Show was pretty good overall....i think i've seen Opeth so many times, and know their songs so throroughly, that the "magic" of seeing them live has worn off. Each song was done to perfection, however.
Baroness was good...for the first two songs. After that, i was ready for something different. Regular ol' metal like that just gets on my nerves after a while, unless it can offer some interesting dynamics or unique ideas. If i had to sum up their songs, i'd say they're a good collection of metal riffs sort of in the style of Mastodon, but not as creative. Of course, i was wanting them to stop playing so the mighty Opeth could take the stage.
My girlfriend and I were just about smack dab in the center of the floor (for whatever reason, the balcony was closed???) and during the first two songs we got pretty thrashed by those idiot moshers....what a fucking god-awful distraction. I'm trying to watch what my favorite band is playing, and we're getting pushed all over the place - at one point, my PocketPC got knocked out of my hand and stepped all over (i was recording Heir Apparent), and it's now broken. Thanks, tweens.
The mix was alright, i could hear Axe's kit very well, and it was a pleasure to watch him play (especially The Drapery Falls, he really added a lot to that song in the middle section). Mike's guitar tone was a bit dull and muddy compared to Akkeson's, and it affected the clarity of notes during his solos. I could barely hear Mendez at all, and that was a shame. I kinda had to imagine what he was playing, based on his fretboard work. My favorite addition of Per's is during Demon of the Fall, right when the "Run Away" part begins. He uses a Hammond sound, and sweeps up the keyboard right as the section explodes in your face...
This will probably be one of the last few times i see Opeth live....as I watched, i couldn't help but question myself as to why that's not ME up there yet....Back to practicing, anyhow.