Concert Review: Silent Nightmare, David Wilner Trio

Ultra lounge: (3/6) It feels like a bar, partly because it is one. Dark, but clean this little hole in the wall would be very easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. While the sound system was not the worst I've heard it really did not suit the main act. I suspect the lead vocalist's ridiculously wide range was too much for those speakers.

David Wilner Trio:(3/6) low production pop with heavy-handed metaphors and a an average voice. While it was far from horrible, I didn't find his music caught my attention. The music had a wholesome goody-good feel to it and a nebulously Christian feel. It was bland, but not bad. The keyboard work was decent, if forgettable.

Silent Nightmare (4/6): This little band has come a long way from their debut album back in 2011. They are a little all over the place, combining operatic vocals and nu metal guitar work. I feel like they are still trying to find their sound within a genera that is uncharted territory (there aren’t many operatic metal bands out there that aren’t symphonic). While they are much more cohesive than some bands I’ve seen, I think they really need to focus in and hone what makes their particular style.

Tara Duhan has a voice like a sultry angel and a range that puts most other artists to shame. She’s got the looks to match. While she is still finding her sweet spot, I’m confidant it is there. It is very clear she has both talent and training in spades. Duhan also has a lot more presence than most artists. I don’t think there was a single person in the room that didn’t have their eyes on her.

The music itself was oddly enough where the band got shaky. It took me quiet a while to figure out what was off. First off they haven’t quite gelled into a cohesive sound which will come with time. There were two big issues however. First the guitarist’s skill level varied greatly between songs, some songs he was solid on, others he was just plain off. (I think his g string wasn’t tuned right, I could be miss hearing). It wasn’t just the newer songs that were rough, either. The bassist was flat out subpar. She wasn’t terrible, just not on the caliber the rest of the band. The drummer was the savior of the low end. When the basest didn’t pull through, he was there to fill in the sound.

Fortunately for them, no one other than the critic in the audience was paying attention to the bassist. Duhan was a complete showstopper. Once she really hits her stride, she’s going to be amazing.  

Coheed and Cambria with Between the Buried and Me and Russian Circles(not reviewed) at The Congress Theater

Subtitle: “Don’t close the Coffin yet, I’m Alive”
The Congress Theater:(3/6)
The Congress is like that old pair of jeans with the holes in the knees and the thinning seams that you love because they are comfortable, but you know they aren’t in the best shape. Wonderful atmosphere, very defiantly a venue meant to be a concert venue, but the sound system is woefully bad and the place is in utter disrepair. (Though maybe they’re fixing this--they were renovating the balcony) The bars feel temporary, the bathrooms are almost frightening, and the traffic flow both inside and out is laughable. But it’s home.

The show:

Between the Buried and Me (3/6): While not untalented, Between the Buried And Me made one of the classic new band mistakes. They tried to before they had a good grip on the basics of their genera. This is the double-edged sword of the modern music industry, especially in young bands. Innovation and genre blending are avidly encouraged, and fighting for your sound is considered the pinnacle of strength. I’m all for those things, in fact, nothing impresses me more than a band that doesn’t sound like anything else I’ve ever heard. However, you have to master the basics of your primary genera (in this case metal) before you genera blend. And these guys were all over the place too, with pieces of blues, punk, and (I shit you not, dear readers) something that could only be described as a metal ho-down. It could have been amazing had they really trained at any one of the genres they were using so that they had a really solid platform to experiment from. They were technically decent, the guitar work was good, the vocalist knew what he was doing, but the band as a whole fell apart.

Coheed and Cambria (4/6):
Not Coheed and Cambria’s best show by far, but these guys were amazing. This time they added in yet another layer to their already intense performance: they introduced stage effects. Normally, the set for Coheed and Cambria is minimal, including maybe a lighting effect or two; largely it’s just the band performing, so this was a real change. They also used the voice of the All Mother (a character from their most recent album set) to transition between songs. The effects were carefully orchestrated in a way that did not interfere with one of the most badass bands I’ve ever heard. As a unit Coheed and Cambria has amazing, intricately laired, yet seamless instrumentation toped with a unique and otherworldly vocals makes for a very powerful show.

This show ran the gamut of emotion, from charged fearlessness to quiet sorrow by way of demented mania Coheed and Cambria has really solidified their sound and continues to innovate without losing sight of the fundamentals that make them a fantastic band. Looking out at the crowd was quite a sight. Not many bands can get the crowd pumped on a song that is over a decade old, then turn around and have them sing back verbatim a song that is less that six months old.

The Coheed and Cambria audience, in general, is a fervent lot. The band’s energy is contagious, and the energy the crowd gives back just amplifies everything. This show was no exception. It was wonderful.

Album Review: Afterman: The Descention "This Selfish War Machine"

(4/6 for the album, 5/6 for the album with the book.)

Last October, The first half of this album was realased (Afterman: The Ascension) marking the final chapter in The Amory Wars. The Deluxe Edition included a gorgeous coffee table book, which contained the story and commentary from creator Claudio Sanchez. I waited to finish reading the book until I heard this album. I went back and read the second half of the book along side the album. So, I apologize if this review is a little less streamlined than my other reviews. I also apologize if my hard edge goes soft. There is so much about Coheed and Cambria’s music that hits me somewhere very personal.

Onward, then. 

Musically, Afterman: The Descention does not hold up to Afterman: the Ascension.  Coheed and Cambria’s famous layering is overused in places. However, this piecemeal sound is a reflection of the jarring events unfolding in Sirius Amory’s story. I'm still not personally a fan of how some songs sound Namely, "Iron fist," was far more upbeat than its lyrics called for. I first heard this song several years ago as a stripped down, raw, acoustic track. It was heart rending. I never envisioned this song as up-tempo and discordant as it came out.

I should add this: The album is absolutly brilliant and the story is beyond anything I could ever create. When I criticize this album,it  is always as compared to their other albums. I would call it brilliant in any other band’s repertoire.

Even in it's all of its flaws, Descention still weaves in brilliant throwback to No World for Tomorrow and Second Stage Turbine Blade. Musically, it is deeply complex (wich is a double edged sword in this case) and richly layered.. In addition to the story elements, some of the discordance comes from Coheed and Cambria trying to redefine their sound.

Lyrically, Descention is pure art. Creator Claudio Sanchez may occasionally get caught up in cool sounds and musical effects, but lyrically he is consistently ingenious. Evocative both of the story itself and something raw and human the lyrics are simple and incredibly profound. I could rave on for ages about the brilliance in the analogy of the artist as mad scientist. The current of raw, yet surprisingly precise emotion in the lyrics are just outstanding.

Two tracks took me by complete surprise, not because they were particularly bad or good, but because they were so out of character for Coheed and Cambria. They are happy tracks-- one is an actual love song. In the armory wars stories, it is a very rare thing to see hopefulness, and “Away We Go” and “2 Is My Favorite 1” are saturated with hope and love, a rare thing in the Amory Wars saga.

On the whole Descention was a good, but clumsy album that I suspect is a set up for something bigger still.  

And then there was the book. 

Just like with Ascension, I sat down with the book and read along side the album, as it was meant to be. The art alone is poetic, when you combine it with the lyrics that go straight to your core and the little pieces of commentary Sanchez leaves at the bottom of the lyrics of each song. It is both brutal, and striking. I got about three quarters of the way through the book and Iron fist --the very song I had issues with-- started to play. I lost my ability to act as a detached critic, leaned my head in my hands, and cried. I will admit Sirius Amory's story hits far too close to home for my own liking, but even without the personal element it is an elegant and beautiful story. I was sobbing for the rest of the album despite the fact that both of the above mentioned hopeful and upbeat songs are in that last quarter. It is simultaneously polished and unspeakably raw. It felt like I was reading the notes on someone’s diary. 

Amory Wars is not the war story it started out as. It is a love story with a demented, warped shell. Well played, Mr. Sanchez, well played.

Album Review: Blood Red Boots (self-titled EP)

Haling from Chicago, Blood Red Boots have a playful cocky tone, bringing out some notes of the 80s glam rock, pop-rock and the occasional country flair. Vocalist Keith Patrick in particular has a smile in his voice that is contagious.

Keyboardist Eric Hays shone through particularly strongly as did bassist Cyrus Johnson. William Heschl’s guitar work, however, needs some improvement, particularly in its coordination with the rest of the band and it’s precision.

Blood Red Boots have a lot of potential, but still need to hone their sound. While they are consistent, I’m not really sure they know what they are going for yet. They need to unify their sound and sharpen their personal sound.

Patrick experiments with a wide range of tones and pitches, some of which really worked (especially in “California”). However, there are places the vocals just go flat. I would encourage him to really focus on training his voice.

They strike me as fun live band–their love for what they do is audible in every track. It is clear they are enjoying what they do. These guys are at a very malleable stage of their development; I look forward to seeing what they shape themselves into.

Good luck, guys. 

Kill Hannah's New Heart for Xmas 9 "I've Waited My Whole Life"

If you’re from Chicago and haven’t been living under a rock, I don’t need to tell you that New Heart for Xmas is the little three day long party that Kill Hannah throws every year for their fans. I attended all three days on the Ultimate Fan Package.

Day 1: JBTV Studio Kill Hannah Practice and Q&A

Venue:

JBTV Studio

I’ve talked about  the JBTV Studio before. It’s an amazing little studio.

The Set and Q&A(5/6):

Whenever, I hear  the members of  Kill Hannah speak, I feel like I've just received a pep talk from Winston Churchill. In particular, Mat Devine has a knack for striking very honest, yet surprisingly universal notes when he speaks, weather it be answering fan questions or talking about his band and their experiences. Being the lead, Mat is the one who gets the most press, so it was nice to hear the rest of the band share their perspective. They are equally candid and insightful. The wonderful report  had  both with the fans and with each other was a joy to experience.

The set itself was lovely, as usual. It was also a lot of fun to see how they work and communicate with the people managing on the technical aspects of the show.

Day 2: Acoustic Set at the Crimson Lounge.

Venue:

The Crimson Lounge (5/6):

 The Crimson Lounge is simultaneously roomy and cozy. I am actually surprised I’ve not been there before. It’s beautiful, classy, and warm. The stage is actually fairly large for the size of the lounge and the system is actually quite good (especially for a bar). The posh atmosphere could be off-putting for some, but I found it welcoming.

The Set (4/6):

As a small person, I tend to hover toward the middle or back of a crowd to keep a better vantage point. For this set it was intimate enough  and not frantic, so I managed to be right up front and slightly off to one side. What an experience! It was a marvel just to watch a talented set of artists work. I could see  exactly how much skill Dan Wiesse and Greg Corner had just by watching their fingers.

The rapport  the band had with each other and the fans really shown through, the playful antics combined with moments of complete and deadly seriousness were a delight to witness. Devine's  constant efforts to make sure the fans all had a good view were simultaneously hilarious and incredibly endearing. He actually stood on his chair for about half the set and when the photographers were finished he invited the fans that were standing to one side of the stage area to come sit right in front of the stage.

I have gone on and on about how vulnerable divine is on stage, this  show was even more intimate. It was very much a show for his fans, for the KHK who's worked so hard to support them. This was ours as much as it was Kill Hannah's. 

Day Three: The Big Show 

Venue:

 House of Blues (previously reviewed)

Openers:

(Regrettably I missed the first opener, Blood Red Boots, and equally regrettably I caught the second opener, Action Blast. I will be reviewing Blood Red Boot's album in an upcoming blog entry)

Action Blast (2/6)

The two  points both go to the drummer who wasn’t half bad. The guitar work was passible.

I can forgive a band  for being young and untrained, or even just not talented, but there’s a certain attitude that happens, usually in mediocre bands,  that are low talent and high ego that I just cannot stomach. If you’re a nearly unknown band and you come in talking like you’re the biggest badest thing on the planate you make me scoff right out the gate. As a good critic, I  kept watching despite this and at least tried to pay attention until  their front man (in a misdirected attempt to get the crowd moving) declared "Silence is gay." 

I took out my crocheting at that point and wandered back to the bathroom where I ran into two more fellow KH fans that were quite literally hiding in the bathroom to escape the terrible music.

Dot Dot Dot (4/6): These guys were the  first surprise of the night. Their name has cropped up on my radar several times, but  I hadn’t had the chance to sit down and listen to any of their stuff until last night. I'd always heard that they weren't that good. I'm declaring whoever said that tone deaf. 

Lead man Adam Blair is  as flirty as he is confidant and  has an unquestionable charm. From  the  playful smile to the energetic guitar work and animated singing, Blair is quite the performer. His voice was what really caught my attention first. He has remarkable vocal control and a surprising range that you don’t hear on  his recorded work.

The biggest issue with the band was the huge talent gap between Blair and his band. Guitarist Rose Ana Laguana  was solid but  her counterparts were  just fair not good

Kill Hannah(5/6)

This is the show the entire Kill Hannah fan base waits for all year. It is always quite a party with theatrics and snow machines. 

I've griped before about how passive the Kill Hannah crowds are. They are normally a quite bunch, matching divine in his introverted manner.

I retract every gripe.

Never in my five years as a Kill Hannah fan have I seen the fans like this. It was not insane, nor has the band itself had so much force. It was unreal. From the first note of believer to the last line of Welcome to Chicago, Kill Hannah brought  a fire that blew all of this previous shows out of the water. 

First off, when Jonny Ratkey got back on stage with Kill Hannah, the crowd just about lost their minds. Johnny hasn't been an official part of Kill Hannah since 2008, but the fans love him. His appearance at New Heart For Xmas is always a sincere pleasure. 

If this show demonstrated anything is was that this band and the Kill Hannah Kolective are family. Between the showers of affection on stage and the gracious words the band spoke, it was clear  that, to borrow from something Adam Blair  said, this was a family reunion. 

But the music itself, was truly phenomenal. Kill Hanna was on the absolute top of their game, weather it was Dan Wiese and Johnny Radtke tearing it up on the guitar or Elias Mallin on the drums, the music was just flawless.

I'm missing someone.

Mat Divine.

I cannot say enough about how talented, vulnerable and all around amazing this man is. His voice was spot on last night. His energy  was explosive,  and that energy charged the fans, which in turn charged the band, creating an explosive, intense energy loop. 

I’ve also never seen them  attract such a huge crowd. I’m used to them selling out the metro (a venue half the size of The House of Blues, at most), but I’ve never seen so many Kill Hannah fans in one place before. I am proud.

It was one hell of a weekend. 

Afterman: The Book(Claudio Sanchez) Part 1

(6/6)
As I said, I'd been eagerly waiting for  Afterman:The Ascension since last march. And the album was brilliant as I expounded  in my previous entry.
Being a big fan of Coheed and Cambria and completely enamored with The Amory Wars  I splurged and got the Deluxe Edition of the album, which came with Afterman(The Book).

While those who ordered the Deluxe Edition got the music downloads right on the release date, the book itself took a little longer to ship due to quality control issues. And it was longer still before I could find time to curl up with the coffee table sized book. (I  was not about to throw that gorgeous book into a backpack and read it on the train.)

My gods that was worth the wait.

All of the things I extrapolated from the video log and my own wild-eyed imaginings were nothing compared to the sheer brilliance of the album along side the book.  Combine a brilliant album with a wonderful story steeped in metaphor and drenched in layer upon layer of music and meaning and you have something breathtakingly profound. Toss in a sprinkling  of the real life inspirations for the songs and you have a vulnerability that you don't see very often in the music world.
Music is so personal, and everyone takes something different from a piece, so it is easy for an artist to wave over the songs that strike a nerve. Author and front man Claudio Sanchez exposes the raw nerve without dwelling too deeply so that the story and experiences inform each other intricately.

I have never seen a piece like this before and I doubt I will again.

If you're a fan, find a copy of this book and throw on the album do it, it is beyond brilliant.

On top of all of the things I’ve mentioned, I would be doing the work a disservice if I neglected to mention the artwork. It is a perfect complement to the music, equally rich and complex. The use of color and contrast alone made my head reel. Every ounce of this piece is rich with subtleties, yet accessible to the new fans.

Coheed and Cambria --Afterman: The Ascension. "This is Our War"

5/6
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this album since its announcement, hell since the release of their B-side last march. I confess my love for the story and my unabashed adoration of the band my have colored some of my criticism

For those that follow the band, this is the first chapter of The Amory Wars  and a prequel to Year of the Black Rainbow (Which was a prequel to Second Stage Turbine Blade). I suspect author and frontman Claudio Sanchez wrote himself into a corner with No World for Tomorrow*. In an interview, Sanchez mention that when he was writing No World for Tomorrow, he wasn’t sure there would be a Coheed and Cambria anymore. Two albums and several tours later, I think it is safe to say they’re still around.

So, when you’ve ended a story, where do you go? There was nowhere to go but further back, to the very beginning.

The stories in Afterman: The Ascension are riddled with complexities that are absent from the plots themselves.  The two stories: That of Domino, a boxer who becomes corrupted by drugs and greed and the story of Sirius Amory, a man driven to the stars by hubris, who unknowingly finds the star system where the Amory Wars happens years latter. They are elegantly paralleled down to even the music itself. Each has a signature musical style. Domino’s story, the story of a man at the bottom of society is gritty, with noisy, distorted guitar work and loud, violent fret squeaks. Sirius Amory’s story on the other hand is filled with airy, spacious high notes and understated precision. The slick feel of corruption is palpable in both stories, and vile, yet unmistakably appealing. Like in other albums, each story has a signature progression that marks the change of characters.  Amory’s almost radar like ping, sits well along side the scraping screaming guitars of  Domino’s story.

Amory’s sound is quite a departure from Coheed and Cambria’s usual sound. As a fan, I was much more prepared for Domino’s sound—the rugged, growling is quite common place on their other work. When  the preview of he title track “The Afterman” was first released, I had to listen to it three times before I could make heads or tails of it. It was a completely different sound. I’d never quite heard anything like it before, from anyone, least of all Coheed and Cambria.

The composition of this album is simply perfect. The pieces of each story, and their contrasting sounds, balance perfectly only blending toward the end in a wonderful culmination.

I have raved about how expressive Sanchez’s voice is in previous reviews, I’m sure. He takes it a step further in Afterman: The Ascension It feels like he is two different people on this album, his acting is beyond brilliant. A maniacal, gremlin like sound hisses and cackles in Domino’s story where there is a wavering, haunted whisper in  Amory’s arc.  Sanchez’s talent for voice modulation further augments the juxtaposition of the two stories as well as their unmistakable parallels.

Brilliant album, though I was disappointed in how short it is, a mere nine tracks..  (A second half is due out in 2013). I am looking forward to their next show and February 2013’s release with great anticipation.

*The full title of the album is Good Apollo, I'm Burring Star IV: No World For Tommorow. However, it is most commonly referred to as simply “No World For Tomorrow.”

Album Review: Three Days Grace --Transit of Venus--

(4/6)
Transit Of Venus has Adam Gontier’s signature gravely sexy voice, but it feels a little all over the place. While verity is usually a very good thing, Transit of Venus lacks cohesion and feels a little too experimental and takes a few tracks to gain its momentum.

Lyrically, Transit of Venus is quintessential Three Days Grace; themes of past mistakes, bitter anger, and hope run thoguht out the album. I think Gontier has really found his niche between raw, emotionality and artistic word choice. Honest, pointed words coupled with that voice still bring a certain charmingly rugged feel

The music itself is rough in places. While the guitar work has never been more perfect, I find there is an imprecision in this album's sound. It feels like in it’s experimentation the sound lost its clarity. However, the timing within each track is solid when paired with the vocals. I am hoping they find their balance in the next album

Transit of Venus’ composition is really chaotic; while the closing track echoes the opening track very well the album feels conflicted, rather than varied. It is as though half of the album is the rugged, angry sound we are familiar with and the other is a hopeful, almost peaceful piece.

Overall, I still loved this album, Three Days Grace will always be one of my pet bands, however, this is decidedly not their best work.

Album Review: Mumford &Sons—Babel—

5/6

In keeping with Sigh No More, Babel hits hard against the heartstrings, yet has an unmistakable anger beneath the surface. Blending bluegrass with Scottish folk style, Mumford & Sons have a sound that is distinctive and a welcome departure from mainstream angst. There is genuineness to their lyrics and a precise, striking way of expressing repentance without submission.

Babel feels like a response to their Sigh No More. The themes of grace, and tenacity in the face of love continue into quiet retrospect and impassioned determination to survive the loss of love. It also possesses a maturity that the first album did not have.

The orchestration on this album is wonderful, with a precise understanding of where to raise a complex storm of music and where to drop down to the simplest cord progression, complementing the lyrics (or their lack) perfectly. This balance also makes the lyrics incredibly easy to hear, as often quiet is used to emphasize them.

Overall this album is passionate and evocative without being melodramatic. I loved it.

Nightwish with Kamelot at The Congress Theater

Venue: The Congress Theater (4/6)
The Congress hasn’t changed from previous reviews though I’m developing a fondness for her.
Kamelot (4/6):
I give Kamelot credit for taking on this tour as their new lead singer only started working with them in July of this year. It was quite the set, but I found they were not quite cohesive and their sound felt shallow. They had lovely female vocalists and the new lead singer Tommy Karevik was solid, but I found they lacked complexity and their energy was not great. Karevik gave it his all to his credit and the crowd responded to him nicely (no small feat for someone that new to a band).
Their drum work was also fantastic; it took me a while to figure out what exactly was causing the deep rumbling I heard during many of their songs. It was the dual kick drums drummer Casey Grillo played, which was amazing.
 Their core female vocalist Elyze Ryd*was amazing, though her mic was not working well so a lot of her soft low notes were not audible. She stepped up her energy when she came out to do lead vocals for Sacrimony

Then Alissa White-Gluz (Lead vocalist for The Agonist) the stage.

 All eyes were on her. She had a powerful combination of raw sex and presence. Her vocal range was unreal, not just in pitch, but in versatility. She used everything from vocal fry to soft melody. Her movements were inhuman, evoking raw animal energy. It was magnificent. If Kamelot had come out with that much energy initially, it would have made for an absolutely stellar show.

Nightwish (5/6):
I had high expectations for this show. They were exceeded with flying colors. I knew the male vocalist Marco Hietala was going to be fantastic as he is one of the founding members and his voice is well known in the metal world. He and Emppu Vuorinen (lead guitar) have been in the band since its formation in 1996 and their dynamic was just wonderful. Lead vocalist Anette Olzon was unexpectedly phenomenal as she is the cause of much dissent among the fans. I am in the minority among Nightwish fans as I peter Olzon’s vocals to Tarja Turunen’s (the former lead) While I can certainly see why fans who fell in love with Turunen’s voice would dislike the sound change, I find Olzon much more accessible and articulate. While she doesn’t have the range Turunen had, she has a better overall sound.

And that was just the vocals.
The instrumentation was amazing, just watching the drummer gave me goose bumps and the bass work was just pure art. Then there was the guy who played the woodwinds who was quite but amazing.

The set was well balanced containing a blend of their old stuff and their new work with a breathtaking acoustic session that gave me goose bumps.. Versatile, yet unmistakable, Nighwish proved themselves both innovative and cohesive.

I am over the moon about this band live their coordination and skill are hard to rival. The camaraderie between them shows the affection of a band that has been together for a very long time and the professionalism was wonderful. It really felt like Anette had been one of them all along. Marco even gave her a huge hug at the end of the show.

Siliversun Pickups with School of Seven Bells at the Aragon Ballroom: We are Ready For the Siege.

Venue: (4/6) The Aragon Ballroom
This old lady really stepped up her sound system for SSPU. I suspect it was because of Brian Aubert’s ethereal, yet badass, voice. Though the speakers did clip out several times it was worth it for the change in quality. With tweaking, I think the Aragon could really bring up her standard. They also installed more fans in discreet places. It was a much improved show.

School of Seven Bells (4/6):
School of Seven Bells combines an electronic sound with Celtic overtones (Wiki classifies them as “Shoegaze”). Initially it almost sounds like all of their stuff is remixed Celtic music, except that the lyrics are original and the under current is closer in flavor to EDM. Beautiful, lilting vocals mesh seamlessly with a fluttering baseline and heavy keyboard work. Another thing that made this band stand out for me was the fact that it was comprised of a bassist, a keyboardist, a drummer, and a vocalist. There was no lead guitar, which gave them a hollow, spacious sound. Live they also had good energy and a playful demeanor. While it was certainly clear that they were not used to having a big crowd and were more than a little nervous, they pulled through and did an excellent job.

Silversun Pickups (5/6):
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this show, and this band for that matter. Between Brian Aubret’s ethereal, sharp edged vocals, amazing guitar work and flawless lyrics, he could have been a show unto himself. His energy was explosive, yet always managed to fit the mood of the song. I am, however, convinced if he were forced to sit still he might well explode. The bass work was, as always, phenomenal. What made it even more amazing is that the slight gal slamming away at the bass, and rocking out like the world was ending was their substitute bassist. Their usual bassist is equally small, and massively talent, but she’s just recently given birth to twins. (If you happen to read this, Congratulations, Nikki Monninger!) It is a rare thing to see a substitute or tour member of the band get any applause at all; Sara (whose last name I never caught) got enough applause to bring the show to a halt briefly. She was utterly fantastic, matching Monninger in both energy and style, while still bringing her own attitude to the table. I’ve never seen someone bring who was on par with the original artist like that before. Ace job, Sara, ace job.
And lets not forget their phenomenal drummer, one part Animal of Muppets fame, one part insane metal drummer, and 100% magical, (dude) absolutely killed the drum work. While I’ve always appreciated their drummer, this show brought a new appreciation for exactly how bananas this guy is. Phenomenal job.
The only complaint I had (and it is minor) was that I would have moved “Panic Switch” (their really big) song to the second encore as opposed to being before either encore. It was a positively spectacular, ridiculously long show, with a frenetic, passionate energy that is on par with the best in the business.