New Englanders are no strangers to low temperatures and the ever growing line of people hiding from the cold winds beside The Palladium in late November to be among the first inside showed a strong resolve. It could have also have just been plain, old idiocy but you do a lot of stupid things for people (i.e. bands) that you love. I was one of said idiots.
First to take the stage were Exodus, fronted by Steve Zetro Sousa once again. This was only my second time seeing the band, the first was while Rob Dukes was still an active member, but they continue to put on a fantastic show for their fans. The crowd belted out the words to newer songs like ‘Blacklist’ as well as tracks like ‘Toxic Waltz,’ an Exodus classic. However, nothing ever seems to hit people quite like ‘Bonded by Blood’ does and the floor always becomes a mass of writhing bodies. Everyone knows and loves that song. Your mom loves that song. Despite line up changes, the machine that is Exodus is still going strong. Can we just take a second to talk about Gary Holt? The man has been doing this since well before I was even born and he’s just as psyched to be out on that stage as ever. He’s like a puppy made of thrash.
A band that didn’t quite seem to fit the thrash themed lineup came on next; Suicidal Tendencies. I had never seen them before and I wasn’t sure what to expect since I wasn’t overly familiar with their material but I quickly learned that Mike Muir has far more rhythm than I do. We were treated to a few of my personal favorites in ‘Subliminal’ and ‘War Inside My Head’. As expected, ST performed ‘I Saw Your Mommy’ and the crowd absolutely ate it up. Michael Morgan’s bass playing was a nice surprise as well and I found myself grinning, like an idiot, to a fellow bass loving girlfriend of mine more than once. He was more than adequate in place of the recently passed away Tim “Rawbiz” Williams (RIP). I would definitely love to see them again. Uncle Mike stopped a few times in between songs to give us some life advice that can only come from someone who’s made it out to the other side in (mostly) one piece. It was a very positive experience. If you haven’t caught Suicidal yet, get out there. You’ll have a great time.
Last, but not least, came Slayer which saw Holt back in front of the crowd for the second time that evening. The venue was smaller than the arena that they had played in last year, the prices were more reasonable, and fans came out in droves to show their support. Their set opened with ‘World Painted Blood’ and lead into a roughly two hour long performance. I got my favorite song in with ‘Dead Skin Mask’ which always just makes me want to hug the person next to me and tell them how much I love them. Just go with it. Other notable songs included ‘War Ensemble,’ ‘Seasons in the Abyss,’ ‘Disciple,’ and another feel-good favorite of mine, ‘South of Heaven’. The crowd had been moshing all night but ‘Raining Blood’ filled everyone with second, more aggressive, wind as they tore into one another again and again. Much like last year, ‘Angel of Death’ was dedicated to the fallen Jeff Hanneman. There’s been a lot of talk since Jeff’s passing and Dave Lombardo’s departure from the band but they are still worth seeing.
I don’t think anyone walked out of The Palladium that night and was dissatisfied with how they had spent their evening. Exodus and Suicidal Tendencies are still going strong and putting on great performances. While Slayer may not be the vicious, wild animal that it was in years past they’re still more than capable of putting on one hell of a show and this perseverance is what keeps them relevant and keeps us coming back for more.
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WORDS: ALEIDA LA LLAVE
PHOTOS: HILLARIE JASON PHOTOGRAPHY