Words and Photos: Kyle Mueller
To some walking by, it was probably any other September night in Chicago. But inside The Vic, it was anything but. Opening in 1912, The Vic has played host to several performers that I can only guess. From concerts to stand-up comedians, The Vic has seen it all.
Due to a late venue change, we were lucky enough to witness The Hu and Asking Alexandria bring their Psycho Thunder Tour into the classic venue. With support from Zero 9:36, it was a night off, with somewhat different styles, face-melting rock and metal.
Zero 9;36
Zero 9:36 kicked off the night right away with his track “The End”. Hailing from Philly, and utilizing a mixture of rap and heavy rock/metal, Zero has a sound that can attract a pretty diverse group of music fans.
Zero came out swinging for the fences and didn’t let up until the set was over. Bouncing from side to side on the stage, his energy is up there with the best of them. As an opener, you want to get the crowd warmed up and going. Zero delivered perfectly. Even though battling a throat infection, you wouldn’t know it. We only knew it when he told us. The set was unfortunately cut short, but he came out and did what he meant to do. Performed his songs, told his story, and best of all, got the crowd rumbling for the night.
Asking Alexandria
For 15 years, Asking Alexandria has been delivering. Co-headlining the tour to support their new album “Where Do We Go From Here”, the guys dropped the hammer right out of the gate. Walking out to an instrumental of strings, the buzz in the crowd started spreading and there was no stopping it.
Leading the charge, rhythm guitarist Cameron Liddell and bassist Sam Bettley came out arms pumping to get the crowd jumping. “The Violence” was the opening track, with drummer James Cassells, starting on his own with pounding kicks to the bass, followed by lead guitarist Ben Bruce starting to shredding away. None of it is complete until lead vocalist Danny Worsnop stretches his voice. And what a voice it is! From singing on an acoustic guitar to screaming from the highest highs to the deepest lows, he’ll keep your attention all night. The killer new tunes off their smashing new album play loudly via “Dark Void” and “Blad Blood”. Do yourself a favor if you have yet to check out their new record, I dare to say it’s probably their most assertive, catchy, and accessible to date, great stuff from top to bottom and one you should prioritize right now!!!
Throughout the night, the guys were very thankful and showed love in many ways to the fans who have stuck with them for the past 15 years. So much so, that roughly halfway through their set, we all had a toast to show that love.
The Hu
To close the night out, The Hu had the final slot. The lights went out and the whole crowd started what can best be described as a battle cry. “HU! H!. HU! HU!” If that doesn’t get a crowd going, I don’t know what can!
Standing in a straight line 4 wide on stage, all 4 members share the front. Incorporating traditional Mongolian instruments, along with modern pieces, this is a one-of-a-kind experience. A combination of folk and heavy metal, it’s nearly impossible to be transfixed throughout the entire set. Seeing the instruments played, which include the morin khuur and the tovshuur, is a work of art on its own. On top of the traditional instruments, throughout the songs, you’ll hear deep, and I mean DEEP throat singing. To top off the instruments, you’ll hear great, heavy guitar riffs, and your chest will be pounded by the drums. Seeing them live is just incredible.
If you’re on the fence about going to see this tour, GO. If you don’t know the bands, but want a night out at a show and came across an ad for it, GO. You’ll be doing yourself a favor.
Follow ASKING ALEXANDRIA online at:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube
Spotify | Deezer | Tidal | Apple Music | Amazon
ASKING ALEXANDRIA Tour Dates:
8/30 San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port #
9/1 Dallas, TX – The Factory In Deep Ellum #
9/2 Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma *
9/3 Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall #
9/5 Atlanta, GA – The Eastern #
9/7 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live #
9/8 Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall #
9/9 Alton, VA – Blue Ridge Rock Festival *
9/11 New York, NY – Terminal 5 #
9/12 Boston, MA – House of Blues #
9/13 Bethlehem, PA – The Wind Creek Event Center #
9/15 Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center #
9/16 Johnstown, PA – 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial #
9/17 Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom #
9/19 Cleveland, OH – TempleLive #
9/20 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit #
9/22 Ft Wayne, IN – Piere’s Entertainment Center #
9/23 Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life *
9/25 Chesterfield, MO – The Factory #
9/26 Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre #
9/27 Ashwaubenon, WI – EPIC Event Center #
9/29 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/ Eagles Club #
9/30 Maplewood, MN – The Myth #
10/1 Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Stir Cove Event & Concert Venue
10/3 Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium #
10/4 Salt Lake City, UT – The Union #
10/7 Las Vegas, NV – The Industrial Sound #
10/8 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern #
# “Psycho Thunder Tour” with The HU, Bad Wolves and Zero 9:36
* Festival Date
About Author
