[dropcap]V[/dropcap]ega is the new trendy concert venue in the Railyard, and its first notable concert kicked off Tuesday evening with bands that didn’t quite seem to fit—in more ways than one. Though Vega boasts a bustling bar, gourmet hotdogs that are to die for, and windows which provide a pleasant downtown view, the actual stage this venue offers is surprisingly—and probably frustratingly—small. Bands literally struggled to fit both their amps and their antics onto the crowded platform. Furthermore, the entire lineup felt a little too screamy-hard rock for the Railyard, an area striving for a chic and stylish reputation. Nonetheless, the event was an overall crowd-pleasing success.
[divider height=”40″]
[title size=”1 to 6″ style=”options: default, sidebar”]Nothing More[/title]
San Antonio’s jolting showmen Nothing More began a barrage of head-bangable rock. Shrill, stereotypical rock-star vocals and kick-ass mohawks militated the bands vibe, and the crowd responded well to it.
Frontman Johnny Hawkins sprang around whatever free space the tiny stage possessed like a fighter with a severe case of roid rage, but Nothing More’s chunky riff breakdowns and intense drumming necessitated nothing less. The game changer for the Texan artists was their unique demonstrations of musical proficiency.
After propping the bass guitar upright and on an elevated contraption, Vollelunga (guitar), Hawkins, Oliver (bass), proceeded to have a three-way with the bass guitar. Johnny Hawkins tapped the strings furiously with percussion sticks, while Mark Vollelunga and Daniel Oliver finger-plucked and used pitch harmonics to impressively create a rich array of sounds from one instrument.
In “Salem,” their final song, drummer Paul O’Brien‘s beat was augmented when all members busted out a drum (Hawkins’ de-facto kit being made out of motorcycle parts) and aggressively finished a fantastic set.
[divider height=”40″]
[title size=”1 to 6″ style=”options: default, sidebar”]We As Human[/title]
The second act We As Human got the Vega’s unexpected memo of hard-hitting sound, and came out guns blazing, opening with the song “Dead Man.” Vocalist Justin Cordle established a connection with the audience by always gesturing playfully, nicknaming a drunken patron “Mr. Happy” (constantly referring back to him for comic relief), and sharing the emotional back stories for his songwriting.
The subtly Christian rockers with Tennessee ties certainly had an appreciable approach to the guitar, opting for two axe men, each one serving a different musical function. Both would erupt into energizing solos, but Jake Jones would offer ears a more Slash-styled solo sprinkled with some occasional hard country-rock phrasing, while Justin Forshaw abandoned all traces of Nashville sound and pioneered the band’s prog-rock sounds with very technical solos.
Their song “I Stand,” was dedicated to war veterans and active members of the armed forces, and it’s charging chorus exemplified what We As Human does best; the piece pumped up a growing Vega audience, and could easily be seen as a warrior’s anthem played before a battle. We As Human’s focus: essential rock show energy, not necessarily innovative yet invigorating riffs, and an enjoyable stage presence.
[divider height=”40″]
[title size=”1 to 6″ style=”options: default, sidebar”]Fight or Flight[/title]
Composed of a couple leftover members from big name metal band Disturbed, Fight or Flight followed third with a performance resembling a novel in the sense that it had rising action and a definitive climax.
Vocalist Dan Chandler (who originally heads the group Evans Blue) can be described as more of a melodic singer than a screeching screamer, and (perhaps consequently) started off with considerably less liveliness than the previous two frontmen displayed.
However, his ability to hold notes for long durations without jeopardizing their integrity kept the crowd interested. The band relied on a fairly typical pattern of quieter, mellower verses leading into impassioned choruses; at times, Chandler’s voice made those slower verses comparable to Tool’s opiated ambience.
Mostly, Fight or Flight’s choruses and bridges allowed for comparison to artists such as Breaking Benjamin and Crossfade. The intensity of their act grew when, once again, a troop dedication song was played (this one featuring an acoustic guitar giving way to a full-on rock session).
Finally, Fight of Flight reached the pinnacle (in terms of energy and song quality) of their show with most popular tune, “First of the Last.” Fight or Flight was a band of building, whether that means building up tension for an insane solo, or building up their entire well-rounded act.
[divider height=”40″]
[title size=”1 to 6″ style=”options: default, sidebar”]Filter[/title]
Headliner Filter, for whom many reveling in ‘90’s nostalgia had been waiting all night for, pierced their machine-generated fog, flashing leather jackets and an undeniable intent to rock faces off.
And rocked-off faces certainly abounded after the Clevelanders thundered forth with heavy riffs and sharp vocals.
During vocalist Richard Patrick’s champion animalistic screams, one wonders what will explode first: all of his neck capillaries, or both of his eyeballs. Patrick connected with the audience with open dialogue and a palpable, much respected determination to put on a good show.
Vega used the band to establish its stagecraft aptitude. Few Lincoln venues similar in size to Vega can rival its dazzling and well-orchestrated lighting.
Filter is currently in the middle of promoting their new album and after playing some fan-favorites, they performed some fresh pieces. One of these new songs, inspired by the psychology behind mass shooters, assured die-hards that Filter was staying true to its aggressive, gritty rock; another single about women’s rights seemed to take a more refined modern route.
Patrick, who looks sort of like a mixture between Daryl Dixon and Chester Bennington—which, by the way, seems like a formula for a bad-ass rock star!—gave a heartfelt performance, and his band Filter (Jonathan Radtke, Tim Kelleher, Jeff Fabb) proved to all in attendance that they are making a legitimate comeback.
If they keep putting on performances like the one at Vega, the name Filter might soon be rolling off tongues like it was 1995.
[divider height=”40″]
All photos by Annie Bohling | Seeds Entertainment
