Symphony X/Powerglove/Blackguard
May 19, 2011
Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
It was an awesome evening of epic metal, inflatable swords and progressive metal gods here in Atlanta and on this Thursday night at the Masquerade the room could barely contain the energy and excitement of both the audience and the bands. After a great interview with Symphony X singer Russell Allen, I made my way back into the venue and prepared myself for what was to be a killer night. Canadian metal band Blackguard took the stage and right off the bat things were off to a great start. This band really knows how to get a crowd pumped up and they really know how to command the attention of an audience. I am not familiar with the bands songs but after this performance I will be checking them out. The energy and chemistry of this band is electrifying and they really made that connection with the audience. Even if I wasn’t all that crazy about the singers vocal style, the performance and music itself was enough to win me over. Their level of energy was clear off the charts and they were leaving it all on that stage the way a band should do it. Hell, even if I didn’t dig their album I would still go see them live because they were that fucking good. They really know how to make an impression and they made a damn great one.
Video game metal gods Powerglove were up next and I have been dying to see these guys perform live. Trying to describe Powerglove just makes me laugh: Four guys dressed like video game warriors who play video game music in heavy metal style while throwing out inflatable swords, hammers and candy and making GWAR look like a serious band. I know right? These guys owned my face as they opened their set with “X-Men” to a roar. I was really impressed with just how many people knew this band and the audience was pumped. The band launched into “Mortal Kombat” as the crowd waved their inflatable swords and hammers. It was really sight to see. Bassist/leader Nick Avila bantered back and forth with the crowd delivering such great lines as “ATLANTA! ARE YOU READY…. TO PLAY… TETRIS!” before slamming into the theme from “Tetris” but it was “Gotta Catch “em All,” the theme from Pokemon and set closer “Mario Minor” that really brought down the house. I absolutely loved this band but I had two gripes. 1. I wanted it to be longer. 2. Why do clubs NEVER let opening acts use full lights for their performances. I always hate this about the Masquerade and never understood that. Either way, I can only hope that these guys will return as headliners sometime in order for me to get the full effect. Either way, these cats were awesome and totally blew my mind.
The audience in the Masquerade had proven to be one of the most receptive audiences I’ve seen at a show yet. They took in each band’s performance and offered up encouragement and energy but it was obvious that this was a Symphony X crowd without any doubt. As the house lights dropped and “Oculus Ex Inferni” filled the room, I could feel the hairs on my arms stand at full attention just from the roar of the crowd alone. I knew this was going to be an amazing night as the band stormed right into “Of Sins and Shadows.” Russell Allen completely solidified his place in my top 5 favorite singers of all time. His passion, energy and connection with the song and the audience is something that totally draws you in. The band went right into “Domination” which had everyone singing along at the top of their lungs bringing a huge smile across Allen’s face. I new this was going to be an amazing set.
I know I’m stating the obvious but its impossible to not talk about what a well oiled machine Symphony X is. Michael Romeo is a guitar god that seems to get the majority of the attention but this is normal in bands like this. He is totally deserving of his guitar god status as he plays with such an amazing style that while awe inspiring is completely unpretentious. I feel that drummer Jason Rullo and bassist Michael Lepond are the unsung heroes of this band because watching and hearing how they hold the machine together is nothing short of amazing. Keyboardist Michael Pinnella also blew me away because of his intricate yet subtle playing style. Obviously the keyboards are a huge part of the sound of Symphony X but they don’t dominate or sound cheesy and out of place. Another thing about Symphony X that I found to be so appealing in a live setting is that while they are as tight if not tighter than any band I’ve ever seen, they are far from a stiff band. They have a very comfortable chemistry with each other as they joke around with each other, smile and really find themselves lost in the groove of the music. This makes for not just a great listening experience but a visually awesome experience as well.
While I know Romeo is the guitar god, I have to say that Russell Allen was without a doubt the MVP of the night delivering vocals with such dynamic range that I can’t even count how many times I got goosebumps. “End of Innocence” was the first new song performed this evening and it was an absolutely face melting performance. One part Dio, one part Bruce Dickinson and the rest all himself, Russell Allen is a living, breathing metal god. This is a man who loves what he does and loves his fans and it shows. The people just gravitated to him as the band performed both new and old classics such as “Paradise Lost”, “Smoke and Mirrors” and “Dehumanized” but the set closing “Set the World on Fire” drew a huge roar and the room became a sea of fists, hands and devil horns as they sang along at the top of their lungs.
After an epic face melting performance of nearly 2 hours, how were these guys going to top this? The audience chanted for “The Odyssey” until the band returned to the stage only to deliver the 20 minute epic song in its entirety. Symphony X managed to tug at my emotions both musically and lyrically with this performance proving once and for all that I had just seen what is now one of the greatest live performances I have ever seen in my life. Not since seeing Iron Maiden on the “Somewhere Back In Time” tour had I felt so moved by a performance. Symphony X gave their fans the ultimate gift here in Atlanta by delivering an epic, heartfelt performance that was felt by all those in attendance. After this show, I honestly have to say that I felt a new and much deeper level of gratitude to a band that gives it all to their fans on this level. I am a proud fan of Symphony X and I will continue to be one for many more years to come. Symphony X fans: We are a lucky bunch!
Blackguard Set List
Tephra, The Sword, Firefight, Farewell, Sarissas, Wastelands, Fear of All Flesh
Powerglove Set List
X-Men, Storm Eagle, Metal Kombat for the Mortal Man, Drum Solo, Omnishred (We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Sword), Tetris, Gotta Catch ‘Em All, Mario Minor
Symphony X Set List
Oculus Ex Inferni, Of Sins and Shadows, Domination, Serpent’s Kiss, End of Innocence, Paradise Lost, Smoke and Mirrors, Eve of Seduction, Dehumanized, Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies)
Encore: The Odyssey
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