Killthrax Tour: Jasta, The Devil Wears Prada, Anthrax, Killswitch Engage

The Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Wallingford, Connecticut
April 4, 2017

Lately it seems that the shows I am catching are no where close to home. That finally changed this night. I am catching the Killthrax Tour at the Oakdale in Wallingford, a mere 30 minutes from home. I can actually hit home real quick before heading out. Due to car trouble I arrived too late to shoot Jasta, but in time to catch his set.

Jamey Jasta is best known for fronting some local boys ya all may know about, Hatebreed. Not one to rest on his laurels, Jamey in addition to his Hatebreed commitments, also has a podcast and his solo project, Jasta, which is the opening act for this tour. A good fit if you ask me, a short set of songs off his 2011 solo disc and a couple of nuggets off of his new one, “The Lost Chapters”. I am sure there was a few people upset there were no Hatebreed songs, but to be honest I was happy with the set.

One of the main reasons I was here was up next. The Devil Wears Prada, an interesting metalcore band out of Ohio with a Christian slant to their music. I have seen these guys before when they played the main stage at the last Mayhem Fest to hit Hartford and was impressed with their energy. They didn’t disappoint, hitting the stage with an unbound energy that was just a taste of what was to come.

It must be difficult to pick the songs to play when you have a shortened set, like they did that night. Songs such as, “Daughter” off of their latest album “Transit Blues”, “Sailors Prayer” off of “8:18”, “Planet A”off of the EP “Space”, “Outnumbered” from the EP “Zombie”, “Worldwide” from “Transit Blues”, “Assistant to the Regional Manager” from “With Roots Above and Branches Below”, “Dead Throne” title track from their 2011 album “Dead Throne”, “To the Key of Evergreen” another track from their current album, and finally their last track of the set “Mammoth” another nod to the album, “Dark Throne”. A really good set list that does a great job of covering their whole discography.

This band is fun to watch and listen to, all over the stage with a non stop energy. I have yet to see them in a position where they get more than a 30 minute set but am curious as to what that set list would contain and how much interaction with the audience would take place. One day.

The last time I saw Anthrax at the Oakdale was just over a year and half ago. I was lucky enough to have been allowed cover Motorhead in what would be their last appearance in Connecticut and Anthrax was the band opening for them, a fact that was brought to our attention by Scott Ian.

I have been a fan of Anthrax for a very long time and eagerly anticipating shooting this show. Energy is the only word I can think of that describes their set. NON Stop from the opening strains of “Among The Living” to the closing notes of the crowd pleaser “Indians”. They did not let up once during the set.

Between Joey Belladonna’s interaction with the crowd and Frank Bello’s antics while playing bass, the crowd was very well entertained. Scott Ian’s side of the stage, was a pleasure to watch as the intensity of his playing showed in his face. Former Shadows Fall guitarist Jonathan Donais domineered his side of the stage, looking like a child in a candy store. Hiding behind a huge drum kit was Charlie Benante, every now and then you could see more than just arms flailing when his face would be visible.

Power. Plain and simple power. There is no other way to describe Anthrax’s set this evening.

Killswitch Engage, local boys who found that dreams come true and made it in the music biz, are the headliners tonite. A wildly enthusiastic crowd welcomed them to the stage, and they played to the mood. Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz in shorts and a headband jumping and running all over the stage and Joel Stroetzel, guitarist, working the crowd on the other side of the stage beside bassist Mike D’Antonio. Backing everything up on a barren no frills stage was Justin Foley on drums with the ring leader Jesse Leach running all over the stage.

The night started off with “My Last Serenade / A Bid Farewell” and “No End in Sight” then “Hate by Design” at which point it was time to leave a very crowded photo pit, and enjoy the show. The crowd was definitely loving it, with just as many crowd surfers landing in the photo pit as there was for Anthrax, and the crowd along the barrier singing along to every word out of Jesse’s mouth. It was a headbangers dream. For myself, it was hearing their version of Dio’s “Holy Diver” that really made it worth the show. “In Due Time” closed the night out.

I have seen Killswitch Engage a few times over the last few years and this was probably the best I have heard or seen them do, maybe because they were on familiar ground.

Photos & Review by Frank Piercy

Killswitch Engage’s Setlist:

My Last Serenade / A Bid Farewell
No End in Sight
Hate by Design
Vide Infra
Rise Inside
Until the Day
The End of Heartache
This Fire Burns
Alone I Stand
Rose of Sharyn
Strength of the Mind
My Curse
Beyond the Flames
This Is Absolution
Holy Diver (Dio cover)
In Due Time