This past weekend I the Sounds of the Underground tour came to Austin. This is a tour made up of a number of hardcore/death metal bands including my favorite band Opeth. The bands that came to Austin were (in this play-order):

• A Life Once Lost
• Chimaira
• Unearth
• Opeth
• Lamb of God

This is one of the best shows I've been to in years, and the first metal concert I've been to in 20 years. At 39 I was the oldest person there by like 10 years, but I had a great time!

I went with my mate John who also likes Opeth. In a totally out of character "metal moment", John elbowed someone in the face and got thrown out! I actually missed the incident because I'd moved in to the main body of the crowd about 15ft from the stage, but still 4-5 people away from the moshpit... Seemed safe enough, and gave me plenty of space to rock out. Then Lamb of God came on. I'd been there nearly 3 hours at this point. Suddenly all hell breaks loose, and everything 40ft in front of the stage becomes the moshpit, with people flying in all directions. I nearly broke a finger and a wrist until I figure out how to go with it and when to push back. About half way through the Lamb of God concert I finally ran out of adrenaline and fought my way out of the pit. But what a buzz!

For the Opeth fans planning to hit the tour before it wraps and wondering what Opeth songs were played, the songs were:

• The Drapery Falls (from Blackwater Park)
• Deliverance (from the album of the same name)
• The Grand Conjuration (from the upcoming Ghost Reveries album out 8/31)
• Demon of the fall (eternal crowd pleaser, from "My arms your hearse")

Mikael (Opeth's lead singer) said they'd be back on tour with their new album when it comes out. I can hardly wait.