I’ve seen Kylesa live more than the average bear, somewhere in the range of…..well, a lot, let’s just leave it at that. I don’t think I’m reaching when I say that Friday night’s stunning performance at The Jinx was my favorite ever (though the free all ages Dollhouse show a couple years ago comes close) and one of the highlights of 2015 so far. Insanely tight, supporting their great new album Exhausting Fire, playing a packed hometown show with a very game crowd, touring with a stellar supporting bill, everything just added up to amazing. The moody instrumental passages and buildups coupled with their swirling, hypnotic light show was really working, the vocal interplay has matured very, very well and the heavy psych/metal riffing had a certain pummeling bounce to it that flat out made me smile all night. In short, Kylesa is at the top of their game currently. Great, great, great.
As I mentioned, the undercard was no slouch, either. Sadly, Irata had to drop off the bill due to member illness, but hopefully they make it back to support their new Retro Futurist release, as they impressed at their Savannah Stopover gig.
Indian Handcrafts was a very catchy guitar/drums duo with muscular riffs and heavy hooks aplenty. I’m really looking forward to digging into their new slab of tunes, Creeps, and would definitely be happy to see them again live.
Inter Arma treads somewhere between doom metal and proggy stoner rock with some forays into other various corners of the world of “heavy” music. Good stuff out of Richmond.
Bill and I both took plenty of photos, check out tons more after the jump.
Indian Handcrafts
Inter Arma
Kylesa
