If you’re still with us on this countdown to 2016’s extinction, congratulations! As we progress with our roundtable of top metal concerts from this past year, we get to our number three spot, and we’re sure to have you wondering what could possibly top these prime candidates.
Chris and Birdman’s #3 / Tony’s #2: Black Sabbath with Rival Sons at PNC Bank Arts Center
Chris: Number three is Black Sabbath at PNC Bank Arts Center.
Birdman: That’s my number three too. Didn’t know you were there. Sucked going there with just myself, but all that matters is I saw Black Sabbath before they stopped touring.
Chris: Yep I was there, so was Rob.
Anthony: That show is my number two, although I saw them at Madison Square Garden.
Chris: Not only was that one of the best shows, it was also the best possible birthday present, so thanks Dad. They must have sounded great at the Garden. Even though I edited your review, words can’t describe the experience of seeing Sabbath live. The only thing that annoyed me was that they didn’t play “The Wizard.”
Anthony: “Hand of Doom” – I can’t belive we got that. Even Sabbath tribute bands skip “The Wizard.”
Lyon: I’m pretty jealous of you guys.
Anthony: My goal of seeing Maiden, Priest and Sabbth is complete. It was fun chilling in NYC with Doug, Rob and Jason too.
Lyon: I imagine expectations were at an all-time high. How did the actual show hold up?
Anthony:Rival Sons was a decent opening act. Wish they got someone better but at least they didn’t suck.
Birdman: Yeah about that. I noticed Witchcraft’s vocalist sounds a lot like the Rival Sons singer, wouldn’t that be a better match?
Lyon: They will likely go down in history as the Beatles of metal.
Anthony: I’d love to see Witchcraft.
Lyon: I would have picked Skull Fist to open. What’s your number 3 Tony?
Tony’s #3: Venom INC and Necrophagia at Webster Hall
Lyon: Wow that sounds like a ton of fun. Big mosh pit?
Birdman: Now Venom Inc. has Mantas and Abaddon, right?
Anthony: Yes. They are both in it and not really much moshing, just screaming along to Venom classics. Necrophagia has been one of my favorite death metal bands since high school and seeing them live and interviewing Killjoy in person was such an amazing experience. I saw both Venom and Venom Inc. this year and I’ll say that Venom Inc. had the better set and performance.
Birdman: They didn’t play anything from the Dolan albums?
Anthony: Other than Prime Evil’s title track the whole set was songs from the first two albums as well as singles from that era like “Warhead” and “Bloodlust.”
Lyon’s #3: Fallujah and The Black Dahlia Murder at The Chance
Lyon: I have to say this show was godly.
Birdman: Plus Disentombed, an Aussie slam band that sounded heavier than Ingested.
Anthony: I almost went to that but school and money kind of got in the way. Plus, I’ve seen Fallujah and BDM before, both great live though.
Lyon: It was on the “Unhallowed Resurrection” tour where TBDM played Unhallowed front to back and fucking nailed it.Oh yeah, Disentombed is nuts too. What a nuts show. I’m a huge Fallujah fan, and this was basically within days of “Dreamless'” release. They played a few great songs from it.
Birdman: Still don’t see how Unhallowed is so influential, maybe cause it’s the first of it’s kind. There’s only one track on there that I genuinely love.
Lyon: I’m a huge fan of it.
Anthony: I could never get into it. Another reason why I didn’t go. More into Nocturnal and later BDM
Lyon: Unhallowed is my favorite American death metal album. I’m into most TBDM.
Birdman: Yeah, this just means I gotta see BDM again. Fallujah were great with their longer set.
Lyon: I think “Dreamless” is easily in the top 10 metal albums of the year, like, objectively or some shit.
Anthony: I need to hear it then. Their 2014 album made my top list of that year.
Lyon: But yeah, I love those bands and they all nailed their sets.
The Bonesaw 