MASTODON + Converge @ Spectrum

By Jo Satana - 09/10/2006

Sunday September 10 2006 was a special night for concert-goers as the who's who of Montreal’s underground shined their goatees and straightened their favorite pair of boots to kick heels with the elite over at Spectrum for a night of Metal magic. Practically the entire CJLO Loud Rock roster -- freelancers as well! -- came to welcome Mastodon as they thundered through our fair city in support of their new album Blood Mountain (Warner), bringing Boston hardcore punkers Converge and L.A. socialites The Bronx along with them.

Now let me take this opportunity to dispel a common myth about the CJLO crew: we might look cool, calm and composed on the outside, but we are like ducks, baby, and its all frantic below the water. The goal: to ensure timely arrival to the show through carpooling -- to show that we are environmentally conscientious -- while also taking the time for a nice pre-concert cocktail. The result: two stressful hours of heated back-and-forth and childish name-calling resulted in absolutely no initiative to carpool and we all completely missed The Bronx’s set, but having already caught them at a previous venue, I wasn’t too disappointed. In retrospect, our tardiness was mainly due to the fact that we took the time to be properly fed and "hydrated", accompanied by occasional moments of panic catalyzed by the realization that we might miss Converge’s set (apparently a must-see in some people’s books but not really my opinion -- see below). Also factoring in was a leisurely discussion which touched poignant topics such as the use of safety pins to keep T-shirts from falling apart, the opportunistic view that is awarded to the attentive when chicks are putting on their boots and the phenomenon of Cat-Scratch Fever where women, obviously through the transmission of an airborne virus found in cat claws, can’t fight off the urge to attack another female and rip off their clothes.

After our meal, we headed off to the show. Like I mentioned previously, we arrived right at the end of The Bronx’s set. Like the good concert-goers that we are, the next half-hour was spent perusing the merch tables and catching up with fellow collegues/peers as literally everyone from the scene was present and in attendance. Converge took the stage at a timely 8:30 and hardcore madness did in fact ensue. While I must admit that I am unfamiliar with Converge’s catalogue of "classics" and having never seen them live, I decided to mentally prepare myself by checking out the zany two-step dances the kids were doing. Hehe, it sort of looks like moshing -- but not really. Again, before ripping me a new one for my ignorance, I am aware of the huge following (proportionally) that Converge has here in Montreal and I am well-versed in the new-wave of hardcore (which I initially thought started and ended with Hatebreed). I’m glad to see that the kids are coming out to these shows, and it is in fact appreciated that I was able to witness a mixed bill like this one -- a not-so-rare occurrence anymore, but nonetheless refreshing. However, I’m not going to hide the fact that I wasn’t really digging the performance and I’ll leave it to a volunteer with more experience points in this field to fill in the gaps for this part of the review.

Moving forward, there is always a palpable tension in the air when something incredibly satisfying is about to happen: from that tingling sensation you get just before orgasm to the slow trickle of saliva down your chin before a nice meal, we are attuned, as a species, to sense the coming of something special. That is exactly how I felt the moment before Mastodon took the stage. Prior to that instant, thoughts were circling my head about the rumors concerning the band's future: supposedly Warner, after inking the deal with Mastodon, were little impressed with the end product and the band apparently has a lot to prove to a company that cares very little. My theory is that a band’s best way to sell itself when label security is in question is always the success of the supporting live show and not the new album release itself, since record moguls rarely know anything about their public and ticket sales are a better representation of the fan base rather then record sales.

Simply put, Mastodon killed. Any doubt I may have had -- especially after having listened to a streaming version of the new album, a body of work that is a little too easy to get into -- quickly vanished only to be replaced with a strong nod of the head in acknowledgement of that moment when everything comes together as if the pieces where custom fit to assemble. That’s what witnessing Mastodon is like (cheese factor definitely intended). They blew through their set for a crushing hour and a half and left no prisoners. The band is living proof that Metal is still a progressive genre that translates well into a live show, pleasing old Voivoders and speedheads alike. What should be noted about their set, having just seen them perform as the supporting act for Slayer this summer, is that they take risks. The crux of their music relies on complex and precise time changes; the fact that they pulled off every song flawlessly is an attestation to their technical prowess and with little rest between songs, their endurance as well. What I was most impressed with was how effortless they seemed to do it all; anyone who knows anything about how sound is produced was in full attention as it was clear that night that Mastodon is not just some studio band, which is normally the case for prog rockers.

In terms of set list, they basically perused both Remission and Leviathan enough to satisfy the crowd while at the same time, peppering their set with new classics from the just-released Blood Mountain. The show started and by the first few songs, we were treated with "March of the Fire Ants" and the set finished with "Hearts Alive" -- two songs that in my book best describe the entity as it is: a band whose output kicks you in the head as much as it nourishes it.

Mastodon is the sound of Metal for the 21st century; bow your head in shame if you missed this one. Now go clean your room or something.

[Jo "Can I watch you put on your boots?" Satana is a freelance perv.]