This past Friday night George Lynch returned to The Chance. This time he was playing with Lynch Mob, the last time he was here was back in March when he was playing with Yngwie Malmsteen.
But before we could get to his performance, there were three opening acts to check out. I have seen all of them before and had liked their performances, could they live up to what had come before?
The crowd was on the small side, but they were into the show right from the start. That is one thing that is always a plus, a crowd that wants to be there. Another good thing is that the mix was strong throughout the night.
Metadox. First up was the young metal act Metadox. I had seen them once before a few months ago, they were good then, they are much better now. The mix was much better this time giving the sound a lot more balance. They were also much tighter as a band, a bit less showy than the last time and considerably better together. A difference I noticed between then and now is that the first time there seemed to be more of their friends in attendance and they were showing off a bit, this time there was a lot less of that in evidence and stronger focus on playing the music. They are young and have a long way to go, but their sound is very good, a progression of the Iron Maiden school of metal. It is encouraging to hear this style style being played with he prevalence of nu-metal and pop punk that's been proliferating over the past few years. The singer has a strong voice, very reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson. Excellent rhythm section. The heart though, is the two guitar attack, heavy riffs, dual leads, very good. Hopefully they will continue to improve. I saw at their site that they are going to be recording an album soon, I am looking forward to seeing show it turns out. Onstage
Livesay. Up next was a band I am familiar with, having seen them seven times over the past few years. This was the best I have heard them. The mix was great, able to pick out each instrument individually, yet allowing them to play over and around each other as the songs progressed. They have a good hard rock sound that has changed over the years, when I first saw them about 4 years ago the sound had more of an 80's sound to it, they have developed a more modern sound yet still retain those roots. This show was very strong, the lead guitar was spot on, rhythm section was tight, and the vocals came in over top of it all. I wish they had been able to play more than a 30 minute set. I would like to take a moment to thank bass player Al D'Angelo, he took the time to have a conversation with a friend of mine at the show. She wanted to congratulate them for a good show and ended up having an extended conversation. He was very nice, taking the time to talk, and even coming back to say goodbye when he was leaving the venue, a real class act. Onstage 1, Onstage 2
Operatika. Third times the charm. This is the most seen act by me this year. First time I saw them, I was intrigued by the not quite ready for primetime sound. Next up was an opening slot for Twisted Sister, much better performance, although the acoustics were very unforgiving to Slava's voice, it just seemed to be trapped on stage. But now, the mix was favorable and the difference was amazing, the sound came together very well, definitely the best I have seen them so far. Jim is a madman on the bass, stalking the stage wielding the bass more as a weapon than an instrument. Bill on guitar reminds me of John Petrucci of Dream Theater, fast leads and heavy riffs taking charge. Anna on keyboards, adds another texture to the tapestry. Yuri on drums presents a solid backbone and driving force to the act. Finally, Slava is the key to their unique sound, operatic stylings are not something you generally hear in metal, and finally a mix where I was able to hear her voice. At times it seems that the crowd is not sure how to react, but soon enough they are getting into it. Another nice touch was the lighting and fog used during their set, it added another level of drama to the music, it fit nicely. I eagerly look forward to seeing them again, their development is something to see. Onstage 1, Onstage 2
Lynch Mob. Finally the moment we've all been waiting for. I have been a fan of Lynch's playing ever since my dad bought Dokken's Unchain the Night LP by mistake many many moons ago. I never really listened to Lynch Mob when they first formed upon George's exit from Dokken, I was reintroduced to Lynch's prowess when I saw Lynch Mob for the first time last year, then again when I saw Lynch perform earlier this year while touring with Yngwie Malmsteen. This time he is touring with a new Lynch Mob line up, and this is the first night of their tour together. Considering that they have been together for a short period of time, they sounded really good. Performing a mix of old Dokken hits and songs from the Lynch Mob years, the crowd was into everything they through at us. George Lynch is just a phenomenal guitar player, watching him onstage, he makes it look so easy. Playing songs including Tooth and Nail, When Heaven Comes Down, Flesh and Blood, and others. The one I was waiting for came towards the end of the set, Mr.Scary, one of the best guitar solo songs ever written. They left the stage and came back a short while later to close the night with Kiss of Death. Everything sounded good, although I wasn't a big fan of the singer, he sounded good, but it seemed like something was missing. The rhythm section was solid, keeping the beat steady throughout the night. The real treat was watching Lynch work his magic, not even missing a beat when his guitar strap let go. Great set, definitely recommend all rock fans see Lynch perform live. Onstage 1, Onstage 2, Onstage 3, Onstage 4
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