LAMB OF GOD w/ Devildriver + Shadows Fall
What a grand way to see the year out. Lamb Of God, Devildriver and Shadows Fall all in one evening. Or should I saw two evenings? No wonder the first show sold out.
Say what you will about Big Top Arena but at least the promoters know how to keep a show running ON time and as efficiently as possible.
As SHADOWS FALL took the stage calmly with frontman Brian Fair showing that he was in command of the show. You think you've seen a frontman/vocalist? You haven't until you've witnessed Shadows Fall - his recognisable metalcore scream, more like a shout (then a growl) combined with his longer than his "wall of china" dreads - all you can do is stand back in awe. Shadows Fall really grabbed the audience by the nether regions with the thunderous drumming and guitar of 'Still I Rise' near destroying the sound desk and the eardrums of all the punters. Hitting every scream and melodic chorus with the twin riffage and backup vocals of guitarist Jonathon Donais it was clear that this wasn't just any old performance. Cut to an appropriately timed short tribute of Pantera's A New Level that got everyone's devil horns in the air. Though much can't be expected from a short half hour set but in the words of Brian "this is a f***ing party" as they closed their set the familiar anthem that every guitar hero player should know 'The Light That Blinds'.
DEVILDRIVER took the stage launching into several crowd favourites 'I Could Care Less' and 'Nothings Wrong' but was I the only one to get bored with the first half of their set? 
The sound of their first couple of songs was attrocious. The guitars weren't loud enough, little to no bass and the vocals were lower then the drums. This kept on and on until Dez finally took command halfway through and turning to the crowd "Can you guys here us alright?" At last. The pace picked up bringing this reviewers attention back from disapproval to just back over the line as they powered through the rest of their set as 'Pray For Villains' blasted through the speakers. A solid groove-metal band to be sure but for someone who's all too used to overhearing Dez in his previous projects - this is too little too late.
Can I go out tonight by saying that LAMB OF GOD's lighting was phenomenal? To the point 
where the crimson red glow behind Chris Adler's set of bass drums really made the atmosphere - behave yourself kiddies the devil is watching you! So vocalist Randy Blythe has hair again? He sure hasn't lost his command over an audience as a frontman and strength as a singer with all those returned hair folocles. Powering through song after song that touched on every release from their Catalogue save the Burn The Priest LP. Lights dimming turning into a bluish purple hue as the twin guitar riffage assaulted every motor-neurone of every audience member here tonight with old classics like 'Ruin' and 'Ashes of the Fall'. Time went on as Randy took a breather, showing his quality with a few jibes out our adult entertainment industry "You guys have some really ugly man-bitches down in Kings Cross. Where can I find me a real prostitute?" Where, indeed, Randy? The only whores here tonight were we - the audience - to the final barrage of "Walk With Me In Hell' and 'Laid To Rest' landed the biggest circle pit of the evening to finish up the night. LAMB OF GOD, our home is your home!
