Review & photos by Rachel Jablonski
Exuberance and high demand surrounded the first day of the Masters of Horror tour which kicked off in Des Moines, Iowa last Friday. The sold out show consisted of approximately 2600 people eager to see the Mudvayne, Sevendust, 10 Years, and Bobaflex line-up. Scarily enough, dismay stretched from inside the Val Air Ballroom out into the chilly winter night.
Outside the venue fans lined up, meandering around the building, waiting for the doors to open and the show to begin. Desperate pleas galore, I quickly realized that many waiting outside shockingly did not hold tickets. Persistent people void of tickets frantically scanned the crowd hoping to find someone to buy one from. But they would pay the price. Miniature auctions eventually took place, those in need of tickets offering dollar amounts ranging from 50 to 75 bucks. To me the frenzied display was horrific, but then again I don’t believe in taking advantage of people. Buyer, band, and venue were all ripped off outside Val Air as the personally inflated ticket prices served none of these. Morals aside, buyers were unrelenting and paid huge amounts for tickets most fans thought enough to buy in advance. Soon a gentleman passed calling out that he would give $200 for two tickets. “Are you crazy?” I asked him. The price of one ticket face value was merely $30 approximately. The gentleman became defensive and responded, “Yeah I guess I am.” But, regardless, there was an excellent show waiting for him inside.
10 Years
Knoxville, Tennessee’s 10 Years followed the uninhibited Bobaflex with vigor. Thriving in heaviness, volume, and melody, the band exhibited pieces of their debut album, The Autumn Effect, quite well bringing to life the rich tones of each song. Though the set consisted of only five or six heavier songs off the album, the performance was effective and the response appreciable. Along with passionate guitars and assertive drums, singer Jesse Hasek was focused, flawless, and emotional. His vocal control escorted the musicianship, a surefire compliment. 10 Years proved to be a solid act and for a new band they are well on their way in the scene. The strength of both The Autumn Effect and their live performance ensure increasing success.
Sevendust
Sevendust have been releasing albums since sometime around the late nineties and, though they deserve much respect, it might be time to call it a day in the near future. My third time seeing the band, allure was not sparked this time around. Many crowd favorites such as “Bitch,” “Black,” “Denial,” and “Face to Face” were played, but something seemed to be missing. The departure of guitarist Clint Lowery, who left to join the band Dark New Day, has not helped matters as his guitar playing is surely missed. The band was, as always, full of energy, but overall the performance was not quite bona fide.
Mudvayne
Mudvayne’s performance ROCKED. Vocalist Chad Gray came roaring on stage; his face splashed blood red, strangely dressed in a furry gorilla-like suit. A few jumps off a speaker, corresponding appropriately to musical breaks, were comical given the outfit. But the band’s performance was no joke. Mudvayne’s massive volume and intense energy was passionate and well adjusted. The band sounded fantastic and performed better than I have ever seen them. After three songs Gray took off the gorilla costume and came back out in more accustomed clothes wearing an aura both fierce and determined. You better believe it.