next and this was the band that I was most excited for. I really like this band because they have that old death metal sound, but also groovy riffs. They remind me of Obituary in a way. The crowd was the craziest for Jungle Rot. There was a circle pit their entire set and it was pretty impressive. There were some guys who were marching in the pit and would shove people straight to the ground. That wasn’t really cool, but there were no hard feelings. I ended up getting in the front for them and I jammed the rest of their set. You can’t help but headbang when Jungle Rot comes on and almost everyone in the venue was either moshing, dancing, or headbanging.

Origin came on and the energy that Jungle Rot brought slowly faded. A lot of people left after Jungle Rot so there weren’t many people in the pit. I liked Origin’s set, they really tried to interact with the crowd, and it paid off. The singer kept telling us to mosh, headbang, crowd surf, and stage dive. They have some really good riffs that you can jam too and also some old school thrash riffs.

Deicide was the headlining band, and I was impressed with their set. They had a red light on them the entire time and it gave an eerie feel to their set. I literally felt like I was in hell. There were some people in the pit moshing, and also some crowd surfing. There wasn’t much of a stage show, so it was hard to keep my interest on their set, but they sounded terrific.

Overall, I really enjoyed the show! I did not get the memo to wear a band shirt and camo shorts/pants. Almost everyone at the show was wearing camo pants… very Obituary… maybe it’s a Florida death metal thing? During the show, one of the bands roasted/singled out a girl for crowd surfing and the singer said, “ladies, don’t wear shorts to a death metal show.” She was the only female to crowd surf and I feel bad that she was singled out like that. To all my ladies, wear what you want to a metal show. If you feel great, don’t let ANYBODY (especially some guy in a band) tell you that you can’t wear something.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Until recently, I never went to concerts unless I knew most of the words to most of the songs. I thought if I couldn’t sing along and predict every tempo change I would feel left out or maybe even bored. But I am so glad I decided to get over that hesitation, because it led to me seeing No Vacation. I vaguely knew their most popular song, Yam Yam, but I wasn’t expecting anything crazy from their bedroom pop sound, and I definitely didn’t expect to see one of the best concerts of my life.  

I’ve seen the Arctic Monkeys, the Avett Brothers, Alt- J, and many more of my favorite bands, so why did this small, unassuming band I didn’t even know blow me away? I mean, there’s definitely something to be said for low expectations, but to me, No Vacation captured something I think we all want to feel when we go to those small, intimate concerts: connection.

And this wasn’t only achieved by the headliner, but the opener as well. Okey Dokey, a psych soul band from Nashville, interacted with the audience in a very unique way. During one of their songs, the lead singer grabbed a wig they had been tossing around on stage and placed it on the end of the mic stand. He then extended it into the audience, offering the accessory to someone. After the wig was removed, he swayed with the stand as the audience held the base. Albeit it a somewhat awkward sight to see, it was refreshing and much more personal than chucking something into the crowd.

No Vacation also made several attempts to connect with the audience, something that seems to be lacking in a lot of shows nowadays. Nat (keyboardist) and Sab (lead vocalist) both on separate occasions jumped into the audience to dance with the crowd and hype everyone up. They also encouraged everyone to “bop” to several of their songs and would jump and dance as an example. After one of these enthusiastic commands, the crowd responded with such vigor the concrete floor felt like it was shaking beneath me. A lot of the show was like a spirited, musical game of Simon Says, and it made a mob of strangers feel more united and excited. This bridging of the gap between performer and audience resulted in one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve ever seen. 

You might not expect it from listening to their soothing tracks, but if you ever get a chance to see them live, these energetic artists will definitely surprise you.

I went to Epicenter this past weekend and it was… eventful.

This was a highly anticipated festival because it was replacing the Carolina Rebellion. I saw multiple comments on social media saying to “bring back the Rebellion” and that the “Rebellion would never have these issues.” Now, it is important to understand that Epicenter is not and will never be the Carolina Rebellion. Having a negative mindset about the new festival and having high expectations for it will inevitably end with disappointment.

Inside of the festival on Friday was great! The first band that I saw was Ded and they jammed! They started the day off right with their energy and they announced that they will be coming out with new music soon! The next band I saw was Vein, and their set was intense. The pit was crazy and some guys brought in pillows and literally had a pillow fight in the pit. The singer for Vein was getting in the crowd and bringing Hardcore to Epicenter.

I then met up with some of my friends from my hometown and we went and saw Beartooth and Skillet. We were in the back hanging out, saving our energy for that night. We saw Knocked Loose, and I think they were my favorite performance of the weekend. They were very interactive with the crowd and were always in our faces. Then I went and saw Evanescence and all I can say is WOW that girl can sing. Finally seeing Evanescence was really fun because they were a band that I would listen to when I was a little rocker.

My friend Ellie and I waited at the stage Rob Zombie was going to play at because he is one of Ellie’s favorite artists. So, we made sure we were going to get a good spot for Zombie! While waiting for Rob to come on, Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) was playing on the other main stage. We could see and hear his performance on the jumbo screens above the stage. He did a good job of interacting with the crowd. He also got a lot of lighters thrown at him when he asked for one. He didn’t catch a single one! Once Rob Zombie went on, the entire crowd exploded. Everyone was moshing and crowd surfing during his entire set.

Then, Ellie and I went to see Korn. Ellie has also never seen Korn and I was excited that she finally got to see them! Like always, Korn crushed it. They played all of their hits and I started a mosh pit near the sound booth. I am proud of that.

Everything inside the festival was great! The food was good; expensive, but good. The bands all started and ended on time, and their sound and light show was impressive! But it was what happened outside of the gate that, to me, was horribly planned. On the first day, there was only one entrance and one exit to the parking lot (rather, parking field). This was a problem the entire day. Some people were stuck in traffic for hours trying to get into the festival. Many were turned away because they ran out of parking, or they were stuck in traffic and missed the bands they wanted to see. We were staying 30 minutes away from the festival and we were stuck in the parking lot for 3 hours (only moving one car-length). No one was directing traffic and a lot of people were getting impatient.

The parking situation and traffic issues that occurred on Friday were (somewhat) resolved on Saturday when entering the festival. They had added entrances! The first band to come on was Alien Weaponry and they set the mood for the day. The next band of interest was Wage War and as always, they killed it! Probably the best performance of the day because they had the crowd wound up! Everyone was moshing, crowd surfing, and singing along with the band. They were assigned one of the smaller stages, but judging from the size of the crowd, they should have been on a larger one. Black Label Society was on a larger stage, and they were steamrolling into their third song when an announcement appeared on the screens that we must evacuate the grounds and head back to our cars because of a tornado warning. The band quit playing, mid-song, and the entire crowd herded toward the exit. Once back in the cars and waiting out the storm for hours, the rest of the festival was canceled (there was damage to the venue). I did not get to see the two bands that I have been looking forward to all weekend: Tool and Judas Priest. Trying to get out of the parking field was tough because, first, part of it was flooded due to the storms that rolled through and, secondly, everyone was leaving all at once.  

Sunday was the one day that everything was great! Parking was quick and easy, and the weather stayed sunny for us to mosh in! The band of the day was Architects, and boy did they put on a show! Their stage presence was fantastic and their light show was great! There was a bunch of crowd surfing for this band. Bring Me the Horizon was of interest, next, they always put on a great live show. Interaction between the singer and the crowd was insane! Everyone was trying to crowd surf and give the singer a high five. Foo Fighters closed out the night and everyone was singing, dancing, and crowd surfing along with the band.

Although everything was great while inside the festival, what occurred outside of the festival is what has me second guessing if I will ever return to Epicenter. Parking was poorly planned out, for one. The logistical nightmare of being out in the middle of nowhere lends itself to chaos when 90,000 people descend. But the thing that bothers me, and many others, the most is that the majority of us spent over $200 to attend Epicenter. Then they had a $20 sale on Saturday passes. A week before the festival, tickets were only $1. To me, this is disrespectful to the people who paid a lot of money to attend and support the festival.

I question if Epicenter will be worth going to next year because after this experience, I won’t be getting tickets early; and if there is a chance that I do go, it will only be for a day.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW 

Okay, y’all should already know that anytime Whitechapel comes to North Carolina, I’m going to go see them. I was really looking forward to this show because the lineup was STACKED. The North Carolina date was the last date of the tour and you already know that NC brought the energy.

I got to the Ramkat before doors because I bought VIP tickets to meet Whitechapel. I have never met Whitechapel before so this was exciting for me! The meet and greet was supposed to start at 3:30, but it didn’t start until 4:15, 15 minutes before doors opened. When I was in line to get my Whitechapel poster signed, I was thinking about how I was going to tell Whitechapel that I am The Saw and how much of a fan I am without sounding like a fangirl. They appreciated my support for the band and Phil Bozeman (vocalist) also said, “Go Wolfpack.” I also got a picture with the band, so I now have proof that I met my favorite band.  

There were some opening bands that came on and they set the tone for the whole night. One of the bands that opened up for this show was Primordial Tides from Greensboro. I have seen them a couple of times and each time I see them, they get better and better. After the opening bands, Fallujah came on. I have never seen Fallujah before and I was really impressed! They sounded great and there was a good crowd for their set. I started listening to this band more after the show and I really like their sound. They are a very technical band and I’m glad I got to see them.

Spite came out and completely dominated the crowd. Spite’s singer, Darius, is one of the best front men I have ever seen. He was in the crowd’s face the entire time and he was running around the stage the entire time. Right when he came running on stage and yelling at the crowd, people automatically started moving and getting rowdy. The band sounded really good and Darius can hit his highs and lows perfectly. Probably one of my favorite vocalists right now.

The next band to come on was Revocation. They have that old school thrash, death metal sound and the crowd really loved this band. People started moshing and headbanging during their entire set! They set the tone for the next two bands to come!

Dying Fetus came on next, and we both know how much I love Dying Fetus. I am still mind blown by how technical, fast, and brutal this band is with only three people in the band. Right when they hit the stage, the crowd went crazy. There were certain times when no one was standing still and everyone was in the pit. I don’t know why but almost every guy in that building took off their shirt when Dying Fetus came on. They played some of my favorite songs such as Fixated on Devastation, Panic Amongst the Herd, and Subjected to a Beating. I moshed a lot for them, but for the most part, I stood there in awe.

Whitechapel headlined the show and they came out with their song When a Demon Defiles a Witch. They played a handful of songs off their new album, The Valley, and during that 5-song stretch is when the crowd went absolutely insane. No one was standing still when they started playing Brimstone and Black Bear. I was moshing and yelling the words to every song and I eventually pushed my way up to the barricade. Phil is also a great front man, he was hovering over the crowd and interacting with us the entire time. He also has some of the best vocals live, too. When they played Brimstone, I was shocked, impressed, and in awe when Phil hit that low note, it was beautiful. Whitechapel also played Mark of the Blade, Elitist Ones, Let Me Burn, and The Saw is the Law. 

Overall, this was one of the best shows that I have been to this year. The set up and tear down was quick and easy, and the sound of every band was clear! The light show for this show was also really cool. The venue impressed me as well. The Ramkat is very spacious and there is a lot of room for people. There is also a balcony (with its own bar) that people could pay extra to sit up there. I will most definitely be back at this venue.

Did you go to the Chaos and Carnage tour? What did you think?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW