Acid Bath Returns
It's been a while since the UNO Lakefront Arena held a metal show. In fact, many of the attendees and some of the band members discussed just how special this venue is because of the amount of concerts they've seen in it that shaped their musical journey. The hallways are lined with posters and t-shirts bearing the artists that came before: Ozzy Osbourne (1984 and 1992) performed there just three weeks after his former band Black Sabbath in 1986; KISS, Iron Maiden, and Dio each played in 1985; and KISS came back the next year to perform just three days after Fats Domino. The list is impressive.
This night is just another legendary show to add to the ledger. After two immediately sold-out shows at The Fillmore some months ago, Acid Bath was set to lead a lengthy show of six total bands. Suplecs started off the evening, and those three guys can make a really big sound, almost atmospheric at times. The blue lights drenched them in an otherworldly glow. The trio exuded energy; Danny Nick on the bass bounced and jumped to the beat with an effortless smile across his face. Guitarist Durel Yates created excellent grooves in "White Devil" and "Rock Bottom" The nostalgia of the venue did not escape Danny as he told us the tale of how he was kicked out of the Metallica concert right here in 1989 before the band even played. He was escorted out during Queensryche's set, and tonight was his "redemption."
It's always a pleasure watching Soilent Green; I'm happy that their revival is continuing especially since Goatwhore's Sammy Duet and Zack Simmons are staying busy with Acid Bath. Vocalist Ben Falgoust swapped out his black metal black t-shirt for a bright white t-shirt; if not for that, you might miss him on stage. The bands seemed to perform without spotlights, leaving them to be coated in one single color. The guys in Soilent Green seemed to be in silhouette for much of the set with the cover of "A Deleted Symphony for the Beaten Down" glowing behind them. As he prowled the wide stage, the amazing Brian Patton just crushed the riffs of "Build Fear," "Sewn Mouth Secrets," and "It Was Just an Accident." A ghoulish green glow cast down upon their heads for the duration of the intense, yet short, set.
This was the best time for me to find that tiki bar upstairs and get lei'd, because Amigo the Devil was a perfect complement to the wacky daiquiri I sipped. This fun outfit helmed by Amigo the Devil himself (or Danny Kiranos) was a splashy, kitschy break from the extreme metal that came before it and would come after. After the upbeat tune of "Dahmer Does Hollywood," Amigo said that he just "can't find the perk on the Percocet." Yet, he entertained with more folksy fun, melancholy bangers including "Murder at the Bingo Hall."
The long hair was really flying when the men in Power Trip began to play. The photos and videos that were taken of them seem to be blurry because of the clouds of moving hair obscuring their faces. This was especially true for guitarists Blake Ibanez and Nick Stewart. The furious riffs on "Waiting Around to Die" and "Manifest Decimation" encouraged the crowd on the floor to finally start up a pit. The question many people had that was quickly answered was how would vocalist Seth Gilmore do. He was stellar! His style seemed to me to be more of an old-school thrash/early death metal style that's perfect for this lineup.
Wading through a sea of yellow fog, Mastodon appeared. An ever-changing psychedelic circus of visual art streamed behind them, sucking you into its vortex with only the music to guide you through. "Tread Lightly" started off the killer electric set. Brann Dailor stated from behind the drum kit, "You guys are a beautiful audience. Thanks for welcoming us back after eight years." Then they launched into "Black Tongue," "Megalodon," and "More Than I Could Chew." The things appearing on the screen seemed to come to life when a 10-foot tall creature walked out onto the stage, rocking alongside the band, walking among them. Was this just my imagination? Was the wacky daiquiri making me hallucinate? It must be the Cysquatch from "Circle of Cysquatch." Not long after he lumbered out onto the stage, he disappeared into the abyss. The band ended on the note that this show was the conclusion of four years of touring on Hushed and Grim, and there will be a brand new Mastodon album in 2026.
Between every band, photos of Acid Bath from their younger days looped on the screen, much to the glee of the attendees who have been fans of the band since these times. Those happy memories faded into rain and thunder before Acid Bath came out. The storm was soft at first, then grew louder. Black Sabbath's self-titled song then took over with the hungry fans singing every word of the dread-filled piece. The screen then showed a series of stark, staticky visuals that remained for the rest of the show.
Guitarist Sammy Duet may have broken the trance when he appeared and threw some stickers over the crowd before officially taking the stage, but it all came back when a red light wall barricaded the stage from the audience. An ominous voice lectured as each member came out to their respective spots. The mysterious Dax Riggs donned black shades and held the mic and its stand in a staunch pose. He would be hard-pressed to break it.
The slow grooves of "Tranquilized," "Bleed Me an Ocean," and "Graveflower" oozed forth. Dax's croon was only occasionally punctuated by Sammy's more aggressive growls. The entrancing static fry visuals showed scrambled images of the band live and also of nothing. Sometimes, it would switch to what appeared to be rituals taking place with a hand drawing a pentagram. Sammy's gruff vocals and intricate guitar playing mixed with the creepy images and roaming lights were a contrast to Dax's mellow, yet tight, demeanor. "Are y'all ready to rock?" he asked before his fans broke out in a frenzy. People shot from every corner of the floor to enter the pit for "Scream of the Butterfly." Before the show ended with "Dr. Seuss is Dead," Sammy said that this show was "f#@king amazing." "You have to understand how many bands I've seen in this room that made me what I am now," the same sentiment that the crowd felt the second they walked in here.
I was told that the UNO Lakefront Arena plans to revive their reputation for hosting lots of concerts. You may be getting another Where Y'at Magazine show review here soon.
