(Live Review) MIDNIGHT + SUPPORT - Reggies, Chicago (5/18/23)
Tonight, we mark the 21st show of this year for the Beard and Little Johnny.
Hey, we are legal to drink now. IPAs for everyone.
This evening also marks another milestone as we hit our 100th band review of this year. Tonight, will be bands 100,101 & 102 as we cover ...
Midnight
Spirit Adrift
Spiter
Punk/Speed/Black Metal tonight. In some circles, this is also known as A Happy Johnny. (I hear some places make you pay extra for that Bob).
First on the stage, vampire punk metal from Philadelphia...
SPITER
Spiter is touring behind their new release Bathe the Babe in Bats Blood. Clever, and certainly a fondness for alliteration.
These guys have KISS style makeup to help present their vampire punk metal. The Reviews Never Stop, nor apparently do the metal subgenres. “Don’t get too close to that lead singer Johnny.”
Like a lot of punk metal, fast and sloppy is the name of the game. Additionally, yelling out “Slit your wrists for Satan” on the first number was most definitely intended to draw a visceral reaction. Most songs were short, fast, and sloppy, (like a teenager having sex).
The Beard is giving points for energy, but the crowd was not hot for their act, and just like I respect the audience when they respond, I also respect them when they don’t respond.
Between songs, the singer seemed like he was going for “Evil” with that voice, but you could not tell what he was saying. I think at one point he may have advocated for the “Death of Diapers,” but now I am thinking that may NOT have actually been correct.
So, musically, and vocally I am grading 65, but…committing to cause is worth five more. The bassist (who I believe answered to the name “Piss”) was super energetic, so I am adding a couple more points for that, and finally, an actual statement from vocalist “Spider” was, “I like to rip the heads off bunnies and shit them out my ass.”
Uh…that’s pretty dark, and even after probably seeing over a thousand bands in my lifetime, I must admit I have NEVER heard a line like that. I guess with a band whose opening track is titled “Suicidal Blood Fucker,” I really should not be THAT surprised, BUT I was.
So, factoring in everything, I am going to go 73/100 and NOT under any circumstances allow Little Johnny to hang out with this band.
Next up from Mesa Arizona we had ...
SPIRIT ADRIFT
Touring behind 2023’s Ghost at the Gallows and receiving Kerrang's nod as one of the top ten Metal bands of the 2010’s, Spirit Adrift produced a sound that dipped far more than a toe into the dark lake of stoner/doom.
With clean lyrics and a sound reminiscent of Khemmis, I already liked these guys from opening number "Sorcerer’s Fate". Slotting is also helping these guys as they are musically sound and got deeply into some grooves and riffs I quite enjoyed. This was a particularly good stoner sound. Singer Nate Garrett’s shout out dedication to Eric Wagner didn’t hurt either. Good respect for one of our city’s all-time top doom bands, Trouble.
The Spirit Adrift set flew by, and I really liked these guys. In another year, I am sure I will see them in the headliner slot. For now, though, they are most definitely getting some of my merchandise money.
Solid in every capacity.
Beard says 95/100 as well as “Get their stuff. See them live.”
Headliners Midnight have killed it most every time I have seen them, and I expected nothing less from these masked dark speed/punk/metal monsters.
MIDNIGHT
Touring behind their 2022 release Let There Be Witchery, Cleveland Ohio’s best brought the brutality.
Aww, isn’t that cute, Johnny wants to look like them, (all in black with full face and head covering).
“Wait! Johnny, that’s a black plastic bag! Do not put that over your head!"
Midnight hit the stage with "Long live Rock", and we were off to the races. This is what the Beard believes good punk metal sounds like. (To be completely fair though, my editor and boss is the real expert in this genre, so I suggest you check out Mighty Decibel's monthly best in punk broadcasts if you genuinely want to keep up with that style. What The Beard can tell you is he liked Midnight. (Ed: And so does the Ed!!!) )
Excellent musicianship. Vocals semi-clear. Freight train speed, but man these guys had the energy of the Energizer Bunny after a crate of Crack coated Carrots. (Look out Spiter, the Beard can do alliteration too) and the crowd matched them with multiple “Johnny Pits” abounding. Cool, at least Johnny took that plastic bag off his head. Party on little dude.
Midnight's guitar player wore a full hood but went shirtless making him look like one of The Mentors. (There’s an obscure reference for you older metalheads.) (Ed: The spirit of El Duce lives on!!!)
Full credit for an hour of nonstop metal mayhem. These guys never slowed down, and once again Midnight was “delivering the goods.” (Yep, cheesy Judas Priest reference. I cater to the middle-aged metal fan.)
Thank you, Mighty Decibel, for guest-listing The Beard & Little Johnny to this show. What a killer set by each of the last two bands. The Beard is also glad the show was free as he is about to drop about seventy on merchandise.
Midnight was great, but I expected that, so they were not the complete surprise Spirit Adrift was. The Beard is still going 92/100 because it definitely deserved 90+ for that energy. Midnight really brought it, right Johnny? Uh-oh! Where did he go?
The Beard is off to find Johnny. He had better NOT be with those vampires from Spiter.
Once more, from our twenty-first show and our one hundred and second band this year, we thank you all for following along on this crazy journey.
We are saying goodnight but not goodbye.
Keep reading The Mighty Decibel and Heavy Metal Canada for our reviews, and keep viewing, liking, and sharing our TikTok videos page!
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Until next time ...
Stay Metal
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Horns Up
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