Unfortunately, with unforeseen traffic conditions and construction in the area, I missed the opportunity to catch New Years Day. Which I heard they slammed. What a bummer nonetheless.
What I did catch was Avatar, led by Johannes Eckerström. Their performance had the audience spellbound from the start, opening with “Dance Devil Dance. They continued to burn it down with songs like “Hail the Apocalypse”, “The Eagle Has Landed”, “Valley of Disease”, “Bloody Angel”, and “The Dirt I’m Buried In”, and closed the night with the fan favorite, “Smells Like a Freakshow”.
Ice Nine Kills, or INK, captivated the audience right out of the gate. Spencer Charnas delivered his horror-inspired lyrics, capping off the night in character. Their eerie, horror-themed stage presence matched their impressive musicianship. The set started with a bang as they rocked the crowd with “Hip to be Scared”, followed by “Rainy Day” and “Meat & Greet”, which was my favorite. If you’re a fan of metal, or if horror films send shivers down your spine, Ice Nine Kills is a must-see. It wasn’t just a concert, it was a deep dive into the dark world where metal and horror collide.
In This Moment, from California, took the stage with a visually captivating performance featuring pyrotechnics, costumes, and dramatic stage design. Maria Brink, can make you feel like you’re being hypnotized during her stage act, and the band opened their set with bangers link, “Godmode”, “The Purge”, “The In-Between”, and a memorable cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Something I Can Never Have”. They left the crowd mesmerized as they closed their set with the powerful anthem, “Whore”.
Now, unfortunately, we weren’t able to completely cover the entire “3 songs” for the photos, but we got enough for you to catch the moment. It was overall a great night. I hope to see New Years Day soon. If you haven’t checked out these bands live, or for that matter, their songs, you are completely missing out. Plus, if you’re in the area, you absolutely need to see a show at The Rave / Eagles in Milwaukee. A great venue that has stood the test of time.
