On a Saturday evening in downtown Austin, TX, nearly a thousand people filed into the Moody Theater at Austin City Limits (ACL) Live to view what very well might have been the tour of the spring. An eccentric collection of veteran head-bangers, hipsters, metal heads, stoners, and less conspicuous individuals gathered from all corners of Texas and beyond (including this writer who undertook a nearly seven-hour trek from Baton Rouge). Donning their best concert t-shirts, denim vests, and other stereotypical rock-themed garments and garb, they came to witness a phenomenal show just three days after what some are regarding as music’s greatest tragedy of 2017.
Mastodon’s headlining show at the Moody Theater was a particularly exciting occasion for me. Apart from the show marking my first glimpse of both Russian Circles and Eagles of Death Metal, I also had the pleasure of having a special guest accompany me. My little sister, a rising musician and novice concertgoer, decided that she would brave the sweaty throngs of fans, unfamiliar sounds, and even stranger sights, and observe her first rock concert.
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Russian Circles opened the concert with a short but blistering set. What the post-rock Chicago trio lacked in words and crowd interaction they made up for in fury and beauty. Drummer Dave Turncrantz led the charge with his pummeling snare beats and bizarre tempos. Working with a modest, if not minimalist, kit, Turncrantz’s gaze remained solely fixed on his instrument throughout the entire performance. He was flanked on his right by suspender-clad bassist Brian Cook and on his left by founding member Mike Sullivan. Sullivan’s atmospheric guitar playing accentuateed the masterful and moody rhythms laid down by Turncrantz and Cook.
Unlike the two later performers, Russian Circles’ music constitutes much less as “guitar-driven.” Whereas most metal and rock groups tend to emphasize the riff, either through arrangement/songwritng or sound mix, Russian Circles doesn’t necessarily regard the guitar as the essential instrument of most tracks. Rather, it merely contributes to the motif at work. In the words of music critic Simon Reynolds, post-rock is noted for “using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures rather than riffs and power chords.”
To the outside viewer, post-rock might be likened to a smooth blending of jam and progressive music with its unconventional structures and meandering arrangements, but it is far more than that. The visual element, or lack thereof, is crucial to constructing an atmosphere that can be likened to spiraling through an expansive and obscured void. The dim stage setup (a lone light positioned at floor level magnifying Turncrantz’s seemingly gigantic presence) combined with the hypnotic playing offers a simultaneous calming and invigorating experience to any open-minded fan.
With only three instruments Russian Circles yielded a massive sound that induced some slight head-banging from stray audience members, including yours truly. However, most spectators seemed to be entranced for nearly 30 minutes. In short, it was like sipping on a well-aged but unfamiliar spirit in preparation for the more satiating main course of a much-anticipated meal.
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If Russian Circles served as a refined and almost elegant beverage, then Eagles of Death Metal (EODM) were an unexpectedly thick and greasy cheeseburger wrapped in wax paper (i.e., something that always tastes good and can be even better when you’re not anticipating it). No frills, only thrills.
Pilot’s 1974 hit “Magic” signaled the band’s arrival to the stage. The lighthearted and comical introduction seemed befitting for what would soon ensue. Much to my dismay, the band was without the percussive services of Queens of the Stone Age frontman, and stoner rock guitar god, Josh “Baby Duck” Homme. Nevertheless, that would be my lone disappointment for the entirety of the band’s performance.
Drummer Jorma Vik climbed behind another modest kit and adorned a Hawaiian-style tropical shirt. Bassist Jennie Vee strolled onto stage sporting a short red leather jacket, black mini-skirt, black heels, red and black stockings, and blood-red lipstick. Her stature and retro style were reminiscent of a Margot Robbie- portrayed Harley Quinn performing as a pin-up rocker. In addition to the slender, blonde musician holding my gaze for far longer than I would like to admit, she proved to be a skilled rhythm player once the show began.
Veteran EODM member “Darlin’ Dave” Catching was soon spotted with his denim jacket and jeans, sunglasses, and long white beard befitting for Billy Gibbons’ doppelgänger. As you would expect with such an appearance, Catching played a mean slide guitar. Much to my delight, Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds also joined the band on stage for their opening track. Such a treat was to be expected for the concluding show of the 29-date North American tour. And finally, Jesse “Boots Electric” Hughes strutted out to the adulation of nearly every female audience member in the crowd. With his slicked back hair, purple-tinted sunglasses, black t-shirt, and suspenders attached to his black jeans, Hughes emitted a timeless presence of cool from his head to his toes.
EODM began their set with “I Only Want You,” a fun rocking track to kick things off. The crowd was treated to a beautiful sight of Hinds and Hughes mimicking Chuck Berry’s duck walk in unison. Hinds, often noted for his temperamental demeanor on stage and his occasional tendency to abuse guitar techs or sound monitor operators, seemed exceptionally carefree and jovial. Hinds and Catching traded guitar solos as the crowd roared with excitement throughout the opening number. Hinds departed soon after in preparation for his own band’s performance, and touring guitarist Eden Galindo joined the band on stage soon after. The three-guitar attack by EODM summoned forth memories of classic retro rock outfits which ruled the musical landscape of the ‘70s. And so, the band boogied (And dare I say woogied?) for an hour, playing like few bands still manage to do today.
What might have been the most impressive aspect of the entire performance was drummer Vik’s pain tolerance. Hughes revealed that the percussionist had broken a finger only two days prior to the show. Regardless, Vik held down the drums without the slightest indication of struggle.
Hughes’ shining charisma and flamboyant bravado were marvelous to watch. His sexually-charged behavior and sermonizing interactions with the crowd glorified the beauty and splendor of rock ‘n’ roll of yesteryear. The band sashayed their way through a number of fan favorites before playing an interesting cover of Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream.” The finale, “Speaking in Tongues,” contained a bass and drum excerpt lifted straight from Black Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave.” Hearing Geezer Butler’s iconic bass line pouring out of Vee’s instrument stunned me initially. In fact, it was not until the bass and drum jam’s recapitulation that I was certain of the Black Sabbath homage.
Though often regarded as a tongue-in-cheek and almost satirical act, the production constructed by EODM was as authentically rock as anything left today. It was fun. It was loose. And it made everyone want to dance.
Hughes’ swagger cannot be understated. His abilities as a showman are some of the best left in music. Every member of the crowd, whether on the floor or in the far corners of the upper balcony, was held in Hughes’ figurative hand. He repeatedly commented on the North American run’s impact in galvanizing him as a performer and even went as far as to label it as the “tour of a lifetime.”
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The high from EODM was enough to carry the audience through the brief stage change. If anything, it enhanced the growing buzz of Mastodon’s much-anticipated performance. And at 9:30 the moment had finally arrived. The lights dimmed as the Atlanta-based quartet quietly filed onto the stage. All the while, a wave of cheers poured out from the audience.
Formed in 2000, Mastodon has been one of the most adored groups in metal for more than a decade. Their critically-acclaimed 2004 release, Leviathan, quickly established Hinds and rhythm guitarist Bill Kelliher as two of the most masterful riff writers of their generation. Meanwhile, Brann Dailor has quietly become an internationally-acclaimed drummer within metal and progressive music. And of course, Troy Sanders stands at the forefront of this mammoth-sized (pun intended) musical collaboration as the band’s principal vocalist and bass player.
Though their roots are indebted to the sludge metal and hardcore scenes of the late ’90s, Mastodon quickly distanced itself from its musical peers in sound, image, and songwriting. Over time, the fearsome foursome has molded themselves into a powerful, unrelenting musical beast. Through the span of seven LPs, they have positioned themselves near the peak of heavy progressive music along with the likes of Opeth, Gojira, Devin Townsend, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, and Enslaved. Much like Sweden’s greatest export, Opeth, Mastodon has demonstrated a recent penchant for ‘70s progressive rock. Beginning with Crack the Skye, what some might regard as the band’s magnum opus, Mastodon began to shed more and more of its sludgy dabblings. In particular, musical passages expanded into much more ambitious and developed pieces encompassing multiple movements, such as Crack the Skye’s second track: “The Czar.” The sound gradually became more and more melodic, particularly with the emergence of Brann Dailor as a vocalist, and even stripped down according to some fans.
The 2014 release Once More ‘Round the Sun proved to be a masterful incorporation of the aforementioned progressive rock elements of later records and the heavier style of the band’s earlier career. Now, with the release of 2017’s Emperor of Sand (EOS) Mastodon appears to have encountered a watershed moment with many fans. The band has now completed an almost two-decade-long metamorphosis by forging a sound that toes the line between accessible “radio rock” and progressive metal. Some “OG” fans prefer the chaos and fierceness of Remission, Leviathan, and Blood Mountain, and such individuals often clamor for “moar [sic] riffs” and less vocal harmonies.
But, such a shift has also brought about a great opportunity for the band to appeal to a broader audience. Admittedly, I initially found the band’s Leviathan-era sound to be borderline anarchic and found little redeeming quality in Sanders’ vocals. Still, just a few years later I found myself unwilling to take my copy of Crack the Skye out of my CD player.
Much like many other progressive metal albums released in the past year (e.g., Gojira’s Magma and Opeth’s Sorceress), Mastodon clearly has embraced a much more melodic and stripped-down approach to their songwriting. Many of EOS’s tracks lack the dark energy, rawness, and high-octane ferocity of the band’s earlier work. This isn’t inherently a poor reflection of the band’s creativity or inspiration (i.e., EOS is a concept album dealing with themes of loss and suffering and still possesses some wonderful musicianship). Mastodon’s musical evolution has been a gradual and natural one, much like Opeth, and unlike Metallica’s abrupt stylistic change which occurred between …And Justice for All and Load.
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So what sort of show does all of this result in? A fuckin’ excellent one.
The band kick-started the evening with EOS’s opening track and first single, “Sultan’s Curse.” A wonderful choice to launch into their 20-song set, “Sultan’s Curse” contains classic Mastodon riffs coupled with the utilization of three separate vocalists (Sanders, Hinds, and Dailor). “Divinations,” a classic from Crack the Skye, followed immediately after. Next was a back-to-back pairing of the opening two songs from 2006’s Blood Mountain: “The Wolf Is Loose” and “Crystal Skull”.
With an extensive catalog compiled over 16 years of recording, the band did a surprisingly good job of balancing their set. Mastodon managed to play material from all seven albums while still showcasing the newly released EOS. After a pair of EOS tracks, the band ripped through four successive songs from four separate albums: The Hunter, Blood Mountain, Once More ‘Round the Sun, and Leviathan. The massive opening riff to “Black Tongue” from 2011’s The Hunter is one of the band’s most distinct and powerful.
One of EOS’s standout tracks, “Andromeda,” possessed the classic guitar work and massive riffage which Hinds and Kelliher are so prolific for arranging. However, the melodic interludes and transitions are much more reflective of Mastodon’s recent songwriting. Once again, Dailor’s vocals are featured in such soothing passages.
Fan favorite “Oblivion” followed immediately after. As arguably the band’s most iconic single, the Crack the Skye opening number has been responsible for generating interest among many novice or previously uninitiated fans. Few songs offer a better showcase of the band’s now trademark vocal trade-offs in conjunction with an iconic guitar riff. Additionally, “Oblivion” contains one of Hind’s best solos.
Next, was perhaps the most controversial and polarizing song of EOS: “Show Yourself.” Occasionally likened to a Queens of the Stone Age rip-off, and also regarded as the worst offender of Mastodon’s supposed “commercial” flirting, the song is quite distinct in many respects. One of the biggest critiques and observations of Mastodon’s shift in sound has dealt with Dailor’s emergence as a vocalist. In doing so, the world-class drummer has sometimes sacrificed his dazzling percussive displays in order to focus on singing. In a genre of music which is noted for its double-bass, blast beats, and, in the case of more progressive bands, polyrhythms, simplified drumming is seldom embraced with open arms. But, one thing is clear about “Show Yourself”…it is sooooo…damn…catchy. While it lacks any semblance of an iconic riff, the song has a groove to it that compels one to shake their hips. Plus, Sanders’ chorus is melodious and entertainingly surreal: “You’re not as safe as far as I can tell/And I can tell/Only you can save yourself/Soon this will all be a distant memory/Or could this dream be real at all?” The song eventually opens up as Hinds rips yet another masterful solo before transitioning into one of the most well-arranged bridges on the entire album. And, seemingly out of nowhere, Dailor tears apart his kit with two brutal fills.
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In terms of stage setup, Mastodon adhered to the “less is more” approach. A few vertical-oriented screens displayed images related to each song being played (e.g., “Megalodon” was represented by an animated illustration of the prehistoric beast’s massive jaw). The lighting and graphic displays contributed to the band’s overarching aesthetic: an amalgamation of metal, psychedelia, rock, and hardcore. The atmosphere perfectly reflected Mastodon’s stark contrast of darkness and color.
Though far more extensive than the prior drummers’ equipment, Dailor’s kit was still relatively modest given his proficiency as a player. The lone bass drum contained a photograph of Rodney Dangerfield and Red Fox, the latter of which was wrongfully identified as Billy Cosby by a nearby fan. Also, Dailor’s favorite clown mask lay positioned on one of the left drum mounts while a large clown head sat on the right of the drum riser.
Hinds carried through the performance with a similar level of professionalism and musicianship as his cameo with EODM. His vocals appeared substantially better, and less alcohol-saturated, than my last encounter with the band.
Sanders’ untamed gray hair and beard appeared more reminiscent of a wolf than Lon Chaney, Jr. in The Wolf Man (1941). His epic power stances are still quite the spectacle to witness as a fan.
Kelliher commanded the bulk of my attention due to my stage-left position on the floor. Kelliher may not be as animated as some of his peers in metal, but, like EODM’s Hughes, he epitomizes the concept of “cool” in music. A relatively stoic and borderline intimidating presence, Kelliher plays rhythm guitar with as much mastery as anyone in the genre. While simultaneously performing with such phenomenal skill, he would make comical gestures at the crowd. My sister, who Kelliher apparently determined was not as receptive to the music as he would like, would occasionally raise a sly pair of eyebrows as if to personify Maximus Decimus Meridius’s famous line from Gladiator (2000): “Are you not entertained?” Regardless of Kelliher’s previously described stoicism, he knows how to have fun with fans. Ultimately, the guitarist bumped fists with the 12-year-old and eventually bestowed her with a precious guitar pick.
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Three more EOS tracks, including the highly underrated “Roots Remain,” were performed before the band returned to its harsher and more metallic roots for the final trio of songs. Remission’s “Mother Puncher” was followed by “Circle of Cysquatch” off of Blood Mountain before closing with the unrelenting fury of another Remission classic, “March of the Fire Ants.”
The band received deservedly raucous ovation from the crowd. After the distribution of band-related paraphernalia, including my close but missed opportunity for a highly sought after Dailor drumstick, the band took a respectful bow and departed for the evening. And with that, Mastodon concluded what will surely be viewed as one of the great tours of the year and a show that will not be soon forgotten.
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Ode to Chris:
Chris Cornell’s sudden and unexpected passing impacted music fans like few other celebrity deaths of the past decade. Though not as influential or critically acclaimed as Prince or David Bowie, Cornell operated as an internationally-renowned and highly-adored musical icon for nearly thirty years. His siren screams and soulful melodies allowed him to stand apart from the crooning vocalists who eventually followed the trail he blazed in Seattle so many years ago. Kurt Cobain may be grunge’s martyr and is often synonymous with the ‘90s alternative scene, but it is Cornell who should be viewed as the poster boy for every eventual frontman who poured out of flannel-loving Seattle. His long, unkempt hair and stripped down stage attire coupled with his dark, introspective lyrics belied the sheer magnitude of Cornell’s presence as a musical icon and entertainer. He was a mammoth presence on stage. And his voice…oh that voice…is as iconic as any we have ever heard in rock ‘n’ roll. Even prior to his passing, he was already a member of a very exclusive circle of legendary rock vocalists. Indeed, Cornell will go down in the annals of music history as having one of the most powerful and moving voices ever sung through a microphone. Seeing this masterful performer live was part of a rather short musical bucket list. Sadly, Cornell’s death occurred just a week prior to a scheduled concert in Houston, TX… one which I was set to attend…
