Behemoth returned to California in a big way. As I am from southern Orange County, I did miss the first few bands, but I arrived in time to see Watain. I had heard of them, but I hadn't heard them directly, and they were quite amazing and incredibly talented. They had amazing energy and I can think of few other bands that can so perfectly lead in to Behemoth.
That leads me to the headliner and the powerful return of Nergal after his victory over leukemia. I have seen Behemoth many times and they get better every time, this was no different. Their energy and musicianship does nothing but improve as they perfect their art. I am a very tame person--I generally sit in the back and don't mosh, don't headbang, and just enjoy the music. Behemoth is the exception. By the end of their set, I was moving with everyone else.
The only downside I can put has nothing to do with the band. House of Blues Sunset Strip is probably the worst venue I can name. They severely overbook every concert. I understand going into a moshpit gives you the expectation of having little room and lots of contact, but being outside of it should give you enough room to move around. I'm not joking when I say I had about two inches to myself, and that was the case for everyone else. When it was time to leave, I had to plan about twenty minutes ahead to make it to the exit.
So, in summation: Watain and Behemoth earn 5 stars for being awesome. HoB Sunset earns 0.