Anthrax/Exodus/Holy Grail – House Of Blues, San Diego, CA 3/13
By Heather Vandemark
Monday night is a tough night for fans to go out and see a show, but Anthrax packed the House of Blues in San Diego. The age range of the crowd was from tweens to senior citizens all Caught in a Mosh.
Holy Grail opened the night. This band is new to me although they have been around since 2008. I have been missing out. Holy Grail and their new album Ride The Void brings back the roots of old school metal. They split their set between their two studio albums with the massive cuts Dark Passenger, Bleeding Stone and the anthemic Fight to Kill. James Paul Luna has a powerful Rob Halford/Dio kind of voice that says heavy metal will live forever.
Exodus got the crowd really fired up for Anthrax. Lead singer Rob Dukes commanded the stage and the crowd as he screamed Let’s Go! The mosh pit took over the entire floor. In the middle of the set, Rob Dukes said, “You know what time it is…Pick a side” and the crowd separated. “You fucking idiots! Ok GO!” The two sides ran at each other full speed. It’s not a mosh pit until someone is bloody, right? The crowd had a reason to go insane as they pelted them with classic The Toxic Waltz as well as Piranha and War Is My Shepherd.
Anthrax is one of my all time favorite bands. I haven’t seen an Anthrax show in years. As I’m anxiously waiting for them to come out, I scanned the crowd leaning over the rails of the pit. There was a boy about 10 years old with his dad that had been standing there since the doors open. The shirtless guy with his sweat soaked hair fresh from the mosh pits. There was the young couple that was taking photos of themselves with their IPhones. On the floor, a single shoe lost its owner in the Exodus mosh pit.
The lights dim and the crowd starts chanting “Anthrax! Anthrax!”. The first strums of the guitar and we know its Among the Living. The crowd surfing and mosh pit start up again. First five songs were from Among the Living album, Among the Living, Caught In a Mosh, I Am the Law, NFL, and Skeletons in the Closet. Frank Bello is all over the stage with crazy energy. Scott Ian shreds, as always. Joey Belladonna is ageless. He looks and sounds the same.
Anthrax makes every effort to connect personally with their fans. Joey Belladona grabbed cameras and phones and took photos of audience for the fans. He made eye connect and “I see you” gestures to so many individual fans.
The lights dimmed for quick break and when the light came back on, there was a huge canvas of Ronnie James Dio. ‘In the End’ is a tribute song to Dio and Dimebag Darrell who meant so much to the band. It was a bit of a melancholy song heartfelt by all. The band picked up the crowd and the mosh pit with ‘TNT’ off their Anthems album. They went back to Among the Living album to complete its entirety. I’m the Man and Antisocial were the final two songs of the night.
Anthrax took their bows and threw the picks and sticks to the fans. Scott Ian got on a mic and said “Remember to Worship….Music”. Joey grabbed a mic and said “Long Live Rock and Roll!” That led to him singing the words acapella . It was an amazing performance by a band that knows how to put on a show for their fans.
Official Anthrax Site
Official Exodus Site
Official Holy Grail Site
By Heather Vandemark
Monday night is a tough night for fans to go out and see a show, but Anthrax packed the House of Blues in San Diego. The age range of the crowd was from tweens to senior citizens all Caught in a Mosh.
Holy Grail opened the night. This band is new to me although they have been around since 2008. I have been missing out. Holy Grail and their new album Ride The Void brings back the roots of old school metal. They split their set between their two studio albums with the massive cuts Dark Passenger, Bleeding Stone and the anthemic Fight to Kill. James Paul Luna has a powerful Rob Halford/Dio kind of voice that says heavy metal will live forever.
Exodus got the crowd really fired up for Anthrax. Lead singer Rob Dukes commanded the stage and the crowd as he screamed Let’s Go! The mosh pit took over the entire floor. In the middle of the set, Rob Dukes said, “You know what time it is…Pick a side” and the crowd separated. “You fucking idiots! Ok GO!” The two sides ran at each other full speed. It’s not a mosh pit until someone is bloody, right? The crowd had a reason to go insane as they pelted them with classic The Toxic Waltz as well as Piranha and War Is My Shepherd.
Anthrax is one of my all time favorite bands. I haven’t seen an Anthrax show in years. As I’m anxiously waiting for them to come out, I scanned the crowd leaning over the rails of the pit. There was a boy about 10 years old with his dad that had been standing there since the doors open. The shirtless guy with his sweat soaked hair fresh from the mosh pits. There was the young couple that was taking photos of themselves with their IPhones. On the floor, a single shoe lost its owner in the Exodus mosh pit.
The lights dim and the crowd starts chanting “Anthrax! Anthrax!”. The first strums of the guitar and we know its Among the Living. The crowd surfing and mosh pit start up again. First five songs were from Among the Living album, Among the Living, Caught In a Mosh, I Am the Law, NFL, and Skeletons in the Closet. Frank Bello is all over the stage with crazy energy. Scott Ian shreds, as always. Joey Belladonna is ageless. He looks and sounds the same.
Anthrax makes every effort to connect personally with their fans. Joey Belladona grabbed cameras and phones and took photos of audience for the fans. He made eye connect and “I see you” gestures to so many individual fans.
The lights dimmed for quick break and when the light came back on, there was a huge canvas of Ronnie James Dio. ‘In the End’ is a tribute song to Dio and Dimebag Darrell who meant so much to the band. It was a bit of a melancholy song heartfelt by all. The band picked up the crowd and the mosh pit with ‘TNT’ off their Anthems album. They went back to Among the Living album to complete its entirety. I’m the Man and Antisocial were the final two songs of the night.
Anthrax took their bows and threw the picks and sticks to the fans. Scott Ian got on a mic and said “Remember to Worship….Music”. Joey grabbed a mic and said “Long Live Rock and Roll!” That led to him singing the words acapella . It was an amazing performance by a band that knows how to put on a show for their fans.
Official Anthrax Site
Official Exodus Site
Official Holy Grail Site
