Kreator, Evile, LAzarus A.D., Lightning Swords of Death, 3-16-10

Coming down with some kinda cold, I was both excited and dreading going to Kreator, Evile, LAzarus A.D., Lightning Swords of Death at the Bluebird on March 16th.

What a difference a concert makes!

I was glad it wasn't sold out becaquse the price was a bit steep ($27!)  and would have been steeper had I paid online.  I walked up to the balcony which was full of folks who looked like old timers (thirtysomethings).  I looked at one table and saw Karl!  The phlebotomist tech that used to draw blood from Chris, the gentleman I used to take care of (RIP). He was there with his wife, Tanya.  They had paid $70 for two tickets online; service charges will screw you every time.

We talked about bands a bit. I told him about Deathspell, and Krallice he told me about Watain's demos, 3 inches of Blood and that I need to pick up the new Gorgoroth.  Karl's black metal knowledge is unimpeachable; if I need to ever find a black metal reference, I should go to him... Being a death metal, thrash metal guy first, my black metal wing is my weakest.  Some holdover from my Baptist upbringing no doubt.

I went to get a patch but Kreator was sold out and the Evile merch guy had to go to the van to get one which he would do eventually.

I decided to take Karl and Tanya's kind invitation to sit with them and get my metal on.

Up first, Lightning Swords of Death.  They were OK; they would have been a revolutionary form of black metal 15 years ago. Now, it was just derivative a bit.  Black metal doesn't always translate to a concert experience save the theatrics.  I had an epiphany about that during their set; it was probably necessary to have the theatrics with some artists because of the punk/drone polemics of the music.  The lead singer had the facepaint of course and the spiky armband of course and was just kinda boring.  I was set to snooze until the last song which was great at the beginning(bass solo? YEAAAH!) and at the end(dark, droning feedback).  I would have been more impressed if these black metal artists didn't try to coast on atmosphere.

Next was Lazarus A.D. which Karl told me wasa Municipal Waste kind of crossover metal thing.  They were absolutely enjoyable with their punky thrash.  They are from Wisconsin and mentioned this and their love of beer to the ho-hum of the audience.  When they replied they liked weed, plenty of whistles and shouts from the crowd.  Their crossover sound got the pit going and the crowd fist-pumping.  Absolutely enjoyable.

Karl and were chatting about how black metal can sometime sound derivative when I noticed the guy at the next table over drop a twenty dollar bill and not even notice it.  I picked it up and went over to the guy and asked if it was his. He looked at me a bit puzzled and rifled through his pockets.  "Yeah.  It is mine! Thanks, man! Really!", he said.  It made me feel good.  Yeah, I am broke and can't even afford a t-shirt but that reminded me I am who I am.

Evile was next.  Now, I have love for this band...I sometimes neurotically fall back to an insecurity about whether bands are racist or not on occasion.  This band with their recently deceased bassist Mike Alexander, who was black, made me open to liking them fully.   That, and that my first metal love is thrash and they do a ripping example of it.  My only problem with them is that they occasional sound too much like Slayer or Metallica.  The lead singer Matt Drake, even came out in black jeans and sleeveless plain, black t-shirt ala Hetfield circa 1989.  They were on their first American tour and did a great job keeping the energy up.  Though not as much sheer, stupid fun as Lazarus A.D., it was serviceable thrash metal and got you where you want to go.

I don't remember how it came up but Karl and Tanya were talking about how they got to the venue (walking and light rail from a Park-and-Ride) and I offered to drop them off at their Park-and-Ride location. They live by Fiddler's Green and are going to have a tailgater before the Iron Maiden show. They're cool and a taxi would've been waaay too much.  I wanted them to get home safe

Of course, everyone was there for Kreator who came out and slayed.  My Kreator knowledge is pretty weak; my early thrash metal tastes don't go far outside of the big 4.  That said, I did pick up "Enemy of God" when it first came out and REALLY enjoyed it.  They came out and had a sense of drama lost to some of their peers and the young, neo-thrash whippersnappers.  I'd love to quote what their set list was and maybe, I'll make an effort to get them from now on, but it didn't matter not knowing all the songs. 

They tore it up.