Warehouse 21 Concert

So last time, I informed all you mongrels of the upcoming shows. If you missed this concert, that's entirely your own fault. Either way, here are the shenanigans that transpired last night.

Soul To Rest were the last-minute opening act, filling in for Burst Into Flames. I love both of these bands, so the show would have kicked ass anyway, but Soul To Rest is a local favorite and brought in a plethora of metalheads. They played monolith head-banging pieces such as Martyrdom Of The Divine and Early Morning Massacre, a pristine pre-game for the bands to come.

Next up was Echoes Of Fallen, a brutal Death-Metal band hailing from Albuqurque. Their style is a flashback to old school Death Metal. (Think about this: Morbid Angel meets Death. That's how they sound.) Although the subject matter of the lyrics is grueling, the vibes are all positive. These musicians are not only performers, but fans of Metal themselves, thus rendering gimmicks unnecessary. This attitude is radiant, and it shines through at concerts. Rarely have I seen a stage presence so energetic, even though it is devoid of novelty.

Leading into the headliner were local legends Savage Wizdom. This is old-style Power Metal at it's finest. These guys totally rock, with beefy lyrics, hooky riffs, and clean vocals bordering on operatics. The front row was packed with heshers banging heads in unison, and I kid you not when I say that most of the audience knew the lyrics by heart. Savage Wizdom put on a superb performance as usual.

The headlining band was Grinkai, bringing dirty thrashy Death Metal with a vengeance. These dudes have a funky style going on, reminiscent of Groove-Metal titans such as Pantera. The guitar riffs are catchy enough to get stuck in your head, and the vocals are ruthlessly caustic. Again, the stage presence brings in the X-Factor that recordings lack. A Grinkai concert is a spectacle to behold, and I cannot stress enough that if you missed it, I neither envy nor pity you. You deserve what you got, which is deprivation of the pinnacle of all that rocks. Serves you right, fucker.

Warehouse 21 did not dissapoint. This was the best night I've had in a long while. I'll be recovering from whiplash for a long time, but I hope to see you on March 2nd anyway. Four stars outta five.

Upcoming Shows

Warehouse 21, the best all-ages venue in Santa Fe, will be hosting a kick-ass Metal show on Saturday, featuring local legends Savage Wizdom and Grinkai, as well as the Albuqurque death-metallers Echoes Of Fallen and the talented Burst Into Flames hailing from Edgewood. Just because it's an all-ages event, don't think the place will be swarming with bratty kids. Old-school heshers frequent such concerts, and in fact the only difference is that alcohol is strictly prohibited. So leave your drugs at home and check this shit out. $5 at the door, show starts at 7. See you there.

Next on the to-do list is the Metal show on March 2nd. Same venue, same price, same time. Godhunter from Tuscon will be performing alongside the epic thrashers Simfonik Plague of Albuqurque. Skulldron, also from 'Burque, is a trippy taste of local Stoner Metal. The original line-up included Inoculara, but now Wormhole has replaced them on the bill. Don't miss this.

And remember... This is an all ages venue, so no drugs, alchohol, violence, or stupidity. A squalid slab of a venue in which to get your blood-and-metal fix is not without it's allure, but teens deserve a safe environment where they can enjoy good music. Let's keep their interactions with cops and paramedics to a minimum.