Perhaps nothing encapsulated the suffocating, maddening experience of the pandemic and political madness of the past year than watching this Scour livestream. Of course I would have rather been there in person, but this did just fine. This one cost $9 and you have until the end of the weekend to watch it.
I got into the more extreme branches of the metal tree rather later in life than most who do, but when I did, I went hard. But over the past few years I haven’t listened to much as I took a break from all of this. But now I’m right back in it, and am oddly comforted by all of the sounds and imagery that frankly confuse and kerfuffle most who listen to it.
After a brief 20 minute set in Pontiac, MI by Shock Narcotic, we were taken to New Orleans. We were then given about a half hour backgrounder with the band members on the band’s origins, and it was pretty entertaining. As someone who still buys DVDs for the extras; this is something that I am really digging about the livestreams… it’s like every concert comes with a ‘Behind the Music’ doc attached to it. And I’m not mad about it.
Then we were taken into “The Lair”, which is a room that just fits the band and their instruments. It was lit in dim red light, and decorated with EyeHateGod and Venom posters and such. And then they pummeled through song after song. It was exhausting to watch. Exhausting and exhilarating!
The band was incredibly tight. It couldn’t have been more opposite from the livestream I watched earlier this week [not that it was bad, just different!]. Phil Anselmo’s voice impressed by traveling to highs and lows that I didn’t think were possible anymore. This supergroup found a great formula in its elements with its members from Pantera, DOWN, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Misery Index, and Pig Destroyer.
As the fog machine filled their room, I could almost taste it, almost feel the shaking from the music as I remembered all of my shows past. But alas, I was just watching a screen. And then my mind wandered…
We live in a confusing world. I grew up LOVING Pantera. Still do. I have a CFH tattoo. My bengals are named Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. I have a Dimebag shirt…. and it has a Confederate flag on it. Dimebag had Confederate flags on everything [so did a TON of musicians in the ’80s and ’90s]. And Anselmo, has had his own issues with incidents of racism. I started thinking about this article I read about metal and racism being rampant in the industry. And then of course there were some metal band members involved in the insurrection on the Capitol. Society is vomiting out some ugly shit right now. Will there be a time again where we can enjoy music for music’s sake without thinking about the person behind it, and if we should support them? Should I be afraid to write about certain bands because they have connotations attached to them that I don’t want attached to me?
Anyway, after enjoying around an hour of Scour, the credits rolled. If you check out this livestream, watch the credits! There is some comedic gold in there.
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