Opeth and Mastodon co-headline a metal performance in the classy Boch Center, located in the heart of the theatre district in Boston.
In what is known as Boston’s Theater District, it is common to see Broadway shows, a high-class vibe, and people dressed to the nines. Thursday’s atmosphere on the other hand was a little different. The streets were lined with metalheads standing in line amidst The Boch Center. You could tell this night was going to be something special having a metal band perform in a high-class theatre.
As the fans entered the theatre, they were in awe of how incredibly large the stage setup was. The stage was filled with giant screens that covered the entire backdrop and surrounded the drum risers for Mastadon. When the first beat of “Pain With An Anchor” started, the screens were filled with psychedelic and anime videos. Once the lights illuminated the high-tech screen, the first thing you noticed was the drum head of Brann Dailor’s drum kit. It featured a picture of Rodney Dangerfield and Red Fox. For unique drum kits, this was right at the top. From that point, the band played hits from a variety of their albums which included songs like “Megalodon,” “Tear Drinker,” and “Black Tongue.” Troy Sanders (lead vocals/bassist) announced to the crowd, “We are selling Gigantium beer, a collaboration with a local Brewery, Widowmaker Brewing Co.” He then announced the dedication of “Skeleton and Splendor” to his friend Nicholas. The band continued to play to the now intensified and rowdy crowd. Nearing the end of their set, Troy expressed his gratitude to the crowd by saying “Thank you Boston. We have time for one more song.” During the final song, “Blood and Thunder,” a crazed fan jumped on stage surprising the band. He is quickly escorted off the stage by security for what was a perfect ending to an amazing set.
The final headliner of the night was Opeth. The crowd was already pumped and was anxiously awaiting to see Opeth with their new drummer. A few days before the show, Opeth’s former drummer Martin Axenrot had unexpectedly left the band due to a conflict of interest. The band now had a few days to find another drummer or they would be forced to cancel the tour. However, the band found a new drummer Sami Karppinen and he was able to fill in without a hitch. With only a few days to get to know the songs and setlist, he began to play the beat of “Hjartat Vet Vad Handen Gor,” and the fans instantly realized he was ready.
Lead singer, Mikael Akerfeldt, announced to the crowd “We had asked Sami before the show what songs he wanted to play, songs he could play, and songs they should play. We kind of agreed on a potpourri of sh*t. So it is what it is.” They went back to an old record and played “Demon of the Fall.” This got the crowd amped up.
After playing a few more songs there was a short pause in the set. Mikael came to the mic and said “We got stuff here, technical sh*t” and we heard a fan yell, “Tell us a joke” to which he replied, “I don’t know jokes. We are going to play a song maybe that’s f**king funny to you.” This lead to the intro of “Windowpane.” It was now coming to the end of the set. Mikael announced to the crowd, “We have one more song left,” which led to a slew of boos showing their displeasure of the night having to end. He stated jokingly, “Ok, no more songs! [laughs].” This lead to a sea of laughter and enjoyment for the last song of the night “Deliverance” which concluded this entertaining show.
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