Southern Steel: Weedeater, The Melvins, Down - Detroit, Sept 19th - A Sociological Perspective

I desperately need a new camera.

I just got home from an awesome show, and all my pictures ended up blurry and crappy. Sheeit. 

Anyhoo, so despite my previous column about Phil Anselmo I got the opportunity to check out Down with The Melvins in Detroit! What a show that was. How it came about was a little strange. I follow Dave Hall from Handshake Inc. on Twitter and in one post he mentioned how he was going to the show. I DM'ed him - thinking that I had met him at a show in May via a couple of guys I know in Hamilton, and asked if they were playing in Canada. He responded that they were playing in Detroit, so after thinking that I might head down on my own, I spoke to a friend who said, 'dude. you DO NOT want to go to downtown Detroit by yourself.' Luckily, Dave emailed me, said that he was going down with a few friends and invited me to tag along, so yesterday morning I headed to London, ON, met up with him and his friends ( who were awesome) and headed down to Motor City.

It wasn't until I got picked up by Dave's partner in Handshake - also named Dave, that no, neither of them knew the people that I knew, so basically I didn't know them at all! So yeah, lucky for me, they were really cool people, but I wouldn't recommend that you blindly travel to another city - and go to another country with a car-full of strangers.  

Anyway, we had a great time. The show started with Weedeater, this doom/sludge trio from North Carolina, whom the Daves knew. Really passionate, yet basic southern metal, no frills but their heaviness and texture compensated for any frills - like guitar solos and all that unnecessary stuff. I really liked them, considered picking up one of their albums (they are on Southern Lord) but then Dave H. says to me, "you know, the bassist's great-great grandfather started The Klu Klux Klan."

Great. So much for that. When we had arrived at the venue - which was this pretty cool old theater in the heart of the city, it was pretty obvious not only who many of the sold-out show came to see Down but what their politics were. Mostly rough-around-the collar white guys with white muscle shirts - I actually saw one guy wearing a "Klan Brotherhood" t-shirt, for chrissakes -  people with really bad dental hygiene, the worst tattoos I have seen in my life and a family that looked like they were all related - in a very, very, bad way, if you get my drift. As a Negro, you know I gotta check and see if there were any black folks - after all, it was Detroit - and I counted - minus the Security guards - four...including me - out of 3,000 people. And I was the only woman.

 The 'women' ........this ended up to be a real bone of contention for me and Rebecca, a friend of Dave H's and a really interesting woman. She is a clothing designer and makes clothes for metal musicians - most notably Arch Enemy's Angela Gossow. I am going to be getting more info about Rebecca, because she is really, really cool. Anyway, I'm going to generalize and say that the majority of the women - including the handfulof the 50+ ladies there with their 50+ husbands / boyfriends, were only there because of their boyfriends / husbands. It was obvious then they were standing, texting and looking bored while everyone else was really having a good time ( this crowd was probably the most energetic one I've seen in decades).

 At one point, there were two girls who had a primo spot and they left, so I stood there ( I was standing beside one of the girl's boyfriend, who didn't mind) and watched Down, and when they came back they were pretty pissed that I was there. So I moved, and then watched them start chatting and texting, not even paying attention to the show. So, why are you there taking up precious real estate when I could have been actually watching the band? Seconds later, I ended up standing on a banquet and getting an even better view of the stage, so it was all good. But what was interesting was that later one of the girls got on her boyfriend's shoulders, lifted her top and bra and flashed  - or tried to get the attention of - Phil. I said to Rebecca, "that is so 1980's."

There were women who were (including a trio of underage groupies - one whose skirt didn't cover her thonged bum) not dressed appropriately. It was interesting as many were dressed like they were auditioning for a hair metal video appearance - the tacky and cheap heels, spandex mini-skirts, thigh-high leggings, etc., while their partners were slobbed-out in dirty, knee-length shorts and ratty t-shirts. It was almost like they were pimping their girlfriends. Why do girls do that? Don't frigging' go to a show if it is obvious you don't like the bands. I dunno, maybe it is a Detroit thing or something, but I've seen it before and it is tired for those of us who actually know who is on the stage.

I'm planning to write a complete review for Hellbound on the show, so I'll just say that The Melvins were unbelievable! Totally exceeded my expectations. I was pretty close to the stage so I was able to see drummers Coady Willis and Dale Crover in action. For their last song, they added the drummer from Down, Jimmy Bower (who also plays with Eyehategod) for a three-drummer solo - which, even today, I can't believe I saw.

Down knows how to put on a show. I absolutely love Southern rock - the groove and the riffs are kick-ass, and they delivered. The lighting was simplistic, yet effective - using spotlights set behind the drum kit, and it was amazing. Phil is known for his banter, knows how to work the audience and they responded - so passionate and many of them knew every word - I don't have any of their albums, but from what I heard from others, they covered tracks from all of them. They ended with ( after a long, long encore of five songs) "Bury Me In Smoke" and as white and green smoke filled the stage, the band members handed their instruments to their roadies and Dale Crover, who took over on guitar, to take over while the band waved to the audience, shook hands and invited their backstage entourage to get onstage. I think that was the best ending I have ever seen in my life - really gracious.

As for the band's / Phil's politics -. I walked away still feeling uncomfortable. Actually, I was mildly uncomfortable the whole night, as the crowd was really rough. The mosh-pit, which didn't start until the end of the Melvin's set was violent. I would say that this crowd was pretty old, so you had 30-35+ grown-ass men in the pit, and instead of the usual bumping and shoving, fists were flying. From where I was standing, I saw men entering the pit that looked like they were ready to really get down and while I was up at the stage for The Melvin's, I knew to get back for Down.

I got some real hateful glares from some of these guys (whom, I'm sorry y'all, you knew they were white supreamists by their tattoos and their overall look) , but on the other hand, I chatted with a bunch of them too and overall it was pretty gentle-manly. But I still have some mixed feelings today. You shouldn't have to go to a show and know not to make eye contact with people, for fear of getting your face kicked in. I've been to a lot of shows, Phil was amazing, looked great and sang well and Buzz from The Melvins both are top-notch performers, but you really had to prepare yourself to defend yourself physically if anything went down, and that shit tires me. And scares me. I shouldn't have to think about it, but when you enter these spaces where rarely Negroes go - especially with what is going on in the States right now, you have to be prepared.

So in some ways I am not going to complain, but I walked away from this incredible experience deciding that I am never going to back down from what I want to do. I'm not going to let people intimidate me, I'm going to fight to do what I want and I will never let anyone get in my way. but you have to be safe, and not let your stubbornness get you into trouble.

 We have some serious issues with race relations, folks - that was clearly evident to me. But I will not let that stop me from doing what I love - and that's going to metal shows. In Detroit? I'll have to consider that!

Comments

[Lainad]

Token BG - thanks for your comment and welcome aboard!

Yes, it is difficult to want to attend shows and having to even think about the atmosphere. I'd like to say to you, "fuck it - do what you want" but it is more complicated than that.

I am getting a bit cynical in my old age but I do think that as years go on, if more black folks who are into metal (and they do exist) and go to more shows, hopefully some of the attitude we get from white people will fade. It is a fact that there are not many black folks into the metal scene, which is why I think people who give you a look of shock at shows, are reacting to. I do not think that everyone harbours negative thoughts about black people at evey show, but you still have to be careful. Unfortunately, it is wrong to even have to care, but we have to be realistic.

Rock on!

[TokenBG]

I don't even remember how I stumbled upon this page, but your review was the EXACT reason why I didn't go see the Melvins with Down in my town. I heard the announcement on the radio and my heart started soaring, and then it sank when they announced Down. I like their music, but the views of some of the band members and the members of their crowds are not appealling to me.

I REALLY love the Melvins, but I am a petite black girl dating a white guy and I just didn't want him to have to put up with any bull from racists in the pit and I didn't want him worrying about me while he was in the pit. I guess it is really hard for certain people to understand that there are black people(especially girls) that love metal.

I am getting more brave the more I go to shows, but it is hard being the only 'colored' person most of the time.

Glad you had the courage to go. Keep doing what you're doing.

[Lainad]

Noone,

Yep, I guess to you that would make me a moron.

Not that I really need to explain myself to you, but there is bit more to the story that isn't mentioned in the post, as it was told to me in strict confidence. I do feel that perhaps that I should have said more in order to make myself perfectly clear but, honestly? Even if there were not more to the story, yes after hearing that, I did reconsider purchasing their albums.

I wouldn't call that being a 'moron,' but I do think that is called having princples.

I will not support bands / artists that hold racist and/or homophobic views. That is my perogative.

[noone]

So because the bassists ancestor did something terrible you can't support a band three gennerations later... you're a moron...