Review by Kunal Singh
Photos: Dhruv Kumar
New York City. The legendary Gramercy Theatre. On this gorgeous end of Summer night, Lions at the Gate, Uncured, and Butcher Babies open the stage for the 20-year powerhouse band, Lacuna Coil.
The crowd was a loving array of die-hard fans and curious newcomers. There was a lot of chatter about the new sound of Lacuna Coil, and the faint sounds of “I was there for their first show” could be heard in some corners of the lounge downstairs. As someone who was indeed around 20 years ago, and opened for the band, I giggled a bit; one could say, to myself I turned.
Lions at the Gate opened the show to an intimate crowd of faithful fans and gracious new faces. A solid crowd presence and a respectable performance, bringing great big energy to the crowd. I heard people talking about Ill Nino and the days of past shows. Certainly, a great performance for these well-established and road-tested musicians.
Uncured came out to a well-deserved roar from the dedicated crowd. It seems like a lot of friends and family was at this show. It was so cool seeing families there with their kids having a great time. And man, that was some loud guitar work. The musicianship was stellar and the band was tight as can be. A clever mix of electronic, metal, dance and power metal sweep-picking solos made Uncured an absolute treat.
Butcher Babies took to the stage and put on a great showcase of stage presence and high-energy crowd control. Making good use of risers, the two frontwomen used the extra height for some classic metal poses and sang their hearts out. The band was tight, and the instrumental work was solid. A little bass was heavy in the mix and the drummer was not mixed too well, but the overall sound was hot.
Lastly, the main act Lacuna Coil took over. This was a great show, with an intimate vibe the whole night. Lots of talk to and from the crowd, a little happy birthday singing, and a lot of love on this showcase. The band is not using live keyboards or layered or two guitars. Instead of opting for backing tracks and a streamlined sound, this was a true rock show with a garage band feel. In other words, it was great. A lot of the re-imagined Comalies XX material is on display here, and some old favorites including deep dives. A highlight was “Our Truth”, as that song grooved the heaviest of the night. I believe that tune was the most in tune with their new drummer.
This night showed that bands can go on for years and years and make music the entire time. It is a good lesson for those who want to get into this field called music and for those who question why they play. This was also a showing that Lacuna Coil still has plenty in the gas tank and will be making music hopefully for another 20 years.
SET LIST
Intro / Blood, Tears, Dust
Reckless
Trip the Darkness
Apocalypse
Layers of Time
Tight Rope XX
Heaven’s a Lie XX
Sword of Anger
End of Time
Now or Never
My Demons
Daylight Dancer XX
Veneficium
Intro / Our Truth
Swamped XX
N.S.I.O.W.
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