Stephen Atkinson
I have been a fan of Texas psychedelic five piece The Black Angels for some time now but I never got to see them live. Well that all changed and it changed in a big way. Paradise Rock Club in Boston is celebrating being open for 40 years of live music this year and there is always a great show to be seen at the venue. I did not expect The Black Angels to play this Venue when I heard they announced a Tour to accompany their new album “Death Song” but they did and it was amazing. The stage set up and lighting was among the most elaborate I have ever seen at The Paradise.
I first Got into the band when a friend of mine introduced them to me, shortly after they were featured on the Soundtrack of HBO’s hit show True Detective (Only a hit for one season I know but a hit nonetheless.) The pairing went extremely well together, making it easy for fans of the show to like the band and vice versa. The new album is not quite as heavy handed with the psychedelic sound they have become known for but it is woven into the very fabric of the songs as a tip of the cap to the long time fans.
Similar to my recent coverage of Moon Duo (Who just dropped the second half of there Occult Architecture project yesterday) the use of a projector was a major part of the stage set up and performance. These projectors were on a different level though. You could see the band perfectly and the projections were just painting every surface in their path with an electric brush. Finally getting to see this band was a long time coming and I am so happy this was the show that broke the mold.
Brooklyn-Based A Place To Bury Strangers opened the show with low lights, loud guitars and lots of feedback. They immediately set the tone of the show by smashing a guitar in between strobe light flashes on SONG ONE! They continued to crank out the tunes and I am positive that they gained some new fans even if their ears were ringing for the next day and a half.
