The Phillies have always been that team you hate to love. Ever the dark horse contestants even in a winning season, fans can't help but admire the scrappy attitude and work ethic they put forth. And so, while most of the city was watching the Yanks beat the Phils last night, it was easy to draw the parallel with another group of underdogs playing for a crowd as the packed Hammerstein Ballroom hosted Converge. The bill included a flight of metal bands; stonerish Oaklanders High on Fire, the proggy Mastodon and the only cartoon death metal band in existence, Dethklok
Converge has succeeded in mixing genres with more success than any band has the right to; their set adroitly mixed elements of speed metal, hardcore, punk and classic rock. Guitarist Kurt Ballou got the ball rolling with an epic guitar solo, underneath the projected visage of the band's mascot, Jane Doe, from the cover of their latest album, Axe to Fall. The band offered no pretense or bullshit, just a meaty sound as delicious as it was nutritious. Singer Jacob Bannon bounded back and forth across the stage, throwing the occasional windmill and viciously swinging the mic while bassist Nate Newton slapped the hell out of his instrument. Bent double, Newton went to town slugging the strings as hard as he could. The drummer, Ben Koller, was paid his due later in the set with a riotous drum solo.
The band "played all 27 outs," as it were, each and every song bursting with integrity and intensity. But their balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm and technical proficiency were not enough to win over the crowd. Bannon addressed the lack of interest head-on, saying at one point, "We're not an easy band to get into." But despite encouraging accessibility by flinging open every metaphorical door and window he could think of—giving a little intro for each song, apologizing for the metal barriers at the front, addressing unfamiliar concert-goers, thanking the crowd for its support—the masses couldn't, or wouldn't, find their way in to the House of Converge. It's a bittersweet feeling to watch your favorite team lose while at the same time knowing they put forth their very best effort. An all-too-familiar one for those of us who like rooting for the underdogs.
Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/frenkieb/
