Show Review

As we commenced on the long drive to Long Beach Arena, I was honestly a bit taken back about what to expect. After all, this sold-out show was in, well, an arena. Should I have brought binoculars? I was anticipating being a witness to the show much like a baseball fan witnesses a game from the nosebleeds, and was happily surprised as the night progressed.

Finally, after parking and walking, we arrived at the venue where I was pleased to get our press passes for the show. We were even able to cut the line to the “Industry Check-In” area, and blew past about 50 kids with makeup. So far, so good.

As we entered the arena, we were immediately surrounded by a diverse group of scenesters. Makeup was on just as many guys as girls, and there were huge built dudes and skinny dudes with glasses. I was pretty stoked and felt like I already had entered another planet. Not to mention that you could barely move without bumping into anyone—it was completely crowded and a bit of a mess. As the night moved on though, it proved to be in the back of my mind—and the least of my worries.

Though, unfortunately, we had work and were forced to miss the openers of this show, we got there in time to hear Pelican. I was stunned to realize we had full backstage access, so we took advantage and climbed the stairs to join about 40 others on stage to the left of Pelican. Needless to say, the noisey, atmospheric rock of Pelican sounded incredible, and their vibrating energy seemed to be ignored by the crowd of kids who seemed more interested in seeing The Used. Disappointing, to say the least—but I greatly appreciated the monumental rock from the band, and thought they sounded excellent.

As Thrice were preparing to rock the crowd, I was ten feet away, nervous with anticipation. Thrice always seem to bring around a sense of excitement every time I see them, whether it’s seeing them in front of 30,000 people or 500, and despite their lack of explosion into the mainstream, they continue to put on an impressing live show. Opening with the shouty belligerence of “Image Of The Invisible,” I was incredibly in awe with the myriad of fans the band had in the crowd.

Once again, it wasn’t surprising to hear Teppei’s intense, flawless shredding, or Dustin’s incredibly adept vocal stylings. No, there wasn’t anything generally surprising about Thrice’s set at all—and that alone was anything but disappointing. That’s the thing about Thrice. No matter who they’re playing in front of, they always sound stunning—LOUD, BELLIGERENT, and with a sense for ORGANIZED CHAOS. The best moment of their set? The concentrated, vivid performance of “For Miles,” filled with resonating pianos and a shouty, earthy rhythm section. Amazing.

Tonight was the first time, and quite possibly, the last time, I would witness the Deftones. It was even more exciting to realize that I would be doing it from about 30 feet away, stage-left, surrounded by avid fans and photographers of the band. As Chino and company took the stage, I was more and more impressed with the glowing band, as they played songs spanning all of their releases. With energy that was far from reluctant, the Deftones’ best moments were likely during the ethereal “Digital Bath” or the rampant “Minerva,” and it seemed the majority of the crowd were avidly impressed. The epic Chino’s voice was well exhibited by the loud, enormous speakers that surrounded the stage, and I must say that I was genuinely impressed with this band.

So, while this year's Taste Of Chaos was a bit of a crowded mess, I suppose that's what you can expect considering Deftones and Thrice were playing. I really was impressed with the way they handled the crowds and must say, I had a splendid time watching some amazing artists. Thanks to Mike for everything--and for giving me the opportunity to witness and cover an awesome metal festival on Emotional Punk.

review by Andrew Martin