Some how in my twenty plus years of listening to metal, I have never had the chance to go and see Obituary. The night finally arrived and I was not disappointed.

The first of the opening bands was Full Blown Chaos, a band that I had heard a few times. They were a mix of hardcore, death, and thrash. The singer used growling which couldn't be understood at all and he stomped around and waved his arms in a way that I could only think to compare him to Chris Farley's, 'Matt Foley' character... You know... "A van down by the river!" Other than that, I can't really say that there was anything original about these guys. The music was good, but after a few songs it all tended to sound the same. They played well, but there really wasn't anything about them that made you want to see them again. So I think they fit their 3rd tier opening slot and that's about it. 5 out of 10.

Next up to the stage was Alabama Thunderpussy. I had heard a lot of buzz about how good this band was live, so I hoped the performance matched the hype. The bands music was done southern style, which you could liken to bands like Down or Corrosion of Conformity. The vocalist was an incredible singer with tons of range and tons of stage presence. At times he sounded a lot like the redneck version of Rob Halford. He really was that good. The other dudes in the band were rockin' the 70's look with their truckers hats, flared jeans, and big ole beards. They belted out lots of blues based rock and roll and they really pulled it off. They tended to be more of a rock and sway band as opposed to a headbanging outfit. As good as they were, again I can't say that they really stood out too much from other bands who have the same style. Still, they weren't just average either. I'd see 'em again! 7 out of 10.

Now it was Obituary time. When hearing the vocals of the first tune, my mind was instantly transported back to the mid-80's, when I would sit in my bed and secretly listen to a college radio station at 3 am that played the most intriguing music I had ever heard. At the time I had no idea I was listening to bands like Obituary, Venom, and Possessed and I could have never guessed that I would be seeing them over twenty years later. That was a great feeling. The singer from Obituary still has a voice that is instantly recognizable. He also never stood still. He rocked, he thrashed, he stomped, and he ruled. The band was laughing and jamming and making faces. They were also hamming it up for anyone who had a camera. The sounds that blasted from the speakers were as clean as a CD. They really sounded awesome. The drums were booming. The mix was solid and chunky. The riffs were stellar. The lead guitarist was simply amazing to watch and his tone was incredible. The crowd of about 200 people were rocking out every second and I was right there rockin' with 'em. I really had no idea how much I would like seeing this band. I really was stunned about how good they were. 10 out of 10.

In my next report I hope to give you the scoop on the Chthonic show on 9/13 ! Stay tuned.

Go to the BGR gallery (CLICK HERE) and check out my pics from last night's the show.

BE SURE to check out our friends at JAXX NIGHTCLUB! www.jaxxroxx.com

If you would like to attend a Jaxx show please let me know. I might be able to drag you along with me.

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And oh yeah...

Peace and Metal Grease!

berube