Kvelertak Skeletonwitch Zoroaster
Good times at Johnny Brenda’s last night. I completely forgot Zoroaster was in town this weekend but managed to make the show they were playin with Kvelertak and Skeletonwitch. It was great to see Dylan and Nick who was traveling with them too. Good friends. It was a mellow night at Mercerrock Manor after the show. The boys were driving since 2 a.m. the night before and had to be in Columbus the next day. Hello 9 hour drive! I didn’t envy them at all.
Ok show review. A local Philly crust band opened the show. They were a ton of fun. I forget their damn name but the were rad.
Zoroaster next. No crazy lights and smoke machines anymore kids. Just the band. Very very cool. I was excited and very proud they were at Johnny Brendas in front of a crowd. The last time they played there Philly yawned and didn’t show up in their usual hipster fashion. This time a great crowd and they were super charged. I’m biased but it’s one of the best shows I’ve seen them play. New bass player Mike held it down and strangled. Speaking of stranglehold there was a Ted Nugent jam involved in their set. Doom happened. All was well.
I adore Skeletonwitch. They are a fucking machine on and off the stage. Usually with touring bands it’s 23 hours of bullshit for an hour of awesome. The vibe I get from Skeletonwitch is the 23 hours before matter nothing. It’s just a speed bump for the 30 to 40 minutes of them tearing your head off. Now I missed a quarter of their set loading out Zoroaster and shooting the shit with Baizley for second. Baroness posters anyone? The 3/4 of the set I caught was just devastating. All genres of metal sharpened into a midwestern knife and stabbed into yer ear hole.
I never heard Kvelertak before. Sorry I’m not the hippest dude on the planet. They will probably hate this but I thought a very very MC5. Rolling heavy swing. I always love not hearing a note of a band and then getting blown away. That happened. There was some talk about some tech problems that they would be pissed about after the set but I didn’t notice. It cracks me up when bands lose it over some tech problems. It’s a rock show peeps. It’s not supposed to be perfect. Well they didn’t lose it and I was very happy about it. One of the members brought it up after and I immediately told him to knock it off. They rocked. Get in the van do it again. They laughed and I’m sure they are doing it again tonight.
A great show always inspires me to get some shit done. I had a bit of a block going on and after lastnight that’s been lifted. Go google all the bands and find out where they are playing. It’s a great bill with a little bit of everything for everyone.
