The Amity Affliction at Rams Head Live on 1/18/19

Avatar in Baltimore, MD on 1/13/18

Avatar, one of Sweden’s finest exports, made its stop in Maryland at the Baltimore Soundstage on its first tour as a headliner this past weekend. Some of the band’s most hardcore fans lined up for hours in the freezing weather before doors opened to get the best spot in the intimate venue. The venue was transformed into a carnival, complete with a decked-out merch booth decorated as a carnival tent and fans had the opportunity to enjoy a spin-to-win wheel.

Carnival themed string lights lead up to the stage which was prepped and ready for the night’s first opener: Hellzapoppin. The sideshow act kicked the night off in a way you will not see at any other concert. The set consisted of walking on glass, sword swallowing, incredible magic tricks and other mind-blowing spectacles. The Brains took the stage next and delivered bass slapping driven rock songs, leaving the crowd primed and ready for Avatar to take the stage.

Avatar kicked off its set with Jonas Jarlsby, guitarist and King of Avatar Country, which is the band’s fictitious country of origin, waving from his throne as the crowd cheered with excitement. He continued to play his guitar from his throne for two songs until joining the rest of the band in hair-whipping metal. The band’s set consisted of fan favorites and some of the tracks off their new album Avatar Country, which is now available. Overall, Avatar has put together an incredibly unique live experience with incorporating a nonmusical opener, which adds depth to the fantasy kingdom. If you have a chance to catch this tour, do so. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to see the phenomenally immersive experience which will leave fans amazed. 

Devin Townsend Project in Baltimore, MD on 11/30/17

The Devin Townsend Project (DTP) came to the Baltimore Soundstage at the end of November. In addition to DTP, Baltimore’s own Bridge To Divide and Dark Water Transit, supported the ticket.  Townsend, who has a huge catalog of incredible music, brought a set list that ranged from older fan favorites to tracks off their latest album Transcendence. The show was one of the few headlining stops while they are on tour with Clutch and The Obsessed. Fans excitedly braved the frigid winter weather to catch Townsend headline the intimate Baltimore venue. The band brought an incredible live show that really showcases the musical talent of Townsend. The songs from his latest album, which included the individual band members, added a new layer to the music didn’t disappoint. The added bonus of showing off some of Baltimore’s local talent made for a perfect night of music. The night also showed that DTP can still bring fresh content that has fans excited more than ever to see the group and look forward to what they can bring in the future.

Set List:

Truth

Stormbending

Failure

Night

Deadhead

Hyperdrive

Gaia

Canada

Bad Devil

Supercrush

Poozers

More

Kingdom

Ih Ah

Higher

311 at Rams Head Live on 11/2/17

311’s Fall 2017 tour made it’s stop in Baltimore to a sold out show at Rams Head Live which had fans eagerly waiting for the doors to get the best spot in the unique venue. The show was supported by D.C. area natives RDGLDGRN, which always put on a great show with their rap/reggae hybrid style. RDGLDGRN did a short set which ended with Green jumping into the crowd, which he regularly does at their shows. 

311’s recent album Mosaic was released in June 2017 and some of the tracks off the new album made their way into the night’s setlist. This new album brings another aspect into the genre spanning 311, by bringing a hip hop element to their reggae/rock feel and shows that the band continues to grow while giving their audience something new and fresh to look forward to. Known as a band that continuously tours, 311 more impressively changes their setlist every night to keep things fresh for their fans. This show was no different as 311 fans chanted for the band from before the doors opened until the band took the stage. The enthusiastic fans sang along throughout the full set which shows just how passionate and supportive 311 fans really are. If you have seen this band live before or not, you will definitely want to check out their upcoming shows to hear some of the new music that is being released.

Trivium & Arch Enemy at Baltimore Soundstage on 10/31/17

Trivium and Arch Enemy came to Baltimore Soundstage on Halloween and delivered a powerful show that did not disappoint. The impressive lineup started with Fit for an Autopsy taking the stage – dressed for the holiday – with lead singer Joe Badolato dressed as Batman. They kicked it off setting the foundation for what turned out to be an unbelievably high energy show filled with phenomenal guitarists and metal vocals that hit the Halloween mood on the head.

While She Sleeps from Sheffield, England took the stage second and skyrocketed the tempo of the show to a whole other level. Between bassist Aaran McKenzie and vocalist Lawrence Taylor’s frequent visits to the crowd, the band was using the stage and swinging speakers to give the fans everything they could want from a live performance.

While She Sleeps put on a show like no other and set the bar for Arch Enemy to do what they do best. Arch Enemy brought some of their best past work, as well as their material from the new album, Will to Power, which shows a new side of Arch Enemy and brings melodic clean vocals for the first time in the band’s discography. Arch Enemy proved that they can still develop further as musicians even though they are incredibly talented and are producing some of their best content yet. The set provided material that longtime fans love, and they are still able to reach a wider audience as they develop their sound further.

Trivium wrapped the night to a packed venue as costumed crowd surfers battered the barricade and ecstatic fans belted out the lyrics to their favorite tracks. If you can catch this tour, it is definitely one you do not want to miss!

Tour Dates:

Nov. 4 —  Worcester, Mass. @ The Palladium

Nov. 5 — Montreal, Quebec @ Metropolis

Nov. 7 — Toronto, Ontario @ The Danforth Music Hall

Nov. 8 — Detroit, Mich. @ Royal Oak Music Theatre

Nov. 10 — Sioux City, Iowa @ Anthem At Hard Rock

Nov. 11 — Kansas City, Mo. @ The Truman

Nov. 12 — Chicago, Ill. @ Concord Music Hall

Nov. 14 — Minneapolis, Minn. @ Skyway Theater

Nov. 15 — Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave

Nov. 17 — Denver, Colo. @Summit Music Hall

Nov. 18 — Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Complex

Nov. 20 — Calgary, Alberta @ The Palace Theatre

Nov. 21 — Edmonton, Alberta @ Union Hall

Nov. 23 — Vancouver, British Columbia @ Vogue Theater

Nov. 24 — Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox Sodo

Nov. 25 — Portland, Ore. @ Roseland Theater

Nov. 27 — Sacramento, Calif. @ Ace of Spades

Nov. 28 — San Francisco, Calif. @ The Regency Ballroom

Nov. 29 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Wiltern

Dec. 1 — Phoenix, Ariz. @ Marquee Theater

Dec. 2 — Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sunshine Theater

Dec. 4 — Dallas, Texas @ Gas Monkey Live

Dec. 5 — San Antonio, Texas @ Alamo City Music Hall

Dec. 6 — Houston, Texas @ Warehouse Live