The only thing heavier than the sound coming from the Crown Jewel in Carbondale, Illinois was the humidity. A knife would’ve been better suited to cut through the unending wall of heat through the parking lot. No one came out to feel the humidity, though – metal and a birthday are a far better reason to brave the heat.
The venue itself looked like heavy metal staged a revolt, clubbed Frank Sinatra over the head, and kept him tied up in the back for a night. The walls were a vomit inducing seafoam green, complete with plastic rhinestones dangling from the light fixtures. A bubble machine and lounge act would’ve been better suited for the venue on first glance. Metal music still triumphed with its lone skeleton hung from the lights, gently swaying in the air conditioned breeze. Performers of the evening included headliners Deadwater with guests Of Earth and Stone, 3/8 drive, and 11:34.
The evening started with Of Earth and Stone and their set of headbang inducing scream metal. “We’ve been a band for about two months and this is our second show,” said baby faced front man Dylan…but who could tell? The band is young but show immense amounts of talent and room to grow. “It Lurks Within” was the highlight of their set with the members perpetual motion.
Following OE&S and Leon’s wiener was 3/8 drive. Their music can only be described as putting Tool and good punk in a blender, creating a frothy concoction of weird lyrics and musical complexity that has to be heard to capture the essence of their work. “…he smeared shit all over the walls!” said singer and bassist Doug when introducing “The Greebs”, a twisted song about one military man and his poop.
11:34 started about the time that the alcohol took hold and the bacchanalian atmosphere started setting in. Their Stone Temple Pilot influenced sound made for a rising wave of rock, creeping up slowly and damn near knocking the crowd out at its crest. The names of their songs were just as entertaining as their set: “Dead On A Toilet” and “She’s Too Young” leads the mind to wander if left by itself with a copy of Jason McDonald.
The lights came up and Leon made his way to the front. “Do you know why we’re here tonight? ‘Cause it’s Chilo’s birthday!” he said. The crowd sang where music was a unifier working as a respite from all of the downsides and unpleasantness of life, if it was just as temporary as singing happy birthday drunkenly into the night.
Deadwater’s set was like getting fucked by the speakers and liking it, an orgy to the depths of a southern style hell. The evening started to swim at this point, as the Crown Jewel also offers very reasonable drink prices and this writer fell for the ploy of multiple Jim and Cokes. Deadwater’s stage presence speaks of their experience, a super group of Southern Illinois, and despite their influences their sound is entirely their own. They were damn good at the Cheers show in Paducah, Kentucky and worth a field trip to watch again.
Far too soon the attendees to the show were shuffled out into the parking lot. The humidity was still thick but the excited talk was thicker. There was discussion of upcoming shows, booking gigs and endless shindigs down the line, its participants swaying like tuning forks on pitch for the same cause. Leon had thanked everyone for showing up throughout the course of the evening, commenting on the community being witnessed in action, but the church social atmosphere of a congregation that actually likes each other was the true signal of the magic at work. All those folks going to church in four or five hours later surely couldn’t have felt as good as they did talking shop after dark.
(special thanks to Rotten Robbie booking, The Crown Jewel, Virtual World Promotions, and all of the acts for being absolutely awesome; 3/8 drive's photograph courtesy of Jaime.)
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