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Sevendust signed drumhead. REVIEW: SEVENDUST, COAL CHAMBER, LACUNA COIL, & CANDLELIGHT RED 4/2/2013
Gweedo
In the wake of April Fool’s comes an insane lineup at the Gothic Theatre; Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Lacuna Coil, and Candlelight Red. This was a fantastic venue for seeing these bands. The theater is small with two stories and has great décor. On the ground level, it is tiered with railings so you can be close to the front but protected from the mosh pit in the middle. All the bands had merchandise out front. Some highlights were the $100 Meet & Greets for Sevendust and Coal Chamber. Also, Sevendust, Coal Chamber, and Candlelight Red were selling signed drumheads. Lacuna Coil had a bunch of signed CDs as well. The downfall was that they only dealt in cash, so you had to make a trip to the ATM if you were planning on buying a lot from the bands. To start, there was a small crowd on the floor and people lining the balcony.
Gweedo
In the wake of April Fool’s comes an insane lineup at the Gothic Theatre; Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Lacuna Coil, and Candlelight Red. This was a fantastic venue for seeing these bands. The theater is small with two stories and has great décor. On the ground level, it is tiered with railings so you can be close to the front but protected from the mosh pit in the middle. All the bands had merchandise out front. Some highlights were the $100 Meet & Greets for Sevendust and Coal Chamber. Also, Sevendust, Coal Chamber, and Candlelight Red were selling signed drumheads. Lacuna Coil had a bunch of signed CDs as well. The downfall was that they only dealt in cash, so you had to make a trip to the ATM if you were planning on buying a lot from the bands. To start, there was a small crowd on the floor and people lining the balcony.
Candlelight Red Candlelight Red came to the stage to deliver some Pennsylvanian rock. This was my first time seeing these guys, and it was good. Brian Dugan’s drums were nice and tight. They played better as they got comfortable with the stage, which was packed. Having three drum sets out there doesn’t leave much room to stand. One thing that bugged me was that the venue lighting was poor for their set. They brought big flood lights that flashed throughout their performance. I felt that the constant blinding flashes back to a dark stage was too much and took away from the performance. The venue really started filling in as they played. Though the crowd was getting more pumped, they didn’t get into it as much as they should have. They seemed to be biding their time for the other bands to come out. Candlelight Red got some good exposure and gave out posters after their set.
Lacuna Coil The show got kicked up a notch with Lacuna Coil. The stage lighting was much better, so you could actually see who was up there. This is extremely important because Cristina Scabbia is as beautiful as her voice. As expected, their performance was excellent. They have a unique and dynamic sound with positive energy. It was interesting that they were playing without a bass player, and it still sounded fine. The stage had no bells and whistles, just good rock. They had the crowd moshing by the second song. Obviously, the crowd loved it and was energized. Lacuna Coil’s set seemed quick and to the point, but other bands had to share the stage too. They played the hits from their catalogue. They were very appreciative and happy to be playing for the crowd.
Dez Fafara of Coal Chamber I have been waiting 16 years to see the next band. Coal Chamber came out bright eyed, bushy tailed, and clean. They seemed reinvigorated, positive, and happy to be back. The crowd shared in their enthusiasm with lots of energy, moshing, and crowd surfing. Singer Dez Fafara high-fived people as they were carried to the front. Coal Chamber’s performance was awesome and a trip back to the 90’s. They played all their hits. Miguel Rascón was back on guitar, and Mike Cox returned to drums. New blood, Chela Harper, was brought in to helm the bass. This Canadian beauty played fantastic! She’s also the hottest bass player I’ve encountered. Dez blared his vocals through a megaphone at one point and had a sick handheld metal mic that lit up. The crowd loved every bit of the performance. At this point, the stage was opened up a little more with all the other equipment whittled down. They took on their same dark gothic appearance and had a tier in the middle that Dez would stand on. It was great to see them getting along and having fun.
Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust. To cap the night off, Sevendust came out with guns blazing. Being the third time I’ve seen these guys in the last couple months, they were outstanding, and I never grow tired. I already have plans to see them again later this year. In every performance, they make the crowd feel like family. Vocalist Lajon Witherspoon was so appreciative of everyone coming out that he got a little emotional. They constantly had an eye on the crowd, looking out for people and handing water out as the crowd went crazy. The place was packed and very hot. There were crowd surfers and a really good pit going. I’d say that based on crowd reaction that everyone was equally excited to see Sevendust and Coal Chamber. Sevendust had some cool big fire extinguisher-like cannons that would shoot up. Not surprising, Morgan Rose was amazing. He was back on the drums putting on his own show with dancing, singing, and stick tricks. It’s hard to stop watching his talent and pay attention to everyone else, especially since he was sporting a big red drum set. Evanescence’s guitarist, Troy McLawhorn, stepped in for Clint Lowery, while he took a break and did a great job. They finished off with a two song encore. Throughout the set, the band threw picks and sticks into the crowd and up into the balcony. There was so much energy from start to finish that it left you excited yet exhausted. They thanked all the bands for joining them on the tour.
Morgan Rose of Sevendust. I enjoyed the show very much. The bands were great. It was like seeing some of them as a new band since the venue was small and intimate. I’m looking forward to hearing some new music from Coal Chamber. Be sure to get out and support these bands as they don’t take any of the fans for granted.
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