Monday, April 12, 2010
The Rock, Maplewood, MN
Two local bands I was seeing for the first time, Severah and Samsahra, drew an impressive number of people to the show early for a weekday night. The Rock was already quite full when Severah took the stage, and the audience responded well to their set of heavy, melodic rock. Singer Aaron Dahl sounds better than most local singers, and his voices fits the music well.
Click picture for more photos of Severah (11).
Samsahra was a bit more intense and heavy, and also got the still-growing crowd engaged. These were two of the best local openers I’ve seen in a while, so it felt worthwhile to have gotten to a show early for once.
Click picture for more photos of Samsahra (15).
Click to watch Samsahra play “Lost In Transition”.
Next up was Something To Burn who greeted the crowd by acknowledging that almost no one knew they were on the bill. The band is signed to Scott Weiland’s vanity label, Softdrive Records, and they wasted little time blazing through their six-song set. The audience was clearly unfamiliar with Something To Burn, but the band seemed to take this as a challenge as they played selections from their debut album such as “Start Again”, “Now & Forever”, and “Lie To Me”. Their polished hard rock sound went over well, and the audience was cheering loudly as the set closed with their latest single, “Say Goodbye”.
Click picture for more photos of Something To Burn (18).
Chants of “KARN-I-VOOL!” filled the air as Australia’s progressive hard rock masters took the stage with the subdued “Simple Boy”, the lead track from their latest album Sound Awake. All the best songs from Sound Awake were played to perfection with the energy that only a live show can bring. The epic “New Day” and “Goliath” were simply stunning, and Ian Kenny’s voice sounded in prime form as he effortlessly sang all the high notes. A couple songs from Themata including “Roquefort” were thrown in, but tonight’s really showcased Sound Awake. The emotional “All I Know” was another apex in the show, and “Set Fire To The Hive” reminded everyone that Karnivool is quite heavy-sounding at times, too. “Themata” ended the 45-mintute set, and it was clear from the crowd’s enthusiasm that they wanted much more. Samples and technology tricks are definitely a part of Karnivool’s sound, but these were kept to a minimum. The extensive roadwork of Karnivool showed, as the whole band sounded tight and well-polished. Singer Kenny has an interesting on stage persona, and combines robotic movements with controlled expressions. The feeling I had was the same after seeing Dream Theater play in a club to 50 people, and I imagine that it’s only a matter of time before Karnivool is playing larger venues. This is a band destined for great things.
Click picture for more photos of Karnivool (48).
Click to watch Karnivool play “All I Know”.
I wouldn’t call myself a fan of Fair To Midland, but I must say that you have to see the band to understand their quirky sound. I was surprised at how heavy this band really can be, and their show is a tsunami of energy. Most people I talked with at the show had seen Fair To Midland before, and it’s easy to see why they have a dedicated fan base that keeps coming back. “Walls Of Jericho” and “Dance Of The Manatee” were part of the set, but being unfamiliar with their catalog has me at a disadvantage of taking you through the set list. Let’s just say that Fair To Midland sounds much, much better live than their studio work would lead you to believe and their show is definitely impressive and entertaining.
Click picture for more photos of Fair To Midland (19).
I sat down for a chat over a beer with Karnivool guitarist Drew Goddard and drummer Steve Judd before their show, so stay tuned for a posting of this insightful interview soon! If you missed it, check out my review of Sound Awake here.
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