Five Finger Death Punch - Concert Review

Five Finger Death Punch is a fairly new music obsession. My friend, Ashley, told me to check them out a few months ago and I have been a fan since.

When I heard they were coming in concert I didn't really want to go as the venue they were playing at is a general admission mega mosh pit venue. There are no seats at all. And I haven't been to a concert at this place in ages, and really...I was scared. But I wanted to go, I was just deathly afraid of going.

Well Dennis won tickets off a local radio station. Our daughter wanted to go too (to see another band that was playing). So we bought an extra ticket and that's what we did last Friday night (October 30th).

This was a mega Halloween show that a local radio station was sponsoring. Four heavy metal bands took the stage that night.

The first band 2 Cents...was a band I'd never heard of. The lead singer also played the drums, kept spitting up into the air and letting it land on himself and just looked like he needed a bath.

The music was all right. I liked it more than I thought I would. Normally heavy metal growling/screaming music annoys me, as you can't even understand what they're saying. Total different experience to see it played live than to just hear it on the radio or something.

(crappy cell phone pic)

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Second band up was Otep. I'd only heard a few songs in the last couple weeks. As soon as we won the tickets we downloaded some tunes so we'd be somewhat familiar with the other bands.

Before the show...I was not an Otep fan. Like I mentioned above, listening to it on my headphones is just not the same as seeing it live.

The lead singer of Otep is a female-I-am-woman-hear-me-roar-I-hate-the-whole-fucking-world type of girl. She was so awesome! She was growling and screaming and just totally rocking out.

This was the band Autumn most wanted to see. Autumn and I were standing in the crowd, near the back, away from the mosh pit area. The lead singer encouraged the crowd to start jumping up and down...and like a wave, the crowd/mosh pit was coming at us fast! I grabbed Autumn and pulled her off to the side before we were lost in the mosh pit forever. Mosh pits scare me. LOL

Anyway, totally dug Otep. And...bonus, bonus, bonus...she sang Nirvana's "Breed" to close the show. Waaaaay cool.

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Third band up was Shadows Fall.  And once again, I was not a fan of these guys before the show either.   It's just hard for me to like music that I can't even understand the lyrics to.  But again, I really liked seeing them live.

The lead singer from Shadows Fall came out and sang a song with the first band, 2 Cents towards the end of their set.  After Autumn and I were running for our lives during the Otep mosh pit-- we were off the side of the stage.  I recognized the lead singer from Shadows Falls standing near the crowd watching the show.  So I asked if he'd let me take his picture with Autumn (she was in her Halloween costume).  He was very nice and posed for pics.

The reason I recognized this guy...he has amazingly long dread locks.  Like down to his ankles.  Seriously.  It was totally wicked to see him up on the stage, guitars screeching, him screaming and growling and whipping those dreads around like some sort of crazed maniac.

Look at that hair!  Amazing!

Cool music.  Cool hair.  Cool dood.

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Then it was time for some Five Finger Death Punch (rawwwwr!).  I mean...don't you like have to say that in a deep, growling voice?  It just doesn't have the same effect if you say it in a normal voice.

They put on such an awesome show.  We managed to keep our spot on the side of the stage all through Shadows Fall and 5FDP so we were pretty close, just not the best view.

The lead singer from 5FDP kept coming over to our side of the stage and he kept pointing at us.  Or Autumn I should say.  I must say her being in her Halloween costume was definitely a bonus as they noticed her, which was pretty exciting. 

5FDP sang all their hits White Knuckles, The Way Of The Fist, Never Enough (my favorite!) and The Bleeding.  They also played tunes off of their new album...but um, I forgot which ones.

The crowds were CRAZY.  At one point during the show the lead singer "dared" everyone to work their way to the stage and shake his hand.  Security guards were pulling people over the rails, people were crowd surfing their way to the front.  It was MADNESS.  I am so glad we weren't out in the main arena area when that was going on.  It was total chaos.

The lady in the left of this picture..the one sitting on some guys shoulders.  Well she was flashing her boobs.  And they weren't pretty boobs.  They were saggy old lady boobs.  And...apparently she asked Dennis to buy her a drink up at the bar (upstairs, can't access it unless you're 21 or older).  When he told her that his wife wouldn't like that...well, he said she couldn't get away fast enough.  LOL....skank.

 

Dennis worked his way into the crowd and got some pics for me.

(this pic would be so cool without those hands in the way!)

 

Way fun concert.  I'm glad I grew a set and went, despite my fear of the crowds and mosh pits.  It was the first time I'd ever been to a real heavy metal concert.  It was definitely an experience to remember.  Autumn had a blast too.  There was only a handful of people in costumes that night, so it definitely worked in her favor. 


I have a new found respect for heavy metal music.  And that girl from Otep...well, she could definitely kick my ass.

Rob Zombie is playing the same venue on Thursday (11/5).  We're going to that show too...and I'm not taking my kid.  I will have better pics for that show.  I will damn it.

Gotta give props to 94.9 Z Rock for giving away tickets...and to Dennis for winning.