This has been the year of Machine Head for me. I'm still spinning The Blackening regularly....and it will probably end up being my #1 for the year. That being said:
Machine Head / Arch Enemy played the Warfield tonight...(just got home)...and they were fucking awesome. Seriously, they just destroyed the place.
Walked in after the first two bands (which I meant to do). Went with a buddy. Hung out for a few minutes, then found a good place to stand for Arch Enemy. They were really, really great. Angela has a fantastic stage presence. Totally metal (for those who think her merely window dressing). The crowd loved 'em, and you could tell they were glad to be there. The setlist was obvious, I suppose, but no problem...I've never seen them, and it all seemed quite fresh. They played Blood On Your Hands, Burning Angel, My Apocalypse, Rise....lots of other good stuff. Their set was probably just under an hour, and they were full of energy the whole time.
Almost as soon as their set was over the crowd was chanting Machine-fucking-Head....they are a hometown band afterall. The last song to play before they came out was Diary of Madman, and the song was cranked from the last big crescendo....at which time the lights also went down. And then, as I said, Machine Head came out and just simply destroyed the place. They played the prime stuff from the Blackening, Ashes, and Burn My Eyes....and nothing off the middle-era, questionable albums. You could tell the band was awed by the crowd, who were pretty out of control. The pit was brutal. There was a guy near the front in a wheelchair, and after the 4th or 5th song, Rob Flynn had the security guys lift him on to the stage. He watched from the side for the rest of the show....no doubt MASSIVELY improving the view. But the whole show was just kind of special like that. The last pit I remember seeing that was quite as dangerous (but fun for those under 30) would be shows form the 80s. It was easily the best straight on, completely heavy, thrashy metal show I've been to in quite some time.
Great, great freaking show. At the end, most of the band, and a bunch of people from the opening bands, and some guys from the crew all dove into the audience repeatedly....after the music was over. The thing just kept going and going.
Awesome! It really reminded me of the "old days." Not Machine Head's old days, but metal's old days....I will NOT miss Machine Head when they come through again.
Highlights from their set: Halo, Clenching the Fists of Descent, Imperium, Davidian, Old.
You're gonna love 'em when they come your way Hawk!
Machine Head / Arch Enemy played the Warfield tonight...(just got home)...and they were fucking awesome. Seriously, they just destroyed the place.
Walked in after the first two bands (which I meant to do). Went with a buddy. Hung out for a few minutes, then found a good place to stand for Arch Enemy. They were really, really great. Angela has a fantastic stage presence. Totally metal (for those who think her merely window dressing). The crowd loved 'em, and you could tell they were glad to be there. The setlist was obvious, I suppose, but no problem...I've never seen them, and it all seemed quite fresh. They played Blood On Your Hands, Burning Angel, My Apocalypse, Rise....lots of other good stuff. Their set was probably just under an hour, and they were full of energy the whole time.
Almost as soon as their set was over the crowd was chanting Machine-fucking-Head....they are a hometown band afterall. The last song to play before they came out was Diary of Madman, and the song was cranked from the last big crescendo....at which time the lights also went down. And then, as I said, Machine Head came out and just simply destroyed the place. They played the prime stuff from the Blackening, Ashes, and Burn My Eyes....and nothing off the middle-era, questionable albums. You could tell the band was awed by the crowd, who were pretty out of control. The pit was brutal. There was a guy near the front in a wheelchair, and after the 4th or 5th song, Rob Flynn had the security guys lift him on to the stage. He watched from the side for the rest of the show....no doubt MASSIVELY improving the view. But the whole show was just kind of special like that. The last pit I remember seeing that was quite as dangerous (but fun for those under 30) would be shows form the 80s. It was easily the best straight on, completely heavy, thrashy metal show I've been to in quite some time.
Great, great freaking show. At the end, most of the band, and a bunch of people from the opening bands, and some guys from the crew all dove into the audience repeatedly....after the music was over. The thing just kept going and going.
Awesome! It really reminded me of the "old days." Not Machine Head's old days, but metal's old days....I will NOT miss Machine Head when they come through again.
Highlights from their set: Halo, Clenching the Fists of Descent, Imperium, Davidian, Old.
You're gonna love 'em when they come your way Hawk!
