7. Pelican, Black Cobra, Disappearer - November 30th - The Highline Ballroom, NYC
I wasn't expecting much and as usual I was blown away by a Pelican live show. What We All Come To Need ruled in person. My brother Frank and I enjoyed much alcohol and let Pelican string us up from the sky.
6. Gojira, Burst - September 21st - The Music Hall of Williamsburgh, Brooklyn
Seeing Gojira headline for the second time in a year was a treat, but Burst were the real attraction. My brother, Rich, Jeanne Fury and I enjoyed tales of flying whales with a raging crowd. Burst flattened the audience and were super nice dudes. I totally held vertigo.
5. Down, Melvins - September 11th - Nokia Theater, NYC
Jeanne Fury gave me the opportunity to get close and personal with Phil Anselmo from the photo pit, and the show ended up being incredible. The Melvins were awesomeness. It turned out to be an excellent evening.
4. Mastodon, Kylesa and Intronaut – May 9th - Irving Plaza, NYC
Crack the Skye was still fresh as dew, and a veritable pantheon of metal friends made it to the show. My wife, Elizabeth, Dave, Jeanne Fury, and my brother, Rich all came along to ride the tides of blood. It was a tremendous performance.
3. Baroness – November 20th – The Bowery Ballroom, NYC
It's bound to be an excellent night when they're playing songs from your favorite album of the year, right? Baroness ruled, hard. Jeanne Fury and I enjoyed the stained horizon, ablaze with revolvers. Stampedes? Hells yes. Reel in place, 'til the bastards take me away.
2. Gojira - May 6th - The Blender Theater, NYC
The first Gojira show of the year was the best. Tracks from The Way of All Flesh were still new to our ears, and everything was a superlative slaughter. Both my brothers and one sister-in-law made it out to the show, and the beer was excellent. Rich lost clothes and put on a pit clinic. Good times.
1. Skeletonwitch, Black Anvil – November 14th – Union Pool, Brooklyn
This was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Short and sweet, brutal and drunk. Jeanne Fury and I raged until there was no rage left.
The No Fear Energy Tour was stacked this year. Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, God Forbid- it made for one hell of a night. I got the shit kicked out of me and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
ReplyDelete(linked from Skeletonwitch's retweet)
I fully intended to make it to that tour, but it fell in between Gojira and Mastodon in NYC on almost consecutive nights. I know some brave metal souls who made it to all three concerts, and they also had a blast the Lamb of God show. Concerts always seem to pile up in inconvenient ways in NYC. But that's not really I should complain about.
ReplyDeleteI missed Amon Amarth (on 4/20, no less) to see them- consecutive school nights in different cities. Cincy's a bitch for metal; north 2 hours for Columbus, south 2 hours for Louisville, or 2 hours west for Indy. At least you get good concerts.
ReplyDeletewas i the only person who shit himself at the chance to seeing fucking CARCASS on tour this year? they were beyond my wildest expectations, one of the best shows of my life.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm with you on Carcass. The Carcass/Suffocation/1349/etc. show was my favorite of 2008. In fact, it was probably my all-time favorite concert.
ReplyDeleteOn the second time around, though, they didn't hit up NYC again. I considered going to Philly, but it didn't happen.
oh, you don't know how much I wanted to. Lamb of God was the best show for me, by far.
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot about that No Fear Energy tour, but Lamb of God definitely tore it up, as usual.
ReplyDeleteIt's ridiculous how good Gojira is. Whatever I did in a past life to deserve them, I would gladly do a couple more times.