On Thursday night Name In Vain rocked JR’s Bourbon Street Rockhouse with their distinct brand of fist-pumping metal. During their set, the band played the four songs from their previously released EP, tracks from their upcoming LP and a few surprise cover songs.
Prior to Name In Vain kicking off their set, a fellow Providence band named Agonizer provided the opening act. Agonizer's thrash metal style and hardcore vocals were an appropriate opener for the likes of Name In Vain. Interestingly enough, Name in Vain's drummer Marco Leva also plays drums for Agonizer. By the end of night Leva had actually played the drums for almost three consecutive hours. Talk about an ultimate professional.
As stated above, Name In Vain's set list featured tracks from the upcoming album, the previously released EP and some cover songs. Singer Matt Pelosi had control of the audience throughout the entire show due to his showmanship and amusing banter in between songs. The juxtaposition between the Pelosi you witness singing and "normal" Pelosi was truly astonishing. During a song, Pelosi is jumping all over the stage delivering fierce vocals all with a sinister look in his eyes. Although he may look like he wants to punch someone while singing, his playful joking in between songs kept the audience engaged even when the band was not playing.
Pelosi was not the only band member who delivered a stellar performance on Thursday night. The band (John Heroux, Scott Trudeau and Marco Leva) sounded even better live than they did on their EP. Each member showcased their talents nicely throughout the show. Heroux's forceful bass wielding held the band's sound together throughout the night. Heroux especially shined in the opening bass solo's he had on a couple of tracks. Trudeau's stellar guitar playing was a great sight to witness during the show. Leva's drum skills did not skip a beat from start to finish despite playing for three hours.
Although the band sounded great while playing original material it was the versions of Kilgore, Godsmack and Metallica songs that showcased their versatility. The band's version of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" was in instant crowd pleaser. Heroux successfully channeled Cliff Burton through his bass play, while Leva's drum play would have made Lars Ulrich proud. Trudeau had the most difficult task during this song because the original track features dual guitar play of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammet. Despite this fact, Trudeau captured the raw yet crisp sound of the original as well as successfully tackling the track's famous solo.
As for original material, the band got the best response from their track "Persecuted" which has become a fan favorite. The best surprise of the night was the band's new song entitled "Tree Man." In a post-show discussion Pelosi told me that the inspiration for "Tree Man" stemmed from his departure from a band named Overfiend. Although Pelosi told me that the song had gone through several versions, it sounded like the band had perfected the song and it certainly put a proper end to a great show.
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