Take three sensational bands and mix them together with a circus side show and what do you get? One hell of a show!
To some it may seem a strange blend; Static-X, Black Label Society and Mudvayne together under one roof, but for those who attended the show saw a brilliant display of musicianship from three very talented bands.
However, as many who attended I'm sure would agree, the Hellzapoppin sideshow was an unnecessary distraction. In their own right, the performers of the sideshow may have been entertaining to watch at a circus, but the crowd didn't seem to find much appeal in it. I understand the idea, distraction while the new set was being set up...but perhaps it wasn't the most effective form of distraction. In short, it was about as entertaining as the drunken guy standing beside me on the floor bashing the side show the whole time.
As for the opening acts, they fell a bit short on style, and my personal opinion is that with three "headliners" there really isn't a need for an opening act.
But when Static-X took the stage, the wait became justified. They lit up the stage with a great display of crowd interaction and stage presence, as well as enough of a blend of old and new material to keep any Static-X fan satisfied. These guys truly deserve respect as a band with a fantastic live performance.
I have to admit, I am not a big fan of Black Label Society, but they certainly know how to hit a crowd with a good mix of showmenship, attitude, and raw power. If anyone is looking for a band that will grab you from the start and hold your interest until the very last note, this is the band to see. It's always good to see a band not only good at what they do but who genuinely love what their doing.
And then came Mudvayne. There is something to be said about a band that can take a crowd that has been singing, moshing, and giving their all out appreciation to four bands over the course of three odd hours and manage to pull even more out of them than they had given already. These guys were a definite crowd pleaser, and once again gave a wonderful display of old and new material, crowd interaction, and mixed it with a true blood and guts, dig down and give the crowd their money's worth perfomance. Not only are these guys amazing musicians, but they are honest to God people, as Chad pointed out when he said "The only thing that separates us from you is about three feet of stage." They gave it their all, and left the stage with a crowd that was about 5 hours old, tired, and sweaty cheering for more.
Overall a fantastic show, and that's coming from a veteran of live shows including acts such as 10,000 Maniacs, Smashing Pumpkins, Queenryche, Kiss, Metallica, Counting Crows and Tool. I've seen my share of shows that stretch the gambit of the rock genre and so I say with all sincerity, if you can catch any one (or all three) of these bands, DO IT! You will not be disappointed