In This Moment Live at The Paramount, Huntington, NY on October 22nd, 2019

The scene on this Tuesday night was ready for a masquerade party in Suffolk's north shore. All the settings were there, and the people were showing up, some in...

Photos by: Dhruv Kumar

http://www.dhruvkumar.com/

Words byKunal Singh

 

 

 

The scene on this Tuesday night was ready for a masquerade party in Suffolk’s north shore. All the settings were there, and the people were showing up, some in costume, most not, but the audience was filling in around 5pm. This evening was to be filled with fun, dance, and music however we all know the adage pertaining to the best laid plans of mice and men.

The first act was a dark, Gothic themed burlesque show by the name of Little Miss Nasty. The dancing was choreographed to popular metal tracks and songs of similar genres. Everything from KoRn to Marilyn Manson to PanterA and more. There was a backing track for one original song. Overall the crowd reaction was positive and the four women put on a technical showcase, putting on a great performance.

The first band of the night, Ded, was slated next. They adorned the stage with banners and props, which took a few extra minutes than I’ve seen other bands do. The show was pretty straightforward, with a few moments of crowd interaction. The sound was not at all satisfactory from the venue this night though. Those in attendance next to me were complaining about the piss poor mix, and we had chocked it up to the possibility of their sound tech not knowing the room nor the system, but alas, this was not the end of the god awful sound from The Paramount this evening. Something I should point out, the venue is known for. Ded finished their set strongly and played their popular song “Anti-Everything” to a very approving crowd reaction.

New Year’s Day was up next. Their set was a very good showing of their style. The band also suffered from horrendous sound, so that was a killjoy. That is a shame, because the crowd really loved the energy from the band. Lead singer Ash Costello interacted with the audience at length. The backdrop for the band covered the rest of the stage, behind the drummer and it was overall a good experience. Their show went with little to no speed bumps and the music was played well. “Shut Up” was their big hit for the evening, and their well known tune “Kill or Be Killed” was a crowd favorite as well. Overall, a strong showing for a talented band.

Then we start to run into the beginning of the worst. I have a lot of love for the band Motionless in White, and I do love their aesthetic. The set was for their ambitious “Mother’s House of Horrors” theme, which ultimately may have worked, but proved to be an absolute slog of a time waster. The set looked great, don’t get me wrong. The party lights, the innumerable pumpkins, the lawn ornaments, and impressive microphone stand and the lanterns all looked really cool. It is a well laid out display, but this glorified playground for grown ass adults took way, way, WAY too long to setup. To take nothing away from their performance, it was a very good showing. Their sound needed some improvement despite the fact their musicianship was shining through. It is unfortunate, as the show was cool and the stage was hot, complete with dancing Pumpkin Head Man and Halloween Creeper (my made up names) walking through the set, but if you were not a total fan of these guys, you’ve already checked out. Most of the people around me were happy with the show but expressed great dismay at waiting all that time. Again, the band sounded great but this was a miss-step for the evening. I give it a lot of respect though, and I appreciate the sentiment and effort. It also may have served as a sort of litmus test, who knows?

The the final act, part 1. Long, long story short, this was a shame. In This Moment has a rabid fan base. I was surrounded by them. The stage setup was to be ambitious and theatrical. And it was, no doubt. However, the setup took an absurd amount of time.

Enter the final act, part 2. Things didn’t get helped with the alarms going off. Apparently there was a tripped fuse/box/circuit in the backstage area. This prompted the local Fire Department to arrive, as is standard. We are all grateful and thankful for these brave people to come at a moment’s notice, and we are all incredibly lucky to have such responses. No incident occurred and no one was hurt, so that’s fantastic news to report. We understand things happen on the road, at home, at any gig, and will. No complaints there, but that once again was a delay. Keep in mind doors opened to this event at 5pm, and we are now past 10pm. The noise ordinance for Huntington Village takes effect at 11pm. The crowd was growing unsettled, but remained calm and respectful. The delays extended over half an hour. In This Moment notoriously plays short sets, albeit with great passion and vigor, but that was a growing concern.

The final act, part 3. The band opens up with their dark cover of “Fly Like an Eagle” and the crowd was relieved to see the show. The show itself was absolutely fantastic and the musicianship was on point. The backing dancers and stage were all hitting at top level. My hat goes off to this production team, and everything they have to do. Being one who has been on that side of the stage as a production manager, hand, and tech, as well as being the performer, and now as an audience member, I know how incredible a job this really is. The band was hitting quite well, until…

The final act, part 4. Fire alarms, the revenge. Once again, this same electrical issue had arisen. This was a house or horrors that day. Aside from people getting injured, which thankfully did not happen, this night was a mess. The sound has been amateur at best the whole night, the stage was riddled with delays, and the audience was basically getting cheated by The Paramount. I give nothing but respect to the artists, their teams, security, and those who keep the show going, but this management at The Paramount continues to bleed out all of the stigmas with Long Island. An absolute piss of a show, this night was not intended for fans nor for fun. It was just another money grab from an already artificially inflated price gouging system. Don’t get me started on the Founder’s Room.

During this break in the program, ITM took to the stage to kindly address the audience and endear them to us. I give them a lot of credit for doing so. I have become a fan of the band as people, more so than as a fan of the music, which is still fun and entertaining. They did some giveaway to an already handpicked winner for a guitar, but we all know how the smoke and mirrors of such goes. Nonetheless, lead singer Maria Brink spoke with us all and truly poured her heart out to us as a proxy for the entire band, dancers, and team members. It was a nice way to acknowledge the fan base. There was a drum solo that ate up a few minutes, so that was cool.

The final act, part 5. ITM finally got back to the stage with the OK of the FDNY and we were ready to go! Only being able to perform 2 more songs, the band put their hearts into it. A juggernaut of a performance, this was a good payoff for those still in attendance, past 11pm, over 6 hours in the building. The last song of the night, “Whore” was especially powerful, and the address Brinks gave to the audience was one of hope and passion. I am thankful I saw this show, and the journey was a story to tell, but I’d love to see all these bands again without the delays, and the shine they all deserve. Also, with the sound they need.

 

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