The last time Machine Head performed in St. Louis was last summer during an incredibly hot day at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater at the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest. On that day they played a short set of only 5 songs. Tuesday was much different, as they returned, performing a much longer 16 song set on a one of the coldest days of the year.
This show was held at Pop’s Nightclub across the river in Sauget, IL. While the venue is not the largest in terms of venues in the area it is a perfect fit for Machine Head’s faithful as they were allowed to create a mosh pit without retribution from the establishment. Moshing was a central theme Tuesday, as was crowd surfing and, of course, headbanging.
The crowd was boisterous throughout the night as they pumped their fist into the air in tribute to their favorite bands. Machine Head showed mutual admiration back to the crowd, commenting after nearly every song and thanking them for spending their time with them.
Musically, Machine Head sounded spot on, though this should come as no surprise from the veteran rockers. 17 years after their first major label debut the band has played enough tours and has seen it all to formulate what works in a show. Tuesday was an example of what works in a show. Performing songs from every corner of their repertoire Machine Head (Lead singer/guitarist Robert Flynn, bassist Adam Duce, Drummer Dave McClain, and guitarist Phil Demmel) plowed through favorites like “Old”, “Halo” and “Ten Ton Hammer”.
One of the songs that got the crowd stirring even more (if that were even possible) was “Aesthetics of Hate” which was about the brutal and untimely 2004 death of Damageplan’s guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott after a gunman stormed their stage and killed Abbott in front of his brother and fans. The song was even nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008.
Flynn commented on how they remembered playing at Pop’s for the first time back in 2000 and that the first song they played then was “The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears” which, of course segued into a performance of that song Tuesday.
With the twin guitar work of Flynn and Demmel leading the way Machine Head tore through the night like a red hot poker through ice. The band’s latest CD debuted at #22 on the Billboard Top Album chart, continuing an upward trend for the band that has seen an increase in fans over the past few years, a payoff from the band’s constant touring and playing in front of more and more fans at each show.
Touring with a lineup that includes Suicide Silence and Darkest Hour, seeing this show would be best equated to hanging out at a construction site, albeit with melody provided by Machine Head. Fans of these hardcore bands would have it no other way. It was, after all, a maddening mesh of musical mayhem that appeased and warmed the fans who braved the cold to release some tension in this iconic St. Louis area nightclub.
Setlist:
1) I am Hell (Sonata in C#)
2) Be Still and Know
3) Imperium
4) Beautiful Mourning
5) The Blood, The Sweat, the Tears
6) Locust
7) This is the End
8) Aesthetics of Hate
9) Old
10) Darkness Within
11) Declaration
12) Bulldozer
13) Ten Ton Hammer
14) Who We Are
Encore:
15) Halo
16) Davidian
Comments