CONCERT REVIEW
The World We Knew, Stray From The Path, For
Today, Despised Icon and Winds of Plague
Vaudeville Mews, Feb. 16
The Vaudeville Mews was head banger heaven last week with a line-up of five hardcore metal bands headlined by Winds of Plague. The downtown Des Moines music venue was packed wall-to-wall with rocking fans and an intense mosh pit.
This middle-aged suburban mom is a veteran of numerous concerts, but never a deathcore show. Being old school, I was expecting an Alice Cooper-style performance featuring blood, gore and hardcore nastiness with Satan himself. I laughed when I saw this show was nothing like my expectations.
Despite some technical difficulties, the Despised Icon set was great, featuring a number of songs from their latest CD “Day of Mourning.”
Winds of Plague gave a strong performance as well. Their music is sometimes referred to as “symphonic deathcore,” an appropriate description considering their use of keyboard melodies with their strong guitars, rhythm and vocals. Lead singer Johnny Plague was a beast with power and rage blasting from his presence. The fans were invited to join the band on stage during one of their songs and, for a few minutes, it was utter chaos that everyone seemed to enjoy.
There were lyrics in the songs I heard that night, but to my deathcore virgin ears, it sounded like someone belching the alphabet into the microphone. Even so, I enjoyed the show, especially Winds of Plague’s performance of “Decimate the Weak” and watching the people around me going crazy. CV — Shannon Smith
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Winds of Plague at Vaudeville Mews Photo by Shannon Smith |
Despised Icon at Vaudeville Mews Photo by Shannon Smith |
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Fire House at 7 Flags Event Center Photo by Darren Tromblay |
Euforquestra at People’s Court Photo by Jared Curtis |
