I had fun on the boat, but, boy, did it feel good to be seeing a show on solid ground again. After interviewing 3 Inches of Blood guitarist Shane Clark before the show, grabbing some sushi, and buying my 3IOB bootie shorts from merch…I settled in to a fun night of feel-good metal.
First up, The Hookers. I knew nothing of this band going into it, and immediately loved them. Their Kentucky-fried rock ‘n’ roll indoctrinated me into the evening. Thrashing and growling about the stage in a frenzy of unkempt beards, the crowd swelled in the wake of their punkish music. Especially this one lady, who had us all in stitches over her…uh…enthusiasm. There was a lot of water spraying…playing guitar on the ground and in the crowd….drug talk. The Hookers are dirty….and I liked it!
It’s always a treat to see Huntress. Frontwoman Jill Janus just goes for it, and I admire that. Their songs of witchcraft and sorcery fit well within the walls of the Whisky. It’s great to watch how their skill and presence infect the crowd before them, like they are casting a spell.
This was my first time seeing 3 Inches of Blood play a headlining set. I have embraced their last release, Long Live Heavy Metal, more than previous albums…I found it really uplifting when it came out in March, my birthday month, which is something I really needed back then. The first thing you notice when 3 Inches of Blood hits the stage no matter what else is happening in the immediate vicinity is Cam Pipes’ vocals. HOLY SHIT. It’s one thing on a record, but in person it’s even more impressive. Leading with “Metal Woman”, they played through several songs off the new record before reaching back to previous ones. As I watched the band from the exit corner of the stage, I could see every detail of how they meticulously worked together for their big sound. They’ve come a long way from when I first saw them on Mayhem Fest. As the set wound down, they played a nice interlude of Rush’s “By-Tor & the Snow Dog”….on the day when it was announced that Rush is FINALLY going to get inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame! Canadian pride, eh? And for the final song, “Deadly Sinners”, Luna from Holy Grail casually walked up on stage to sing with them for a finale of killer voices.
It’s good to be home.
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