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Archive for the ‘Big ‡ Brave’ Category

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 24, 2026] The Body / Big | Brave / Carnivorous Bells

I saw Big | Brave open for SUNN0))).  I can’t believe it has been almost ten years since that show.  Big | Brave left a huge impact on me and I’ve been following them ever since.  I’ve really wanted to see them again and it just never seems to happen.

I had a ticket for this show long before we decided to go on vacation this week.  We actually arrived home on the night of this show, but there was just no way I could make it work.

I didn’t know The Body even though they made an album with Big | Brave back in 2021.  They are a doom/sludge metal band who have expanded into using other genres as well.  From what I can tell, vocally there is a lot of distorted screaming

Carnivorous Bells are from Philly.  They’re noisy and weird and remind me of noisy weird bands from the 90s.  I don’t think I’d enjoy a 90 minute set from them, but a short opening set was probably a lot of fun.

Here’s a video of them from Ortleib’s

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[ATTENDED: August 23, 2024] Big ‡ Brave / Spiritual Poison / Bruise Bath

I saw Big ‡ Brave open for Sunn O))) back in 2017.  

They play slow and loud.  And their songs are very bass-heavy even though there is no bass!  Two guitars making very low rumbles.  The band is a trio–2 guitars and a fairly sparse drum kit.  Robin Wattie on guitars and vocals, guitarist Mathieu Bernard Ball and drummer Louis-Alexandre Beauregard.

I really enjoyed the way some of the songs were maybe two chords, sometimes possibly even one chord, just repetitive and lulling (but really noisy) until it began to morph into something else.

I would have loved to see them again.  I cannot even comprehend how loud they would have been in that tiny venue (and how loud it would have been downstairs!)  But it was the night before we were going on vacation, so I wasn’t going to go out. (more…)

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[ATTENDED: March 18, 2017] Sunn O)))

My friend Lar has been a fan of Sunn O))) for a long time.  Their music is like an ambient death metal–drones and drones of noises with heavy chords played very very slowly.  There’s no drums at all, just beats from the guitars.

And I had heard that their live shows were amazing–louder than anything you’ve ever heard, tons of fog, guys in hoods, and just sonic intensity.  And as soon as I saw that they were playing locally I grabbed a ticket.

I was prepared for the loudest thing I’d ever heard (and brought super great earplugs accordingly).  But I have to say it wasn’t as loud as I was expecting.  I mean, sure it was loud, but I had heard that you could feel it in the pit of your stomach–I was prepared to have to head to the back of the building for the sound waves.  But it wasn’t that loud at all.  On the other hand, it was loud enough that I could feel my nose hairs vibrating, or the cuffs of my pants vibrating.  So that’s pretty loud.  In fact, normally after hearing loud noises, you get a tinnitus ring.  After this show, I had a low throb in my ears for a day after–I’ve never experienced anything like that before.  I’m actually thinking it may have been because the earplugs were in too far.

But aside from that, what was the show like? (more…)

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[ATTENDED: March 18, 2017] Big ‡ Brave

I hadn’t heard of Big ‡ Brave when I saw that they were opening for Sunn O))).  Before the show I read this compelling description: “Big Brave utilize many elements of drone, noise, and post rock with female fronted vocals that are almost reminiscent of Bjork as far as tone.”

They play slow and loud.  And their songs are very bass-heavy even though there is no bass!  Two guitars making very low rumbles.

The band is a trio–2 guitars and a fairly sparse drum kit.  Robin Wattie (here’s a video of her singing) stood on the far side of the stage.  She sang an impassioned wail and often kept time by thumping her guitar (generating more drone I’m sure) before playing low, loud chords.

Closest to me was guitarist Mathieu Bernard Ball.  He was constantly in motion, rocking up and down as he played wondrous noises (see video) with his guitar.  (more…)

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