Converge made the second stop of their tour in Columbia, SC this past Friday. Joining the metalcore pioneers on the road are Belgian post-hardcore act Brutus, and Illinois-based 3-piece Frail Body.
Frail Body was first up.
This band is new to me, and I hate to admit it, but I didn't do my homework on them before the show. After listening to their debut album 'A Brief Memoriam', I would call myself a fan. The band's raw, almost chaotic sound and melodic interludes should make for fantastic live shows. Unfortunately the sound for this set was pretty awful. That isn't a slight against the band or their musicianship, but the mix was muddy to the point that I could barely hear the vocals and the instruments were mostly indistinguishable from one another. I checked out some videos of them playing live and they sounded great, so I would still recommend catching a show. Sometimes things just don't go the way they're supposed to and this seems like one of those sets.
Brutus was another new group for me, and they put together an impressive first impression.
The musicianship of this group was immediately apparent as their set started. It was obvious throughout the performance that the members of Brutus genuinely enjoy playing together. There was an infectious energy from the group, and the passion they have for their music was on full display. The instrumental delivery, punctuated by drummer/vocalist Stefanie Mannaerts's raw performance, won me over.
Converge flipped the night on it's head with an unbelievably high-energy show.
I have listened to Converge off and on for the last 15 years, but never had a chance to see them live. They absolutely killed it. Between the immediate sonic assault and the high-energy performance of the entire band, particularly frontman Jacob Bannon, it was clear that they haven't lost a step. Aside from a mostly uninspiring showing from the crowd this set was exactly what I expected from Converge: high-intensity, frantic, and visceral from start to finish. Bannon's incredible stage presence helped to tie the whole show together into one cohesive performance while bandmates Ballou, Newton, and Koller cut their way through a setlist spanning much of their catalog with ease. To anyone still on the fence about seeing them on tour, just do it. They deliver.
Converge, Brutus, and Frail Body have more stops on this tour! Check out upcoming stops here.
Photos and article by Dillon Reesor
Via Saucewithspoons