Concert Review: Stone Sour/Lacuna Coil/Shadows Fall (Wiltern) A-
Date Of Show: 04/25/07
Venue: The Wiltern
Shadows Fall (B-)
Lacuna Coil (A-)
Stone Sour (A)
Occasionally in the big city there are two big shows on the same night. Such was the case this evening, with Heaven & Hell headlining a gig at the Forum and Stone Sour's showcase at The Wiltern. In a perfect world, these shows would've been on different dates, but of course, they weren't. I wound up at the Stone Sour gig by the simple virtue of that show being announced and on sale first. However, as Stone Sour's last notes rang out, I realized I had zero regrets with my concert choice.
Shadows Fall was first out of the gate and forced me into a sad realization. I just don't care for their live show. It's taken me seeing them three times to realize, that their songs more or less sound the same. There's not a lot of variation in tone and tempo. Also not helping is their lack of charisma; aside from vocalist Brian Fair, the band doesn't move around too much nor display much personality. It's a shame because I think they're a talented group with some respectable and entertaining albums in their catalog, but they seem to lack a certain "X" factor that would truly set them apart.
Lacuna Coil was next and managed to completely surprise me. I've always enjoyed the two-singer (male/female) Italian metallers, but their sort-of straightforward grooving metal never seemed to grab me enough to love them. Live, however, their sound has a vitality, an urgency that's lost on their records. Add to that a lively (and extremely polite) attitude and personality, and you've got a winning combination.
I'd seen Stone Sour once before about four years ago and thought Corey Taylor had adequately transformed his Slipknot frontman skills into his new, less extreme band. Four years later, I can safely say Taylor is a better frontman, a better performer, with Stone Sour than he ever was with Slipknot. Sporting newly short hair, Taylor led the band through a diverse and well balanced set of material from their two albums with aplbomb and a good-natured sense of humor. Even a short two song (solo!) acoustic set of "Bother" and "Through Glass" (with a little Skynyrd and Johnny Cash(!) jam thrown in) was aces. The rest of the group, anchored by (extremely under used) tour drummer Roy Mayorga, formerly of Soulfy, sounded great and had the female-heavy (I mean lots of chicks, not lots of heavy girls) audience eating it up with enthusiasm.
One final aside: I've complained before about Jaegermeister's shilling at metal shows. Yes, I know they're a sponsor. Yes, I know that by putting up cash for the tour they are justified in promoting their drink during said tour. But come on, a horrible, loud, and unfunny stand-up guy (I won't even call him a comedian) who does nothing but stand up on stage and shill for Jaegermeister between bands. I mean, come on, trying to convince us how much we should thank Jaegermeister for putting together this bill, getting the crowd to to do a "Jaegermeister" chant...like Jaeger is the first sponser EVER to put together a bill. And if I remember correctly, I still paid for the ticket, Jaeger didn't put on a free show. I say, put up your signs, give out your bottle openers, have drink specials, but fucking stop teabagging the fans with your brand and trying to make us goddamned grateful because you sponsor a show we paid to go see.
Venue: The Wiltern
Shadows Fall (B-)
Lacuna Coil (A-)
Stone Sour (A)
Occasionally in the big city there are two big shows on the same night. Such was the case this evening, with Heaven & Hell headlining a gig at the Forum and Stone Sour's showcase at The Wiltern. In a perfect world, these shows would've been on different dates, but of course, they weren't. I wound up at the Stone Sour gig by the simple virtue of that show being announced and on sale first. However, as Stone Sour's last notes rang out, I realized I had zero regrets with my concert choice.
Shadows Fall was first out of the gate and forced me into a sad realization. I just don't care for their live show. It's taken me seeing them three times to realize, that their songs more or less sound the same. There's not a lot of variation in tone and tempo. Also not helping is their lack of charisma; aside from vocalist Brian Fair, the band doesn't move around too much nor display much personality. It's a shame because I think they're a talented group with some respectable and entertaining albums in their catalog, but they seem to lack a certain "X" factor that would truly set them apart.
Lacuna Coil was next and managed to completely surprise me. I've always enjoyed the two-singer (male/female) Italian metallers, but their sort-of straightforward grooving metal never seemed to grab me enough to love them. Live, however, their sound has a vitality, an urgency that's lost on their records. Add to that a lively (and extremely polite) attitude and personality, and you've got a winning combination.
I'd seen Stone Sour once before about four years ago and thought Corey Taylor had adequately transformed his Slipknot frontman skills into his new, less extreme band. Four years later, I can safely say Taylor is a better frontman, a better performer, with Stone Sour than he ever was with Slipknot. Sporting newly short hair, Taylor led the band through a diverse and well balanced set of material from their two albums with aplbomb and a good-natured sense of humor. Even a short two song (solo!) acoustic set of "Bother" and "Through Glass" (with a little Skynyrd and Johnny Cash(!) jam thrown in) was aces. The rest of the group, anchored by (extremely under used) tour drummer Roy Mayorga, formerly of Soulfy, sounded great and had the female-heavy (I mean lots of chicks, not lots of heavy girls) audience eating it up with enthusiasm.
One final aside: I've complained before about Jaegermeister's shilling at metal shows. Yes, I know they're a sponsor. Yes, I know that by putting up cash for the tour they are justified in promoting their drink during said tour. But come on, a horrible, loud, and unfunny stand-up guy (I won't even call him a comedian) who does nothing but stand up on stage and shill for Jaegermeister between bands. I mean, come on, trying to convince us how much we should thank Jaegermeister for putting together this bill, getting the crowd to to do a "Jaegermeister" chant...like Jaeger is the first sponser EVER to put together a bill. And if I remember correctly, I still paid for the ticket, Jaeger didn't put on a free show. I say, put up your signs, give out your bottle openers, have drink specials, but fucking stop teabagging the fans with your brand and trying to make us goddamned grateful because you sponsor a show we paid to go see.
posted by jefelee at 8:25 PM
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