{"id":14464,"date":"2015-03-09T01:00:18","date_gmt":"2015-03-09T05:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southeastofheaven.com\/?p=14464"},"modified":"2015-03-09T09:11:18","modified_gmt":"2015-03-09T13:11:18","slug":"content-needed-concert-review-doro-pesch-atlanta-ga-march-5-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/?p=14464","title":{"rendered":"Concert Review: Doro Pesch – Atlanta, GA – March 5, 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Doro Pesch<\/strong>
\n w\/ Archer, Kickin’ Valentina, Inviolate<\/strong>
\n Thursday, March 5, 2015<\/strong>
\n Atlanta, GA<\/strong>
\n The Masquerade (Hell)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Doro Pesch is a living legend in the truest sense of the word. In the 80\u2019s, with her band Warlock, Doro proved that a woman in heavy metal could do so much more than just dance around in a music video portraying a misogynistic fantasy. Doro and Warlock put out some of the most melodic heavy metal of the 80\u2019s and early on was even beginning to be considered to the female Ronnie James Dio as her passion for both metal and her fans was worn on her tattered sleeve and very proudly. Doro and her amazing band stopped in Atlanta for the 3rd stop of her 2015 North American tour and this was a show that I was anticipating more so than just about any show in a while. Supporting Doro was local bands Inviolate and Kickin\u2019 Valentina and from Santa Cruz a three piece band called Archer.<\/p>\n

Inviolate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Inviolate is a band that I have seen on a few occasions and I never really got into them. This night was no different. Lead singer Kadria attempts to mix the art of belly dancing with electronic\/metal music and in all honesty it just doesn\u2019t work for me. Kadria\u2019s band is a fantastic rotating lineup of super talented players who more than hold their own on stage as performers and players but the songs are forgettable and lacking any kind of real melody or originality. The songs just do nothing for me and the live show as a whole just comes across and disjointed and awkward. Kadria\u2019s belly dancing solo spot is just beyond awkward as she balances a sword on her chin and does back bends and stuff as creepy guys in the audience film it with their cell phones. The fact that I remember that more than the music says something.\u00a0 I can see that the band obviously has a following but I just didn’t feel any kind of a connection at all on my end.<\/p>\n

[mudslide:picasa,0,thegreatsouthernbrainfart,6123997543300716801,576,center]<\/p>\n

=========================================================<\/p>\n

Kickin\u2019 Valentina<\/strong><\/p>\n

Local glam\/sleaze rockers Kickin\u2019 Valentina took the stage next. These guys are a band that, in my mind, I think I like them more than I actually do. These guys are killer players and they have a great sound as well as having one of the best singers in Atlanta. These guys have so much potential to be a really great metal band as they totally showed that they can be heavy enough to support Doro Pesch. They play well on stage, the energy is off the charts but their songs are just somewhat annoying to me. \u201cDirty Girl\u201d? Really? If I have to hear that song again I\u2019m going to scream. There\u2019s nothing more frustrating than seeing a band with so much untapped potential only to be writing songs like that. They do have a core following of fans that seem to love those songs so maybe I\u2019m just not one of them. At the same time, I\u2019m not ready to write them off just yet as I feel that there is some greatness in that band that has yet to surface. I was seeing hints of it on this night but not quite all the way there.<\/p>\n

[mudslide:picasa,0,thegreatsouthernbrainfart,6123998275740001761,576,center]<\/p>\n

=========================================================<\/p>\n

Archer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Archer, a three piece band out of Santa Cruz, seemed to be the only opening band on the bill that truly piqued my interest. They literally tore onto the stage with all the energy and gusto of a classic 80\u2019s Bay Area metal band. Their guitarist\/singer was off the charts good and the energy and chemistry on that stage was enough to completely draw me. The band delivered a powerful 45 minute set that reminded me of what it must\u2019ve been like to see a band at the Stone back in the 80\u2019s when bands like Metallica, Megadeth, and Exodus were just coming up and cutting their teeth. I was so interested in hearing more from this band that I picked up their album Culling the Weak just to hear more. This is definitely a band to look out for.<\/p>\n

=========================================================<\/p>\n

Doro Pesch<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hell was about \u00be full this night but the energy and the excitement of the audience was contagious as people packed to the stage to greet our metal goddess. The band didn\u2019t even bat an eye as they tore onto the stage opening with the Warlock classic \u201cTouch of Evil\u201d which had the crowd at full attention. It was the next song, \u201cI Rule the Ruins\u201d that completely took shit to a whole crazy fucking level. When that riff rung out the audience went absolutely manic with a roar that was so loud it sounded like there was 1,000 people in the room. Fists were pumping, heads were banging, and it was just all fucking mayhem. This is how all metal shows should be. When the music and the performance is this good, you just can\u2019t help but lose your mind and let it take you over.<\/p>\n

Doro and company played five songs and after \u201cRunning from the Devil\u201d Doro announced, \u201cWe are doing a different set list every night because we want you all to hear the songs you want to hear!\u201d The crowd erupted and requests just filled the air. For a real fucking treat, Doro announced that they were going to a rare Warlock song that hasn\u2019t been played in many years as they launched into \u201cEvil\u201d from the \u201cYou Hurt My Soul\u201d 12\u201d. This brought a huge roar from the crowd. It\u2019s so refreshing to see an act like Doro do this. She really delivered a show that was for the fans. You can say all you want about how much you love your audience but a move like this proves just how much she loves her fans and wanted us to truly have an unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n

[mudslide:picasa,0,thegreatsouthernbrainfart,6123995717704058673,576,center]<\/p>\n

The rest of Doro\u2019s setlist was comprised of many classic Warlock favorites such as \u201cMetal Racer\u201d, \u201cMetal Tango\u201d, and \u201cOut of Control\u201d but it was \u201cEast Meets West\u201d that was a personal highlight for me. The power behind Doro\u2019s voice just never ceases to amaze me and along with her ability to command an audience to give her back 100%, it\u2019s like seeing an arena show in a club. Another highlight for me was Doro\u2019s song for Ronnie James Dio, \u201cHero.\u201d Hearing that song live and hearing those words and having Doro express just how much she loved Dio in song was fantastic. It was definitely tugging at my heart strings.<\/p>\n

Behind every great metal icon should be a great band and Doro, without a doubt, has one of the single greatest bands out there today. They are such a class act and watching them play is one of the most fun experiences you can have. They are so passionate and love the songs that they are playing and they aren\u2019t afraid to show it. In a world where bands just seem to be \u201ctoo cool for the schoolbus\u201d to really just show their emotions on stage, Doro\u2019s band just let it all out without a care in the world. What a refreshing concept. The band delivered the Warlock classic \u201cAll We Are\u201d and the energy was so off the charts with Doro balancing on the barricade and singing to the crowd that one would think it would all be done. Nope. Not Doro. No cheesy \u201cencore\u201d break or anything. The band marched one delivering the beautiful ode to her fans \u201cFur Immer\u201d (which I never tire of hearing), \u201cLove Me in Black\u201d, and then ripped shit up with a cover of the Judas Priest classic \u201cBreaking the Law\u201d which just may be the best Priest cover I\u2019ve ever heard.<\/p>\n

This was my 2nd time seeing Doro Pesch live and I have to say that this show surpassed the last time by light years. Why? I don\u2019t know but something about this particular show touched my heart and moved me like none other. This show really had me feeling the feels and it reminded me just why I love this kind of music. It also reminded me that metal music can be fun. Doro has a way of making you feel like you are the only person in the room and that is no easy feat. If you haven\u2019t seen Doro Pesch live yet, you need to go. Do yourself a favor and see her while she is alive, healthy, and putting on the best shows of her career. Doro is a living piece of Heavy Metal history who is still writing the book as she continues on. Her best years are still ahead of her without a doubt and I will continue to see and support her to the very end. Thank you, Doro for keeping the spirit alive and for doing it the way it should be done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Doro Pesch w\/ Archer, Kickin’ Valentina, Inviolate Thursday, March 5, 2015 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade (Hell) Doro Pesch is a living legend in the truest sense of the word. In the 80\u2019s, with her band Warlock, Doro proved that a woman in heavy metal could do so much more than just dance around in a music video portraying a misogynistic fantasy. Doro and Warlock put out some of the most melodic heavy metal of the 80\u2019s and early on was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[1294,854,1290,1169,855],"class_list":["post-14464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-concert-reviews","tag-archer","tag-doro-pesch","tag-inviolate","tag-kickin-valentina","tag-warlock"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t