MetalVice

Karen went to her first show roughly 20 years ago. The very first opener that night was 10 Years. The only other time we have seen 10 Years was at RockFest 2023. So one show every 10 years or so. Well, when they came through Chicago as part of their most recent tour we decided that was a tradition we wanted to break. We made our way once again to Subteranian’s upstars venue for 10 Years, Keith Wallen (from Breaking Benjamin), and Kamenar. While the music is not our go to knuckle dragging Metal music, it was definitely a good night for live music.

Mother of Graves is definitely one of our favorite bands we have discovered. Every chance we get we will go to see them. So on a blisteringly cold night in late January we ventured to Cobra Lounge to see them. They were not the headliner, but they were the main attraction for us. Headlining the bill was Trouble with Fer de Lance as the first opener. Just like the many many subgenres of Metal, it turns out Doom Metal has many flavors too. For this night all three bands offered a unique sound of Doom. Join us as we ponder which flavor is our favorite.

In late 2024 Karen finally made it to her first show of the year at one of our favorite venues in Chicago, Radius. It happened to be our first sold out show at this venue too. Headlining was Lornashore, playing their album Pain Remains in full. Along for support we had Whitechapel, Kublai Khan TX, and Sanguisugabogg. With the show being sold out, we got to experience this venue in a whole new light.

We start 2025 off working on one of our goals for the year, see more cheap shows around Chicago. So, over the first weekend of the year we were able to catch two shows for only $15 each. No fees, just $15 at the door. For the first, we saw a Zeppelin tribute band, Kashmir, at Reggies. The second saw us checking out a venue for the first time, Live Wire Lounge. The show was headlined by Wraith, with support from Traitor and Chemical Dependency. Regardless of our thoughts on each show, it was a killer weekend of shows. At only $15 a pop!

In 2024 we saw more shows than we ever have in a single year, 67 shows in total. That's more than one a week. While a few of our episodes did cover more than one show, we did not do a Podcast on every show. In this episode we briefly recall each of these uncasted shows. At least we recall what we can, in some cases it's not a whole lot. In others, there were some fun moments we almost forgot.

With 2024 in the books, we can look back and reflect on the year that was. Again, we saw more shows than ever in a single year. We discovered some amazing new music, and met many beautiful kind souls along the way. We saw new places and new acts in killer new venues. We did this all while pursuing one of our biggest loves, music. Happy New Year and let's hope for an even better 2025!

Concert Setlist Playlist (2024):

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/785lDYbr2XemCKBG2qLV53?si=b2860e515d0f496f 

Concert Setlist Playlist (2023): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5EA7vhe7eOcgTWUkkrYObD?si=8ba09f1f335b489c

Concert Setlist Playlist (2022): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4bAn2cg15hzyArXLXjQ2gQ?si=59c4058b410046c8

Music is a huge part of Christmas and the holiday season. Everyone knows the classics and everyone has their own favorites. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra introduced their take on some of these classics, with some of their own music too, nearly 30 years ago. Their show and music instantly became a holiday tradition for many people. For us, it has been a show we have wanted to see almost as long as the group has been together. This year we finally made it to a show. But will it become a must see holiday performance for us? Join us to find out.

Beer and music go hand and hand. Unless - of course you don't drink. In that case you can just enjoy killer music. That's just what Decibel offers twice a year when they meld two great types of festivals into one. Join us as we look at our time at the 2024 edition of Decibel’s Metal and Beer fest.

We return again to the Subterranean for a vastly different show. The first time we were here, just a month earlier, was for a hardcore show. This time it was for some metal infused darksynth with a little electronic pop. While we knew what we were getting ourselves into with Dance With The Dead, their opener, Korine, was a surprise for sure.

When Hatebreed announced their 30th anniversary tour, Chicago was left off the list. At first we were a little disappointed, but then we calmed down because we would be able to see them at MKE Metal Fest. Sure not quite as good as seeing them at their own headlining show, but at least we got to see them and help celebrate 30 amazing years. However, at MKE Metal Fest, Jasta announced that two more shows were added to the 30th anniversary tour; Green Bay and Chicago. So yeah, we were going to try and make this work. Not only did we get to celebrate Hatebreed with the other fans, we also got to celebrate with two new bands, Crypta and Harm’s Way. Of course the gents from across the pond, Carcass, were also joining in on the celebration.