I have just returned from one of the most cathartic and fascinating shows I've ever seen headlined by the prog screamo demigods Gospel. The full billing provided a plethora of modern screamo styles that covered most all of my musical cravings and, well, emotions. The night began with Pyre, at once one of the most angular and shoegaze inflected contemporary groups in the aforementioned lyrical/vocal constellation, whose songs scoured a variety of worldly themes as their guitarists shredded away. They were followed by Kirkby Kiss, whose sound leaned at once towards emo's hardcore punk roots and the more melodic styles of the other bands that night. Their vocalist Natale Amato performed for almost the entire set in the pit, pacing across the floor and hugging it out with audience members as he spilled his heart out.
The last opener was Foxtails, one of Gospel's closest stylistic compatriots and the geniuses behind the masterful record Fawn, who - sans violinist Jared Schmidt - brought out a set made up entirely of new songs. Their performance proved to be more mellow than the rest, saving singer Blue Luno Solaz's heart wrenching screams for the penultimate and climactic cut. Instead the now trio powered through their ever evolving tracks with Solaz more gently and beautifully singing, calming the crowd and exploring new directions in their music.
Gospel followed with a romp through their limited yet groundbreaking discography. They started focused on their newer material from last year's masterpiece The Loser, earthshaking riffs meeting Johnathan Pastir's keys which vacillated from vintage prog to modern electronics. From there they moved into their older cuts from The Moon Is A Dead World, Pastir focusing on his guitar as singer/lead guitarist Adam Dooling switched over to his Rickenbacker twelve string. The group performed with searing passion and flawless technicality across their entire set, refracting their studio material into singular crystalizations for us in the audience. It was over almost before it begun but has been burned into my memory forever.
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