The virtual and stage band Dethklok brought their Adult Swim animated and Brendon Small headed production to Pittsburgh last Thursday to promote Metalocalypse Dethklok III. The Pittsburgh crowd was primed and ready for an experience that many were not so sure how to receive. It’s a very different experience to focus most of one’s attention to a screen rather than what is occurring onstage. Combine that with a lot of cartoon action, crazy commentary inbetween (completely from the animation), and a very darkened stage with little interaction from the band, and you get Dethklok’s stage show that brings with it much pre, during and post experience discussion. PMM hung back at the bar to take in part of the show and listen to what audience members were saying. The majority loved what was happening and the uniqueness of the entertainment, but their were a few thoroughly confused. The music was definitely loved, but it seemed that a few could not get the animation. Obviously these people were unfamiliar with the Adult Swim show and the concept of Dethklok. All in all it was truly a fun filled evening with lots of great metal, great people, and great cartoons. Who could ask for more?
In the Metalocalypse series, Dethklok is depicted as an extremely popular and successful death metal band. The band’s fan base includes billions of metal fanatics, who frequently endanger themselves to watch the band perform live.With their widespread commercial success and lucrative sponsorship contracts, Dethklok is ranked as the world’s seventh largest economy by the end of the second season.
The members of Dethklok are often portrayed as incompetent at almost everything not related to their profession. The band struggles to perform everyday tasks, including shopping for groceries, preparing food, and maintaining proper social relationships. They are often assisted by their manager and lawyer, Charles Foster Ofdensen, who frequently attempts to prevent the band from making poor decisions. The band’s actions and uncanny misfortune have caught the attention of an Illuminati-style council, known as The Tribunal. The Tribunal is portrayed as Dethklok’s antagonist throughout the series, and secretly monitors their actions in almost every episode. They describe Dethklok as the “world’s greatest cultural force.” The leader of The Tribunal (Mr. Salacia), however, frequently instructs the other members to allow Dethklok to do as they will (Wikipedia).
Brendon Small is the real genius behind Metalocalypse and Dethklok who is considered a sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician. His accomplishments are vast and he has amassed quite the resume.
-all photos property of AWeldingphoto and Pittsburgh Music Magazine