Rupp Arena – Lexington, KY
Nightmare After Christmas Tour: Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Hollywood Undead and New Medicine
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| Fans rocking out during the Nightmare After Christmas Tour in Lexington, Kentucky. |
We got to the venue, Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington, about an hour before doors opened. That’s pretty early for me considering I’m usually doing good just to get to a venue in time for the show’s start. But in the world of Avenged Sevenfold fans, I was about 100 or so deep in the general admission line. You’ve got to give these kids credit. They are some of the most devout fans I’ve ever encountered with any other band, in any genre of music. The people in line were in good spirits despite the 30 degree weather and constant wind chill. Ironically I ended up in line behind three guys who also made the long drive up from my hometown. Turns out we’ve been to quite a few of the same concerts. I guess it’s a small world after all, eh?
Once the doors opened, we began filing into the arena. Security had set up six lanes to give the standard pat downs. Except mine wasn’t so standard. Instead, it consisted of being prodded with a wooden dowel rod while the security guard yelled at me to “Spin!” Then he made me remove my shoes so he could “feel my ankles.” The TSA could have given this guy lessons in customer service.
After dealing with Cranky McPokes-A-Lot, I finally got my wristband for the general admission area and made my way down to the arena floor. All of those people in front of me in line were now sitting quietly on the cold, hard floor of the arena. Yes, that’s right folks, I said sitting. No one was allowed to stand until the first band took the stage. Security not only took their normal spots behind the stage barrier, but also was spread out among the crowd. Their appearance was almost laughable as they towered over the sitting crowd, arms crossed defensively across their chests as they tried to look intimidating. Their wardrobe was the likes of which I haven’t seen since the last good Chuck Norris flick (and trust me, it’s been a while) with tight black t-shirts and cargo pants tucked into military style boots.
We were told by the nearest security guard that this was for our own comfort and to keep people calm and happy before the show. Now I don’t know about you, but having my ass go numb from sitting on a concrete floor for an hour and a half is not the path that leads me to comfort and happiness. Add in the fact we were packed in so tightly that I could never adjust my position, and you can understand why I spent my time using my phone to email a very detailed complaint to Rupp Arena’s customer service department. As I told them: “I spent my money on a concert ticket to your facility because I wanted to come and have a good time. Not because I wanted to know what it was like to live in a concentration camp.”
Luckily, there were no more issues with security or the facility once the show started and we were finally allowed to stand. First to take the stage was New Medicine, who I caught for the first time last year during the Atlanta stop on the Uproar Festival. I actually bought their CD at that show and am now unafraid to admit I am a full-fledged fan. Once again, the boys from Minneapolis didn’t disappoint and gave a highly energetic performance. Their style rocks hard but remains upbeat and fun, as seen with songs from their CD Race You to the Bottom. My personal favorite, “Rich Kids” is a party anthem that virtually everyone in the crowd can relate to (except those pesky rich kids, of course.) The band’s lone ballad, “Little Sister,” was introduced by lead singer Jake Scherer who explained that he wrote the ballad after his own younger sister died.
Overall, the crowd loved the band’s style and were especially enthusiastic in response to their interactive lyrics. By the last song, the single “Laid”, fans were pumped and primed to rock the rest of the night out. The band took advantage of this enthusiasm and took to the arena floor immediately after their set to mingle with the fans. They spread out and could be seen all around the venue taking pictures, signing autographs and selling their CD. And this is where they stayed the rest of the night, even climbing countless stairs to the upper levels of the arena. Considering that most of the people around me had no clue who New Medicine were before they took the stage, the large number of CD’s I saw walking around the rest of the night were truly a testament to their talent.
A short break later and Hollywood Undead was ready to rock the arena. This was my first time seeing the group live and I’d been looking forward to it for months. But I have to admit, I had my concerns. Mainly I was worried about whether or not the band would actually be performing live. It’s a well known fact that many rap artists (among others) lip sync to voice tracks during not-so-live performances. So with Hollywood Undead, I didn’t know what to expect.
It’s hard to describe the band’s musical style. They don’t fit into any one particular genre. Terms like rock rap, crunkcore, rapcore and rap metal get thrown around and I’m not sure exactly where they land. But that uncertainty allows the band the flexibility to experiment with different styles. Well, that and the fact that they have enough people in the band to form their own basketball team (half of one anyway.) In all, seven people took the stage.
Surprisingly, their set began with a very simple, yet impressive drum solo that morphed into one of the band’s biggest hits, “Undead.” All six members of Hollywood Undead came onstage wearing their own unique masks and clothing indicative of their West Coast origins. But with their faces covered, I still couldn’t determine whether they were really singing or not, despite how good their opening actually was.
If the crowd hadn’t been riled up before, they certainly were now. By the time Hollywood Undead finished, those of us on the floor were packed in pretty tightly. Needless to say, restroom and beer breaks were out of the question. And then there were two…
One of the summer’s hottest bands, Stone Sour (who I also caught at Uproar), was next in the lineup. A byproduct of the success of the hardrock band Slipknot, Stone Sour’s recent success has made them a household name all their own. Lead singer Corey Taylor, who fronts both bands (and is rumored to be in the running for the new Velvet Revolver front man spot left open by Scott Weiland) seems to have the world in the palm of his hand right now. He writes, sings, plays guitar and (according to the level of female screams from the crowd) looks pretty good doing it. But he keeps a sense of humor about it all, joking with the crowd about growing his hair out. He went on to say, “And yes, I know I look like a f@#ked up Doogie Howser.”
Yet the most striking thing about Taylor may be his presence. He seems completely at ease on stage, giving raw vocals and guttural screams amidst the pulsing lights and his equally intense band mates. Songs like “Mission Statement” and “Digital” were prime examples. But he is just as much in his element while standing alone on stage, highlighted by a single white spotlight, with nothing to accompany him but his own acoustic guitar. Such was the case during the first half of “Through Glass” until the rest of the band later joined him onstage.
The crowd seemed most responsive to Stone Sour’s two recent singles, “Say You’ll Haunt Me” and “Hesitate” off the album Audio Secrecy. But there were early adopters among us as well, who Taylor recognized and thanked for their ongoing support. He dedicated the band’s set finale “30/30-150” to those fans.
Before we knew it the time was upon us. The crowd impatiently chanted “A7X, A7X.” As with their performance at last year’s Uproar Festival, the stage was draped with an oversized black curtain. Rather than some random musical accompaniment that most other bands opt to take the stage with nowadays, the curtain dropped to a rather eerie silence. Upon seeing the same stage set from last year’s tour, I immediately knew to look up. It was interesting to notice the response of those around me, who were seeing the man standing far above them for the first time. The guy next to me jokingly yelled, “Jump!”
Then the screams began as the man did just that. He jumped. And fell. And jerked sporadically before swinging lifelessly above the stage. (The guy next to me whispered, “Dude, I was just kidding.”) Cue creepy music, aka the opening notes to the single “Nightmare.” You know, the ones that sound like a demented jack-in-the-box?
I’ve had some time to digest this opening stunt since Uproar. And I like it even more now than I did before. Inappropriate as some people may consider it, I can’t think of any better way for Avenged Sevenfold to inject a little adrenalin into the crowd, which they needed for the roller coaster show they were about to experience. Besides, the song is called “Nightmare.” Instinctively, we know what it means. We could listen to them sing about it until they’re blue in the face. Or they could immerse us in the scenes of the nightmare itself and ensure we’re just as invested in this show as they are. I choose the latter.
In typical Avenged Sevenfold style, they took the stage among a spectacular (yet creepy) light show and stage set. Made to resemble a graveyard, complete with iron gates and a backdrop that reminded me of the video game Castlevania, it was the perfect setting for any nightmare. And of course, the huge balls of flame that shot up from the set at key points during each song didn’t hurt either. (Guess I’m a bit of a pyro after all.) Beginning with Synyster Gates, each member took their turn to "strike a pose" and perform underneath the dangling body, treating it as if it were just another prop. By the end of the song, the band and fans watched as medical personnel placed the victim in a body bag and rolled him out on the stretcher. Lead singer M Shadows simply shook his head as if this type of thing happens everyday. I guess for him it does.
Next up was the song “Critical Acclaim,” the first single from the band’s self-titled album released in 2007. To me, this is the quintessential A7X tune. A unique gothic organ intro, lyrics that get to the heart of the issue (in this case the negative side effects of fame), impressive screams and an intricate synchronized guitar duet are only a few highlights of the song. And at over 5 minutes long on the CD, and perhaps slightly longer when performed live, there’s more than enough time for other cool stuff, too. It’s also a prime example of just how talented the band members are. This is a power-packed song which most people would expect is a result of some studio magic. But the guys pull off the exact same elements just as impressively live.
M Shadows next acknowledged all the fans in the crowd who were attending their first A7X concert, appropriately dedicating to them the recent single “Welcome to the Family.” More songs from the latest CD Nightmare followed, including “Danger Line,” “Buried Alive,” and “So Far Away.” The last was dedicated to their lost friend and former drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, who died of an accidental overdose in December 2009. Mike Portnoy of the band Dream Theater took over the massive drumkit while the band completed the recording of the Nightmare album and during the first year of touring after its release. Beginning with the Nightmare After Christmas Tour, Arin Ilejay of the band Confide has replaced Portnoy, while the band continues their search for a new drummer (though they admittedly question whether or not they will ever find a permanent replacement.)
What did I think of Ilejay’s performance? I thought it was… good. Don’t get me wrong, the kid was talented. He hit all the right notes and kept up with a band that’s had years to perfect their performances together. But that’s the problem about being thrust into the middle of the A7X machine. Individually, each of these guys is bigger than life. Sullivan was that way too. So you can only imagine the collective persona they create when together. I think the person to permanently take over the sticks will need to carry this same kind of aura as well.
I felt like Ilejay lacks that special something, that “X factor” if you will. He seemed to be swallowed up by the required drum kit. Not necessarily that he’s physically smaller than the original drummer. But Sullivan had a way of playing that made you see him and his talent, rather than the obtrusive musical instrument surrounding him. Portnoy was pretty darn close, too. Perhaps this is something that Ilejay will learn as he gains more experience and confidence. He certainly has a prime opportunity to do just that, and the other band members show obvious support for him throughout the show.
Somewhere along the way, the band informed the crowd that they attended the Rascal Flatts concert held at Rupp Arena the night before. They explained that Rascall Flatts spent a lot of time talking and joking rather than playing their music. So A7X took a break to test their skills as stand up comedians. Each band member got to tell one joke, none of which I can repeat here. But trust me, it was funny in a hormonal-teenager-kind-of-way. Afterwards, M Shadows mentioned that Rascal Flatt’s songs were filled with uplifting, spiritual messaging. In honor of them, the band then played “God Hates Us.” I think that one’s self explanatory.
Other songs played within the set included “Afterlife,” and “Unholy Confessions.” Noticeably missing were the hits “Beast and the Harlot” and “Seize the Day” from the band’s first major album City of Evil. But in their place we got “Bat Country,” which I haven’t heard live during any of the other times I’ve caught the band’s performance.
The guys finally headed into their encore, which ended up serving as an unspoken tribute to former drummer, Sullivan. The first song, “Fiction,” is off the Nightmare album. Sullivan played a huge role in song writing for this album in the months before his death. He even got so far as to record vocal and drum tracks as demos for a few of the songs. Luckily, some of these tracks were clean enough to feature on the album, the most prominent of which can be heard during “Fiction.” This was the last song Sullivan worked on before his death and the band continues to use his vocal track even in concert, allowing Sullivan’s voice to speak to fans from beyond the grave.
The final song of the night was “A Little Piece of Heaven” which many consider the piece Sullivan was most known for. An odd but unique combination of hard rock and show tunes, I eagerly await the day that Broadway contacts Avenged Sevenfold for the rights to create a musical based on this song. It would easily surpass productions such as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show” as the most gruesome musical of all time, but a hit nonetheless. (I won’t go into detail about the song’s subject matter here, but I’m sure you smart folks out there know how to use Google.) I can’t say for sure, but it sounded like they also played Sullivan’s voice tracks during the performance. In all, it was a fitting acknowledgement to their lost brother and a satisfying end to a great show for the fans in Lexington.
I wasn’t the only one experiencing an after-concert high when I left Rupp Arena (good riddance!) and passed the guys from New Medicine who were still hanging out with fans and selling CD’s. In the parking lot, post-show festivities were in full swing despite the cold weather. Fans, decked out in A7X apparel as far as the eye could see, were blaring their favorite songs from their car stereos and gearing up for the remainder of their night. And me? I’m left wondering what show will be next…
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