I’ve never been a huge fan of The Cruxshadows. I can’t put my finger on the reason, they are a lot of things I love and enjoy all bundled together, but there is something… missing and empty about them for me. Some EBM, some goth, some violin, some guitar and now… some go-go dancers? I listen to their albums over and over and can still never pick out one favorite, because there just isn’t any. However, I continue to listen because they are unique and talented, and that’s why I went to the show at Sabalas Mt. Tabor in Portland.
I decided I wasn’t going to show up dressed all in black, so I threw on my jeans, a tan shirt with a black tie and pulled my Luke Skywalker Empire Strikes Back jacket over it all. Threw my 20D into my satchel and headed out.
I arrived just as Written In Ashes were starting their second song. Coradee and I chatted for a bit and took in the tunes. I was impressed by WIA, not what I was expecting at all. Portland has some fabulous local acts, and while not always my taste, very talented! It was also great seeing Adam (Fuck you Adam!), Derek, Roger and Carolee, Jeremy, Rachel, Aristai…goodness I’m really starting to meet people huh?!
While on the subject of chatting, I want to say that many of the Portland gothic people that showed up were damn disrespectful. When Ego Likeness moved into a slower and more melodic tune, the background talking was nearly as loud as the music. There was a particular obnoxiously loud group right in front of the bands merchandise counter. I nearly wacked them alongside the heads (sort of like a Six Feet Under reality-flash sequence). If people want to talk so badly and have to scream over the band, just go sit at the Sabalas Sideshow room and let the people enjoy the music they paid to hear.
Cruxshadows took the stage and I must say they had some wild energy! The lead singer had a wireless headset and he would walk around the concert hall getting the people in the back engaged. While it annoyed some, I thought it was pretty cool to hear the little voice hitting the mic and then big voice pumping out the speakers. Very entertaining and damn talented. However, like I mentioned earlier I’m on the fence with Crux’s music. The volume levels there were some of the loudest I’ve ever been bathed by. Even KMFDM in Boise at The Big Easy wasn’t this loud, and that was painful! After 3-4 songs I moved over to the Sideshow part of Sabalas and watched a Hammer film over Jeremy’s shoulder while Rachel vented some much needed venting on us.
I then headed home. I was pretty tired from getting up at 6:30AM so I could hit a Kinkos and then be early for my interview at Dark Horse (which went well, but I’ll know more tomorrow!)
As for the attached photos: I didn’t take to many this time around. The reason being that there were so many people there and I couldn’t get in a good place to take a single decent photo. Not only that, but when I did manage to get into somewhat of a fair position, I’d look around me and everyone had cameras and where flashing photos like crazy. I hadn’t seen that yet. (Circle 23 fuzzily has named them, The Gotharazzi) So, I just moved around and watched/listened to the bands and the people snappity snap away.
I hate the fact that in order to take a photo I have to pull a hunk of hardware out in front of my face and be so obvious about it. I want to blend in and not be noticed, to catch a good unposed shot etc. It’s just not possible yet.
Post a Comment