Mission Ballroom October 8th, 2023
I arrived at the Mission Ballroom about 45 minutes early to catch up with friends waiting for the doors to open. There were already hundreds of fans in line and more arriving every minute for tonight's sold-out show. The excitement in the air was already high and when the doors opened it continued to rise! The merch line filled fast and stretched from the front of the venue, all the way to the stage, about 75 yards long. The venue capacity is 4000.
Opening the show this night was Alpha Wolf, a metalcore band originally from Burnie, Tasmania and are currently in Melbourne, Australia. They bounced onto the stage and vocalist Lochie Keogh jumped up onto a riser at the front of the stage with the crowd cheering raised his arms and the band started their set with, “Rot in Pieces” and got the venue hopping. With the lights dancing through the fog Alpha Wolf moved around the stage and encouraged the crowd to get moving as well. The crowd this night was differently ready for a night of metal and Alpha Wolf’s excellent opening set, set the tone for what was about to come.
Alpha Wolf members:
Sabian Lynch – rhythm guitar
John Arnold – bass, backing vocals
Scottie Simpson – lead guitar
Mitch Fogarty – drums
Lochie Keogh – lead vocals
Setlist:
Rot in Pieces
Acid Romance
Bleed 4 You
Sub-Zero
60cm of Steel
Creep
Bring Back the Noise
Akudama
After the Burial followed suit when they took over the stage opening their set with, “In Flux” from their 2019 album, Evergreen, and the energy stayed high. Crowd surfing was starting and vocalist Anthony Notarmaso took a moment between songs to ask everyone to take care when crowd surfing and to help each other from not getting hurt. With cheer from the crowd, After the Burial continued their set but unfortunately a crowd surfer was hurt and Anthony said, stop the show. The venue was quick to act and the person was taken care of. With the crowd applauding the venue workers, the band returned to the stage and continued with their high-energy set. Closing out their set with, “Behold the Crown” the band said goodnight to a cheering crowd.
After the Burial members:
Trent Hafdahl – lead guitar, backing vocals - rhythm guitar, programming
Anthony Notarmaso – lead vocals
Dan Carle – drums
Adrian Oropeza – bass, backing vocals
After the Burial members:
Trent Hafdahl – lead guitar, backing vocals - rhythm guitar, programming
Anthony Notarmaso – lead vocals
Dan Carle – drums
Adrian Oropeza – bass, backing vocals
Next up was Knocked Loose and they took the stage in the same high-energy fashion that kept the venue moving. Opening their set with, “Deep in the Willow” from their newly released 2023 album, Upon Lost Singles a mosh pit opened up and the crowd surfers returned. Watching the crowd through the first three sets saw no slow down to the high energy that flowed through the venue. Knocked Loose powered through their set and finished with, “Everything is Quiet Now”. The first three bands were excellent with their great stage presence and their musicianship! It was my first time seeing these three bands and I was very impressed.
Knocked Loose members:
Bryan Garris – lead vocals
Isaac Hale – lead guitar, backing vocals
Kevin Otten – bass
Kevin "Pacsun" Kaine – drums
Nicko Calderon – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Setlist:
Deep in the Willow
God Knows
Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory
Belleville
Where Light Divides the Holler
By the Grave
Denied by Fate
Deadringer
Mistakes Like Fractures
Billy No Mates
Counting Worms
Everything is Quiet Now
With the stage ready, the anticipation was high waiting for what we were about to witness from Motionless in White. The lights dimmed with a roar from the crowd and the large video screen lit up with Chris talking about what they had been planning for this tour. They wanted to bring to their fans something like never before and the video, showed bits and pieces of what they were working on. Then with a count down the band made their way onstage to a tape of, “The Whorror” Chris made his way out to the front of the stage to a deafening roar stepped up onto the riser, and stood there like a statue, the band exploded into, "Meltdown” from their 2022 album, Scoring the End of the World and the stage lit up.
The lights came from all over the stage through the fog, the video screen lit up with various images. Then his backup dancers called the Cherry Bombs came out dressed in what looked like mechanical outfits wearing masks, and carrying metal torches shot out flames, and with a wave from the torches in front of them, flames exploded in front of them across the stage. (see the photo gallery) The ladies continued to move about the stage with the flames rising up from everywhere. The crowd surfers started again and During the band's second song, “Sign of Life”, Chris yelled out, "Stop the show! Again the venue's security and first aid jumped into action and in a few moments helped someone who was hurt.
Returning to the stage Chris asked for everyone to be careful and watch those around them to be safe. He then told the crowd that they were going back in time with the next song and wasn’t from 2016 or 2012 but 2010’s “Immaculate Misconception” with that, the crowd let out a rousing cheer, the band broke into the song and the stage lit up again. The ladies returned this time with metal plates attached to their waists and with a grinder in their hands they created a shower of sparks across the stage. All the while the video screen has various images dancing about and billowing clouds of C02 were filling the air.
And all this was just during the first three songs of a 20-song setlist!
Throughout the rest of the night it was quite the production to watch and listen to. Motionless in White continued to go back and forth in time with their music. 2022’s “Masterpiece” which had Lochie Keogh join Chris on stage for the song. “Immaculate Misconception” and 2014 “Reincarnate”. Bryan Garris joined Chris on stage for “Slaughterhouse”. As the evening was coming to a close, Motionless in White finished their set with, “Scoring the End of the World” from their 2022 album of the same name.
What a fantastic show from Motionless in White and great opening bands. If you left the venue not feeling tired, you were not there. This is a must-see tour to witness!
Motionless in White members:
Chris "Motionless" Cerulli – lead vocals
Ryan Sitkowski – lead guitar
Ricky "Horror" Olson – rhythm guitar
Vinny Mauro – drums
Justin Morrow – bass, backing vocals
Setlist:
The Whorror @Tape
Meltdown
Sign of Life
Immaculate Misconception
Masterpiece
Thoughts & Prayers
Headache
Rats
Slaughterhouse
Brought to You by ZOMBite! @Tape
Werewolf
Reincarnate
Another Life
Devil's Night
City Lights
FaceTime with Zombie @Tape
Voices
Not My Type: Dead as Fuck 2
Nothing Ever After
Porcelain
Scoring the End of the World
