The first time I saw DevilDriver live was way back in 2009, and I’ve seen them live a few times since then, but there was something special about this latest time, primarily because of the bands the band brought with them. They brought two amazingly epic bands with them – one of them hailing all the way from the Ukraine – on their Outlaws Til The End tour. Those two bands were Raven Black and Jinjer. If you haven’t heard of either one of those two bands, do yourself a favor and hop on Spotify for a bit. Go on, I’ll wait.
Let’s start from the beginning. The show was held at Bottom Lounge, a small-ish venue in Chicago that’s quite nice for its size. There is a restaurant – and from what I saw, an arcade – attached to the venue, but I didn’t bother with either one. Shortly after I arrived with my photographer Jay Matson, the show started with opening local band Contra. I had to double check the name because like you’d probably imagine, when I hear the word Contra, I think about that ridiculously difficult video game from 30 years ago. These guys brought with them an intense energy that most likely would’ve started a mosh pit were it not for the venue’s strict rules against such things. All in all it was a fantastic opener for a metal show.
Next up was Tanzen, another Chicago local. While not quite as heavy as Contra, these guys still killed it on stage. These guys in my opinion were a bit better than Contra as they mixed in some melody into their heaviness and didn’t simply scream through every song. I’m not necessarily saying screaming through all of your songs is a bad thing if you’ve got the voice for it and can pull it off, but it’s just very much a matter of taste.
The first of the touring acts was Raven Black. I’d first seen Raven Black in Milwaukee when they were playing with Sunflower Dead and Mushroomhead. I have to admit I didn’t care for them at the time and they’re definitely not for everyone but I’ve seen them a couple times since, and they’ve grown on me and I’m happy to say I’m a fan. Plus, they’re all just really great people. Raven gave me a hug after their set as I was walking by. Their stage show is fantastic, with lots of props like hula hoops, giant teddy bears, lots of flashy lights and a lot more, and their music can probably best be described as creepy horror metal. I mean that in the best possible way; these guys are fantastic.
As I mentioned earlier, one of the touring acts hails all the way from the Ukraine. I speak of course of Jinjer, and this was my first time seeing or even hearing of them, but I was pretty damn impressed. Tatiana’s (vocalist) voice is fucking brutal. Deceptively so, as you would never expect such intense guttural growls to come from this woman if you’ve ever seen her. The whole band is just as intense. As they performed songs such as “Ape” and “Sit Stay Roll Over” I was simply blown away by the energy the band carried with them.
And now we come to the finale, the headlining act. DevilDriver. Of course you’ve heard of them. That’s why you’re reading this. Since they’re on tour promoting their outlaw country covers album Outlaws Til The End, you’d think they’d be performing a bunch of songs off that album. Well, you’d be wrong. They only played one, their Willie Nelson cover, “Whiskey River”. The rest of the songs were from their extensive discography, opening with “Ruthless” and continuing on to fan favorites like “Hold Back the Day”, “I Could Care Less”, and “The Mountain”. This band will beat the hell out of you with their brutality and make you come crawling back for more every single time. Their commanding stage presence will ensure that there isn’t a single dull moment even between songs. I always absolutely love seeing these guys live.
There’s only a few more stops on this tour so you may or may not get a chance to see them soon, but if you haven’t seen them, do yourself a favor, you won’t regret it. And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up a copy of the Outlaws Til The End album, literally anywhere albums are sold.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Jay Matson Photography
Devildriver
Jinjer & Raven Black
