The line to get in was long but the wait was not so bad. I listened and chimed in on occasion as the slow march of heshers chatted excitedly about the bands we were most excited to see and the beers we wanted to try first. I saw some sick vests and got a lot of comments on my jacket. There was going to be 13 breweries and 50 beers available to try, 46 of them I had never had before and I had a goal to try all 46. The previous night I had tried 3 of them at the pre-fest over at Ratio Beerworks, whose staff were knowledgeable and a joy to be around. 43 beers in two days, unlikely for success but I decided I would make a valiant attempt.
As soon as I got my 4oz tasting cup I took off towards the Warpigs booth to try their black IPA followed immediately by the 3Floyds imperial stout of the day. My carefully constructed list was quickly forgotten as I powered through 6 different beers before running out to the floor to catch Castrator. The floor was enormous compared to years past. Massive chandeliers loomed above us and Blood Incantations obelisks stood on both corners of the front of the stage. Castrator RULES. Imagine the song “Kill or Become” by Cannibal Corpse became sentient and formed a band that consisted of a bunch of terrifying hot chicks. Amazing musicians making OSDM that is actually interesting.
As Castrators set was coming to a close I booked it over to the beer side, wiped out 5 more beers then stumbled gracefully back down the stairs to get a decent spot to watch Panopticon play Autumn Eternal in full. My friend I brought with me from Arkansas was standing with my friends I had made at other metal fests (crossover episode!!!) they had secured a great spot, I just sidled on in there with them. Panopticon is mostly a one man band, I recently learned that his backing band while playing live is Falls of Rauros and they go great together. I was especially fond of the electric violin, you don’t see that every day. Also the main dude in Panopticon, Austin Lunn created Hammerheart Brewery and has the best smoked beers I’ve ever had.
I left Panopticons set a little early to go smoke because mixing so many stouts and IPAs together had me feeling a bit off. I stubbed out my Lucky Strike then promptly went and turbo fisted 3 more beers before making my way up front for The Red Chord playing their 2005 album Clients in full. My first big show I ever went to was Job for a Cowboy, Skeletonwitch and The Red Chord in Joplin Missouri in 2007. I saw my first circle pit at that show and as a nu metal loving 16 year old, it scared the shit out of me. “Merry Christmas” by Wesley Willis was their welcoming music as they walked out onto the stage, their singer wearing a Santa hat and beard. The beard held on for dear life as Guy thrashed about the stage as one does in a band like that. I got a super sick tour exclusive Clients Vinyl that came with a signed Christmas card, sticker and little bag to carry it all in from the Indiemerch booth across the floor from the beers.
I tried to get some more beers but it was so crowded I could only get one. I began squirreling my way as close as I could to see Chat Pile. For months I had been telling My Friend I Brought With Me, who was pretty much only there for Acid Bath, that I couldn’t wait to get up front for Chat Pile and get the crap beat out of me during their set. Their sets at Roadburn were the only ones I saw where anyone moshed, and I had gone to see all of the black metal bands. When I saw them play with Mamaleek in Nashville I thought I was going to get launched into the ceiling fan and I wasn’t even up front that time. My friend squeezed her way in beside me and asked who was playing next and when I told her, her discomfort was radiant. It didn’t get all that rough this time though. As per usual their singer regaled us with with movie facts based on movies that had been filmed in whatever city they were playing in, whipped off his shirt and did some fancy dancin’. Partway through the set he informed us that the Blood Incantation obelisks that had been on the stage all night were real and weighed 3 tons apiece. Their set was a potent mix of oldies and goodies.
Throughout the night the beer area crowds excessive politeness gave way to a game of human pinball. Unintentional shoulder checks went completely unnoticed which I thought was fun but I felt like I had been jostled enough for the evening. I made my way to a lonely water dispenser and chugged 8 cups in a row. Someone complimented my Fluisteraars shirt and I was sooo happy.
I went and found the best spot that I could for Blood Incantation. I love that band and hadn’t seen them in over 3 years, I was pretty well stoked. While I waited the floor became an impromptu dance party as the sound guy blasted us with More Than a Feeling by Boston, which if you were unaware, is the world’s greatest song. Many of the crowd sang along, danced and waved around their stressed out tasting cups. It was honestly a beautiful experience I will never forget. Blood Incantation began their set with the first two songs off Absolute Elswhere, pausing to ask someone in the crowd holding a record to “turn the record over and put the needle on it” which was great fun but a little confusing at first. Once the invisible needle hit the record they finished the rest of Absolute Elsewhere which is an incredible album. They followed up with Giza Power Plant and everyone went apeshit including myself. It was a good night. Beers tried: 18/46
The taste highlights of the evening were Brewdogs IPA, everything from Hammerheart and their generous smoky pours and the Warpigs Deadguy sticke alt. The Chat Pile IPA from Jukes Ale Works about killed me.
MID SOUTH 