Category: Blog

I bought tickets for this show completely out of the blue. I was telling my dad about the band Traitors and we were listening to their music (seriously, this band goes hard! Look up the song, Nu Hate). So while we were listening to them my dad says, “You do know they are going to be in Fayetteville on Tuesday, right?” I went online and bought tickets real quick. I also knew some of the local bands that were playing at this show (like VALLEYS, those guys are awesome). 

All local bands put on a killer show! Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t get involved until VALLEYS hit the stage. The first local band was Constellation Atlas, and they freaking jammed. Some guy fell out during their show (don’t worry, homeboy got up and continued to crowd kill [borderline moshpit but insteading of pushing people, one intentionally tries to hit, punch, or kick someone else] after a few minutes). The next local band was HEFT, and like the first band, there was only some crowd involvement. The next band Live For What Lasts had the same thing occurring with the crowd but I was really excited to see them because they are from my hometown!! It was cool to see some locals hit up the stage! I didn’t get to meet them but you already know when I see them around I’m going to tell them that I saw them live! 

VALLEYS was next and I was really excited to see them! They were another reason why I went to the show because I saw them perform last year when I saw After The Burial and Emmure (pictured below). I met the guitarist and drummer during that show. Now the crowd got into this band and there was a lot of crowd killing. I love the stage presence of these guys, they are always interacting with the crowd and incorporating them within their show. After their set, I went outside and I ran into the band. I was wearing my WKNC Media Pass and one of the members came up to me and asked me if I was a DJ. They also recognized me from the After The Burial and Emmure show last year. I talked to them for a couple of minutes and they are all such nice guys. They are in the studio now so be on the look out!! I play them during The Saw’s Butcher Shop in my “Local Butchers” segment. Maybe The Saw will be talking to them soon?

MESS, another local band from NC, played after VALLEYS, and I was really impressed by them. They had the entire venue rocking!! So many crowd killers and mosh pits occurred during their set. This was my first time listening and noticing this band, and I’m sure glad I did. They are a really good band! I talked to their lead singer (who is also the drummer) after their set and he is such a sweetheart (pictured below). I told him that I am a DJ for WKNC and that I would love to interview them and play their song during my set!

Seriously, go check out these local bands, they are really good. The Saw approves. 

The next band to take the stage was Signs of the Swarm. Oh my god… these guys are REALLY good. If you like heavy breakdowns, blast beats, gutturals, and pig squeals then this band is for you. The singer was in the crowd’s face the entire time. His voice is insane!!! How he transitioned to growling, screaming, to gutturals, and then to pig squeals was awesome (it is difficult to do these transitions live on stage). One of the best singers I have seen/heard. He was literally hovering over the crowd while singing. I was really impressed with them. I never heard of them until that night and I am glad that I have discovered them. They are easily becoming one of my favorite deathcore bands. There was an insane pit for these guys and the crowd absolutely loved them. I don’t think there was a single person in that room standing still. They played some of their well-known songs such as Cesspool of Ignorance and The Failed Breed. I met the singer and the drummer after their set. They are some of the sweetest and coolest guys I have met (pictured below). Me and the singer have matching Medusa tattoos so we bonded over that. I talked to them for about 10 minutes and then headed back inside to see the next band.

The band I have been waiting for: Traitors. These guys sound the exact same live as they do on record. I met the lead singer (pictured below) at their merch booth before the show and he looks like a young Corpsegrinder (seriously, if I didn’t know I was seeing Traitors, I would have thought Corpsegrinder was at the show). The singer has a great stage presence and he really gets the crowd rowdy. There was a lot of crowd killing and some actual fights broke out here and there. But overall, their set was pretty fun! They played two of my favorite songs: Nu Hate and Short Fused. They just released their new record, Anger Issues, go check it out! 

The last band to perform was Lorna Shore. I have heard of these guys before and I was excited to see them live for the first time! Most of the people left after Traitors which is pretty disappointing. But that didn’t stop Lorna Shore from putting on a killer show!! This band is also another deathcore band and they are touring with Signs of the Swarm. When the band came out, the crowd killing began (not surprised). But, something weird happen in the mosh pit during their set… a dance off began. There was a handful of guys doing the “Souja Boy,” whipping, twerking, nae nae, some weird slow-motion dance, spinning on the floor, and some vicious dabbing. Seriously, homeboy was dabbing so intensely… it was so hardcore. What got me was that some guy busted out the worm and everyone went insane. I have never seen a dance party happen during a show before. We all started a huge pit of the Macarena, it was the best mosh pit I have ever been into. They were doing these dances to Lorna Shore and it was just funny to see these dances to metal music (and the dancing was off-beat I may add). I gotta be honest, no one was watching the band at this point… everyone was watching us dance in the mosh pit and throwing in our best dance moves. The lead singer from Signs of the Swarm came on stage and played a song with the band for his birthday. Some of the songs that they played were Life of Fear and FVNERAL MOON. 

To sum up last night, it was something I have never experienced before. This show was at a small pub and there was around a hundred or so people that showed up. Although the crowd killing got annoying, my overall experience at the show was great! I got to run into some friends, meet some awesome bands, and witness a dance party!! I enjoyed my time at the Drunk Horse Pub. It was my first time there and I really liked the atmosphere. It was a very laid back environment. They have pool tables, a bar, and a seating area. You could walk in and out of the venue and hang out and meet all of the bands if you wanted to. The stage was small and so was the standing area in front of the stage, but this made for a intimate show. I would go back to this venue to see a band anytime!  If you get the chance to see any of these bands, please do. They are all so talented and I promise it will be worth it. 

THE SAW 

This was my first metalcore show of 2018, and it didn’t disappoint me at all! The last time I saw August Burns Red was at the Carolina Rebellion two years ago! When I saw that they were coming back to North Carolina, I didn’t hesitate to get my ticket! This tour supported the release of their new record, Phantom Anthem, that came out in October of 2017.

I got to Arizona Pete’s around 4 o’clock for the meet and greet that occurred around 5. The meet and greet and VIP experience with August Burns Red (ABR) was pretty cool. This was my sixth time getting VIP tickets. Individually, we got to meet the band and they all signed a poster for each of us. I small talked with the band during this time and I told them that I saw them at the Carolina Rebellion and that I am a metal college radio DJ for NC State’s radio station WKNC (if you aren’t listening to The Saw’s Butcher Shop on Friday nights from 10pm-midnight… you’re missing out). Every band that I have told that I am a DJ gets really excited and ABR was no different. They were really grateful and humbled that I play them on the radio and their singer said, “that’s so awesome, you’re literally the only person that will play us on the radio.” After the signing session, I got back in line and then we got a picture with the band (see pic above). When I showed up they all said, “look, it’s our favorite DJ!”

After the VIP experience, we were free to look at band merch and hang out before the show (you get to go in 30 minutes before doors open). I decided to stand right in front of the stage and wait for the bands to come on. My friend Savannah met up with me there and we jammed out in the front during the bands.

The first band to come on was Ocean Grove from Australia. Of course, when they said they were from Australia, we started a “USA” chant. Personally, I wanted to know if they knew the bands Parkway Drive, In Hearts Wake, and Thy Art is Murder (they too, are from Australia). The crowd didn’t really get into this band. The majority of the people just stood there. Savannah and I were dancing and moving to the beat every once in a while. They played Beers, Intimate Alien, and Thunderdome. They also got one of their friends to dress up like a Hooters girl and prance around on stage… that is an image I will never forget. He had the outfit, fake boobs, and a wig.

The second band was Erra. The crowd got into them a little bit more, but nothing major. There were some mosh pits here and there and of course, I was in the front jamming out, like always. They played some of their hits such as Drift, Seven, and Skyline.

Up next were my boys in Born of Osiris (BOO). I have seen them a handful of times and they never disappoint me. When they came out, the entire venue exploded! There were multiple mosh pits, tons of crowd surfers and stage divers, and everyone was yelling the lyrics back to the band. BOO is very interactive with the crowd when they perform. The singer is always in your face and literally a part of the crowd. He was grabbing people’s hands (aka mine), letting people yell into the mic, and getting the crowd as involved as he can. The guitarists and bass were very interactive too. They were always in the front and putting on a good stage show. Their keyboardist was running around, yelling into the mic, singing, and in the crowd’s face the entire time. They are really entertaining to watch and they put on an incredible show. I met the singer (again), the guitarist, and the drummer after the show. They are all really nice guys and they all thanked me for playing their songs on the radio. Ronnie (the singer) remembered me from the Charlotte date that they played and it was good to catch up. They played some of their bangers such as Bow Down (MY FAVORITE SONG), Empires Erased, and Machine.

And now it was time for the headlining band, August Burns Red. Right when they came on stage the entire crowd went rowdy. I was all up against the stage, getting elbowed in the back, my hair was pulled, and I have bruises everywhere (it’s not a good show if you don’t come back with bruises). Everyone was singing along and the entire band was interactive. They were always coming up to the edge of the stage and smiling at people and acknowledging everyone singing and jamming out with them. There was a huge pit and wall of death during the set. The guitarist smiled and waved at me on stage and mouthed the words, “my favorite DJ” to me. The singer was always in front of me jamming out and a lot of his sweat landed on me (this is what happens when you’re in the front). He would grab my hand and sing and just have a good time on stage! I was headbanging the entire time even though it was kinda difficult with everyone around me; and I hit my head against the stage, but it’s fine. I’m fine. Before their last song the singer said that he wanted to see more crowd surfers and stage divers. But he told them to watch out and not hit the “pretty girl up in the front.” I looked around and all I saw were guys around me… so I’m assuming he was talking about me. Everyone was getting on stage and they were careful, no one hit me. Then during the breakdown the singer puts down the mic, looks at me, opens his arms and says, “get on stage.” I was SHOOK, and he literally pulled me up on stage. He handed me their setlist and said something to me but I didn’t hear what he said because I was too busy looking at all the people at the show (it was PACKED) and I was thinking about if anyone was gonna catch me when I have to jump off the stage. Welp, I jumped off the stage and I was carried all around the crowd and was put down safely by the mosh pit. Anyway, ABR played some of their most well-known songs such as King of Sorrow, Hero of the Half Truth, and White Washed.

This was an amazing show, and a great way to kick off 2018!

THE SAW