Loved the venue, actually. It's nice to know where a full-on rock club exists in the city, outside of Metro, which can feel a little to "Wrigleyville" for me at times. The Bottom Lounge is in the far west loop. A nice, roomy venue.
I gotta admit, I'm not as familiar with Volbeat as maybe I should've been. I have their Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood album, and I quite like it. Like it a whole lot, actually. Particularly fond of the tracks "Hallelujah Goat" (amazing, insistant riff), "Mary Ann's Place" and "Still Counting" (all of which were played last night). The band is definitely metal, but also has a rockabilly vibe. Dedicating a number to both Johnny Cash AND Ronnie James Dio last night.
Michael Poulsen is an effective frontman, very much in the latter-era James Hetfield "Hot Rod" style. Some may not dig that, but I, frankly do. With English being a second language, his stage patter was pretty limited, but he clearly was getting what he wanted from the crowd.
The crowd was eating it up, too. Lots of energy out on the floor, in a very hot room. The word of the night was "sweat." The mosh pit took a few songs to get going, but, once it did, it was constant. Even during some slow numbers and sections, which, frankly...I don't get.
I'm really over moshing, honestly. I mean, that may have a lot to do with getting older, but I just want to stand and WATCH THE BAND. I don't see how some yahoos can't respect that. There's always some butthead who thinks it's his job to drag the entire floor into the pit, and just becomes obnoxious about it. Same sort of crap happened at the Them Crooked Vultures show. The pit, back in the old days, always felt like a communal place, and you were all in there together. Last night, it looked like a lot of people were trying to make it a competition.
Didn't really take away from the show, however. The band was on, nice playing all around. Thomas Bredahl played his first show on this US tour last night, after the band did several shows as a three-piece. Apparently there was some immigration issues over a stolen barstool in Bredhal's youth.
US Immigration...keeping all safe from barstool theft.
The whole show was incredibly fun in an old-school, metal show way. It's been a long time since I've gone into that world. Most of the smaller club gigs I see are for King's X, a much more sedate crowd.
Very happy I went, although I admit my neck's a bit sore from the headbanging. Thanks to SheaB for the ticket.
Setlist
- The Human Instrument
- Radio Girl
- Sad Man's Tongue
- Hallelujah Goat
- Mary Ann's Place
- Fallen
- I Only Want to Be With You (Dusty Springfield Cover)
- Boa
- Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza
- Rebel Monster
- Caroline Leaving
- Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
- River Queen
- Angelfuck (Misfits cover)
- The Garden's Tale
- Still Counting
- Outro
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