Written by: Marianne Jacobsen
Pictures by: Jonathan Sippel
“Make plans but don’t plan the outcome and expect the unexpected. Most of all – HAVE FUN.” – Marianne Jacobsen
I had been waiting to see this event since the day the tickets were put on sale on February 9th of this year.
I had just finished off last year with the Greatest Band in the World (for anyone who doesn’t know that’s Corrosion of Conformity) coming to the Opera House and Psychic Warfare being my favourite album of 2015, so this was bound to be fun.
Plan: Go down to the venue, drop off COC offering to the Gods box, set up time for interview, get photographer his pass, and then tear it up from the floor up.
Outcome: Bands were slowed down by 4 hours (which is one of the reasons why I appreciate entertainers bringing themselves to Toronto for one show before going back over the boarder again) and did not get to the venue until 2:30. I actually beat COC to the show and left their bags with a nice security girl. I hope she likes craft beer and Trailer Park Boys (joking).
Final Outcome: No interview. Yet, found a great restaurant very close to the venue that had an outdoor patio where we fed the birds and shot the shit till the fellow MGM’rs showed up and we all bounced to the show.
Expect the Unexpected: I had never been to TD Echo Beach before and I have to admit – due to the fact that I am not a huge fan of the Molson Ampitheatre I was not looking forward to attending this venue.
The Unexpected: TD Echo Beach is now my favourite outdoor venue in Ontario.
So first up was the Greatest Band in the World – Corrosion of Conformity. Now this was a treat because COC was just here no less than 6 months ago (or around that) at the Opera House – which was an amazing time. https://myglobalmind.com/2015/12/04/corrosion-of-conformity-december-1-2015-opera-house-toronto-ontario/
Of course, as usual Corrosion of Conformity killed it. A 7 song set that was both melodic and heavy I enjoyed dancing and yelling and playing in the sandbox in front of the stage which I thought was brilliant because if someone falls – they fall in sand. So we had even more fun than anticipated and got dirt up our noses.
The Unexpected: My photographer (the one and only Jonathan Sippel) was stuck on a subway for almost 2 hours due to a fire and never got there in time to shoot Corrosion of Conformity’s set. So you’ll just have to take my word for it. THEY WERE AMAZING!!!
Bottom Feeder / Paranoid Opioid
Broken Man
Seven Days
The Door
Vote With a Bullet
Albatross
Clean My Wounds
You could get nowhere near the merch booth which made me smile hoping that everyone had been saving their money for this great night and wanted to take home a token keepsake from any or all the performers there that night. The mood was amazing, lots of smiles, hugs and hellos from fellow concert goers in Toronto.
Pastor Fallon and Company jumped on the stage next kicking it off with Who Wants to Rock? And guess what? Apparently a whole pile of us did.
They got the boogie going as they played a lot of songs that I saw a lot of fans saying “Yes!” when the opening chords were played.
I was actually pretty close for part of their show and never got shoved or felt anything more than this really great vibe happening. OH and I knew the words to three songs so that’s up from zero this time last year! YA GOTTA START SOMEWHERE
Who Wants to Rock?
The House That Peterbilt
Cypress Grove
Noble Savage
A Quick Death in Texas
The Soapmakers
Decapitation Blues
The Mob Goes Wild
D.C. Sound Attack!
Spacegrass
(with Pepper Keenan)
X-Ray Visions
Firebirds!
Everyone just loved Spacegrass! I watched the whole place bounce as Clutch led them through a song that the whole crowd seemed to know the words. Pretty magical.
Closing with Xray Visions and Firebirds! was a great way to end their set as the workout left me ready to dance for Lamb of God. I was totally warmed up.
Walk with Me in Hell
Ruin
Still Echoes
512
Desolation
Ghost Walking
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
Descending
The Faded Line
Blacken the Cursed Sun
Set to Fail
Hourglass
Vigil
Laid to Rest
Redneck
Just looking at the set list for Lamb of God makes me tired.
I have always been really interested in these guys since Kirk Hammett was spotted at a show around 2003/4. Having read Randy Blythe’s book as well as seeing the documentary I have a strange curiosity for Lamb of God. Also…THEY FUCKING ROCK!
A week and a half prior to Echo Beach I had attended the Carolina Rebellion and actually had the pleasure of seeing Lamb of God set the sun (as Gods can do) on the Saturday night so I was really excited for this show by the time that this week got here.
Watching the crowd explode to “Walk With Me in Hell” and actually encouraging my friend Heather to sing along during “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For” really made my night.
By the time the set was over I have to say that Jonathan’s images do it more justice than any words I could put together.
End result: An amazing day with a lot of tired smiling people leaving a really cool venue.
Best band of the day: Cluch – you killed it guys.
CoC complaint of the day: I think that Toronto has been loyal enough to deserve “An Evening With” show like the Button Factory in Dubin last month. Yes I know I’m being a greedy fan but if you are gonna cross that boarder you might as well make it worth it.
Overall – Best time since the last time I had a great time.
Recommendation – without a doubt – if you like to nod to loud music and scream the words – this is your show. Don’t miss it.
Lamb of God, Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity 2016 Tour Dates
5/23 – Wichita, Kan. @ The Cotillion
5/24 – Morrison, Colo. @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
5/25 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Complex
5/27 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ Comerica Theatre
5/28 – Pomona, Calif. @ Fox Theater Pomona
5/29 – Oakland, Calif. @ Fox Theater
5/31 – Seattle, Wash. @ WaMu Theater at CenturyLink Field Events Center
6/01 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
6/02 – Penticton, British Columbia @ South Okanagan Events Centre
6/04 – Calgary, Alberta @ Calgary Stampede Corral
6/05 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Shaw Conference Centre
6/06 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition Park Hall A
6/07 – Winnipeg, Mantiboa @ Burton Cummings Theatre
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