[ATTENDED: May 24, 2019] Lamb of God
I had an idea of what Cannibal Corpse and Amon Amarth were all about before this show, but Lamb of God proved to be elusive to me. Not that it was hard to figure out they played heavy music. but i didn’t know if they had an “angle.”
I had read that they were in the mold of Slayer and the song or two that I listened to before the show bore that out.
I had no idea they were going to be quite so intense of that singer Randy Blythe would have so much freaking energy.
By this time in the night, the crowd was pretty full. The pit was writhing and the lights were in full use. Lamb of God came out with a bang and a lot of red and blue lights (the hardest to photograph).
I was in front of lead guitarist Mark Morton, who was fun to watch. And I really enjoyed seeing bassist John Campbell and his long grey beard (he never got close enough for a clear picture). Rhythm guitarist Willie Adler did come over to our side once or twice, but he was hard to get a picture of. And of course, excellent drummer Chris Adler was behind the kit most of the time and therefore invisible.
But really all eyes are on Blythe. Blythe is a non-stop bundle of motion. He would do this really impressive standing leap, he often ran across the stage, planted his feet on some piece of stage gear and then catapulted through the air. It was mesmerizing. Most impressive was when he climbed up on the drum rise and leapt off. He did this twice and I timed my photo (left) perfectly, until this dude put his hand right in the way.
He sings in a hard to understand guttural yell.
In fact, he was pretty consistent with his leaps–he seemed to time them with the end of guitar solos–and he would start singing once he landed. So basically I ignored a lot of the show hoping to watch some great aerobatics.
I was utterly shocked to discover that he is one year younger than me.
I was also shocked to discover the horrible backstory that inspired their last album VII: Sturm Und Drang. The Wikipedia summary says:
On June 27, 2012 the Czech police arrested Randy Blythe for his actions during a 2010 concert in Prague. Blythe was charged with committing intentional bodily harm after an incident in which a 19-year-old fan climbed up onto the stage with him. Blythe pushed the teen who then hit his head on the floor when he fell and later died of the injury. Blythe was indicted on the charges in December 2012. According to a verdict delivered by the Municipal Court in Prague on March 5, 2013, Blythe had thrown Nosek off the stage and had moral responsibility for the fan’s death but he was not criminally liable. The decision was appealed and upheld by the Prague High Court in June 2013.
Blythe was in prison for five weeks–and that was the inspiration for the album. And that “512” was written
in Pankrác Prison cell number 512, while he was contemplating how the experience was changing him. According to Blythe, most of his time was spent in a basement dungeon. He said the guards put him there so they could monitor him for depression. “They stick you in the worst, dimmest, darkest place in the prison,” he says. “I couldn’t even see the sun to tell what part of the day it was. It was just steadily lessening levels of gloom.”
Although the other song they played from the album, “Engage the Fear Machine” is not about prison. It’s about the media using scare tactics and controlling the masses through fear. I enjoyed this observation: “What ever happened to Ebola? How long ago was that? We were all going to die, you know? The news just takes everything to the next limit, and it keeps viewers glued to the TV and it brings in advertiser dollars.”
I learned most of this stuff after the show, which is a shame because it would have made the songs more powerful (if I could have understood him).
As such I don’t have a lot of recollection of the band. Their songs were heavy and brutal with Blythe’s voice being a ball of rage. His speaking voice was much more pleasant. And when he wasn’t exhorting us to be louder, to dance harder and to be general maniacs, he was really quite funny and engaging–an excellent front man.
I was trailing my phone on him for one more large jump when I inadvertently caught him falling (right). He was back up before I was even sure what happened. But lots of other people caught it on video. So he posted an amusing comment on Instagram.
“I’m well known as an energetic front man. I’m constantly moving, jumping off shit, climbing on top of stuff, just generally running around like a rabid chicken w/his head cut off. This has always been my way, & this is what my favorite frontmen always did.
So I give 110% EACH NIGHT, EVERY NIGHT. If you aren’t doing that, get off the stage, you damn weakling. I’m also 48 years old. That means that I’ve played hundreds & hundreds of shows. That means… shit happens. Let’s take last night in Camden NJ for example- last song of the set. I’m feeling good. The band, we are a’ rawking.
I’ve been running around for 50 minutes, screaming my head off, jumping, kicking, throwing down. It’s near the very end of the last song. Time for one more high kick before the audience sings the last chorus. I approach the two foot tall welded metal ego box.
I plant my left foot, balancing on the edge of the ego riser, & swing my right leg up. EXHIBIT A, PHOTO # 1: YEAH, RANDY, YEAH! FUCK YEAH! Just look at that kick! Damn dude- you’re looking GOOD! What grace! What poise! What POWER! That kick would take someone’s head clean off!
[seriously, go to his post to see the frankly amazing kick]
WAIT! Uh-oh… the ego riser is slick. Something crappy is about to happen… EXHIBIT B, PHOTO # 2: NO, RANDY, NO! TOO MUCH POWER IN THE KICK ON A WET SURFACE! Shit! Left foot slides out from underneath you! This sucks! Mid-air, you realize: RANDY, YOU ARE NOT LOOKING SO GOOD, YOU GODDAMNED IDIOT. SHIT! FUCK! CURL INTO A BALL LIKE WHEN YOU SLAM SKATEBOARDING! HERE IT COMES! BLAM! & you slam into the ego box on your side- OUCH!
1st thought: please don’t let my ribs be broken. 2nd thought: PLEASE let @kevinwilsonnyc have caught that!
[He did]
Roll off ego riser, jump to feet in a split second, finish the song & the set. EXHIBIT C, PHOTO # 3- walk off stage. Tell horrified looking friends that you are not dead, & that nothing is broken.
Notice imprint of metal box on back stamped into your flesh. Go ice down back. Wake up sore next day for last day of tour. Remind yourself that you are pushing 50. Walk it off, son… 😂😂😂 ROCK AND ROLL, BABY”
I have gained much respect for Blythe since the show. Once again, i would have enjoyed the show more for sure knowing a bit more about the band.
Overall, it was an intense and enjoyable set. They played for about an hour and the guys around me were very much into it. And continuing the night’s theme, many drumsticks were thrown to the crowd.
But I have to admit I was waiting for Slayer.
- Omerta Æ
- Ruin ∏
- Walk With Me in Hell §
- Now You’ve Got Something to Die For Æ
- 512 ∇
- Engage the Fear Machine ∇
- Blacken the Cursed Sun §
- Laid to Rest Æ
- Redneck §
∏ = As the Palaces Burn (2003)
Æ = Ashes of the Wake (2004)
§ = Sacrament (2006)
∇ = VII: Sturm und Drang (2015)
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