American Head Charge, Blood Simple, & Life of Agony, (m.i.a.= Mudvayne)
May 13, 2005
The Gothic

The Mudvayne show without Mudvayne, the show fell victim to another infamous excuse called “death in the family.” I think I have heard this excuse about ten thousand times, and to be honest I’m sick of it. The tour’s entourage, which included a member of Mudvayne, was bowling the previous night in Denver at Wadsworth and Mississippi. Aside from the group being less than friendly, not one person mentioned to me that the band wasn’t playing the following night. So I can only guess that they probably learned of the death on Friday, otherwise, what were they doing in Denver in the first place? At the show it was rumored backstage this it was Mudvayne’s lead singer, Chad Gray, had lost his grandmother.

Word of the Mudvayne cancellation spread quickly, including airtime on KBPI with two of the band’s members. Maybe they should look at American Head Charge. That band lost an actual member of their group in the midst of this tour, and some how, they managed to remain on stage. Nevertheless, the show must go on and it did for free thanks to NIPP.

But the show went without the headliner, proven by the line of kids that went down and around the block, all in force to see American Head Charge, Blood Simple, and Life of Agony.

Blood Simple hit the stage first with their brand of metal revitalization. These metal heads began with a minute guitar distortion, and then launched into their relentless set. The group, which is the reincarnation of Vision of Disorder, follows the sound of modern metal to a tee. Their set, which featured songs like “Straight Hate” off their newest record, wasn’t all that bad. However, it was pretty short and soon thereafter the biggest name there hit the stage.

American Head Charge I have to say is one of the most impressive metal bands I have seen in awhile. Their dedication to playing was shown when the group’s guitarist (Bryan Ottoson) died in the midst of this cursed tour. Their musical talent was shown during their short set on the Gothic’s minuscule stage. They began explosively and ended in the same fashion. During their second to last song they played “Loyalty,” the group’s single that’s is in a word: awesome. Overall their set was terribly short and ended because of a problematic crowd.

Speaking of which, the people were more restless than usual, and at many times, dangerous during all of American Head Charge’s set. Because of Mudvayne’s cancellation, most of the venue’s security budget vanished, and their standard practices ended up being cut, including the barricade. I don’t know why someone would crowd surf during a metal show, but people were doing it, and they ended up on stage because of the lack of a metal mote. Those who made their way stomped the guitar switches on the floor, getting them thrown back into the crowd instead of being thrown from the venue. It made the musicians visibly nervous and obviously angered by the situation.

It was quite simply a crazy and unsafe show for all on the floor of the Gothic, but it was after all, a Metal show.

Josh Petre, May 20, 2005