Photo Reports
Nonpoint, (hed)pe, Sumo Cyco and special guests VRSTY made a stop in Angola, Indiana at The Eclectic Room on “The Million Watts Tour 2023”. What an absolute barn burner! This was the 4th time I have had the opportunity to capture Nonpoint and the 5th time seeing them live in less than 2 years!
VRSTY got the party started for the night! The four piece rock/R&B/post-hardcore blend, hails from New York City. Frontman Joey Varela started this project to just get his writing out into the world, and it has turned into so much more! Joining him on stage were Javy Dorrejo [bass], Chris Cody [drums], and Paul Gregory [guitar]. They kicked the night off with the track ‘F**ck You Forever’ off of their new album ‘Levitate’ that was released in October. My favorite memory of their set was when Paul was playing his guitar right in front of me and basically bent his body completely backwards! I was lucky enough to capture it.
Continuing the party after VRSTY was the Canadian based rock band Sumo Cyco! The band is led by singer Skye Sweetnam, in addition to Matt Drake[guitar], Oscar Anesetti[bass] and Joey Muha[drums]. They had a really fun vibe and energy. Some cool moments during their set were when vocalist Skye sang from the pit a couple of different times. At another point, she had the crowd crouch down low and then jump up at the same time. She was really great with fans and making the audience a part of the show! The band also did a really great cover of System of Down’s ‘BYOB’. They really did the song justice.
Next in the lineup was southern Cali boys hed(pe)! They were originally formed nearly 30 years ago as a sort of punk rock/rap/reggae fusion band. Current band members include frontman Jared Gomes, Jeremiah Stratton[drums], Kurt Blankenship[bass] and Nathan Javier[guitar]. This is another band that really interacts with their fans, and I basically felt like I literally could have been on a beach in California dancing and jamming to their music! Such a fun vibe.
And of course who everyone came to see, the amazing Nonpoint! Once you have seen them live once, you are just hooked, in my opinion. The band was formed in the sunshine state, Florida back in 1997. The lineup consists of Elias Soriano[vocals], Robb Rivera[drums], Jaysin Zeilstra[guitar], Rasheed Thomas[guitar] and Adam Woloszn[bass]. They have an amazing resume with so many hit tracks. With touring so frequently, they are really good about mixing up the setlist, and it’s kind of fun finding out which songs they are going to play next. And when they hit the stage and play, they PLAY. It is HIGH energy from start to finish! You are head banging, jumping, dancing, or moving your body in some form or fashion for the entire show! It’s an experience that is difficult to describe. This tour, they threw in new tracks ‘A Million Watts’ and ‘Golden Gloves’ in addition to some older songs like ‘Spanish 102’ and ‘Breaking Skin’. They also added in Beastie Boys cover ‘Fight For Your Right’. They ended the night with Elias and Sheed singing the song ‘Tribute’. For me, seeing Nonpoint is a form of therapy. It’s one of those situations of “if you know, you know”. If you’ve seen them, you know what I am talking about. If you don’t, hopefully you will soon!
Extreme was formed in Malden, Massachusetts, almost 40 years ago! (1985). They got world-famous with the ballads ‘More Than Words’ and ‘Hole Hearted’, both to be found on the double platinum 1990 album ‘Pornograffitti’. On June 9th of this year, they released their 6th studio album ‘Six’ and are touring the world with it right now! (It is their first studio album since ‘Saudades de Rock’, released in 2008)
We were able to capture them during their stop at Trix, Antwerp, where we witnessed the huge amount of energy they still have in them! The gentlemen of Extreme don’t seem to have aged at all! They performed a nice set of their hits from the past, as well as a majority of songs from their new album. The result was a very enthusiastic audience that loudly sang along to every song from start to finish in this sold-out Trix, as befits an old school hard rock party!
The crowd was warmed up by the compelling The Last Internationale, which took (got) no more than half an hour to get everyone ready!
On Saturday December 9th, we got a chance to see some of Finlands up-and-coming names.
The evening started with the youngsters from Lastout, of which I hadn’t previously heard of, but who were interesting to discover. After that, Everwave played us songs from their new album that was released just a week before the gig. They also used the chance to introduce their new bassist. Ikinä seemed to have the biggest crowed, which I guess is due to the fact that they are full of energy. And lastly, Shereign had their last gig of the year, which I enjoyed a lot as well.
It’s not a secret that Christmas is a big deal for Finns and it gets celebrated accordingly. Aside from the big events like Raskasta Joulua there’s also some smaller shows like André Linmans gig at the Trefaldighetskyrkan (a church) in Vaasa where we got to enjoy some Christmas songs in English, Swedish and Finnish.
You can never go wrong with Amorphis, so it’s no surprise that even on a week day they manage to almost sell out Pakkahuone even without any additional support act.
I had a blast at this hot show. Both as a photographer and as a fan.
Blast From The Past is an event that has been catering to those in need of a yearly dose of old school for about a decade now! The Belgian festival manages to put together an impressive line-up filled with old school heavy metal, hard rock and thrash metal bands, some who have been around for decades, some who are much younger but continue to carry the flag of the old school! With this year’s 10th anniversary edition, they yet again killed it with a line-up featuring bands like Angel Witch, Onslaught, Exumer, Vengeance (celebrating their 40th anniversary), Witchfynde, Hitten (back after 10 years), Existance, Steelover, and Toledo Steel! And we saw it was good…
John Smith Rock is one of the best experiences you can get on the level of summer festivals in Finland, you can ask anyone who went about that. So much so, that people don’t want to wait until the next summer for another hit of this great festival. Enter John Smith Rock Frozen, the winter edition of the festival that takes place center Jyväskylä and brings in a pretty epic line-up. After the first night really brought the party with headliners Amaranthe, we made sure to be at the second night with a mostly Finnish line-up featuring Red Eleven, Kiuas, Finntroll, Turmion Kätilöt and headliners Amorphis, and the popular Swedish metal machine on the rise Orbit Culture!
Close to the end of the year 2023 there was an event that has left headbangers around the world in ecstatic anticipation—the Fear Factory ‘DisrupTour 2023’. This monumental tour brings together a powerhouse lineup featuring the ferocious Butcher Babies, Ignea and Ghosts of Atlantis. As these bands join forces, they promise to deliver an unforgettable experience for metal enthusiasts, showcasing a diverse range of styles within the genre.
The opening act, Ghosts of Atlantis, brings a dose of mystique and theatricality to the start of the night. The British symphonic metal outfit, known for their atmospheric soundscapes and conceptual storytelling, takes the audience on a journey through the enigmatic depths of their musical universe.
As the night unfolds, the Ukrainian metal sensation Ignea takes the spotlight, introducing a symphonic and melodic facet to the tour. Fusing elements of metal, electronic, and symphonic influences, Ignea creates a sonic landscape that is both ethereal and heavy. The tour provides Ignea with the opportunity to showcase their latest material, including tracks from their acclaimed album ‘The Realms of Fire and Death’.
Kicking off the night with unbridled intensity, the Butcher Babies are known for their explosive stage presence and unapologetic, in-your-face attitude. The blend of groove metal and metalcore, fronted by Heidi Shepherd (Carla Harvey wasn’t performing due to health issues), commands attention from the get-go. Fans can expect a visceral and high-energy performance as Butcher Babies set the stage ablaze, leaving no doubt as to why they are hailed as one of the genre’s most formidable live acts.
Culminating the night is the headlining act, the industrial metal pioneers Fear Factory. With a career spanning decades and an influential discography that has left an indelible mark on the metal landscape, Fear Factory is set to remind fans why they are considered legends in the genre. The setlist that spans the whole timespan of their illustrious career.
Wednesday night at The Clyde Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana was definitely NOT a Nightmare or a cause for Panic for fans anxiously waiting to catch a stop on the Blackout Tour with From Ashes to New, The Word Alive, Catch Your Breath and Ekoh! The Clyde Theatre is a beautiful venue located near downtown, and it is owned by Sweetwater. The theater originally opened in 1951. In 2017 and 2018 it underwent major renovations and is a gorgeous venue with state-of-the-art sound and lights.
A decent crowd had gathered at the front of the stage for the opening hip-hop act, Ekoh. Joining him on stage were a drummer and a DJ. They undoubtedly did a great job at hyping up the crowd!
Catch Your Breath was up next! The 4 piece hard rock band is based out of Austin, Texas. Gaining popularity on the Sirius radio station Octane, the band played several hits including Dial Tone, 21 Gun Salute and Shame on Me. The energy in the room was certainly ramping up as crowd-surfing started to kick in during their set! Keep your eye on this band, I can absolutely see big things for them!
Things really started to heat up with the help of metalcore band The Word Alive! Originating in Phoenix, Arizona, this is a band that not only rocks but knows how to get the crowd to come alive, no pun intended! They have been on the scene since 2008 and current band members are Tyler Smith [vocals], Zack Hanson [guitar], Daniel Nelson [drums], and Jose DelRio [guitar]. Waves of crowd surfers were coming over the rail almost as soon as the first riff was played. A pit was also formed and remained steady throughout their set. They played hits such as Strange Love, Thank you, One of Us and New Reality. The Word Alive more than got the crowd ready for headliners From Ashes to New!
From Ashes to New knows how to put on a show, hands down, every time! The rock band was founded in small town America, Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 2013. Founding member and vocalist, Matt Brandyberry has overcome many obstacles in life and with the band, but I think they have settled into a solid unit with Danny Case [vocals], Lance Dowdle [guitar], Mat Madiro [drums] and Jimmy Bennett [touring guitarist]. The crowd-surfing and the pit continued on through the evening, with 700 fans screaming every word! Hit songs such as Armageddon, Broken, Monster In Me, Scars That I’m Hiding, Heartache, Panic and Nightmare were played. An encore of Maria Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You and the band’s hit Through It All were also played. Both Matt B and Danny spoke words of inspiration and appreciation to their fans, who they consider family.
I look forward to seeing what all 4 of these talented acts continue to accomplish in the near future! This tour stop was a blast and one of my favorites to date!
On August 25th, Asgaard‘s new season kicked off with a metalcore/deathcore event in collaboration with Return Bookings. Signs of the Swarm dropped by on their “Amongst the Low & Empty” album tour with supporting acts Mental Cruelty, When Plagues Collide, Knives To A Gunfight and Subvergence. The evening was kicked off by Subvergence (the performance unfortunately missed due to circumstances), after which “house band” Knives To A Gunfight kicked some ass. This band has been on stage several times in Asgaard. The band delivered as always, playing a very tight set. Then When Plagues Collide set the venue on fire. The band put themselves on the map with their album ‘An Unbiblical Paradigm’ and has everything to establish itself as one of the top bands in the scene, even outside Europe. What an energy and what a performance. For me, the discovery of the night.
Next up in line, Mental Cruelty. They played songs from their recent record ‘Zwielicht’, released in June. With their compelling blackened deathcore, they provided a moment of peace after the energetic deathcore rollercoaster that had already raged over us. The charismatic Lucas mesmerised the crowd and took them on a trip to hell and damnation.
The last performance was the headliner Signs Of The Swarm. This was the only stop in Belgium to present their latest album, “Amongst the Low & Empty”. It was the first time I saw them live, and I certainly hope to see them at work even more. It was spot on! The audience ate out of their hands, even though they were beaten to a nub by the devastating riffs and breakdowns. It won’t be long before they become one of the big names in the genre. They still have got a lot of room to grow.
