Out on tour to promote their 2021 album, Manic, Wage War played an epic show in Silver Spring, MD on Tuesday, May 16 with Spite and nothing,nowhere. as openers. The show drew in 1,618 people, almost sold out which was impressive for a Tuesday night, all heeding to the call of metal. In short, it was madness… in the best way possible.
The first band to hit the stage was Spite. I had no idea what to expect right before they started with “Lord of the Upside Down.” But compared to Wage War and nothing,nowhere., Spite was significantly heavier and kicked off the night on the right note. A little over 800 people arrived by the time they got into “The Root of All Evil.” It was safe to say they truly got the crowd amped up, even someone dressed as Spider-Man crowd-surfed. One word for Spite: Brutal. Recommendation: Go see them.
Next was nothing,nowhere., and to be honest, I had never heard of them before Tuesday night. But I’m glad I saw them then to see what they had to offer. And I was damn impressed. Trying to describe their music is next to impossible. I wanted to say before that they were a bit of a metal version of Rage Against the Machine. But no, this band brought a refreshingly heavy mix of rap and metal that wasn’t trying to be the next Linkin Park or RATM. They were completely their own. At one point during their set, they had Chamber’s Jacob Lilly join in on “TRAG3DY.” That riled an extra high-pitched scream from the fans at the surprise guest. All in all, I cannot begin to recommend this band enough. Go see them if they’re touring near you.
Now, Wage War – they did not hesitate pulling out the bells and whistles without seeming extravagant. They brought the show to the next level with mannequin props, a digital screen that made for cool silhouette shots, and the best… cryogenic smoke cannons. I lost count how many crowd surfers surged to the front, but the wicked gleam in their eyes, that was unforgettable. There were times the crowd almost drowned out Briton and Cody. Wage War played a flawless set with nearly all the songs from Manic, and a stripped “Johnny Cash” performance which was just chilling to see.
All in all, it was a highly memorable show. My suggestion: if Wage War makes a stop in your town, run and grab those tickets. You won’t regret it.
Photo pass courtesy of Atomsplitter PR