Anthrax / Lamb of God / E. Town Concrete
The Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS
August 6, 2003
The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS is quickly becoming my favorite concert venue. Sure, it's a bit of a drive from Kansas City, but with all the killer bands they've been bringing in, it's worth the $3.00 or so in Kansas Turnpike fares! Anyway, on with the review.
Due to some unexpected traffic jams on the highway, we showed up with only a few songs left in E. Town Concrete's set. For me it was really no big loss. It's that weird Funk-Rap-Jazz-Hardcore stuff so if that's your cup-o-tea, then fine. Personally, my little posse was enjoying a good chuckle over them while consuming our Samuel Adamseseses. The band had a few hardcore fans up front shouting the lyrics and going nuts. I was getting a kick out of all the "You want to hear some heavy shit?" talk from the vocalist...only to start playing some song that sounded like the rest. Just because you wear backwards baseball caps and sports jerseys doesn't make you heavy. The only song I can remember the name of was "Mandibles", but I thought he said "Manimal". I was maybe hoping for a song about a crime-fighting professor who change into animals, but no such luck. Why this band is on this tour is beyond me. Maybe they're on the same label or something. NEXT!!!!!
After a brief interlude, Lamb of God came on a kicked my ass!! Lots of tuned down chugga-chugga-chugga triplets on guitars and double bass drumming that kick start your heart like those fucking paddle things that doctors use. Sounding like a cross between between Meshuggah and old Fear Factory, these guys know how to get your blood pumping. I also liked the fact they had guitar solos. That seems like a rarity these days. Saw some crazy pit action, and one of my friends later told me that her date for the evening got his calf taken out during their set. Quite simply, it was some down-and-dirty metal. My only concern is for the vocalist's chest. He seemed to enjoy beating it with the microphone. So, check 'em out and prepare to have your skull beat in with a sledgehammer. I enjoyed their set so much that someday I need to get off my ass and go get some of their CD's.
With the Blues Brothers theme "I Can't Turn You Loose" playing over the speakers, and the crowd clapping and yelling along...the Masters of the Mosh, the Kings of Krunch, the etcetera of the etcetera took the stage. I've seen Anthrax twice. First on the Clash of the Titans Tour back in 1991 with Slayer and Megadeth, and again later in 1996 with Cannibal Corpse if I remember correctly. Each time was always a treat and this was no exception to the rule. They really know how to start a show, playing "What Doesn't Die", "Got The Time", "Caught In A Mosh", and "Black Dahlia" as the first few songs to get the crowd going. All the while, Scott "NOT" Ian is stomping around churning out some of the best mosh riffs ever to be released upon this fine planet and Frankie "Bambino" Bello is just a crazed lunatic on bass and background vocals. John Bush is head and shoulders above Joey Belladonna. He was belting out the old stuff like "Madhouse", "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L)", "Indians", "Be All End All", and "Metal Thrashing Mad" with more balls than Joey. Charlie "Horns Up" Benante is a machine. For being a year shy of 40 years old, Chaaawwwlie is in no way a slouch behind the kit. Blastbeasts, double-bass, killer fills....Chaaaawwwwlie is the man! Rob "New Guy" Caggiano seemed content to just be playing. They played a number of songs from their new CD, We've Come For You All, but I'm glad they limited their selections from Stomp 242 and Volume 8. They played for about two hours, and every second was fun...just damn fun. You could definitely tell the fans who were into them back in the day...we were the ones with fist-banging mania and singing along to "Madhouse" and "Metal Thrashing Mad".
Me and my peeps all had a jolly good time (2020 edit - yuck, did I just say my peeeps? Apologies) The beer was on Kim, since she used her debit card...and you had to have a $10 minimum before they'll charge it. So, she forced me to have some Sam Adams...hehe. Chris stayed back, while the rest of us went nucking futs up front. It was Shane's first time seeing Anthrax, so he finally die a happy man. By the end of the show, Shane and I were drenched in sweat, spit, and various water baptisms from the stage. Being headbutted a few times by a sweaty John Bush didn't help in that department either.
