Everybody Still Hates You Tour @ Club Red
Wednesdays are always weird for shows. Though, when you get enough high energy performances under one roof, the day of the week ceases to matter. With the unapologetic force of Combichrist and Wednesday 13 headlining the show, anyone could make the mistake of assuming it was an all-out Saturday night party. With five bands plus one of our favorite locals opening, the Everybody Still Hates You tour at Club Red was destined to be awesome.
Sons of Providence is a huge part of why we do what we do in the music scene. Additionally, it’s through them that we’ve had the opportunity to see both Combichrist and Wednesday 13 in the past. Their unique sound of industrial goth rock has often hooked me and left me wanting more. Each time you hear it, it evolves. You discover something you never noticed before whether you listen to Sons of Providence recorded or live. Yet, while the sound was entirely familiar to me and I had thought I had explored all its avenues, it’s the physical presence that changed. In the past, Sons of Providence played in complete darkness with a few strategically placed floor lights. Now they bring more lights that only intensify the contrast and mood of their performance. With an assault of fury, the duo demonstrated how they are always improving. With their ever-enhanced performance, it becomes more evident that Sons of Providence needs to be taking to the stage more often.
Following our locals as the first part of the tour was Death Valley High. As much as I wanted to get into these guys, I couldn’t quite get into their sound during the show. As Death Valley High began, Reyka Osburn (Vocals) proceeded to sing with his fashionable black surgical mask still on. Initially, I thought his voice was just muffled from the mask. Yet, even after it was removed moments later, I still struggled to really hear him. Currently, I’m uncertain if it was an issue with their sound levels or just their preference to have quieter vocals. As I give Death Valley High another listen, I find more that I enjoy about there sound but still have some uncertainty with the quieter vocals. In the end, Death Valley High still exhibit a lot of elements I enjoy in their sound. I find they are a band that might not leave the biggest first impression but may grow on you in time, especially for those whose teenage years fall in the late 90s - early 00s.
Upon seeing Prison take the stage, I wasn’t confident in how to place them. Opening with the sounds of an old work song and the rattling of chains sparked my curiosity. After the first few songs, it was certain that your comfort is not their forte. Loud, visceral, with fearless strength, Prison didn’t waste time convincing me to like them. Johnny Crowder (Vocals) has a roar that needs no mic to carry it. Prison seems to focus on the topics that many avoid, not only bringing unashamed honesty to the matter but a level of raucous compassion as well. Prison strikes me as a band that, while not looking the part, are one of the many needed voices on the darker aspects of humanity.
My first impression of Night Club was television’s depiction of the goth scene in the mid-late 90s. Emily Kavanaugh’s (Vocals) voice rang out like a queen of a gothic opera. Then the beat dropped. One moment I’m expecting a 90s goth throwback and the next I’m taking in the sounds of a cyberpunk clubber fantasy. While I’ve fallen out of love with electronic music, Night Club reminds me there is room for a selective exception. I mix of electronic and goth with a seductive beat, the duo really has something with their 2016 album, Requiem for Romance. Mark Brooks (Keys) knows how to set the mood that makes Night Club worth seeing live.
I revel in the theatrics of Wednesday 13. Even if thunderous macabre rock isn’t your thing; between the outfits, makeup, audio clips, and props, there is something to excite you. While there may be only a handful of songs that I thoroughly enjoy, I’m compelled to see them live whenever they are in town. In proper Wednesday 13 fashion, there was a collection of masks brought along and used during their set. Some were more expected than others. While each one is unique as it aids the performance, my favorite is still the one that has been used in every show I’ve seen to date. Despite how simple it is, the mask Wednesday 13 wears on the back of his head is the most effective of the collection. Paired with the satisfying assault that their music presents, Wednesday 13 is still a band better seen than just simply heard. Though their song, I Love to Say Fuck, carries a similar intensity.
Part of me couldn’t wait for Combichrist to take the stage by force. An assault on the senses, audibly and physically should you be caught in the pit. It is difficult to conceive a band as intense. Andy LaPlegua (Vocals) takes no issue with directing the flow when on stage. Intense and energizing, Combichrist never fails to entertain and encourage a furious rush of excitement. Furthermore, the antics of Joe Letz (Drums) and Nick Rossi (Drums) are expertly coordinated, making the anarchy that exists at the back of the stage seem effortless. From trading drumsticks to standing on or throwing pieces of the drum kits, there leave little in the realm of calm.
Post-show, it was clear that it was desperately needed to get out and have fun. Still, I was completely wrecked afterword. With so many unique bands, each with their own method of entertaining and encouraging the audience, it was to be expected. The bands I was familiar with, I only want to see and listen to them more. As for the new bands I’ve encountered, I want to know when they are coming back and hope they are just as good recorded. Furthermore, I offer my pending condolences to Europe as Night Club, Wednesday 13, and Combichrist will be resuming the Everybody Still Hates You tour later this month, starting with Germany.
