The order for this concert fires me up more than ever before when it comes to all the concerts I’ve seen in my life. When the show went on sale, the headliner was Hellyeah. The promotion on the radio was Hellyeah as the headliner. Perhaps not knowing, the bands Hellyeah and All That Remains were co-headlining this tour and alternating nights as the closer. For Spokane, WA, you chose poorly.
The opening act was a band called Sunflower Dead. It was like watching Godhead and Disturbed had a baby that came out with white makeup trying to be harder than they ultimately were. I give the band credit for trying, meaning, they had the makeup, black clothes and tried to pull off a strong bravado but it fell short. The accordion intro/song felt like something I had seen YEARS ago when Jonathan Davis came out with bagpipes to the intro to Korn’s huge hit Chutes and Ladders. The difference there was I was turned; I became a fan of the band after initially hating Korn. The lead singer had a decent voice and there’s potential if they can get away from trying too hard to be scary…scary is a gift. They do not have it. Their version of the Police cover, "Every Breath You Take" was close, but not close enough to being sinister.
Nonpoint was next and this band continues to generate a great crowd reaction and energy. It is amazing they are not more well-known but yet remain one of hard rocks best bands in the business. I have read recently that they are struggling to stay on the road which is so unfortunate. Their latest self-titled album continues to grow on me as one of their better efforts but the reality is that each of their records gets better each listen. Kudos to Nonpoint, bringing their high-energy show to the masses. Closing their set with “Bullet With A Name On It” got the crowd to a fever pitch of aggression and adoration.
As mentioned, Hellyeah became the third act on this night and I stood there in disbelief. Looking at the audience, I got the vibe they did NOT come for anyone else besides Hellyeah. The T-shirts, the element in the audience, the reaction…it was Hellyeah’s night and no one else could touch them. And no one did. The supergroup of all supergroups out there touring today, Hellyeah brings the spirit of Pantera, the voice of Mudvayne and the badass bravado that you expect to see at a rock show. Can you imagine what it would be like again to be a 15-year old boy seeing such a band play…forever you will have demands that your favorite bands become as special as Hellyeah. The good times this band brings with songs like “Drink Drink Drunk,” “Alcohol and Ass” and “Band of Brothers” tells the story that everyone strives for; good times, memorable times that last a lifetime.
And so the show begins to wrap up with All That Remains. A band that has radio-friendly hits that make my penis become a vagina. A bad ass verse but the chorus sounds like a something you hear at church, ruining the vibe of what was created in the verse. So, I hung in for about four songs and I heard all the shit they play on the radio and I bailed. The only exception was their guitar player. He needs to be in band that makes more sense to his style and ability. A hard rock band falls flat instantly when you have a female that brings NOTHING to the style of the band. The only band that comes to mind where it worked was Coal Chamber and they did it three times
with their bass players. Again, when it comes to stage presence, this band was a mish-mash of styles on stage. I do not get and never will why this band thinks they are ready for headline status when Hellyeah and a whole world of bands can run circles around All That Remains.
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