Static Altars, Upwell, KLAW, Greenriver Thrillers @ The Funhouse -- 06/04/2016

Photos & Article By Jesse Huminski

The best part about being a fan of any sort of musical genre is a live concert. Concerts are a place to mingle with fellow fans who share your passion for a band as well as permit you to experience musical emotion in real time. Whilst I do thoroughly appreciate shows from big name bands, it's the smaller local shows that I enjoy a little more. Large venues don't give off an intimate vibe and usually, after a band is done, you won't often see them roaming around the venue drinking a beer, chatting up with fans, and enjoying the music of other local artists in the scene. These are the types of shows that keep our beloved genres alive. Without them, the bands of today won't be able to become the big names of tomorrow.

I'm new to the Pacific Northwest. Having barely been here for two years, I had no idea where to look for shows such as the one that occurred on June 4th at The Funhouse in Seattle. To be quite honest, I'm not even sure where I saw the tour poster above. I checked out the a few bands on the bill and immediately felt as if I needed to be there. I've been following the Doomed & Stoned blog for quite sometime and felt compelled to finally become apart of the local scene here in Washington. I grabbed my camera (well, my girlfriend's anyway) and headed down to Seattle, knowing very well that the next day I would probably regret staying up so late as I had to be up for work early in the morning.

But, the lack of sleep and ensuing grouchiness of having to be at work was well worth it.

Kvelertak, Torche, Wild Throne @ El Corazon -- 5/1/2016

I came across this show sitting in a friend's room as he was watching TV. There wasn't even a doubt in my mind; I needed to see this. Kvelertak, supported by Torche?! Hell yes. I had no idea who Wild Throne was prior to that night. Did a little research and knew they'd fit the bill. The scene was set and the anticipation was capped. I couldn't wait for the night of this show. I had been hoping to see Torche for the longest time. I missed them play a couple of nights back when I lived in NYC. So seeing this show was basically top priority the moment I heard about it.

Wild Throne - Harvest of Darkness

The show opened with Wild Throne, a band based out of Bellingham, WA. Comprised of three members, Joshua Holland (guitar/vocals), Noah Burns (drums), Jeff Johnson (bass), Wild Throne had a sound that stunned me & rocked El Corazon. Immediately, I became involved in their set becoming captivated by Holland's vocals, which emanated that of Rody Walker from Protest the Hero. Never before have I seen someone play their pedal board as an instrument like Holland did. I became intrigued, wanting to hear more from these guys as the set went on. An electrifying band with a unique sound, if you have an opportunity to see Wild Throne live, I would highly recommend it.

Torche - Restarter

Torche was next in the lineup. A thundering powerhouse of a band made up of Steve Brooks  (guitars, vocals), Jonathan Nuñez (bass) Rick Smith (drums) Andrew Elstner (guitar, vocals), Torche lived up to my hype of them. Considering the fact that they were in a motor vehicle accident just a few nights prior, I was surprised by their performance. Hell, if I had been the one whose van hit a sheet of ice, I don't think I'd be able to play the next night, let alone continue and finish off the tour. I'm glad everyone in the van was safe and unharmed. And, I'm definitely grateful Torche were there to perform for us that night.

The atmosphere for Torche was climactic as the opening chords bellowed through the venue. My excitement was through the roof as the quartet performed. I had been anticipating seeing these guys since first hearing Harmonicraft back in 2012. And, much to my pleasure, the band opened up with "Kicking" off that album. Torche's performance was enticing and inspiring recognizing what had happened a few days prior. The fans were ecstatic, singing along and moshing throughout the set. All things considered, their performance was through the roof. 

Kvelertak - Nattesferd (Out May 13th, 2016)

Headliners Kvelertak, made up of Erlend Hjelvik (vocals), Bjarte Lund Rolland (guitar), Maciek Ofstad (guitar), Vidar Landa (guitar), Marvin Nygaard (bass), Kjetil Gjermundrød (Drums), took the stage with a dominating force.  I remember reading an article back in 2012 about how one of the band's performances in Singapore ended up spilling into the streets and I knew the venue was in for an electric performance that one would be unable to forget. Hjelvik came out with a light up owl mask (the band's mascot, if you will) on his head during their first song.  

Almost immediately, a pit erupted in front of the stage. The band made it feel like we were at a party instead of watching a concert. Hjelvik's stage presence was alive, getting the crowd involved in singing along to the songs and speaking with them in between as the other members tuned up their instruments. Watching these guys made me reel with anticipation over their new album coming out later this month.

It was unfortunate the night had to end. I wish I could relive this show over and over due to it being an astonishing experience. The tour hits Hawthorne Theater in Portland, OR tonight and ends at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on May 6th. If you're in the area for any of these shows, get to it and live it out for yourself.