April showers brought metal powerhouses Vended, Bury Tomorrow, and While She Sleeps to the Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio, on the 9th. Though attendance was on the low end, it was clear that everyone had an absolute blast.
First up was Vended. Yes, Corey Taylor’s son is on vocals, and yes, Clown’s son is on guitar. If you’re wondering if they are as talented as their legendary parents, that’s an easy yes. Make no mistake, though, they are not a Slipknot clone, and they wasted no time trying to melt everyone’s faces with their aggressive and unique sound. Singer Griffin was constantly making faces and singing to random people in the crowd. The whole band had a fantastic stage presence and did a superb job of demanding the crowd’s attention. These guys will be headliners before you know it, so be sure to check them out!
Next up was Bury Tomorrow. I’ve only seen them live one other time, but I was just as excited to see them as I was WSS. These guys brought such a fun energy to the stage and were constantly interacting with and praising the crowd between songs. They did take a moment to address the obvious low ticket sales/sparse crowd size, but it didn’t matter to them. They promised to give us the best show they could, and of course, kept their word. The crowd immediately upped their moshing game, and the crowd surfers never stopped. I can’t praise these guys enough, and I highly encourage anyone to see them live.
Now for the main event: While She Sleeps. For a concert photographer, there is no better feeling than getting the opportunity to capture your favorite band. I was on cloud nine when the band came crashing onto the stage. Their usual guitarist, Mat, is a new dad, so we were treated to guest guitarist Ryan Burnett of Architects. After some of the usual heavy riffs and constant crowd interaction, it was apparent singer Loz was experiencing some sound problems with his in-ear monitor during a couple of songs. He did his best to hide it, though, because his passion was still on full display. He did a lap around the venue twice and even did some crowd surfing. A WSS show is such a fun experience, and there are still plenty of dates on this current tour to see for yourself!
