The Acheron is and always will be one of my favorite New York City venues. That special mix of crusty magic, good food, and an intimate performance space that allows the audience to see the band from multiple angles is incredibly rewarding. This is made all the more so on nights like yesterday evening, when the sheer extreme energy of the music being presented forces you to fall deeper in love with the space. As a matter of fact, the show itself may very well have been my favorite grindcore shows that I have ever been to.
Nightcrawler were up first, and performed an absolute monster of a set. The bands vocalist has one of the most impressive stage presences and vocal performances that I have witnessed in a while. His whole approach to the genre makes it easy to fall in love with what Nightcrawler do. That being said - the band as a whole has a crazed energy and a sense of devilish magic to them that makes you want to come back again and again. Grind bands that comprehend the importance of a solid stage show as Nightcrawler so evidently do are few and far between. It makes it hard to turn away and holds you in thrall to the music, even if just for a half hour.
Up next were Mary Todd, one of my favorite groups on the beautiful modern New York City grind scene. Their wholly unorthodox sound remains ungodly heavy and reflects the true burning power that this kind of music can have. Mary Todd are the kind of band who have the potential to turn the whole world of grind on its head with their twin vocalist attack and truly different sounds. This is a band who reek of live energy too, every time I have seen them I fall deeper in love with their twisted dancing and deep internal pain. Few bands reflect the internal, mind melting sense of madness that Mary Todd so easily invoke.
My roommate is really into Tiger Flowers and he got me very hyped to see them, and with good reason. The bands insane stage presence, anthemic gang vocals and raw energy had them borrowing from the best of both grind and hardcore. Their charismatic frontman delivers growls of a sort that transcend the common limitations of the genre. Layered on top of a band who deliver on a truly profound level it's hard not to be charmed by the burning majesty of what this band has been able to conjure up. Despite how grandiose I might make them sound there is something wonderfully raw about this band, preying on the weak and forcing you to reflect upon the burning might of Tiger Flowers.
And so the night cam to an end, we wandered home, reflecting in the power of what we had witnessed. Few shows speak to me like this one. Far too often largely local shows leave fans bored with bands they have seen dozens of times, not tonight. All of these groups are bands who jive with the fundamental power of grind in a way that gives me hope for the future of the genre. Sure it's a music in transition, but it is bands like these who are responsible for leading the hyperspeed revolution.
Find the bands on Facebook!
Nightcrawler: https://www.facebook.com/nightcrawlerny/?fref=ts
Mary Todd: https://www.facebook.com/marytoddtheband/?fref=ts
Tiger Flowers: https://www.facebook.com/TIGERFLOWERSNYC/?fref=ts
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