CHICAGO– Under the dim glow of stage lights and backed by the gentle hum of her guitar, Martha Wainwright poured her heart out to an intimate crowd at Schubas on Friday night. Wainwright had just turned 49 the day prior but you would think she was just as alive as she was when she released her self-titled album, 20 years prior. On a spring Friday night, the Montreal native delivered a performance that was as vulnerable as it was electrifying.
With her signature raspy vocals, unfiltered storytelling, occasional gibberish sounds, and magnetic stage presence, Wainwright reminded longtime fans and newcomers alike why she remains one of indie folk’s most captivating voices.
Canadian singer-songwriter Haley Blais opened the show. As a fan of Blais, seeing their raw, stripped acoustic performances was the perfect teaser to what Wainwright would bring. Blais played songs off of their second studio album “Wisecrack” while simultaneously captivating the crowd with their smooth vocals. They jokingly warned the crowd before playing an extra intimate and slowed version of Concrete by saying “it’s time to mosh.”
Blais followed up with an unreleased track, filled with witty, offbeat lyrics that had the crowd laughing and leaning in closer. They closed their set in true Blais fashion, with the unapologetically bold “Coolest F*cking B*tch In Town.” As the audience shouted the lyrics back with pride and laughter, an undeniable sense of connection filled the room. Blais’ set was a shared moment of unfiltered joy and empowerment.
Wainwright’s set then opened up with “Far Away,” a haunting favorite from her 2005 album “Martha Wainwright.” From the very first note, the crowd experienced every emotion one could imagine for a Friday night. They cheered, fell into a hush, then waves of nostalgia and happiness that their beloved songs were being brought back to life. The crowd let the raw emotion of her lyrics take center stage. Wainwright followed with “G.P.T” and “These Flowers” which speaks to renewal after heartbreak, a recurring theme throughout the night.
One of my biggest takeaways from her set was just how real she was. It was like she was simply having a conversation with all 350 individuals in the venue that night. Wainwright performed like you were watching someone read from a diary, but with a melody. In between songs, Wainwright shared personal stories with the crowd. At times self-deprecating, at times reflective, which drew laughter and audible sighs. She shared how her songs would take on a new meaning, 20 years later. This proved to be true with the emotional depth in the lyrics of “When The Day Is Short.”
Wainwright even spent a portion of the show reading from her own published book “Stories I Might Regret Telling You.”
“A lot of lawyers looked at this.” Said Wainwright. She read the book, adding an emotional feel with the pages. She shortly went into a song where she reminisced on being on acid, “This Life.”
Wainwright closed the main show with “Factory.” She returned for a one-song encore, with the defiant “Bloody Mother F*cking A*shole,” a fan-favorite anthem that earned lots of screamed lyrics throughout Schubas. After her set, she encouraged fans to say hello after the show, creating community and connections with individuals at the event.
Her performance wasn’t just a concert, it was a confessional, a celebration, a reckoning, and a gift. In a world where vulnerability often feels like a risk, Wainwright reminded us that it can also be a superpower. Whether she was flipping through the pages of her memoir or belting out lyrics that have defined decades of her career, she made one thing certain. Her voice. Raw, unapologetic, and deeply human.
CHICAGO – A Monday night in rainy Lincoln park is the last place I anticipated being absolutely blown away by Sasami’s infectious personality and vocals. I would have never guessed I would be emotionally wrecked, in the best way possible, by her powerhouse vocals. The New York based singer brought all the freak flare to Lincoln Hall while on her “Blood On A Silver Screen” tour. This show turned a burnout-season Monday into what felt like a euphoric Friday night at one of Chicago’s hottest underground clubs.
The crowd was a beautiful blur of movement and intimacy. Queer couples kissing in rhythm, groups of friends swaying in slow unison, strangers dancing like they’d known each other for years. Time and responsibility evaporated. For one electric night, no one cared about emails, deadlines, or the looming 9-to-5.
Opening act Mood Killer, kicked off the night with his magnificent dance moves, bringing the magic to Lincoln park for his hometown show. His performance of tracks like “Abracadabra” and “Happy Birthday” worked like spells, casting just the right amount of anticipation into the room before Sasami’s arrival.
When Sasami finally walked out on the stage, it felt like a celestial being coming down from above. Dressed in a flowing white skirt and top, she looked like a dream. Ethereal, yet commanding. She opened with the infectious melody of “Figure It Out.” Lincoln Hall immediately danced, no hesitation, they just moved. It was like a trance, watching everyone forget about whatever they’re Monday night responsibilities were. The beat was practically reaching in and encapsulating everyone in.
Before the heartbreaking song “Honeycrash,” she encouraged her fans to let it all out, “Alright Chicago are you ready to dance?” And despite the tears in some eyes and the emotional weight of the song, the room responded with motion. It was raw and beautiful, grief and release wrapped in glitter and synth.
Midway through the set, Sasami took fans on a nostalgic ride by diving into tracks from her self-titled debut album. The mood shifted as she leaned into the hard rock songs that first put her on the map, such as “Call Me Home” and ‘Not The Time.” Songs layered with vulnerability and multiple distorted guitars. As the night began to wind down, she closed with a powerful one-two punch, the bittersweet “In Love with a Memory” featuring Clairo, followed by the explosive anthem “Slugger.” Fans were screaming out their zodiac signs before in unison, screaming “I’m such a Cancer.” It was a perfect finale – soft ache giving way to full-throttle release, leaving the crowd buzzing long after the lights came up.
There’s something about a Monday night show that feels rebellious. Everyone in that room had been an adult that day. They had clocked in, sent emails, endured meetings or classes or just the weight of living. And yet, they showed up. They dressed up. They danced. It was a collective act of defiance and joy. A reminder that even in the most exhausting weeks, there’s still room for beauty, catharsis, and connection.
Sasami didn’t just perform at Lincoln Hall, she created a space where people could forget, remember, cry, dance, and most of all, feel. Monday night has never felt so sacred.
CHICAGO– Napalm Death and The Melvins are two sides of the same coin. That coin being noise. Controlled noise, it sounds and looks like chaos but once you can get a sense of what’s going on and what the musicians are really doing up on stage, it all comes together. But good artists need a good canvas, in this case, The Metro.
The Metro makes a completely unique concert experience, and this is the perfect venue for these two bands. The Metro’s sound system is one of the best I’ve ever heard, and it genuinely is one of the best concert venues in Chicago. This sound system gives an unparalleled experience, everything is loud but it isn’t overpowering. You can feel the bass in your chest and when the drums pound the whole floor vibrates. But if you really listen you can hear the individual notes of each instrument and what each person is doing.
And that brings us to The Melvins. They did something I have never seen at a live show before. They had two drummers, one original member Dale Crover who’s been playing with them since 1984 and a new member Coady Willis who joined them in the late 2000s. They both played with a matching kit that worked inverse of each other so they were mirrored. They played together, in perfect synchronicity, not missing a beat. It gave the drums a whole new amplified intensity that was amazing. They did a couple of my favorites including hitting the ground running with Billy Fish, History of Bad Men, Revolve, and ended off the setlist with Your Blessened. All of these showcase the talent of the drums and all the musicians, working together to deliver that classic sludge sound with youthful angst and constant high octane energy.
The main drums were in the center of the stage and to the sides of them were the symbols and crashes, they looked like mirror images of each other. It was one of the coolest things ever. Hearing the man himself King Buzzo, the namesake of the band who’s been a writer, guitarist, singer, all the way since 1983 wail on the guitar in the background of these wild drum solos while you can hear everything perfectly was one of the best displays of talent I’ve ever seen.
Their music genre is called sludge, which is very accurate considering it’s slow, heavy, and full of dirty hardcore punk elements. Once The Melvins show ended, it was time for my personal favorite, Napalm Death. This band is the opposite, they delve more into grindcore and thrash, which is what the show gave us.
The mosh pits were insane, elbows getting thrown and bumping and shoving everywhere, but cutting through all the chaos is this wailing screeching guitar backed up by a thud of a double kick drum you can feel in your chest like gunfire as the lead singer screams and yells all of the vocals. In contrast, the Melvins played 11 songs and their showtime was roughly longer than Napalm Death, but Napalm Death absolutely eclipsed them by doing 22 songs in less time, true thrash nature. They really dug through their catalog and did my favorites Amoral, Dead, Suffer the Children, Necessary Evil, Fuck the Factoid, Scum, Prison Without Walls, Suffer, and they did an amazing cover of a Dead Kennedys song Nazi Punks Fuck Off. The pits loved these and each song was barely over a minute long, it was a constant barrage of noise and agitation which is all you can hope for at a show like this.
The best part however, was in between all of Napalm Death’s chaos, the lead singer Barney Greenway would pause and talk, giving a political monologue to the audience. He talked about the new wave of fascism sweeping America, Trump’s policies and how he’s a terrible leader, and just getting really political on multiple levels. These small breaks were amazing and hearing his speeches were awesome to hear.
It brought a wave of intelligence and political discourse into this seemingly chaotic venue. Showing that this show and everything these bands stand for has a point. It’s not just aggressive meaningless noise and chaos, there’s a message behind it. It’s political, smart, and stands up for something. It’s more than just music and bands, it’s a community for like minded individuals, all fighting for and thinking about the same things.
CHICAGO– Deafheaven’s latest album “Lonely People With Power” has been making waves all across various music publications from Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, to independent music blogs. The album, released in late March of this year, serves as a culmination of the Deafheaven’s previous innovative works, and the pinnacle of how the band redefines genres by warping these elements, turning them on its head, and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a metal band. “Lonely People With Power” has been showered with praise by critics and fans alike, and on Monday, May 5th, Deafheaven stopped at the Metro as a part of their U.S. tour for a truly unforgettable performance.
The night kicked off with Texas-based band Trauma Ray, followed by Arizona’s Gatecreeper. Between Trauma Ray’s melancholic noise-rock and Gatecreeper’s ferocious and gruesome metal. The scope of Deafheaven’s sound was encapsulated in the opening acts before the band had taken the stage, leaving the audience yearning for more.
Deafheaven, consisting of George Clark (vocals), Kerry McCoy (guitar), Shiv Mehra (guitar), Chris Johnson (bass), and Daniel Tracy (drums), stepped onto the stage with “Incidental I” in the background, and quickly launched into their track “Doberman.” From the moment the band started playing, the crowd was captivated by the sheer intensity that the band radiated through their presence and ruthless uproar.
As a frontman, Clark serves as a conductor of his own orchestra of chaos, motioning his hands to the tempos and cues of instrumentals throughout his set. While his stage presence emits a sort of extraordinary power, it is further emphasized through his vocals that cut through the air like a knife with its beautiful brutality.
A truly special moment in Deafheaven’s set is when they performed the track “Heathen.” The song transforms from tender and dreamy to vicious and merciless, which resulted in nothing short of a magnificent live performance.
Throughout the band’s set, Clark, McCoy, Mehra, and Johnson would take turns jumping onto platforms set up along the stage, and constantly moving around, creating a triumphant atmosphere. During the eight minute sonic-rollercoaster that is “Brought by the Water,” there was a moment where McCoy, Mehra, and Johnson were backlit on the platforms as Clark loomed over the crowd, and it truly felt like The Avengers of Black Metal were towering above me.
While the band barreled through the beloved songs off of “Lonely People With Power,” they also performed “Dream House” and the title track from their infamous 2013 release, “Sunbather.” These cult classic metal tracks made the crowd go wild with nonstop movement and energy.
Deafheaven’s performance at the Metro was just as nuanced as their latest album, “Lonely People With Power.” The sheer emotion, power, and noise from the band fueled the rambunctious crowd and gave them a performance of a lifetime.
CHICAGO– On May 8th, Allison Russell shined at The Vic Theater. The first time I had heard of her was on the song “Wildflowers & Barley,” off of Hozier’s most recent album, “Unreal, Unearth.”
Russell is a multi-instrumentalist and singer from Montreal, Canada. Fluent in both English and French, she writes music fluidly in both languages. Russell is very exuberant on stage and has a clear passion and joy for her craft. She plays with the genres of americana, gospel, pop, and jazz into a seamless blend that acts as a trademark for her unique sound. Her music is riddled with groovy bass lines, clarinet solos, and fun hooks, sure to make anyone jump out of their seats.
The opener of the night was named Kara Jackson. A Chicago native, from Oak Park, Illinois. Jackson’s song, “Pawn Shop,” is about how finding love is akin to thrifting. Saying it’s important to “remember your resale value.”
At one point during the show, Russell referred to Hozier fans, like myself, as “magical dryads’” who saw her potential and talent, allowing her career to soar.
In 2024, Russell made her Broadway debut in Hadestown as persephone, which perfectly complemented her single, “Persephone.”
Her spiritual sentiments are most evident in her lyrics from the song “Superlove,” With lyrics saying,“If there is a god then God is love.” In her music, she does an excellent job of blending activism and art. Her husband, JT Lindsay, came on stage for the song “American Flowers,” which is a love letter to American wildlife and the prosperity of equality for everyone on this earth. Before introducing her husband, she talked about the difficulties of raising a family, especially as a touring artist. After this performance, she gave a mention to her manager for helping take care of their baby while on tour.
Near the end of the show, Russell brought on two teenage girls to help her finish this Chicago run with a bang. She says a message of hope and light as fans leave the venue, “We have transcended worse in the past and we can do it again.”
CHICAGO– Formed in 1984, Obituary hailing from Florida’s Swamps, have long defined the Gold Standards of Death Metal with their unique style of attack, bludgeoning listeners. Obituary, since their debut album “Slowly We Rot,” have infused death metal with styles of sludge and hardcore so effortlessly that they have defined multiple genres before said genre’s inception.
Obituary is well-known for their style of guitar that uses sustain and spacing as much as speedy riffs. On guitar, Trevor Peres has been defining metal guitar since 1988, constantly innovating his riff-writing style through incredible album releases. Peres’ guitar rig is also quite famous as he is running multiple RAT distortion pedals into a Marshall JCM-800 to get the band’s absolutely signature style of distortion.
In 1990, the band released the album “Cause of Death” which is held as one of the greatest albums in Death Metal for it’s absolute heaviness and dynamic range being unlike anything heard in the genre to that point. “Cause of Death” defined the pinnacle of the genre of Death Metal at an early time of innovation, where their Florida peers like Death were focusing on making their sound more progressive and complex. Obituary was spending time getting to the core of Death Metal, often simplifying the formula to write effective songs instead of 7 or 8 minute epics.
Obituary announced this tour with Nails and Terror, put on at the House of Blues by Empire Shows. House of Blues is an iconic Chicago venue and was a great setting to see an absolutely brutal night of metal. Obituary headlined a nearly hour-long set featuring 6 songs from their incredible 35-year-old album “Cause of Death.”
Obituary always starts their sets with the iconic instrumental “Redneck Stomp” which allows time for vocalist John Tardy to make his entrance and greet the crowd. Tardy is an incredible vocalist, one with an insane amount of range that never falters. The way he fries his vocals at a high register to get the dynamic growl Obituary is known for is insane. He sets himself apart as one of the best vocalists in metal history.
Part of what is so shocking about Obituary is the fact that they have been at the absolute pinnacle of their game for decades now and have not faltered. There are two new members of the band since their 2010 resurrection: bassist Terry Butler and guitarist Ken Andrews. Butler is a metal icon, having played on the aforementioned Death’s album “Spiritual Healing” in 1990 and having writing credits on Death’s Masterpiece “Leprosy.” Butler’s style of bass adds a ton of weight to the already heavy sound Obituary has which makes their live performance even better. Butler joined the band in 2010 and has been on 4 albums with the group, including their most recent 2023 album “Dying of Everything.” Andrews joined the band on lead guitar in 2012 and adds his solo chops to the band’s dynamic sound.
The band started with “Sentence Day” and “A Lesson in Vengeance” off of their 2017 self-titled album “Obituary,” which has grown to be one of their most popular records since its inception. The 2017 album definitely contains their newer more technical sound but also crosses it with the sludge-filled simplicity they are known for. The band only played one song from 2023’s “Dying of Everything” because the focus was on “Cause of Death” but they chose the song “The Wrong Time” off their most recent release, which is an incredible song.
Obituary’s newest music remains fresh and heavy and their most recent release stands up with their best which is remarkable for a metal band of their length and success. The “Cause of Death” album suite began with the album opener “Infected,” which features some of Tardy’s most insane vocal runs. Hearing these songs played in order was an incredible experience as the album is one of the closest to my heart of any metal album. “Cause of Death” is incredibly special because of how heavy and innovative it was at the time and continues to be.
Obituary included their awesome cover of Swedish death Metal originators Celtic Frost’s “Circle of the Tyrants.” The song was featured on “Cause of Death” and is a great homage to a band whose sound innovated Obituary’s and many other metal bands. They played arguably the most iconic song off of “Cause of Death” which is “Chopped in Half.” The song’s opening guitar riff is iconic for it’s rhythm and heaviness, and the song is one of Death Metal’s greatest.
Obituary rocked their headliner at Chicago’s House of Blues, proving themselves yet again as Death Metal’s primary force. Obituary’s legacy is immense at this point and they continue to crush and innovate as one of Metal’s greatest live acts.
Oxnard, CA, powerviolence band, Nails, was the direct opener for Obituary, which added a buzz of hype around the show. Nails, led by guitarist and vocalist Todd Jones, is one of the most brutal bands making heavy music. Nails has been widely accepted by multiple different genre fanbases, including Metal and Hardcore as well as receiving widespread critical acclaim.
Nails is coming off their latest release “Every Bridge Burning” in 2024. The album was a great return to form for Jones with new band members backing him. Nails now consists of the founding 2009 member Jones and an all new lineup featuring Shelby Lermo on rhythm guitar, Carlos Cruz on drums, and Andrew Solis on bass.
The band’s setlist consisted of 3 songs off their new album “Every Bridge Burning” including the scathingly angry and powerful “Lacking the Ability to Process Empathy.” Nails riffing style is incredibly fast and aggressive and mixes styles of metal, hardcore, and grindcore to make a dynamic and insane mixture. Nails songs can consist of incredibly speedy blast beat parts into really slow brutal breakdowns. The versatility of the band’s sound is a major reason they are so critically acclaimed and widespread.
Nails played an incredible set at House of Blues which had a larger attendance than their true return Chicago show at Avondale Hall. Nails played 5 songs from their arguably most famous album, 2010’s “Unsilent Death,” which is aggressive and full of dread but also includes incredible riffs that defined the genre of powerviolence.
Terror was before Nails as both bands are incredibly close and share founding member Todd Jones. Although vocalist Scott Vogel took Terror to the next level after Todd left early to create Nails.
Terror is hardcore’s most iconic touring act right now, bar none. Their musical legacy in the world of hardcore is second to none due to their consistent touring, passion, and effort. Vocalist Vogel has been in love with hardcore his entire life and will never slow down. Terror is music born from that passion and so every live show is next level. Terror’s music is one that includes a lot of crowd participation from stage diving, moshing, and grabbing Scott’s mic and shouting along.
At a large Live Nation venue like House of Blues, there is a barricade which hinders the ability for fans to go on stage and sing along and dive off at high speeds. However, Terror will always bring the energy to the highest degree. Terror now consists of Martin Stewart on rhythm guitar, Nick Jett on drums, Jordan Posner, also in the band No Warning, on lead guitar, and Chris Linkovich on bass.
Terror’s setlist features iconic hardcore classics like “Stick Tight” and “Keepers of the Faith” which are songs that define the genre of hardcore for their chorus sections and breakdowns. Terror played 4 songs off their 2004 debut “One with the Underdogs” which was a raw and passionate debut for the band which saw them re-defining hardcore early into their career. The rageful “Keep Your Mouth Shut” was played at the end of the setlist and Vogel delivers some potent advice to worry about yourself and subsequently keep your mouth shut.
Terror’s music is full of rage but also a wonderful sense of positivity and self-commitment to betterment that births the passion for hardcore. Their music is about dedicating yourself to be the best you can be in your own path and to not let the nature of the world stop your commitment to being the best member of your community you can be. This can be seen in songs like “Overcome” where Vogel chants, “I will rise back up” in the face of adversity. Songs like “Overcome” share Terror’s message of hard work and resilience. This is a major reason why Terror shows always bring a strong sense of community and crowd involvement, as the music really can speak to being a better person.
Pest Control opened off the entire show with their brand of raging thrash from Leeds. With Leah on vocals, Pest Control continues to redefine the genre of thrash with innovative riffs and very well-written songs. In 2024, they dropped their EP “Year of the Pest” and their music continues to set a brand-new standard for thrash and hardcore.
Obituary absolutely rocked House of Blues on their 35 Years of Death tour and it was amazing to get to see such a legendary metal act celebrate a cornerstone album. Nails’ return shows have been incredibly well-received and it is not hard to see why. Jones’ blistering riffs and intense lyrics bring Nails to the forefront of heavy music. Terror is always an incredible live act and champions of hardcore.
CHICAGO—On Friday, May 2nd, San Francisco-based band Spiritual Cramp took the stage at Thalia Hall as the opening act for Bad Nerves’ “Still Nervous” U.S. tour. The Bay Area rockers, fronted by Michael Bingham, have made a name for themselves with their attitude-filled, catchy, punk tracks conveyed by ruthless and energetic performances. As the crowd eagerly awaited the show’s start, it was made clear that despite their opening slot, the room was filled with eager fans ready for Spiritual Cramp to take the stage.
The band launched into their set with the fast-paced, politically motivated track “Blowback,” which got the crowd moving immediately. From the moment they started playing, Spiritual Cramp established that they were going to give the audience their all.
As a frontman, Bingham is absolutely a force to be reckoned with. The way he moves across the stage is less of a walk, and more of a powerful stride that perfectly conveys the urgency behind the music. Even as he stays put on the mic stand, his stage presence never wavers. Whether he was balancing over the crowd on the monitors, flinging his mic stand around, forcefully stomping, or frantically punching his fists in the air, Bingham never failed to command the crowd with his merciless energy.
A highlight from the band’s set was their track “Slick Rick,” an even tempoed song with satirical commentary about the prominence of consumer culture and material success in our society. While the theme of the song falls in line with the band’s rebellious nature, their live performance of the track showcases their depth as a band. While still harnessing their powerful stage presence as a band, their energy was more even-tempered, highlighting their effortless swagger which is backed up by Jose Luna’s mad tambourine skills.
Throughout their set, the band plugged in a few unreleased tracks, such as “Young Offenders,” and “You’ve Got My Number.” These songs signal a new era of Spiritual Cramp as they create a sound that further emphasizes a more softhearted side of their already well established melodic skills. This created a buzz after their set, as I heard many of the Spiritual Cramp fans in the crowd excitedly discussing how great the new music they had just heard was.
The band closed out the night with the fan-favorite track, “Better Off This Way,” which got the audiences’ fists up in the air as the crowd went wild. Spiritual Cramp made the most out of the thirty minutes on stage with their jam-packed and mighty set as they made a lasting impression on the crowd before Bad Nerves was up next.
CHICAGO– DAIISTAR performed spectacularly on Thursday, May 1st, at Lincoln Hall. An intimate venue on Lincoln Ave, a short walk from DePaul’s Campus. DAIISTAR’s members had a mysterious and alluring presence, with a rebellious sound that made you wanna let yourself loose. An undeniable indie rock wave you could ride on, DAIISTAR was hypnotizing. The lights shone brightly through the different color combinations of pink, green, and purple. With the ending being a white light with a heavy cloud of fog, it was a heavenly moment with their soft vocals, slow vibration, and silhouette outlined above.
DAIISTAR is an alt-indie band from Austin, Texas. Inspired by the Neo-psychedelic era of the 80s and 90s. DAIISTAR was formed in 2020 during COVID, a group of friends who met through the music scene and decided to rock out with one another. DAIISTAR released their first few singles and EPs in 2023, and by that September they released their first album “Good Times,” which was a hit. Since then, they have released a few more singles in 2024, which hopefully means another album release is in the works.
To the far right of the stage was DAIISTAR’s drummer, Nick Cornetti, who seemed to be the Tommy Lee of the band. He was full of enthusiasm with a nonstop smile, banging his head and killing it on the drumset. DAIISTAR was opening up for the band L.A. Witches. Their drummer, Ellie English, being a special guest, joined DAIISTAR in playing percussion with the tambourine for a portion of the performance. Right center stage was bassist, Misti Hamrick. She was a force to be reckoned with. Hamrick stood powerfully on stage in all black with her long dark hair and bangs covering her face, giving her an ominous aura. Hamrick played intensely, zoned in effortlessly with her meticulous plucking. The light hit her guitar as if it were Heathen’s gate.
Left center stage was Alex Capistran, the lead singer and guitarist of the band. He wore sunglasses the entire time while dressed in all black, adding to DAIISTAR’s mystique. The band’s music genre is diverse, with songs that feel soft and breezy, full of emotion, with freedom on the horizon, or having already reached it. All the energy he expels perfectly, in which you become immersed in his voice and their sound. To the far left was DAIISTAR’s keyboardist Derek Strahan, whom I actually got to meet up front while entering the venue. Strahan played the keys like no one was watching. Aura was through the roof with his synthesizing, bringing the band’s neo-psychedelic vibe together.
DAIISTAR’s performance was a trip and a ride I didn’t want to get off. Their chill indie vibe with a bit of spiritual enlightenment can make anyone wanna groove. This is DAIISTAR’s second U.S tour, fourth worldwide after being signed by a London record company, “Fuzz Club Records.” DAIISTAR’s tour will continue up the east coast, going south, ending in New Mexico on May 25th, including Los Angeles on May 23rd.
CHICAGO – Weird industrial shrieks, quivering shouts, and pulsating rhythms defined a night of art-rocking madness on Sunday, May 4th as NYC based experimental rock band, YHWH Nailgun, brought their recently released debut album “45 Pounds” to life at Sleeping Village.
YHWH Nailgun (pronounced ‘Yahweh Nailgun’) formed in 2020 as a union between vocalist Zack Borzone and drummer Sam Pickard. The duo moved to New York together, where they added Saguiv Rosenstock and Jack Tobias. Over the 5 years, their sound has evolved from post-industrial clatter to a righteous synthesis of hardcore, industrial, and funk.
Rosenstock, guitarist and the band’s resident producer, used just about every millimeter of his guitar strings on Sunday night, from the bridge up to the headstock. He was getting sounds out of his amp that sounded like a new language: harmonics bright as the sun, metallic software-glitching blurts, and a tone reminiscent of a steelpan.
Pickard, who reminds me of Zach Hill if he was from Williamsburg, plays with an amount of poise that would make it entirely appropriate to position the drum kit in the front-center of the stage. His laser focused grooves and thunderous fills not only glue together the otherwise disparate instrumentation, but deliver urgency in a way that very few drummers are capable of.
Speaking of urgency, frontman Zack Borzone sings like he’s in the midst of being kidnapped. Squealing and gasping in ways that sound like he’s being tortured by some internal spirit, Borzone moves in a way that is gracefully repulsive. Standing front and center, he paces the stage like he’s doing morse code with his feet. Borzones’s bodily contortions, squirms, and shrieks make his stage presence impressively memorable. It is rare to see a frontman (at least in the somewhat insular bubble of Chicago guitar rock that I reside in) that is capable of demanding attention visually.
It’s very easy to not pay attention to things these days, but YHWH Nailgun demanded mine for the entirety of their set. Not a moment of the set felt shabby or boring. It wasn’t the enthralling and cathartic energy of their act that really stood out to me though: it was the pauses, the lulls, and the brief moments of silence. Where many contemporaneous bands spend loads of time on stage making uncomfortable small-talk with the audience or manipulating their guitars to Sonic Youth tunings in useless silence, YHWH makes every second of their act feel like what it’s supposed to be. A performance. Not a compilation of songs played in succession, but a spectacle where every second is accounted for, prepared for, and duly respected. The silence felt incredibly intentional. Every lull, every moment that Borzone would step away from the mic, he was stepping somewhere else. With closed eyes. And it felt like in these moments, the audience was stepping there with him.
CHICAGO– Deafheaven is riding high off their brand new album release entitled “Lonely People With Power,” which sees them returning to form on their mixture of Black Metal and Shoegaze. The band lead by the intense vocal attack of lead singer, George Clark, has been known to transition from genre to genre with ease as the last album in 2021, “Infinite Granite,” was solely focused on dream pop. While earlier albums like their 2011 “Roads to Judah,” had a strong post-rock and instrumental influence. However, throughout the years, the band has remained rooted in the influences of black metal.
Their setlist contained mostly tracks from 2025’s “Lonely People With Power,” which was completely satisfying to their audience as the new album is some of their best work to date.
Starting with the song “Doberman,” the band crushes with their high treble black metal attack, but then goes into a crushing breakdown. Which was a new sound for the band, but they pulled it off effortlessly. Guitarists Kerry McCoy and Shiv Mehra put their immense talent on display as they switch from beautiful, clean passages to devastating riffs.
The band uses a lot of new wave style influence on their new album tracks as can be seen on another track, “Amethyst.” The guitars are playing these psychedelically tinged, beautiful, clean sections, then switching into these brutal and fast tremolo attacks referencing early Black Metal bands such as Mayhem. Vocalist George Clark noted that he had struggled with regaining his voice throughout the day earlier to the performance, but he rallied through and delivered an incredible performance. Clark’s vocal range is incredibly impressive as the soaring screams he does go from high-pitched nasally screeches to low-pitched monstrous growls. Deafheaven is a band with immense versatility and proves this again with a performance that is both beautiful and crushing.
Gatecreeper from Phoenix, Arizona, was the direct support for Deafheaven on this tour and is also touring on the back of a brand new 2024 album, “Dark Superstition.” Gatecreeper, led by vocalist Chase Mason, delivers a crushing brand of Death Metal that also has a catchy edge that allows them to fill even the biggest of venues.
Gatecreeper was my first post-pandemic show at the Metro, and I remember being so blown away that it re-ignited a deep love for metal music and live performance. Gatecreeper’s new album was shining bright on their setlist as they started the night off with a suite focused directly on the new album. Songs like, “Caught In The Treads,” are wonderfully anthemic as the crowd at the Metro was grooving and headbanging but the song switches into brutal breakdown sections as Mason’s vocals soar devastatingly over the top of the mix. Gatecreeper’s guitar player Eric Wagner is immense on stage as his riffs are crushing and his stature looms monstrously with the shadowed light.
Gatecreeper played a few songs from their incredible debut album 2016’s “Sonoran Deprivation” with the early setlist including the crushing “Patriarchal Grip.” Gatecreeper has only gotten tighter and more anthemic. However, their debut album is some of the rawest and brutal material they have made, coming out of the strong influences of death metal bands they had adored.
The band is often described by metalheads for taking the Swedish Buzzsaw sound that is gained by using Boss HM-2 distortion pedals; bands like Dismember and Entombed are perfect examples of this. Gatecreeper mixed this style of influence with the American Wave of Death Metal bands that took the genre into large venues such as Obituary and Cannibal Corpse.
While Gatecreeper wears their influences strong on their sleeves (and often on their shirts as well), they manage to make a sound completely their own. Gatecreeper ended the set with the notoriously devastating “Flamethrower,” one of the most brutal and effective songs they have written. The riffs in the second chorus passage are insane and cannot be believed in a live setting. Gatecreeper is a perfect opener for Deafheaven as the styles of beauty and crushing devastation balance each other out perfectly.
Fort Worth, Texas’s Trauma Ray was the first band on at 7:30 sharp, and their sound focuses way more on shoegaze style than metal, which allowed for some great mixed bill versatility. Trauma Ray dropped an album in 2024 called “Chameleon” on Dais Records. This album has a strong shoegaze focus with how spacey and reverbed the vocals and riffs are.
There is definitely a dreamlike and psychedelic quality to Trauma Ray’s music that has become synonymous with styles of Shoegaze and dream pop. Trauma Ray adds to this formula greatly by adding some edge to the dreamy riffs as the Orange Crush distortion rings out these riffs with a buzzing and aggressive sound. Songs like “Breath”are shining examples of why Trauma Ray has been so widely praised in the worlds of shoegaze, as the catchy songwriting mixes with the dreamy landscape built by the band so wonderfully.
