There is only one thing to say about the concert that I saw tonight. Claudio Sanchez. CLAUDIO SANCHEZ. CLAUDIO (EFFING HOLY OF HOLIES) SANCHEZ! I don't care about anything that has ever happened in my life before now that I have seen a live performance by the living, breathing freaking master of all minions of this world and the underworld, Claudio Sanchez of Coheed & Cambria. Is he a magical troll, or an omniscient ogre, or a giant of mythological legend come to life in the 21st century? Whatever he is or wherever he came from, he is an enigmatic embodiment of all great and powerful metal and progressive rock gods that have come before him. Well, that is not entirely true as he is a genuinely unique person and a huge crowd came out to watch him in adoration on Friday night.
The evening started promptly at 7:30 with the hyperactive post-hardcore trio, The Fall of Troy. These guys were a perfect opening act and it was obvious that the huge fanbase that turned out for them were doubly excited that they were opening for Coheed & Cambria. They played a succinct set highlighting tracks from 2007's Manipulator album and other favorite songs like “Whacko Jacko Steals the Elephant Man's Bones,” “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.” and “Cut Down All the Trees and Name the Streets After Them.” Bands like this out of Washington state continue to surprise me with the innovative tenacity they exhibit through experimentation and adherence to musical traditions established by their forefathers (ala King Crimson & Rush). I saw no errors in the bands performance but Thomas Erak seemed to exit the stage too quickly at the end of the set and there was no time left for an encore.
I don't know how many other people thought this, but I got the feeling from listening to Clutch's latest album, From Beale Street to Oblivion, that the boys of Clutch may be starting to feel their age. I was a little disappointed tonight to not hear the bit of the devil I heard in their earlier albums come out in the voice of lead singer Neil Fallon. Upon first learning their sound and repertoire I thought of them as a bit of a metal version of BTO (Bachman Turner Overdrive); there was a bite to the delivery of the lyrics. Tonight though they sounded older, slower and softer. Not that their set wasn't dead on and totally rollicking—in fact, their southern rock flavor really took shape tonight and they reminded me of listening to long jam sessions by Lynrd Skynrd in the days of my youth. They sustained the energy level tonight but I think that the younger crowd may have felt like this was a bunch of their fathers and uncles on stage jamming together.
Seeing this concert was like watching a stadium show back in the 70s and the mood in the Warfield was like a comfortable house party where in a dream you win a contest on a radio station and you get to invite all your best friends over for a concert given by your favorite rock band. The rock star thinks you (and all your friends) are the greatest people on the planet and dedicates each song to you because he loves you so much. Claudio is like a shamanic teddy bear that you want to take to bed with you to tell all your secret prayers to before you fall asleep, hoping that he will take you to places in your dreams where you can do battle against all of your fears and win; and you will because he has the power to melt all your enemies with a look and a song. I think more so, he has the ability to help us discover these powers within ourselves.
His personality is so contagious, and he must be the most confident person on this planet (for one reason that he has dared to grow what must be the most incredible head of hair on the planet)! The way that he will enshroud his whole head with his locks while looking downward, then with a mere flick of his forehead expose his face, contagious smile and glowing eyes. I don't know how many of the young fans in the audience were hip to the deeper meanings of the stories inside Coheed's concept albums (in my day, years long marathon discussions would go on amongst my Genesis, Rush and Jethro Tull fan friends when it came to deciphering the meanings of concept albums) but it didn't seem to matter that much. The Amory Wars theme was conveyed in the multi-tiered stage configuration and by the backdrop decorations that showed silhouettes of an otherworldly cityscape. Knowing that The Amory Wars are graphic novels I almost expected to see a more hardcore gathering of pimply adolescents. Contrarily there was a well-rounded blending of older fans that just appreciate solid progressive rock. Many seemed to enjoy the show and music solely on the worth of the beauty of Claudio's lyrics and singing. The set list consisted of: "No World For Tomorrow, " "Gravemakers," "Junesong," "Favor House," "Ten Speed," "The Hound," "Suffering," "Feathers," "Evil Medley," "Mother Superior," "Cuts Marked," "The Running Free," "IKSSE," and for the encore played "Welcome Home," and "Final Cut." Their set lasted just a few minutes short of two hours long!
More on Fall of Troy: www.thefalloftroy.com
More on Clutch: www.pro-rock.com
More on Coheed & Cambria: www.coheedandcambria.com
