I first heard of As I Lay Dying back in 2005 when they released their second album, Shadows of Security. I was 6 when I heard that album and from that point on, I have loved them. With that being said, I have been waiting 14 years to see this band and I finally got to see them play for the first time! Now, I know people have different opinions regarding Tim Lambesis, but I support the band. Enough said.
Frost Koffin kicked off the show with a bang and let me tell you, they did not have to go THAT HARD. When you first listen to them, they sound like a rock band, but the riffs they play in their songs (especially in Bare Bones) make them heavy and groovy. The vocalist’s outfit was on point with his cowboy hat, too. I was not expecting to like this band as much as I did, but they damn jammed. Kevin says that they sound like Lynyrd Skynyrd if they were a slam band. Courtney says that if I Am had a country singer, it would be Frost Koffin.
Up next was Currents and I have seen them a handful of times. And just like the previous times I have seen them, they crushed it! Their energy on stage and interaction with the crowd is insane! Brian’s vocals were great! The lows that he did in “Into Despair” were clear and heavy. Currents will never disappoint me. If you haven’t seen/heard them yet, well… you’re missing out.
The second to last band was Phinehas and this was my first time seeing them. I have heard of this band for a while now, but I never really listened to them before. They blew my mind during their set. The light show was impressive and the sound quality was clear. The energy that the band had on stage was crazy and you can tell that the crowd was feeding into their energy. There was a mosh pit the entire time and people were getting rowdy. This band has a lot of catchy breakdowns and I caught myself jamming out a little too hard to them at times.
And now the band that I have been waiting to see for 14 years: As I Lay Dying. They came out to “Meaning in Tragedy” and the crowd went off. No one in the Blind Tiger was standing still. People were moshing, jumping around, head banging, singing, dancing, and crowd surfing the entire time. I have heard that As I Lay Dying’s stage presence is really dominant and I saw that during the show. They really know how to work a crowd. Tim repeatedly thanked us for giving them a second chance and how grateful they are to be preforming for us. I was in the mosh pit almost the entire show. I knew all the songs that they played so you could say I was a happy metal head. I crowd surfed to “An Ocean Between Us” and I was singing the words back to them and Tim grabbed my hand and helped me onto the stage. I stage dove back to the crowd and went back into the pit. They also played some of their best hits such as “The Sound of Truth,” “The Darkest Nights,” and “Confined.” They played my favorite song, “Nothing Left,” but homegirl was going way too hard in the pit, and I had to go puke in the bathroom. So, I missed my favorite song. But you best believe I was singing the words while throwing up. I still had a good time, so no complaints here!
This is a show that I will never forget. I am so happy that I finally got to see one of the bands that got me into metal. This has to be one of the rowdiest shows that I have ever been to. I am looking forward to seeing what As I Lay Dying does next.
Have you seen As I Lay Dying? How was it?
Stay Metal,
THE SAW
