ITP V.05 LIVE REVIEW: King Diamond, Nile,The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth

(EDITORS NOTE- I can't find said tours flyer and the above flyer was from a show I didn't go to, I saw the show in Poughkeepsie, NY-Lots of memories of this show, dedicated to Jay Lavalle)









King Diamond, Nile,The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth-4/23/05-The Chance Poughkeepsie, NY
"Ahhh, Saattan, SATAN, SA-TAAAN!!!"-Delusional metal fan, Poughkeepsie, NY (He later broke his nose in the pit, poor thing :shakes head: )
Yeees. On a drizzly Saturday evening, I got to Poughkeepsie, NY early, around 530pm. For a few minutes I watched the roadies load in King Diamond's mammoth gear. There was an extra (HUGE) truck full of King Diamond's shtuff in it, and I mean SHTUFF. My jaw dropped.
I went to a neighborhood bar to have a SODA, (yes, soda) and some street urchin whom saw me walking down the street followed me (unsolicited) into the bar with a shit eating grin (probably looking for a piece of ass). I proceeded to ignore him, and when he realized he was in a gay bar, and (probably wasn't bi, gay or lesbian) he left. Pheew. Poughkeepsie, NY can be a sketchy neighborhood.
Around 7PM a line started to form in front of the Chance when I noticed a few New Paltz, NY squatters hanging around. The squatters held a sign pleading "NEED CHANGE FOR TICS, WILL DO TRICKS". LMAO. (EDITORS NOTE-RIP Jay Lavalle-miss your funny tricks-and he got IN too) Of course I bought my tic well in advance on my b'day. The squatters spanging for tics were akin to those Grateful Dead fans (bad analogy I know) that hold signs that state "I need a miracle" (Lingo for I need a tic please)..
The Black Dahlia Murder's guitarist took notice to the squatters plight and arranged to let the New Paltz, NY squatters in for free on the guestlist by way of the tour manager. Cool.The Black Dahlia Murder are really cool guys, with no egos and a down to earth attitude.Metal horns to TBDM \m/
This night was a very special night of metal mayhem indeed as The Chance Theatre was packed straight up to the balcony, and I mean JAM PACKED. I'm sure the show eventually sold out. All fans were checked for weapons and asked to remove chains, gauntlets, spikes, ect, as an extra safety measure.
Polish black/death metal heroes, Behemoth, took the stage to the roar of the crowd, and tore the the place up.The crowd went apeshit and was sent into an instant frenzy as Behemoth lead the crowd into chants, fist pumping, hair spinning, headbanging, black metal mayhem. Behemoth played some new material and some brutal tunes from Zos Kias Cultus, Thelma, and Satanica and overall a very solid set to a very receptive crowd. Behemoth could easily be headlining anywhere they want in America. Towards then end of Behemoth's set, Nergal (vocalist/guitarist) came out in a leather trench coat with a black metal face mask, (and as always) corpse paint to the ROAR \m/ -l- of the crowd. AWESOME set from Behemoth and it's great to see some Blackened death metal (BM/DM) around these parts...
Next was The Black Dahlia Murder whom have a strong At The Gates/Slayer influence and a good following in the metal/metalcore scene.The Black Dahlia Murder's vocalist was shirtless,sporting a tattoo on his pot belly. BDM played a solid set that got a good pit going as they were TIGHT. I briefly spoke to a member of TBDM whom said their new CD (MIASMA) should be "different" from the last (and debut) release. BDM's vocalist alternates between screams and growls, and damn if you weren't enjoying TBDM's set, WTF were you thinking? Then from the Egyptian ruins of South Carolina, USA came NILE..
After a friend of mine bought Dallas Toler Wade (lead guitarist/vocalist Nile) drinks before the show, (and we do owe him one for getting us drunk in October of '03) Nile took the stage. Dallas has taken over lead vox, center stage in Jon Vesano's (former Nile bassists) absence. Nile introduced their new bassist (apparently a 19 year old kid as his name alludes me, I'm sowwwy) who in all his calm and composure looked like he was having the time of his life.To score the gig as Nile's new bassist, the kid must be awestruck. Nile's new bassist shreds. The new Nile CD may NOT have as much of an Middle Eastern theme as their last few releases. I spoke to Dallas before the show to confirm rumors that Nile is touring with Chimaria and Three Inches of Blood?! (shrugs I read it on smnnews) and although very polite, humble, and soft spoken, Dallas didn't deny nor confirm those rumors. Dallas did say that he doesn't mind touring with bands that are "different" whom are not just total blastbeats ect.
Nile's set list went as follows, I think, lol. :
The Blessed Dead
Ramses Bringer of War
Cast Down the Heretic
Sacrifice unto Sebek
Sarcophagus
Annihilation ofthe Wicked
Black Seeds of Vengeance.. Nile debuted a few new songs from their new CD (due out in late May) Annihilation of the Wicked. The new material went over well, Dallas sounded good and seemed comfortable in the front man role. The sound for Nile's set seemed a little muddy, and yes that was ME screaming for Nile to play "Serpent Headed Mask" from Amongst the Catacombs of Nephran Ka. Next on stage was the headliner King Diamond. As the house lights dimmed, one could see the mammoth stage show King Diamond puts on, as was loaded into the venue earlier that evening. Me and some fans practiced our falsettos (easier for us women, as the death growls can be more difficult) as King Diamond took the stage with corpse paint and full regalia. I noticed King Diamond's custom made mic stand, very black metal indeed. . King Diamond's falsetto vocals are his trade mark, but King Diamond canceled out the Philadelphia, PA (Trocadero) show earlier in the week because of vocal problems. King Diamond, while STILL and extraordinary vocalist, didn't hit as many of the high notes (Remember the Memorex commercials, "Is it REAL or memorex ?"- With the opera singer and the glass breaking? That's King Diamond's vocals) but put on a GREAT show. King Diamond's (formally of MercyFul Fate) played many of his classics in their old school vein of thrash/power metal and had the pit going, and the fans singing along... Diamond's stage set was AWESOME complete with this hawt goth chick, miming, doing all sorts of stage tricks, and at one point acting as a mannequin. I was asking my friend, is that chick going to move? Is she real? Then she MOVED, I was like woooow. King Diamond played classics from Abigail (one and two) Mellissa ect, and one point wheeled in a stage hand dressed as a grandma on a wheelchair, lmao. Throughout the entire show guys were asking if I wanted to crowd surf.. So towards the end of show (towards the end of King Diamond's set) a nice guy, lifted me up and surfed me into the crowd, and AWAY I WENT. I crowd surfed for about two minutes and the bouncers were cool, being there is a barricade between the audience and band , they just pushed me back into the crowd. The crowd held me up there too, for quite a while, and I didn't even fall, just jumped right back into the crowd, and it was FUN... This WAS the metal show of the YEAR at The Chance and we all enjoyed it with as much positive, passion, metal energy as we could. Metal Horns \m/ to a great tour package, and we are so LUCKY to have seen it in this small market area known as the Hudson Valley of New Fucking Yawk. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW and debauchery: An enterprising female fan, whom admittedly knew NOTHING about KD's (a friend who couldn't attend the show gave her a free tic) music found her way onto the tour bus, and was given a free t-shirt and autographs on her "cooch", lmao. One of the New Paltz squatters getting kicked out of the show, after getting in for free on the guestlist after spanging to get in, for smoking a stogie in the venue. Getting to crowd surf, wich was FUN.
Looking for guitar pics (thrown by the bands) on the floor of the Chance.
The New Paltz, NY squatters getting in on the guestlist for FREE (LOL), while spanging for tics outside. Thanks to BDM. you are guys are super cool. \m/
Seeing all of the metal fans dressed in gothic BLACK (some in the full black metal clothing with gauntlets, ect. (Looking good) with their fave metal t-shirts... Plenty of Bathory t-shirts in remembrance of Quorthon. Running into alot of old friends in the metal scene whom I haven't seen or heard from in quite a while. \m/ Getting caught in BDM pit (caught in a mosh) and having to "karate pit" my way out. Trying to find a ride home and debating if I should buy some merch but I had only had $19.00 to my name. Fun night despite local band egos and drama, and a wonderful , BROOTAL, night for the (death/black) metal faithful.
For those of us disillusioned with the metal/and local scene and music trends, these current and up and coming metal tours may be an inspiration. Lesson to us, Stay TROO.
2005, may be a decent year for death metal tours. Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-Tee \m/
PS-Thanks for the ride home New Paltz metal heads \m/
-l-
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