While many people swarmed Irving Plaza to catch Hip-hip icons Cypress Hill on November 2nd, metal heads made their way to Greenpoint’s Brooklyn Bazaar to catch Devildriver and their support for the night, JINJER and Raven Black.
Having never been at Brooklyn Bazaar, it was unknown what to expect once at the venue. Lack of managerial support made the night a confusing one. No security stood at the door to give proper directions and soon, every audience member was stuffed in the main entry room. Technical problems also forced the night to start 40 minutes late, however, once Raven Black hit the stage, it made the wait worthwhile.
From Los Angeles, California, Raven Black took over the stage and immediately captured the attention of the crowd. In many ways, the band drew similarities to In This Moment, with an added layer of theatrics. Lead singer, Raven, was able to accompany each song with a prop, even hulla-hooping in between songs. Her persona was the star of the band and garnered many new fans.
Appropriately tailored to the genres of the night, technical metal band Jinjer from the Ukraine followed up as direct support for DevilDriver. After speaking to a few of the fans in the front row, it appeared Jinjer was the main reason why many of the audience members attended the show.
Lead singer Tatiana Schmayluk has garnered quite an acclaim from fans all around the world. Her voice has been the subject of many “reaction videos” on YouTube, and rightfully so. Her transition from cleans to growls so effortlessly is something to see for yourself and more breathtaking is the sight of it live. Although the bands latest release, Cloud Factory, is a rerelease of the original record released in 2014, it has acquired new recognition and is part of the bands recent rise to success.
DevilDriver soon came out to fans who were ready to mosh. Although not sold out, the fans willing to create a pit were strong enough to make it a rough night for those of us up front. Dez Fafara gave us a few smiles throughout the show, making us feel acknowledged. DevilDriver’s latest album, Outlaws ’til the End, Vol. 1, is a covers album of country artists such as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Johnny Paycheck. The album also features some of the most popular artists in metal such as Randy Blythe, Glenn Danzig, Chuck Billy, and John 5. A near two-decade journey, DevilDriver continues to produce and innovate heavy metal music for both younger and older generations alike.
Raven Black:
JINJER:
DevilDriver:
