CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY

AMENRA + STATIQBLOOM /  by Christopher Wiezorek

In arguably one of the most stacked bills I've ever gotten to attend back in August of last year I had the pleasure and misfortune of seeing Amenra open for Converge and Neurosis. Pleasure because Amenra absolutely crushed Warsaw Concerts in Brooklyn; misfortune because my friend and I ran late getting to the venue and only got to see about two songs from Amenra. Saint Vitus quickly sold out of tickets for the July 3rd show months ago, so I found myself resigned to missing them this time around as well. I was absolutely thrilled when I saw that a ticket became available the morning of the show.

Statiqbloom were a huge surprise for me. I have been listening to a lot of more industrial / electronic sounding metal lately, and this is the sound Statiqbloom primarily occupy. It is an area I'm a little bit in the dark on, but I really enjoy. They were an absolute sensation to see live. Pulsing strobes fit perfectly with the intense electronics. I am excited to see more of them in the future, and I am thrilled with the photos from their set.

The post-metal genre is definitely a space that has been overrun with an immense amount of artists that can execute the formula, but leave a lot to be desired. Amenra flawlessly executes the post metal form while carrying a weight, or gravity that can only be summed up as supreme sincerity. These guys are artists at the top of their game. Being labelled as an "opener" for bands like Converge and Neurosis is a complete misnomer; Amenra are easily heavy weights in the same realm, true peers to titans. I am so happy to have been able to be there to document one of their performances.

OF FEATHER AND BONE + TOMB MOLD + SKULLSHITTER + PINK MASS /  by Christopher Wiezorek

Of Feather And Bone and Tomb Mold brought their tour to Brooklyn this past Friday night. I was extremely excited for this show, both OF&B and Tomb Mold have released LPs I would rank at the top of the year for me. Pink Mass was a late addition due to a cancellation. They certainly were not your average opening band. They boast a heavy BDSM theme to their performance and music; a striking image to go along with brutal death metal. Skullshitter may have had the most fun of the evening; their brand of grind involved numerous laughs and stage banter between songs. They tore through their songs to set the stage for Tomb Mold who would give way to OF&B. They were a one-two punch of death metal greatness. Where Tomb Mold shredded and brought a bit of a more blistering energy, OF&B crushed the room with a plodding pace shrouded in smoke. Both bands were incredibly brutal and lived up to the hype that they have generated this year.

R.I.P. + MICK'S JAGUAR + RATTLESNAKE /  by Christopher Wiezorek

Another great show at Saint Vitus Bar in Greenpoint. Riding Easy Records bands, R.I.P. and Mick's Jaguar (record release show) brought classic rock n roll and traditional metal stylings to Brooklyn this past Tuesday night. Rattlesnake kicked the evening off with their southern fried boogie sounds. Mick's Jaguar celebrated the release of their new record with a triple guitar onslaught rock n roll party. R.I.P. brought a promise of giving us the "first heavy metal show we have ever seen," and while not necessarily true, they did bring an incredibly memorable performance; doom, searing metal leads, fuzz, scythes, and all around good times.

YOUNG WIDOWS + EMMA RUTH RUNDLE /  by Christopher Wiezorek

Young Widows' tour celebrating the tenth anniversary of Old Wounds resumed at Saint Vitus Bar. They were accompanied by Emma Ruth Rundle as the opening act. Emma performed solo, mostly acoustic. She held a captivated audience for the duration of her set. Her voice commanded attention, and those in attendance gladly remained silent in what was a very memorable set. Young Widows took the stage in their signature darkness, punctuated by spotlights as the music kicks into gear. Old Wounds is a favorite record of mine, and I believe this was my third time seeing them play it the entire way through. Evan Patterson, of Young Widows, reminded the room how special it is to spend this time together, enjoying each other's company and the music that binds the band along with everyone in the room. As time rolls on, seeing Young Widows continues to become more and more special, run don't walk if you get the chance to see them.