I didn't really know who the opening bands were going into the concert, but I am glad my girlfriend and I showed up twenty minutes before they played. Chant was really good. They were raw, exciting, almost tribal and the lyrics were inspiring, even revolutionary. The perfect combination for an industrial concert. The only negative thing I have to say about Chant is that I wish the keyboardist had done just a little bit more with the keyboard as a keyboard, such as was the case during the opening song.
I initially didn't enjoy the second band, Legion Within, very much. I think part of it was because the bassist was drowned out by the drums, but by the time that was fixed, after a couple songs, I was more into them. They had high energy, and the lead singer was entertaining and theatrical, as were the lyrics. The members from both opening acts were personable, professional, and engaging.
KMFDM was awesome. Because we had arrived early, we were up front against the stage, and pretty much directly in front of Lucia. She had great energy the entire time, a testament to the idea that women can be strong, powerful and sexy. I laughed when someone in the crowd after a few songs screamed "Drug Against War!" and she responded with a slightly drawn-out "Patience." Sasha also had great energy, and smiled at the crowd from time to time. Both guitarists were also engaging, and the drummer was always on beat. It's nice to know that bands like KMFDM, despite having been in the music industry for quite a long time, still care about what they are doing, take the time to interact with the crowd (lots of eye contact), and balance professionalism with passion for their music.
I will admit that I'm not too familiar with their new material, but that didn't really seem to matter. First, I liked all the songs I had never before heard. Second, for a tour promoting their new songs, they played a lot of older songs, which I really enjoyed. So did the rest of the crowd. Predictably, people were incited into moshing by "Free Your Hate," "Drug Against War," and "World War III," to name a few songs. It was great, and really made me feel alive. That sentiment can be extended to the entire set. This was my second time seeing KMFDM, and I was even more impressed than the first time, mostly because I was closer to the stage. Their performance was simply amazing and that concert is the best I've ever seen. I will definitely see them again when they come to Boston next time.
Paradise Rock Club @
- Boston @
, MA @
- Wed, Mar 20, 2013 @
Favorite moment: Screaming "anarchy" into the mic when the lead singer of Legion Within joined KMFDM for "Anarchy." @
Setlist: In no particular order: Free Your Hate, Hau Ruck, Drug Against War, Megalomaniac, World War III, Anarchy, and more! @
Opening act(s): Chant, Legion Within @