|
Chiodos
Calico System
LoveHateHero
To No Avail
Kohabit
|
|
Club Boom Va
Ogden, UT
12/03/2005
By: Caz* Bevan
|
Welcomed by a snowstorm, tonight Chiodos played the last show of their tour at the Club Boom Va in Ogden, UT. Visiting us from Michigan, Chiodos headlined. They were preceded by a quartet of bands: Utah's Kohabit and To No Avail, Southern California's LoveHateHero and Missouri's Calico System.
I've decided hardcore shows (even though not every band tonight can or should be considered hardcore) are a lot like uneventful football games. What I mean is, if the band is not a 10 in every aspect of their performance, the sideline violence and the self-dubbed cheerleaders capture more of your attention than the show itself. In the crowd at this particular show, two young lads, just shy of 100 pounds in winter ninja-like ski masks seemed most entertaining. It amused me how they held such stern power and assumed control despite their feeble stature, just because they appeared to be a mystery. It put a whole new meaning to invisible-ninja-fighting which is what people often refer to when describing Utah's unique style of hardcore dancing.
Each band had their moments, their breakdowns, their wailing guitars of glory - and to my surprise being the least hardcore band - LoveHateHero captured my attention. They had the grace and familiarity of Circa Survive, they seemed professional and serious about their music and performed extremely well. In return, they more than earned a recognizable spot on the stage.
At the peak of all anticipation and when I was starting to feel like the snowy drive was a distance hardly worthwhile, Chiodos took the stage. It's been, I think, almost three years since I last saw them in Utah. They've changed, yet are still familiar. I was surprised that not only did they bring the keyboard along, but also from what I could see, the keyboardist was not just a sideshow rock-out clown like other bands with various technical percussionists. He was actually playing while singing back up vocals, involving the crowd and dancing. He brought their performance to a level far beyond any other band I've seen recently.
Chiodos has a rare talent. Not only do they hold true to the key and tune of their recordings when performing live, but they are true musicians in that they have incorporated an original sound that involves classical, jazz, hardcore, metal and even a dash of Hip-Hop.
With the hope that Chiodos makes it all the way to Michigan through this winter weather, if you didn't get a chance to see them during this tour they will be headed out again at the start of the New Year with Armor For Sleep and Boys Night Out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
