Static X & Sevendust
May 9, 2024
Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, Calgary, AB
Canadian Beats Passport
It was a fine Thursday for a drive to Calgary to see some bands that I wouldn’t necessarily put in the nu-metal category, but bands had certainly shot to fame while it was at its peak. Unfortunately due to timing and traffic, I missed the opening act. I did however show up in time to catch Dope’s last few songs, and while I’m not super familiar with their material, they did close their set with a cover of the classic “You Spin Me Round” by Dead or Alive. Unfortunately, my late arrival also meant I didn’t get any photos of Dope either.
Well, I believe this tour is being billed as a double headliner, Sevendust was next to the stage. Well I am not familiar with their catalog, they delivered a super energetic set, and their frontman Lajon Witherspoon is easily one of the best I’ve seen in a while. His crowd interactions were top-notch, fist-bumping crowd surfers who were coming over the rail, joking back-and-forth with the audience, and at one point even donning a hat that somebody threw onto the stage at him. They were a ton of fun to photograph, and I got so wrapped up in their charisma that it felt like the three songs just flew by. Their set lasted a little over an hour, and despite not knowing their music they managed to keep my attention for the entire duration of their set.
Lastly was Static-X. It has been 10 years since the Wisconsin quartet tragically lost their frontman Wayne Static to an overdose in 2014. For the band to continue on, they decided to go ahead with a reincarnated form of their beloved leader – a cybernetic robot named Xero. The identity of who is under the mask was meant to be kept a secret, but eagle-eyed fans on the Internet quickly figured out it was none other than Dope vocalist Edsel Dope. I really have to say that I went into this expecting a decent show, and they blew me away. Seriously, this band is fucking immaculate. Hard-hitting, catchy songs that bass player Tony Campos described during the show as “evil disco”. The entire set was super high energy, super fun, and flawlessly executed. It is now a few days later, and I am still reeling from just how awesome that was. From the giant pumpkin head evil robot thing that opened the show, to the dude in the suit wearing the puck head, there were sparks, there were lasers, there were SMOKE BUBBLES, and the lighting was spectacular. There were solid tributes to Wayne Static, and the show really felt like a celebration of his legacy. I never really got into Static-X, but they were one of those bands that were impossible to avoid in my teenage years and early 20s as they rose to fame. Songs like “Get it to the Gone”, “Cold”, “I’m With Stupid”, and lastly – the iconic banger “Push It”. The band played a set full of unforgettable songs with a stage show that left my jaw on the floor. 10 out of 10, I would highly recommend seeing this band at least once. Totally worth it.
