The line to get into Sunday night’s show had to have been about a mile long and, no, I’m not exaggerating. It seemed like everyone and their brother was at The Myth last night and I wasn’t quite sure why. Sure, I had heard of the headliner In This Moment but I didn’t know they had a following this large. Having been a bit reluctant to go to the show due to pure exhaustion and the desire to have a night in, seeing this line made me optimistic about what was to come. I mean, this many people wouldn’t show up if there was nothing to really see… right?
The show was opened up by a group that I often refer to as the biggest joke in the metal scene- The Butcher Babies. I just don’t get it. I mean, I get it and maybe that’s why I think they’re a bit of a joke. The Butcher Babies are two scantily clad females that scream and whip their hair back and forth. I honestly see how the metal scene could be into this being that the audience is mostly middle-aged men, but I don’t see the talent behind it. I had a sour look on my face and a feeling of dread in my stomach as the two ladies took the stage with their band. They jumped right into their energetic set with a sense of power that I didn’t know they had in them. It’s not that I loved them, but that feeling of dread was instantly replaced by a feeling of intrigue. They were honestly not as bad as I thought they would be and, although I won’t be rushing out to buy their album, I didn’t mind the music pumping through the speakers.
Following The Butcher Babies was the only reason I was remotely excited to not be at home cuddled up with some tea and terrible reality TV- Hollywood Undead. Full disclosure- I loved these guys in my angsty teenage years. Their heavy rap-rock sound was something new to me and I listened to their debut album ‘Swan Songs’ on repeat for weeks (which in my life is a long time). I knew that they have been busy since the days of Myspace and I was excited to see what they have been up to since I really hadn’t listened to them since the days of ‘Swan Songs’. Although it was clear majority of the vocals and instrumentation was fake (come on guys, you can lip sync better than that), I loved the energy that the six piece was putting out there. It was intense and reminded me more of the many rap shows I have found myself at while still keeping in the vein of metal.
Although their set was just about an hour long, I only recognized two songs- “Undead” and “Everywhere I Go”. It was a bit of a bummer that I didn’t get to hear more bangers off of ‘Swan Songs’ but I also realized that it’s not 2008 anymore and bands need to grow. Their newer songs blended in with the classics proving that although rap-rock isn’t the hottest thing out there right now, Hollywood Undead is sticking to what they know and what they’re good at. To say that was refreshing would be an understatement. Hollywood Undead’s set was complete with sparks shooting out of the stage and Riley- a young boy (he had to have been seven or eight) who the band picked out of the crowd and brought up on stage. Even though the set was long and seemed to get a little redundant towards the end, being able to see this band that I grew up with and hearing what they’ve been up to since I fell off their wagon was more than worth leaving the apartment for.
Headlining the night, and clearly the reason why The Myth was completely sold out if not over sold, was In This Moment. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, In This Moment is one of those bands that, love or hate them, there’s no denying that they are damn good at what they do and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. In This Moment’s music bridges the gap between metal and goth with their dark vocals and heavy guitars that chug along behind it. There were some songs that I would classify as straight up metalcore, and others that almost wandered into the world of sludge and doom metal. That wide range of genres is one of the many things that kept In This Moment’s set feeling fresh and kept me captivated.
I was struck by the production value of their live show. I’m not talking just lights and some movement, it was like there was a story line being played out throughout the set. Vocalist Maria Brink effortlessly demanded the attention of the audience with her siren-like voice (although dark and low in tuning) and her beauty as she paraded around with the stage with her long blonde hair trailing behind her. Even though there was a spotlight set in the middle of the stage with smoke being whisked every which way giving her a truly sinister look, Maria didn’t stay in one spot for long. Keep your eye on her was the trick of the night. With so much going on, I wasn’t quite sure where to look. Do I watch Maria or the other four members? What about the exquisite light show going on throughout the venue? Or, should I watch those light up pumpkin heads towards the back of the stage– were they going to start moving or something?
Although In This Moment only played nine songs and a one song encore, the set felt complete and honestly I didn’t even notice that so few songs were played. The intensity of the band and the crowd left me with a truly remarkable live show that will not soon be forgotten. Much like Butcher Babies, I’m not going to run out and buy all of In This Moment’s merch. I still stay true to the idea that the music should be the highlight of a show, not the production value. That being said, it was clear why The Myth was sold out last night. In This Moment puts on a hell of a show and I’m glad I got the chance to see it.
I walked into Sunday night’s show almost dreading what was to come. I left the show with a new appreciation for all three acts that played last night, a ringing in my ears, and a smile on my face. Listen to me when I tell you– don’t turn down a show just because you think you know what it’s going to be like. You don’t know until you go and check it out.
Line Up:
Venue: Myth
Sausage Fest Meter- 8 out of 10
Average Age of the Crowd- 22
Crowd Surfers- Lost Count After 68
Stage Divers- 0
Broken Bones- 0
Spotted Flying Through The Air- Bodies
Fights- 2- 1 of Which Hollywood Undead Stopped Between Songs Asking People To Be Nice To Each Other and Stop The Nonsense
Pukers- 2
Drunkards Taken Out By Security- 6
Celebrity Sightings- None
Overall Score- 6 out of 10
Show on Deck- TBA
Leave a Reply