- An evening of metal mayhem
It seems that during the dramatic full stop that was the lockdown, we have reassessed our relationship with live music and realised that we potentially took it for granted.
Three years ago, in those heady pre-Covid times, we took live music for granted; we took the spirit of the crowd with a grain of salt. Now, as music brings the city back to life again, we feel as though we are taking in everything new and afresh.
The metal gig held last weekend – Fistful of Steel – was indeed an event that evoked a feeling of nostalgia and gave everyone the opportunity to experience music as though it was for the first time.
Brunch had a chat with the bands that played, to hear what they have to say after such a successful evening.
Pharmakon Messiah
The first band that took the stage that night – Pharmakon Messiah – had a lot to live up to. Opening for the first metal gig happening after two whole years was certainly no easy feat, but they made it look effortless. Within minutes, after a back and forth with the audience, they had the crowd roaring; the energy was unmatched and the music was an assault to the senses in the best way possible, and paved the way for the other four bands after them.
Pharmakon Messiah seem to revel in this opening role and spent most of the set at the
barrier interacting with the highly responsive crowd. This is metal, but it is fragile and vulnerable, and it is its vulnerability that really struck a chord with the crowd. Deeply personal and bathed in stunning melodies, there is definitely something here worth raving about.
Abyss
Chatting with Che Weeraratne of Abyss, he too shared the sentiments of all metalheads present. “Before this gig, we were very excited to go to a metal gig; we were so hyped up, so stoked – not even to perform but just to be able to experience a gig again,” Weeraratne shared, talking about the preparations leading up to showtime. Unfortunately, just as they were about to soundcheck, the news about the curfew broke – but the spirits of the bands did not. “It was a tense situation indeed but it was incredibly emotional to see people coming in – it’s true support; despite any shortcomings, the metalheads will show up,” he expressed.
He added that he, along with all the other bands, have the utmost respect for the organisers who persevered and went ahead with the gig as planned. “At the end of the day, we saw people from all walks of life – even foreigners – who came to witness this metal gig. All in all, seeing everyone again, and becoming acquainted with the other bands – all had a good time amidst chaos,” Weeraratne shared.
Mass Damnation
Highlighting an aspect we too must commend, Tony Jayathilake noted that the gig was very well organised, considering the country’s situation at the time. “It was quite a success. I was a bit nervous, since we were playing after so long,” said Jayathilake, adding that it was a well executed attempt, and although the period leading up to it was stressful, they still managed to pull off an amazing show. We personally can say that although the band may have felt iffy, the audience certainly could not tell – there was not a still soul in the crowd; screams and demands for more were echoed by the crowd.
Commenting on what it felt like to be onstage to an enthusiastic audience once again, Jayathilake affirmed: “It was very nice to be able to play live again and we can’t wait for the next time!”
Paranoid Earthling
Echoing everyone’s feelings, Mirshad Buckman summarised the gig perfectly: “It went great! It was amazing to see the core following that turned up despite the curfew.” While Buckman pointed out that the energy of the whole community was a feeling that delighted him, we could see that their performance was one that the audience had been waiting for all night. As they took to the stage, it was clear that that is where they belonged – in front of a crowd, feeding off the audience’s raw energy.
“I didn’t know what to expect actually, since we hadn’t played for two years; but seeing everyone turn up – even foreigners, wearing our band t-shirts – was just amazing,” he stated.
Genocide Shrines
Chaturanga Fonseka of Genocide Shrines dubbed the gig as a rollercoaster of an evening, because, one moment, they were about to postpone the event, and then they suddenly see 150-plus attendees showing up in support. “Nothing encourages an artist as much as a show of support like that, so we gave it our best, as we would have done at any gig we are a part of. Even though we are used to doing gigs under extremely risky conditions, we didn’t see this coming; but at the same time, it was encouraging to see the audience embracing all of it with us, which is what is personally expected of audiences who are fans of these forms of extreme arts,” he shared.
It has been two years since they last performed, and since they didn’t have the time to unveil any new music, the next gig will definitely see just that. Moreover, Fonseka promised a longer set and a proper sound check without being rushed by the threat of a curfew, even though, he added, they have no problem letting go of these smaller details and focusing on the bigger picture whenever it’s required.
