Mastodon, Opeth, Khemmis

Rustbelt Rock Reviews

By: Z.M. Delgado

Zackolantern.com

Volume #8: Mastodon, Opeth, Khemmis

4/23/2022

Agora Theater, 5000 Euclid Ave, Cleveland Ohio

Another weekend passed and another show experience to recount. I can still feel the nagging remnants of exhaustion as I try to drag my corpse into an upright position.  These are fabulous problems to have, don’t get me wrong and I continue to consider it an honor and privilege to be able to share my experiences with you. So, without further delay… let’s get to it!

The whole affair began in an atypical situation for the start of a Heavy Metal story: A baby shower. That’s right, my day kicked off in the company of friends, family…  and a few drinks. I was about four beers deep when Chen Killingsworth arrived, with a box of diapers under his arm. We shared in the celebration, but had distraction of the best kind eating at the backs of our brains. You see, we had a show to make it to and the stakes were higher than usual. We were slated to see what promised to be a solid event: The Cleveland Agora was hosting Mastodon with Opeth and Khemmis in support. Naturally, we were stoked for the performance, but there was more than that to be considered: There were signed posters up for grabs! Tracking the tour on social media, we saw that Mastodon was offering up a limited amount of custom artwork, unique to each show. These posters had the venue, and date specific to the event, individually numbered and signed by the band. Now as I’ve said in the past: I am an autograph hound. My family room is like a tiny Heavy Metal Museum, and I am always eager to add a new piece to my collection. This goes double… no quadruple if the band makes the effort to print and sign something that says “The Cleveland Agora” on it. 

Chen and I planned on being on the road by quarter after five at the latest, to get to the club before doors and hopefully snag a piece of this mythical merch. Pushing that deadline, loading up and saying our goodbyes to the fam, Chen got a disturbing call. It came from none other than The Joe, son of Chen. Once a boy, now a man, out on the scene for himself with his own dudes… it’s enough to bring a tear to a Metal Dad’s eye. The Joe was with his boy, Professor X, both of which I first shared a show with back in 2016 on Slayers final pass through Blossom. These cats alerted us that they were in line already (an hour before doors) and there had to be a hundred people ahead of them. Dropping into “all business mode,” Chen began issuing specific instructions to our young bloods: Get in with all haste, Show no mercy, Acquire posters, Go full John Hammond (Spare no expense!)!

With concerns mounting, we climbed into Chen’s black sedan and headed west with concerns. Opening a fifth of Jack, I mixed up a pair of Lemmys to calm our nerves as we enjoyed a chunk of “Hushed and Grim.” Can we take a moment here, to discuss “Hushed and Grim?” Mastodon’s newest effort is some sort of monstrosity, isn’t it? So enormous and complex, so beautiful and heavy, so quintessentially Mastodon: how they continue to outdo themselves is beyond me. This is not an album review, so I will not go much more in depth than this: I love it. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend you do. I am glad that I have had close to six months to digest it before seeing the material live. This is not an album that can be appreciated in a brief examination. It is simply too long and nuanced. No, it deserves full autopsy and analysis and that takes time. But I digress…

Arriving on site, Chen and I parked the car; finished our Lemmys and headed for the door, both of us busy on our cursed cell phones. Myself, in contact with our crew arranging rendezvous, and Chen trying to decode the cryptic nonsense his boy was sending us: Neither confirming nor denying the procurement of aforementioned posters (Little shithead!).  Sliding through security, we made our way inside and soon found our millennial companions, grinning with poster tubes beneath their arms. 

The posted artwork, unsigned. My actual copy is still in the tube awaiting framing.

Thanking them wholeheartedly, we milled about enjoying some tall cans and catching up. It was then that we spotted some fellow Megacruisers: Danina, Charlie, Dez and Dan. Danina is the admin for “NE Ohio Metal Heads,” a new, yet growing Facebook community, aimed at helping local Headbangers meet up and network. (I joined, you should too.) It is a mission that I naturally support, as many of my friends in the scene aren’t “old buddies” from years gone by, but rather people I have met at the bar or in the Pit during a show. 

After catching up for a bit, we told Danina and her boys to enjoy the show and headed back to the door; preparing to run our precious cargo out to the car for safe keeping. It was then that we were met with a cruel reality: Tonight’s show was “No Reentry.” This is a policy which always rubs me the wrong way. I have a ticket. I have a wrist band. I don’t see why clubs feel the need to treat patrons like prisoners. It was a beautiful evening, and it was hot inside… like really hot. If somebody wanted to run back to their vehicle or step out for a bit of fresh air, why not? Yes, I know there is an outside smoking area, but imagine being a nonsmoker, who needs a breather and the only option is to go to “the smoke pit.” Not exactly the place you’d like to be, I would wager to guess.  It just strikes me as an arbitrary policy that exists only for staff convenience or to hold a “captive audience” at the bar. Not a big deal, but still some kind of BS in this author’s opinion. 

Long story short, Chen was stuck with a poster tube under his arm as we made our way to the floor to watch the first performance of the night: Khemmis, from Denver, CO. I took a bunch of notes on their set, but now have seemed to have misplaced them, so we are going to have to go from my highly suspect memories. One thing that has not slipped my mind is that the house was packed. If the show was not sold out, it had to damn close. I was happy to see that the vast majority of attendees showed up early to catch the first act. Those of us who did were not disappointed. Khemmis is a Stoner/Doom outfit formed in 2012. Their music has a very solid groove that is both heavy and melodic. Their vocals were clean for the most part, with a spattering of sludge growls intermixed for effect. I remember being impressed with their stage energy and musicianship; both of their two guitarists showing considerable aptitude with the ax. I watched each song with my typical skepticism, and felt it stripped away note by note. As the set list unfolded, I found myself shifting firmly into the realm of “Khemmis fan” and I was not alone. By their second song, Khemmis had summoned enough energy to inspire the first of many Moshpits that evening. While it was clear that many in attendance were more familiar with this act than I was, for those of us who were just discovering them, it was a very nice way to kick things off. Khemmis performed with precision and energy. By the time they finished up, the crowd was thoroughly invigorated and screaming for more. They exited the stage to frantic and enthusiastic cheers. If you are a fan of bands like Mountain Witch, The Skull, Opeth and of course Mastodon, I urge you to check out Khemmis. I really enjoyed their set and feel they were definitely the perfect opener for this bill. 

Returning to the bar, we were set to meet up with our old friend Dru (Drummer/Big Wayne) and his little bro, Mike. I managed to botch this entire interaction, by the way. I had been frantically texting hom about these damn posters, in hopes he would stow them in his car for us. I told him to meet Chen at the smoke pit, which he did… However, in my inebriation, I failed to explain the “no reentry” situation in full. As a result, Dru entered the club and went straight to the smoke pit, subsequently becoming trapped inside with the rest of us. (In Chen’s words, I “did a bad job.”) With only one member of our party still en route, I turned over the logistics to their rightful keeper: Chen; insisting he handle all further negotiations. Luckily, he was successful. Soon enough our posters were stored in a safe location, our crew was assembled and we were making our way back into the theater for Opeth. 

Now, I am not an Opeth fan, and I do not know why. I understand that they are loved and respected, the world over. As far as bands that I consider their contemporaries and similar in style to Opeth, I enjoy a good amount of it. That being said, for reasons I cannot define, I have never gotten into them. Under strong urging from Tim and Sturge I bought the album “Blackwater Park” and listened to it several times… to little effect. This is a band that I should love and yet they just have never grabbed me. I fully expected for this to be the night when that all changed. Anyone who is a fan of live music knows that a band can seem unimpressive in the studio, then become a completely different animal on the stage. I have seen acts that pulled a full “Jekyll and Hyde.” Some, I have barely been able to stomach their album and then upon seeing it performed passionately, I hear it in a whole new way. There are bands that have turned me from “certified hater” to “passionate fan” inside of thirty minutes. Sometimes it can happen that way, and when it does it is honestly a powerful, almost cathartic, experience. This is what I was banking would go down as I witnessed Opeth performing for the first time. 

Unfortunately, what I got was the exact opposite. I am disappointed to report I found their set to be, well… boring. The song structures were long and melodic, but overly so. In Rustbelt #7 I discussed Prog Metal bands “getting lost in the weeds” and growing “boring live.” This was exactly how I felt watching Opeth. The songs just seemed to go on and on, but not really get anywhere. There were a few moments where things got heavy, but they were few and far between. The bands stage presence was nearly nonexistent.  They stayed seemingly shackled to their mic stands for the majority of the show, exhibiting occasional headbanging, but little other movement.  After seeing Khemmis performing with energy and passion, Opeth just looked tired or unenthused. They utilized an elaborate and no doubt expensive lighting/screen rig, which was an impressive set up. However I noticed that the majority of the show was images of slowly scrolling forest landscapes. Now I understand that the ancient and creepy forests of the North are iconic and important imagery in Scandinavian music, but it honestly made me think of a screen saver. The boys and I all found ourselves anxiously checking the time, wondering how much longer they would play (8 songs in total). Here is my conundrum: I felt like we were alone. People around us were absolutely beside themselves. What can I say, these kids love them some Opeth. I am big enough to admit I was clearly in the minority opinion on this band. I feel that my readers deserved a more “informed” take on the set. I decided that there would be no better pair of Metalheads to go to for this than the two OG’s who first attempted to turn me on to this act: Tim and Sturge. 

Of course Tim and Sturge were there! They almost always are, and to miss out on Opeth and Mastodon together, would be a mortal sin of the most egregious sort for these veterans of the scene. I caught up with them after the show, and reached out for their opinions. Here’s what they had to say:

How did you like Opeth’s set and how did it compare to previous shows you’ve seen? 

Sturge told me “Every Opeth show I’ve ever seen has been exceptional.” He really enjoyed the lighting rig, as it gave a “great visual to the music.” He went on to say he “thoroughly enjoyed the setlist” and was “pleased it was diverse and spread over the catalog.” He was surprised they skipped “Demon of the Fall” but was stoked they closed out with “Deliverance.” Tim largely agreed, adding he is accustomed to seeing them in the headliners role. He was excited to hear “Blackwater Park” and agreed the set was “solid” and they played a “good blend of their catalog.” 

So there you have it. While Opeth is not my thing, I have to acknowledge that they have a large and dedicated fan base. When it comes to Tim and Sturge, whose musical opinions I hold in the highest regard, I will simply take their assessments as accurate. I did not enjoy the set and found the whole thing tedious, but my stylistic complaints were easily shouted down by the fans who were screaming for more.  They proved two things to me: One, I may never be counted among the number of their fans, and two, they don’t need me. Opeth is doing what they do and they are doing it in a way that makes their fans very happy. What more could I ask for? 

Oh, well maybe, just one thing… Mastodon. Yep. That’s it. 

I think possibly the reason I don’t care for Opeth, in a way is because of Mastodon. You see, sometimes I too get the itch for long, strange, complicated and emotional songs. Sometimes I want surreal mindbending, sonic journeys into imaginations and realms unfathomed; something heavier than Pink Floyd, but without the aggression of Melodic Death Metal. When I do, I reach not for Opeth, but Mastodon. I think that the reason Opeth doesn’t do it for me, is because Mastodon already fills that need in my life. 

As it stands, this would be the third time seeing Mastodon live (not counting the aquarium live stream) for Chen, Dom and I. Our four other companions had never had the pleasure. To speak for myself, I couldn’t have been more excited. Previous shows have left me in awe. Mastodon always provides a perfect balance of melodic and driving material, coupled with energetic playing and cutting edge visuals. This evening at Agora was no exception. 

Opening with “Pain like an Anchor” from “Hushed and Grim” they took control of Agora Theater like gravity tearing a spacecraft from orbit. The grip they had on the crowd was unshakable and Mastodon dragged us down into the depths of their bewildering catalog. What followed was a 14 song set that was both furious and fantastic. The new album received heavy representation, occupying 50% of the set, and rightly so. “The Crux,” “Teardrinker,” “Skeleton of Splendor,” “Pushing the Tides,” “More than I Could Chew,” and the epic “Gigantium,” all absolutely brought down the house. Yes, the new recording is amazing, but I now know these songs cannot be appreciated fully until experienced live. 

In addition to the new stuff, Mastodon hit some of the all time classics. “Bladecatcher” and “Black Tongue” back to back shook the room. I think the highlight of the set for me was “The Czar.” The studio version of this opus is nearly eleven minutes in length, and I didn’t detect Mastodon editing a single note. Before closing out they dipped deeper than before, ensuring to touch on their first two sludge collections. Remission’s “Mother Puncher” caused the floor to explode in appreciative violence and closing the set with Leviathan’s “Blood and Thunder” put a savage capstone on the night. The moshpit was alive and well throughout the entire set, slowing during melodic portions; mercifully giving the faithful a much needed breather in a club that had reached a suffocating level of heat and humidity. Mastodon and Opeth shared the same lighting rig for the show. What Opeth used as a moving backdrop, Mastodon brought to life with absolutely insane visuals. For a band that claims to have left illicit substances in the past, they certainly are well aware that many in the crowd have not. The imagery they conjure is some of the best, brain melting, eye candy I have ever seen. In addition to the screens, they employed an elaborate laser rig, which bombarded the club with dazzling beams of dancing light. Clouds of vapor and smoke drifted up from the crowd, only adding to the displays wonderment. If you have never seen Mastodon before, do yourself a favor and do so. They play perfect. They sound amazing. They perform with vigor. Their stage shows are unrivaled, especially at the level of midsized venue. Few bands pull out all the bells and whistles like Mastodon does and it is much appreciated.

After the set, Brann Dailor (drummer/vocals) came to center stage and spoke for a time. He very genuinely thanked the crowd and Cleveland for the support over the years. He shared some memories and joked with the audience. I took his words to heart, and found them to be sincere. After his talk he tossed out some of his signature drum sticks out into the crowd. I noticed Chen engaged in a furious wrestling match over one of them, which resolved before I could intervene. I soon discovered Chen was not fighting for his own stick, but rather one for Professor X. As it turns out this kid, at his very first Mastodon concert, jumped up and snagged one of those coveted hunks of wood. Naturally he wasn’t the only one who got a piece of the stick and a customary friendly scrum ensued. I’d imagine that “the other guy” thought he had good chances of coming up with it as well. What the challenger didn’t know was the enormous Sasquatch looming nearby, was one Mr. Chen Killingsworth, who also happened to be this kids best friend’s father. With the Pit Lord’s deft intervention, well, you can guess who walked away with the souvenir. The crowd dispersed and we made our way out to the parking lot, in high spirits. In the lobby we said goodbye to friends and stepped out into the blessedly cool night air. We retrieved our posters and went our separate ways. 

What an incredible night! This review could go on and on, with praise for the music and observations. Khemmis was excellent, and I plan on looking into their back catalogue soon. Opeth’s fan base was apparently more than satisfied with the performance, though I just don’t get it. I doubt you need me to say anything more about Mastodon, but it’s my review so I will anyway: I believe Mastodon to be one of the most important and groundbreaking bands of this era. They push boundaries, challenge themselves and their listeners with their songwriting and never disappoint. They do not sacrifice musicianship for heaviness, yet haven’t completely forsaken their Sludge roots in the pursuit of melody. They always have the energy to inspire a moshpit, while holding fast to the trippier aspects that make them ideal to sit back and… vibe.

Before I end this installment, I feel have a duty to perform. In past reviews I gave Agora some shit about drink and parking prices. I’ve bitched over confusion about start times and Pit policies. Today, I complained about reentry and the heat. And yet, those of you keeping score at home may have noticed I often say The Cleveland Agora is my favorite club. Yes it is, now let me tell you some of the reasons why. First of all, the sound is great. My favorite bands rarely sound better than when performing on my favorite stage. The light shows are excellent, even when bands don’t haul in their own outrageous gear. The club is clean and generally the staff is kind and respectful, so long as the patrons behave. But that’s not what I want to talk about. Today I want to praise my home club for something different: compassion. 

Some of my compatriots gave me some great info that I may have otherwise overlooked. One: Agora security was handing out glasses of water to thirsty kids along the front barricade. Chen brought this to my attention, and we both appreciated it. As I mentioned, it was very hot and a lot of kids get into trouble at times like these. They are so worried about missing a moment of the show that they forget to hydrate. Or they are worried that they will get barred from the floor if they step away for a break. (One of the reasons why I hate the new pit policy.) Many moshing related injuries are caused by exhaustion and dehydration, and it is good to see Agora’s staff working proactively to help keep our friends on their feet. Well done, Agora. 

The second thing I want to talk about is this: Disability Access. As it turns out, Heavy Metal crosses into every segment of the human condition; that of course includes our brothers and sisters who have mobility issues. I mention my friend Sturge frequently in these articles. Sturge often has a lovely lady by his side named Juls.  Now Juls is a Metalhead as well and lives with a condition which has left her wheelchair bound at shows. I spoke to them about their experience and they asked that I give Agora credit for their handling of their evening. I asked them how Agora does, and how they compare to other venues. Here’s what they said:

“Agora does an amazing job of accommodating handicapped patrons,” and “better than most especially being a smaller venue.” They went on to describe “a terrible experience at Rocket Mortgage Field House in which providing (Juls) handicap accommodations resulting in” the staff “separating her from her 14 year old daughter.” They went on to express how “very appreciative” they are “of Agora for how they handle its handicapped guests.” 

I walked with Sturge and Juls as far as their parking lot garage, escorted the whole way by Agora staff, ensuring my Metal Family got to their vehicle safely. This for me is the best take away from the night. Many clubs are old, have lots of stairs and in general are unforgiving environments for even the most agile of concertgoers. I can only imagine the extra time, energy and stress that goes into making the additional accommodations necessary for disabled Metalheads to make it to a show. So here you have it. DO IT! Buy the ticket! Go to the show! You are most welcome, and at least for the Cleveland Agora, you have the means to attend. I will always expound upon the notion that Metal is for all. That, of course extends to fans that have a little more difficulty getting around than I do. My favorite concert venue just got another big beautiful feather in its cap and I want to celebrate it.  Today, I am proud of the Cleveland Agora and you should be too. I hope to see all of you at the next show, no matter if you run, walk, roll or are carried into the club; if you love Heavy Metal like I do, you better be there! 

Til next time… Rock on, Rustbelt! 

-Z.M. Delgado

04/25/2022

Mastodonrocks.com

Opeth.com

Khemmisdoom.com

Agoracleveland.com