[Concert Reviews] Summer 2017 Review Compilation

Just as my writing focus shifted away from thrifting, I’ve lost some interest in long-form nonfiction narration under the guise of concert reviews. They’ll still happen occasionally. Over the past month, I’ve written little more than thinking up an introduction to a hypothetical Metallica review: “Without exaggeration, I’ve listened to Symphony and Metallica while writing over 50% of the material I’ve uploaded here. Did they disappoint?” So let’s briefly cover this backlogged batch of 5 concert reviews.


Swag booth décor

Average Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5] [53 stars out of a 100 possible star rating]
Adjusted Rating: ★★★★☆ [4/5] [some excellence]


Аркона [Arkona] at Studio Seven

Anthrocene (“Local Opener #1”)
Vigorous energy surpassed average music. Saw again, was less impressed.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Blood & Thunder (“Local Opener #2”)
3 months later, I recall nothing of this about average band.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ [2/5]

Graveshadow and Mindmaze
Both were acceptable as filler bands getting the audience hyped.
Biases: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5], ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Sirenia
Nothing memorable or offensive about this decent symphonic metal band.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Аркона [Arkona]
High energy folk meeting death metal. Slightly uninviting, if uninitiated.
Bias: 3rd awesome concert
Rating: ★★★★☆ [4/5]


Metallica at Clink

Gojira
Only heard them from outside. Audience consensus: not too bad.
Bias: Saw once before
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Avenged Sevenfold
Enjoyed them. Would see them again and heard more music.
Bias: Heard some albums
Rating: ★★★★☆ [4/5]

Mix Master Mike
Terrible-mixed!
Bias: Hip hop’s cool
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ [0/5]

Metallica
5-star potential. Minor slip-ups during “One” and lackluster newer songs.
Bias: Fan for decades
Rating: ★★★★☆ [4/5]


Clutch at Marymoor

Clutch
Without question the best rock and roll band working today.
Bias: Seen thrice before
Rating: ★★★★★ [5/5]

Primus
Rudimentary jazz with some rock elements. They need tighter songs.
Bias: Dig studio songs
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]


Dropkick at Wamu
This venue suffers from muffled “cupping the mic” acoustics

Kevin Seconds
Awkward activist ranting bluntly about boring topics between acceptable pop.
Bias: Dislike political singer-songwriters
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ [0/5]

The Selecter
Fun performance, decent music. Their cover songs were too cluttered.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Dropkick Murphys
Fun punk rock augmented by almost overwhelming visually-stimulating light show.
Bias: Seen once before
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Rancid
No fancy light show. Less catchy. Just raw punk rock.
Bias: Dig some albums
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

The encore collaboration, I jokingly called Dropkick Rancids, was fun.


Swingin’ Utters at Funhouse

The Drowns
Decent punk rock, just not enough energy to hold attention.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ [2/5]

The Botherations
Acceptable punk rock, just wasn’t interesting enough either. Needed more.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ [2/5]

Western Settings
Above that curve. Still about average fun for punk rock.
Bias: No preconceived notions
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]

Swingin’ Utters
Thought they’d sound more like a cowpunk band. Still good.
Bias: Dig some albums
Rating: ★★★☆☆ [3/5]


Clutch, no zoom

I enjoyed this brief reviewing format much more than the usual full narratives of each evening’s festivities. There was too much analysis required for those reviews. Unless a show grabs my attention in a particular way, I’ll continue on with this concert reviewing format, uploading after 20 bands or so?

Swag: Shirts, no CDs…?


Obligatory Metallica pyrotechnics

My big goal is writing. My most important goal is writing "The Story." All other goals should work toward that central goal. My proudest moment is the most recent time I overcame some fear, which should have been today. I'm a better zombie than I was yesterday. I'm not better than you and you're not better than me. Let's strive to be better every day.