By Mitch West
Static X at The Bourbon 4.9.23 Photo Credit: @thatonemitchkid
Metalheads unite!! They came, they rocked and melted the faces off of a sold-out crowd on April 9th at The Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln, NE. Sunday night featured a long overdue tour stop on the sold-out North American leg of the 'Rise of The Machine' Tour featuring some of metal's biggest bands Twiztid, Dope, Fear Factory, and headliner Static-X. Other dates rotated out Twiztid with Mushroomhead, Cultus Black, or Society 1.
Twiztid at The Bourbon Theatre 4.9.23
Twiztid an American Hip Hip/Metal duo from Detroit, MI kicked things off to a weed smokin packed house Sunday night dawning their infamous black and white horrorcore swag with thick grooves and head-banging guitar riffs. Twiztid is a group I have always known about but haven't had to check out until this show. These boys have been around for quite some time. Their latest release 'Glyph' in 2023 marks their 29th album release since the group's first record 'Mostasteless'in 1997. Not a bad way to start the night. The show goes on for Twiztid with stops in Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Indiana. Get more details HERE.
Dope at The Bourbon Theatre on 4.9.23 Photo Credit: @thatonemitchkid
Dope is a living testament to the 'do it yourself' mantra. Ten albums and counting, this New York City Nu-Metal band which formed in 1997 has been grinding independently all of these years. Lead singer Edsel Dopegave a very inspiring and passionate short speech to the crowd about doing things independently and not needing a label. No middlemen. The grind is real and they're one of many bands continuing to bootstrap their career throughout the years. We live in a time where as an artist you do have more control and creative freedom than ever. Long gone are the days of needing a label to do the work for you, and Dope is a good example of this. They gave a killer performance Sunday night and if you haven't had a chance to see them all of these years get to it! Make sure to check out their latest records 'Blood Money Part Zer0' and 'Love Song' a listen, you'll be glad you did.
Fear Factory at The Bourbon Theatre 4.9.23 Photo Credit: @thatonemitchkid
If your heart wasn't already racing, your neck hurting from head banging, or your shirt covered in sweat then Fear Factory made damn sure all of those things happened by their sets end. Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1989 by guitarist Dino Cazares, drummer Raymond Herrera, and vocalist Burton C. Bell. The band's music is characterized by its use of heavy guitars, electronic drums, and samples. They have released ten studio albums, with their debut, Soul of a New Machine, being released in 1992. Their most commercially successful album was Demanufacture, released in 1995. The band has won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1998 for the song "A Small Victory". Fear Factory is considered one of the pioneers of industrial metal, and its music has been influential on many other bands in the genre. This Los Angeles, CA-based Industrial Metal giant came out to rattle your bones and rip your face apart with their cinematic sounds and gut-piercing guitar riffs. My favorite song of their set for us was 'Edgecrusher' off of their 1998 album 'Obsolete' which hit HARD! The next date on deck for Fear Factory is May 5th when they join Slanderous, Infinite Sleep, Against The Grave, and Lions At The Gate in West Hollywood, CA at the legendary Whisky A Go Go.
Static-X at The Bourbon Theatre 4.9.23 Photo Credit: @thatonemitchkid
It was a celebratory occasion for Static-X as their infamous 'Machine' record turned 22 this year. Static-X is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1994. The band's original lineup consisted of Wayne Static (vocals, rhythm guitar), Tony Campos (bass, backing vocals), Koichi Fukuda (guitar, keyboards), and Ken Jay (drums). Static-X's music is characterized by its use of electronic elements, industrial metal, and nu metal. They have released six studio albums, with their debut, Wisconsin Death Trip, being released in 1999. The band's most commercially successful album was Shadow Zone, released in 2003. Static-X has won numerous awards, including a Kerrang! Award for Best International Newcomer in 2000. The band has sold over 10 million records worldwide. Wayne Static died of an accidental drug overdose in 2014. The remaining members of Static-X have continued to tour and record music, releasing their seventh studio album, Project Regeneration, in 2023. Wayne Static known for his tall hair dawned a custom mask with red eyes piercing through the thick dense haze of smoke that filled the air that night. Their set included a very nostalgic lineup of tracks featuring: Permanence, This is Not, Structural Defect, Black and White, Love Dump, WDT, Fix, Bled For Days, Sweat Of the Bud, Terminator, Just In Case, Destroy All, Dirthouse, Get To The Gone, Cannibal, Terrible Lie, Cold, I'm With Stupid and ended the night with their most famous track 'Push It' off of their 1999 album 'Wisconsin Death Trip'. There are only 4 remaining dates left on the 'Rise of The Machine Tour' so act quick!
*Updated 4.30.23*
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