[DID NOT ATTEND: September 22, 2026] Mastodon / Alcest / Deafheaven
I saw Mastodon at this very venue (when it was called The Electric Factory) ten years ago. I’ve seen Mastodon a total of three times and after the last show I felt like I didn’t need to see them again. Nothing against them, but I felt like I had seen enough and was satisfied. Then all kinds of trouble happened within the band and I felt it was just safest to stay away.
But this bill was stacked! And I really wanted to go for the opening acts. It turned out to be scheduled during a week when I had a lot else going on, so I ultimately couldn’t go anyhow. But I would have really enjoyed seeing the openers again.
I saw Alcest last year and they were great. They play a kind of heavy metal shoegaze. Waves and waves of guitars with vocals that are sung in French, but are quiet enough in the mix (from where I was) that they might as well be simply ahh’s. Corson’s backing vocals were, I think, just ooh and ahhs. Occasionally, Niege’s vocals would get dark and kind of growly, but more of a low scream rather than a growl–certainly the most palatable scream I’ve encountered. I would love to see them again.
I’ve seen Deafheaven twice but I’ve wanted to see them more. There have been a couple of recent shows that I simply haven’t been able to get to. Well, I’m sure they’ll be back again. And who wants to see them open, when they could clearly headline.
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