Metal Show Bucket List

As the years have passed and I've seen more and more shows, I've developed something of a bucket list of metal bands to see live. In particular, five bands found their way to the top after I'd scratched off some names early on in my show-going life. In the past six months I'd seen Black Sabbath and Slayer from that list, and last night I checked off a third.

I thought I was going to miss the show due to work, and I did in fact miss four of the five bands playing, but I arrived at the venue just in time for Dark Tranquillity. I've been aching to watch them live for years, and I was not disappointed. They put on an excellent show in a very small venue (even with my late arrival I was only about 20 feet from the stage) and afterward Mikael came down to hang out and talk to people. He really was the highlight of seeing them; whenever a frontman can perform with energy and enthusiasm it always heightens the show, and he really seemed like he was having a good time on stage.They performed without bass (on albums their bass is played by one of their guitarists) but given how low the bass typically is in metal anyway its absence was barely noticeable.

With this show under my belt, the two bands left at the top of my bucket list are Metallica and Iron Maiden. Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be in need of a new group of bands to see.

p.s. I stole this photo from a friend who was also in attendance.