Back To The Grind

Napalm Death / Voivod / Exhumed / Iron Reagan
Oakland Metro, Oakland, California
February 21, 2015

The Friday night commute traffic across The Bay Bridge seemed worse than it really was..but it was still a time suck.  However, we eventually made it to beautiful West Oakland.  Thankfully there was zero guest list drama but due to the traffic we walked in during Iron Reagan's last song.. They sounded great and I was bummed I missed them.  Sorry guys... Next time I'll arrive earlier.. Goddammit.

The Metro was packed solid sold out and with that came the old school uncomfortable side of the venue; muggy sweaty heat.  That being said, nothing comes as close to the old Ruthie's Inn Bay Area Metal Days as a sold out show at The Metro... so if you want to time travel back to 1984 it's as close as you'll ever get.  Adding another main room bar behind the stage was a solid move by the club.. and I appreciate how that, even in a divey venue here in the 21st Century, you can get quality beer despite a sticky floor.  

Local Bay Area heroes Exhumed were up next and delivered a solid, solid set.  I'm still bemused how Max channels James Hetfield circa 1988 onstage, but there's nothing wrong with that.  Also, to make this run of shows special, the band brought back original bass player Ross Sewage (Ludicra, Ghoul, Impaled) for the 5 West Coast shows to play songs off their first album... Which I don't own (honesty is my only excuse..).. but it was a great old school set. 

Exhumed
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

The mighty Voivod landed on the Oakland stage next and were nothing short of magnificent.  Yes, there was another lineup change since the last time I saw them with Blacky leaving the bass position again... bummer.  As with every band from my salad days, it's impossible to expect them to still have their "original" members intact.. and Voivod at 1/2 of the original members is at the average ratio.  That being said, they absolutely killed it.  There are new faces but the same musical mastery that made them special in the first place is still front and center; the spirit of Piggy is still very much an aura around the band. Voivod's Prog Thrash resonates even more for me now and the 9-song set bent time and space.  Vintage tracks such as 'Order of the Blackguards', 'Voivod', and the Pink Floyd cover 'Astronomy Domine' were the cornerstones of the performance but I have to say the epic new song 'We Are Connected' was my favorite of the set.  There is still life in the Voivod machine!

Voivod
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

To be honest, I didn't know what to expect from Napalm Death but everything I had heard about shows in recent times had been nothing but raving... and they completely delivered as well.  Grind is just about the only Metal that still holds my attention at this point in history (Sorry Death and Black Metals.. but.. you make me yawn now..It's not you.. It's me..).  Thankfully, Napalm Death has released a brutally great new album that has only reinforced Grind in my heart and that translated perfectly live.  The entire 22-song set was an unrelenting buzz saw groove abattoir of volume.  At times the assault was breathtaking (or maybe it was the sweaty claustrophobic Metro getting to me) and, despite having his right arm in a sling, Barney was in fine form both during and between songs. The new songs 'Smash A Single Digit' and 'How The Years Condemn' really did it for me tonight and it was inspiring that my favorite parts of both Voivod and Napalm sets were their new songs.  Maybe I'm not so completely jaded about Metal after all... maybe.

Napalm Death
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

A nice Bay Area moment occurred when Jello Biafra joined Napalm for the appropriate cover of the Dead Kennedy's 'Nazi Punks Fuck Off'.. Although Jello is seemingly at every show (still!) these days... but more power to Jello because at least he's out there supporting the bands he likes... I guess.. Anyway.. it was a nice moment.

I didn't do a merch audit.. I meant to.. but when I went to the side room where all the merch was set up I started talking to so many people that I forgot.  Oh well.. I don't need anymore black t-shirts anyway.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags.   All in all, it was a damn fun night and easily the show of the year so far.. and no one got hurt and we all made it home safely.  I ate a bowl of cereal.. went to bed... and awoke the next morning to fight again.

City Baby's Revenge

G.B.H. / Verbal Abuse
The Metro Operahouse, Oakland, California
September 14, 2014

This was one of the few shows that could get me out of Casa de Umlaut to drive across The Bay Bridge to down 'n dirty West Oakland on a Sunday night.  The night before I had attended and sat through the entire 9 innings of a historic 17-0 (!?) Giants loss to the fucking Dodgers; it was the worst shut out loss in the Giants 131 year history!!  Awful... The only positive was seeing manager Bruce Bochy handing the ball to his pitcher son in the 6th Inning.  It was the first time a manager father has ever brought his pitcher son into a game in the 145 year history of Major League Baseball!!  That was mind blowing amazing...but the good feeling did not last long as young Bochy quickly gave up a 2 run HR to the fucking Dodgers.  So after that traumatic baseball experience I needed a G.B.H.-style 'Give Me Fire' cleansing.    Anyway... enough about sports.

G.B.H. are one of my all-time favorite bands and they still deliver.  I know there are many who haven't seen them since back in The Day (aka The 80's).  Hear me now and believe me later:  G.B.H. here in the 21st Century are as great as you can expect a 30+ year old band to be.  They're still 3/4 of the original lineup... and the "newest" member is the drummer who has been with the band for almost 20 years now.  Solid. 

As an added bonus on this 17-city North American Tour, the lads from Birmingham opened their set by playing the seminal release Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne front to back.  Yes, it was a Sunday night but it was inspiring to see a nice attendance... but I was surprised that not a lot of G.B.H. fans from the Metal side of the tracks were in attendance this time.  However, there was  a young "Punk" wearing an Accept shirt... but it was a Metal Heart tee.. (cue slapping forehead with palm of hand)..  Uhhh... Ooookaay.  Poser.

Verbal Abuse were a late addition to the bill and a very pleasant surprise.  The addition of these local legends ratcheted the anticipation level up in my head pre-show and I could not remember the last time I had even thought about Verbal Abuse.. but that's my loss because they completely delivered.  Nope, I have not been paying attention, but evidently the band has been playing a few shows recently so if any more pop up the old schoolers reading this should check them out.

At one point in between bands I was chatting with another longtime G.B.H. fan who had not seen them since back in The Day.  I didn't want to come off as too much of a gushing fanboy but what I did say to him was that G.B.H. would make him feel 18 years old again.. and I left it at that... Confident that the band would not make me look like an old fool.

I need not have worried!  I did indeed feel 18-years old again as G.B.H. walked onstage for their triumphant return to The Bay Area after almost a 2 1/2 year break. I was bummed that the people who I saw G.B.H. with in 1985 weren't at the show.. Number of drinks thrown at the stage during the first 1 1/2 songs = 4.  Umlaut can be a very jaded mofo... so I surprised even myself when I instinctively raised my fist in the air to sing along during the double shot of 'City Baby Attacked By Rats' into 'City Baby's Revenge'.    "... Attacked by rats!"..... "Revenge!!"

Shitty iPhone Pic courtesy of Umlaut's iPhone

My fave bullet from the past tonight was 'Drugs Party In 526'... but the set became one of my favorite shows of the year when the band threw in the riff to 'Black Sabbath' as the intro to 'Sick Boy'!  Birmingham Pride in full effect!  It's the little things.. Nice, right?!  On a night like this... with a band like G.B.H. onstage.. the Oakland Metro is the closest thing to Murder In The Front Row Ruthie's Inn that you can experience here in the 21st Century.

If you bought one of every G.B.H. merch item you would have paid around $300 I think.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced punks called me a fag.  A great night out... and I went to a G.B.H. show and bought a book instead of a t-shirt:

It's the autobiography of G.B.H. bassist Ross Lomas... and it's a fantastic read!  Click HERE to find out more about it.  The book is funny and entertaining and I had no idea it existed until the show.  I bought it on the recommendation of a friend who bought it ahead of me (Thanks Scott!).  Trivia:  Longtime Metallica sound guy legend Big Mick features prominently in the book.  I had no idea he was an early mate and sound guy for G.B.H.!  Nice, right?

Tomorrow's Dream

A Benefit For Nikki Davis
Robb Flynn & Friends Black Sabbath All Star Tribute
Oakland Metro, Oakland, California
January 17, 2014

This was the type of event that made me damn fucking proud to call The Bay Area my home and the Bay Area Metal scene my people.  Murder In The Front Row alumni and Bay Area Metal band leaders Robb Flynn (Vio-Lence / Machine Head) and Craig Locicero (Forbidden / Spiralarms) organized this event and it was a gathering of the tribe for a very profound and worthy cause.  As the official event statement explained:

A good friend of ours and all around great person, Nikki Davis, was in a motorcycle accident with her husband Jeff. Sadly, Jeff died at the scene. Fortunately, Nikki survived but she was unconscious for a few days. She awoke to the daunting reality that her husband, soulmate and best friend had passed away. It was heartbreaking to all of us in the Bay Area scene.

Click HERE to read the complete statement about the night.

Tickets went on sale a week before and the show was sold out in less than 24 hours; it was by far the hottest Metal ticket of the year so far.  The specific lineup of players was not completely announced in advance so the element of surprise only elevated the once in a lifetime nature of the show.   The cast of players ended up being as follows:

• Rob Flynn (Vio-lence / Machine Head)
• Craig Locicero (Forbidden / Spiralarms)
• Chuck Billy (Testament) – vox
• Brad Barth (Spiralarms) - keyboards
• Paul Bostaph (Forbidden / Slayer) - drums
• Will Carroll (Death Angel) - drums
• Cornbread (Spiralarms) - bass
• Dean Dell (Vio-lence) - bass
• Phil Demmel  (Vio-lence / Machine Head) - guitar
• Andy Galeon (Death Angel) – drums
• Eddie Hermida (Suicide Silence) - vox
• Gary Holt (Exodus / Slayer) - guitar
• Tom Hunting (Exodus) – vox
• Jeff Matz (High On Fire) – bass
• Tim Narducci  (Spiralarms) - vox
• Jim Martin (Faith No More) – guitar
• Matt Pike (Sleep / High On Fire) - guitar
• Damien Sisson  (Death Angel) – bass
• Robert Trujillo (Metallica) - bass

Holy shit, right?  It was basically a Who's Who of Bay Area Metal bands, all with long histories. Of course, there will be the negative assholes who will point out who was not there, but if you have that attitude you have no clue or experience about what made The Bay Area scene special back in The Day and what continues to make it special today when it matters.   Besides, tickets were only $20... Twenty dollars for a show with that lineup.  Not only was tonight in support of worthy cause, it was also an insane value for the money.  Leave your negative attitude at the door, man.

Apologies to the rest of the world, but no other area could have pulled off a show like tonight featuring this level of Metal history and hometown talent. It was epic.. and I still don't have my head completely around it.  The night was about all of these major band guys being onstage with zero egos.  The night was about these Black Sabbath songs that we all grew up with.  The night was about celebrating life while supporting Nikki Davis, a longtime member and friend of the Bay Area scene.

Opening the night was an ACDZ, an AC/DC tribute band fronted by scene veteran Zetro (Legacy / Exodus / Hatriot) on vocals.  Given the atmosphere of the event, what better songs to get things warmed up with than Bon Scott-era AC/DC.  Perfect.

I was able to talk with several of the band guys before the main set backstage and the sense of happiness and positive energy was very profound.  Obviously, the reason for the night was profoundly sad... but the sense that this was a celebration of life was the unstated but obvious vibe.  It's not often that something born of sadness can create something so life affirming.

The epiphany of the night:  Who knew that Tom Hunting of Exodus could sing?!  The drummer nailed the vocals for about half of the setlist while channeling his inner Ozzy in a heartfelt and not in a cheesy way despite his awesome kimono.  "We love you all!!"

There were so many other moments and details that made this night F-U-N and special.   Although the setlist was Ozzy-era Sabbath songs I loved how the running order didn't follow expectations and they went for inspired deep cuts.  As I mentioned earlier, besides being a benefit for a friend in need, the show was also a celebration of the songs that put us all on the life path that we're on now.  I think it's safe to say that Sabbath influenced the lives of everyone in the room.  The fact that all of the band guys onstage were constantly smiling also showed that Sabbath influenced some of us in the room to do even greater things with our lives.

What was mind blowing was how tight all of the performances were despite the revolving cast of players and only a week's worth of rehearsals.  This was not your typical "weekend cover band" playing Sabbath songs!   The gathered players are all seasoned and, in some cases, iconic musicians.  Robb Flynn acted as the onstage leader and master of ceremonies and his energy and awe about the night was palpable and genuine.  

'Into The Void' with Matt Pike and Jeff Matz 

I am not overstating it when I say tonight ranked up there with some of the most iconic Bay Area Metal events.  However, rather than give a routine review of the night I want to convey how special the atmosphere and vibe was instead of merely reporting who played on what songs with whom.  You can find that trivia on other sites here on The Internets.  To be honest, tonight was one of those once in a lifetime events where if you were not there, watching the videos on YouTube won't do it justice.  The sense of community and friendships was so thick in the air that you could cut it with a broad sword.  I lost track of how many old friends I saw; at least one of them I hadn't seen in maybe 3 years.  I also had beer spilled on me 3 times by random overzealous dudes, but it was all cool.

One particularly special moment happened during a brief delay before 'N.I.B.' when there was a problem with Dean Dell's bass.  Instead of letting the momentum die, Will Carroll and Flynn spontaneously went into a brief jam on the Vio-lence song 'Bodies On Bodies' which the Bay Area crowd immediately recognized.  Energy maintained.  Amazing!

As I've ranted a couple of times already, tonight was a celebration of life and also a tribute to Sabbath being a force in our lives.  In that spirit, the setlist was obviously put together and arranged by Sabbath fanboys for Sabbath fanboys and fangirls:

1. CORNUCOPIA (INTRO)
2. SUPERNAUT
3. CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE
4. SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE
5. IRON MAN
6. N.I.B.
7. ELECTRIC FUNERAL
8. A NATIONAL ACROBAT
9. LORD OF THIS WORLD
10. TOMORROW’S DREAM
11. CHANGES
12. SWEET LEAF
13. INTO THE VOID
14. KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE
15. PARANOID
16. HOLE IN THE SKY
17. WAR PIGS

So solid, right?!

Yes,  Matt and Jeff of High On Fire played on that song.. and Robert of Metallica played on those songs.. and Gary of Exodus played on that song.. and Jim Martin of Faith No More came out and played on that other song... and Will of Death Angel sang that song!  Who knew that he could sing?!   Between him and Tom Hunting it was The Night of the Singing Drummers.

'Paranoid' with Gary Holt and Will Carroll on vocals

'War Pigs' with Jim Martin and Chuck Billy 

Okay, my personal favorite songs of the night were 'Into The Void' with Matt and Jeff of High On Fire (which was the perfect song for Matt to play) and 'Killing Yourself To Live' with Tom Hunting channeling the Live At Last album to perfection.  "SMOKE IT!!  GET HIGH!'

Another especially awesome touch to the night was that only Dio-era Sabbath was played over the PA in between the bands and after the show.  It was perfect and kept the Sabbath theme going all night long.  Despite what Zakk Wylde thinks, Dio-era Sabbath is very legitimate and sacred to folks like me. So STFU Mr. Zakk Wylde.

Although it's only January I can't even imagine another show this year that will be this special.  If you bought the event t-shirt you would have paid $20.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags.  Unfortunately, the event shirt sold out so this is my favorite souvenir from this epic night:

As the event's statement said:  "We hope to raise enough money to help Nikki continue to get back on her feet because the healing is not finished. She still has medical bills to pay and we want to do anything we can to help our old friend."

My understanding is the support for Nikki from this event will continue, with online auctions and maybe other activities.  For those who couldn't attend the concert, donations can be made to Nikki's PayPal account at:

help_jeff_n_nikki_d@yahoo.com  

Being part of "a scene" means more than simply going to see bands or following bands on Facebook.  Sometimes a scene has to rise up together for a just and worthy cause on behalf of one of their own... and that's exactly what The Bay Area Metal scene did tonight.  Dog bless you, every one of us!  Special kudos and karma points to Craig and Robb, the band guys, and all of the others who worked on and supported this event.  Tonight completely inspired me.  Of all the Sabbath lyrics that were recreated tonight, 'Tomorrow's Dream' rang out as the heaviest and most appropriate:

"We hope to raise enough money to help Nikki continue to get back on her feet because the healing is not finished. She still has medical bills to pay and we want to do anything we can to help our old friend."
For those who can't attend the concert, donations can be made to Nikki's PayPal account at help_jeff_n_nikki_d@yahoo.com.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-slayer-machine-head-exodus-members-to-perform-at-robb-flynn-friends-benefit-concert/#16IUF6eSjAKZ7crL.99 Of all the Sabbath lyrics that were recreated onstage tonight, these lines struck the heaviest chord to me:

"When sadness fills my days
It's time to turn away
And then tomorrow's dreams
Become reality to me.."

Hail and Amen.

[Live photos courtesy of Sensory Abuse]

For Victory

Bolt Thrower / Autopsy / Benediction / Noothgrush
Oakland Metro, Oakland, California
May 26, 2013

This show was sold out 2 months in advance and that says everything about the magnitude of this night.  Bolt Thrower last visited the West Coast 20 years ago and for years they have been the #1 band on my bucket list since I didn't see them back in The Day.  I was as giddy as a little school girl as this show drew closer.  In the days leading up to it I mentally prepared myself for the combat conditions that would await us inside the hardcore warehouse confines of the Oakland Metro.  It was going to be medieval.  Staying hydrated would be the key to survival.

As H-Hour approached, Team Umlaut infiltrated the 510 early to fuel up at Pacific Coast Brewing before the battle that lay ahead of us.  Despite some spotty table service it was quality face time with good friends (Hail to Sensory Abuse, Rich and Pam Cathead, and Valowar!).  Then we few, we happy few, made our way over to the dark den of sweat that is the Oakland Metro.  However, upon entering the space I was confronted by something that almost harshed my Metal buzz:

A BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BACK PATCH?!   My only guess is that it's meant to be an ironic tribute to the 80's because there was a Twisted Sister patch on front of the vest.  Kids, irony should be left to the professionals.  Anyway, there would be no "dancing in the dark" tonight.

The local sludge of Noothgrush was probably out of place for some but having them on the bill was a good appetizer since their Doom casually set the table for the old school Death that was to follow.  Benediction were making their first visit to The Bay Area from Birmingham, England even though they've been around almost as long as the headliners.  Having them on the bill gave it that extra historic vibe as it felt like a true English Death Metal invasion and if I'm not mistaken their bass player was in Napalm Death once upon a time. They were great. Autopsy have headlined the Metro before and since this was a hometown show for the veterans they really kicked the energy level up a notch.

Sorry, but if it seems like I was distracted during the support bands it's because I was... I can't properly articulate how important seeing Bolt Thrower was to me.  During Autopsy I stood against a wall watching them, digging their horrifying mayhem, saying "Hi" and shaking hands with friends and acquaintances who walked past, but my head was already in the Bolt Thrower trench sharpening my bayonet. 

The energy in the room was so 1985 East Bay I almost couldn't stand it; the ghosts from Murder In The Front Row were alive again at least for tonight.  Time travel does exist, man.  I can't remember the last time I was in a room where everyone was so excited to see a band.  Umlaut rarely goes down front for big shows anymore, but as Autopsy finished and the crowd thinned out to visit the restrooms, bars, or smoking area I posted up to await the triumphant return of Bolt Thrower.

This is one of those shows where mere words cannot fully express my thoughts and judging from the crowd's reaction I know that the 1,000 other souls in the room felt the same.  Bolt Thrower has an unholy groove to their mayhem that penetrates your skull like a screwdriver between the eyes.  All of the Bolt Thrower fans reading this know what I'm talking about; what makes the band special is as much about medieval brutality as it is the subtle unholy melodies that drives their sound.  The headbanging, pit action, and stage diving were medieval and fantastic all night from the minute the band walked onstage.

[Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse]

Seeing Bolt Thrower only a couple of days after attending Jeff Hanneman's memorial really centered my head again.  After saying goodbye to Hanneman I had the feeling that *my* Metal was eroding and sliding into the ocean of time at a much faster rate.  However, seeing a veteran band like Bolt Thrower being more powerful and compelling than any other band I've seen in recent years calmed me down.  As if he was reading my mind, Karl dedicated 'When Glory Beckons' to Hanneman. 

A lot of people focus on Jo because they still find it a novelty for a woman to be a key member of such a brutal band... but Bolt Thrower are A BAND.  Besides Jo and Martin holding down the fortifications, the withering tone of Gavin and Barry is singular and unrelenting... and Karl is that old school type of frontman... aggressive but also gracious like a proper Englishman.  I loved this band before tonight and I will follow them into battle for eternity now that I've finally witnessed them live.  Bolt Thrower validated the special energy in Oakland by coming back for an unscheduled 2nd encore and laid down some old school with 'In Battle There Is No Law' from their debut album.  HAIL!

[Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse]

As the dust and sweat settled Bolt Thrower had pumped a selection of 16 songs into the collective skulls of Oakland.  The last time I felt as inspired from seeing a Metal band was after the now legendary 2009 show by Amebix when they played San Francisco for the first time ever.  Bolt Thrower and Carcass are the bands who brought me back to Metal after some years of wandering the wilderness of Metal indifference.  I'm a sucker for Grindcore and Crust.  Dirty.  Gritty.  Not pretty.  Also, combine that with the influence fantasy war gaming and military history has in their music and aesthetic and Bolt Thrower are my soul band in many ways.

If you bought one of every Bolt Thrower merch item you would have paid a mere $80 for 7 tees.  Prices were kept old school at $10 to $15; Umlaut went all-in for the $15 tee.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  Umlaut can be very jaded, so it was amazing to have a life-altering concert experience again here in the 21st Century... and I'm very thankful for that.  Ironically the day after the show was Memorial Day.

[Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse]

"No Guts!! No Glory!"

Memorial Day

Nasum / Landmine Marathon / Brainoil
Oakland Metro, Oakland, California
May 28, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend 2012. The day before the show it was nice to have some quality hang time with Umlaut kindred spirit friends Landmine Marathon. The band arrived in The Bay Area a day early to rehearse with their new drummer Raul (formerly of the East Bay’s own mighty Impaled!) at the legendary Soundwaves Studios. Landmine’s bloodcurdling Metal was in stark contrast to the sweet sounding Indie Rock band who were rehearsing in the space next door. Good times… and later that night this happened:

LandMIME Marathon
[Photo courtesy of No Ceiling Photography]

Fast forward to the next day and I found myself inside the comfortable crusty interior of the Oakland Metro. It had been 9 months since the last time I saw Brainoil. Much to my delight, the band were on fire and really entrenched themselves with me once again. Their sound, especially onstage, has a ridiculously heavy groove that could go on for days. I also still love how Brainoil seems to literally bleed the grit and grime of the East Bay with every note. Maybe it's just my old man brain, but the old skool 510 attitude just oozes out of every note that Brainoil plays. A local treasure... of volume.

Umlaut has a special kinship with Landmine Marathon and it's been downright awesome to watch their progression over the past 3 years since I first met them. I'm gonna just come right out and say how proud I am of the kidz being handpicked by Metallica to play at their Orion Festival in Atlantic City later this month. From Metal blog buzz band to their tunes being on James Hetfield's iPod. You'd be a dick to deny that's not awesome. Tonight was only their 3rd show with Raul on drums and included the live debut of the song 'Morbidity'. Ferocious. Great band. Great friends. 'Nuff said. I'd take a bullet for them.

All the way from Sweden for the first time ever, Nasum are a band whose tragedy could easily overshadow their substantial legacy. For the newbies: The band's singer and guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk was tragically killed in the 2005 tsunami in Thailand while on vacation. The band's brief one-off U.S. Tour was meant to celebrate the band's 20th Anniversary... and also served as their Farewell Tour. Bizarre and sad. To be honest, Nasum means alot more to others than to Umlaut and it was cool to see the awe and excitement the band's visit caused. A nice grind groove... a nice grind vibe. However, I'll come clean and say Nasum have never been on Umlaut's radar... but it was heartwarming to witness the celebration their appearance on these shores caused amongst friends. Maybe Umlaut in Swedish means poser? Discuss amongst yourselves.

If you bought one of every Landmine Marathon merch item you would have paid around $200. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. Early the next morning, running on 4 hours of sleep and coffee, Umlaut found himself on a plane bound for L.A. for work. No rest for the wicked, man.

Exit Light, Enter Night

Eyehategod / Impaled / Brainoil / Laudanum
Oakland Metro, Oakland, California
August 12, 2011

The day before the show the singer for the awful 80's Hair Metal band Warrant was found dead. Yes, any early death is sad... but Warrant were everything I hated about 80's Metal; bullshit pose over substance. Anyway, rest in peace Mr. Cherry Pie... but going into this show I was pretty sure none of the bands would be doing a Warrant tribute. Back in 1993 this is where I was at while Warrant were blaming Grunge for ruining their career:

San Francisco - 1993
(From the Umlaut Archives)

I had not seen Eyehategod in a long time since I missed their last visit to The Bay Area a couple of years ago. You know I'm an Old Fart because I had to make some coffee before heading across The Bay Bridge to West Oakland. The Metro is an old warehouse space located a couple of blocks from the Port of Oakland... Some will call it a shit hole but I like it because it reminds me of the old dives and warehouse spaces where I used to see bands back in the 80's and early 90's.

Even after all these years, underground shows in Oakland still have a better vibe than most gigs in San Francisco. More grit.. More grime.. More edge. Parking karma was in effect as I found a space a half block from The Metro and the thumping from the band that was already onstage echoed down 3rd Street as I made my way inside.

Rather then only using the main stage tonight, the organizers used a rotating stage schedule that had the support bands playing alternately on the main stage and on a smaller stage next door in the art space. As I walked into the art space I was greeted by a wall of volume from a support band whose name I never confirmed.. but who were quite good. Note to bands: It really does work to your benefit to have your band name somewhere onstage while you're playing. Advertising 101. After watching most of the set I wandered down the hall and through the portal into the main room.

It was in the big space that Laudanum soon lowered their insanely dense curtain of darkness. The band were even more unrelenting with their message of Drone / Doom than I remembered... Laudanum is crushing; listening to them feels like having your soul obliterated... which probably isn't something most people want to experience... but I was cool with it because it was Friday night and I had a beer in my hand.

After the darkness of Laudanum I had to go outside to get some fresh air... and forgot about the rotating stage schedule until the start of Brainoil's set dragged me back into the humid and volume filled smaller room. Next to the headliner, the main reason I ventured to West Oakland was to see Brainoil again. The last time I saw them was over a year ago when they supported Shrinebuilder and in that time I've been consistently told by friends how the band have stepped up their game even more. The band has just released their first new album in 8 years (!) and as soon as I was back in the small room I was sucked into the Brainoil volume vortex.

Brainoil
(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

Brainoil's special brew of Hardcore and Sludge bleeds Oakland and the East Bay with every note... and watching them explode with an audience in a crowded and confined space is my quintessential type of live band experience. Sludgey riffs washing in and out of heavy grooves.. Their great new album (Death Of This Dry Season) compels me to be the messenger and say Brainoil are the best Bay Area Metal band going right now... There.. I said it. They were simply awesome.

With my head still ringing I stumbled back down the hall and through the portal into the main room where Impaled had unleashed their theatrically-tinged Metal on the night (tonight they wore matching blood-soaked smocks). As with Laudanum and Brainoil, it had been awhile since the last time I had seen Impaled. To be honest, after Brainoil's set my head wasn't really in the mood for Impaled. My head was still reeling from the sludgy pounding it had received in the smaller room and I felt a bit detached watching Impaled entertain the crowd; I kept thinking about Megadeth watching them tonight for some reason... Impaled were great as always, but my head was still swimming in Brainoil.

Impaled
(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

As the main stage was prepared for the headliners, ZZ Top played over the PA and I wandered around the space checking out the merch tables... and chatted with Dave Ed of Neurosis about the band's new album plans (!). How do you know you're seeing a show in West Oakland? Because you cut in front of Matt Pike outside of the Men's Room to take a piss because he's moving too slow.

Eyehategod are one of those real deal survivor bands... and it's cool that they've risen from the ashes again with 4/5 of the "classic" lineup intact. The feedback wail of 'Blank' announced the start of the set and watching the floor erupt into classic East Bay mayhem reminded me how shows in San Francisco never match the crowd action of an underground show in the 510.

Eyehategod
(Photo courtesy of Sensory Abuse)

Best quote: "You make San Francisco look stupid." - Mike of Eyehategod

A new song with the heavy handed title 'New Orleans Is The New Vietnam' channeled the still burning rage that obviously fuels Eyehategod here in the 21st Century. After over an hour onstage, the band came back out and pummeled Oakland for almost another half hour... and when it was all said and done 90 minutes of Louisiana Sludge had buried Oaktown.

Number of Slayer hoodies = 1 (mine). If you bought one of every Eyehategod merch item you would have paid around $60. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. All in all, not a bad night on the right side of The Bay seeing some of the darkest bands from my record collection; I need to make more of an effort to see shows in the 510 moving forward. On another note, The Black Album came out 20 years ago on this date (August 12th)...

Umlaut backstage with The Cowardly Lion - Black Album Tour - 1992
(Photo by Mike Meals)

Time flies when you're getting old... Exit light.. Enter night.