Dean Birkheimer | Go Venue Magazine
You can’t even imagine how stoked I was to cover this show. It has been since March since I’ve been able to shoot a show and provide a live review. First things first. The Waiting Room did a magnificent job making sure we were as protected as we could be. The management and staff were stellar in their regard for our safety. A big thank you to them.
Before the covering / tributes started Flux Amuck kicked things off. I’m gonna quote directly from their website. Formed in Omaha, NE in 2014, Flux Amuck quickly gained a reputation as one of strangest bands to hail from their scene while drawing comparisons to acts such as Mr. Bungle, Primus, and The Mars Volta. With shows that have left fans confused, amazed, and once again confused one thing is certain; those who have seen them remember them. My opinion is this. If Sonic Youth and Primus had a child, that child would be Flux Amuck. Again, to quote them, “Weird music for awesome people”. Look for Flux Amucks independently released, well received, debut album “The Alternate“. I absolutely dug this band and they alone were worth the price of admission. I’m not sure if I’m an awesome person or not, but I am a big fan of their weird and progressive music and I will most definitely be looking to see them again.
Dan Medeiros (vocals), Spencer Ross (Guitar), Derek Austin (Bass) Jason Stewart (Drums) and Francis Mercado (DJ) collectively make up the Deftones tribute band The Defnotes. The Defnotes truly are a tribute band. Everything they do on stage is in honor of The Deftones. They are not there to just go through the motions, they have a specific stage set up and their entire performance has but one goal. To entertain. This is a band that you can see every night and not grow tired or bored of. They know how to excite and fire up a crowd and a get a kick out of doing just that. They work hard and I imagine they play even harder. I spoke to Dan before the show and he was telling me how drained he was feeling after the previous night’s show in Des Moines (where the band hails from). Well you could have fooled me, that guy took no breaks and never let up. He gave us every single thing he had, and then some. If you were a member of the Defnotes and you were on that stage in the Waiting Room on September 26th, then from song one to the last song, you owned the building and you totally owned the crowd. Amazing job fellas. Despite the little rivalry between Omaha and Des Moines, you are welcomed here anytime, anyplace, any stage.
Deftones Set List:
DIAMOND EYES – YOU’VE SEEN THE BUTCHER – RISK– FEITCEIRA– KOREA– BLOODY CAPE– CHANGE – ROSEMARY– SWERVE CITY– PRAYERS/TRIANGLES– OHMS – DRIVE – MY OWN SUMMER – HEADUP – ENGINE NO. 9
All Hybrid Theory Midwest wants to do is make Chester proud. Job done!!. From their web page; Playing songs from every LP album, their catalog spans the discography of the iconic band. From the heavy riffs and brutal vocals of the initial Hybrid Theory to the powerful and personal lyrics of Meteora, to the melodic and synthesized sounds of Living Things, this band has everything. Recreating the songs and experience of Linkin Park has only strengthened the members’ love for the band, and they want to help you relive everything that made you fall in love with it, too. The highlight of the evening was when Push Me Away, Shadow Of The Day and Numb were done with the backing of a string quartet. The drum solo during Bleed It Out is still fresh in my head. The band has some wonderful production values and their on-stage swagger is mesmerizing. This is more than a band, they are a team, They play off each other and love watching us watch them. If you are a Linkin Park fan, you really owe it to yourself to see this band. Once you do, you’ll want to see them every chance you get. I know I do.
Hybrid Theory Midwest Set List:
INTRO / CRAWLING – PAPERCUT – BY MYSELF – PLACE FOR MY HEAD – FORGOTTEN – POINTS OF AUTHORITY – NOBODY’S LISTENING – DON’T STAY – SOMEWHERE I BELONG – BLEED IT OUT – (STRINGS) (PUSHING ME AWAY – SHADOW OF THE DAY – NUMB) – WHAT I’VE DONE – LOST IN THE ECHO – WRETCHES AND KINGS – GUILTY ALL THE SAME – IN THE END – BREAKING THE HABIT – FAINT –
– ENCORE –
ONE STEP CLOSER
Hybrid Theory Midwest
Deftones
Flux Amuck
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