Machine Head Melts Faces at The Underground
Electric Happy Hour Live Hits Charlotte
While the world was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American metal machine of Machine Head raged on. The band kept in form with online performances that became known as the Electric Happy Hour. Anything might happen during one of these live streams with cover songs and even requests being taken. So it made sense that the band would want to take this concept out on the road now that touring is back in full swing and bring this vibe to the masses. Luckily, for Charlotte area metal fans, Machine Head made a stop right here in the Queen City at The Underground Charlotte.
For this special run of Electric Happy Hour Live shows, there would be no opening act as fans were treated to a real evening of nothing but Machine Head. Although the lineup has changed over the years, at the core of the band remains Robb Flynn on lead vocals and rhythm guitar solidifying Machine Head as one of the true pioneers of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal and proudly continuing their tradition of melting faces everywhere they go. Rounding out the lineup is Waclaw “Vogg” Kietylka on lead guitar, Jared MacEachern on bass, and Matt Alston on drums.
Amidst a sea of darkness washed only with a few scattered red or blue lights and a steady amount of fog, Machine Head made their way to the stage, fists in the air, and kicked off the night with “Imperium” from the band’s fifth studio album Through the Ashes of Empires. It was on! You could tell right away that the band was firing on all cylinders as they dove into “Ten Ton Hammer” because you certainly felt the force just as if you were being hammered into oblivion by the power and energy resonating from the stage. Wow! Color me impressed. This was my first time catching the band live so I was going in with no preconceived notions or expectations and I was quite literally blown away. Flynn was a commanding presence as he spoke to the crowd, getting them hyped up along the way while the band was working together like a well-oiled machine. Punishing riff after punishing riff kept on coming all night as explosive, lightning-bolt leads scalded the crowd as if they were hot to the touch. Who knows? Perhaps they were. As if this wasn’t enough, the damage to our senses continued with riveting bass lines and thunderous drums as the band powered through their set.
The crowd was amped, moshing and head-banging all night. Along with a ton of Machine Head classics, we also got to hear a few songs from their latest album Of Kingdom and Crown including my personal favorite “No Gods, No Masters.” Keeping true to the Electric Happy Hour theme of the tour, the band threw in a few surprises including a snippet of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” as Rob Flynn joked that there were more than a few Swifties in the crowd tonight before powering into an outstanding cover of Iron Maiden’s “Hallowed Be Thy Name.” Another highlight of the set was Flynn speaking about depression before diving into “Darkness Within.” After playing for over two hours, Machine Head finally ended their set with “Davidian” as the crowd screamed “Machine F*cking Head! Machine F*cking Head!”
Just when you thought the band couldn’t possibly have any more to give, they returned to the stage for an encore performance that shook the AvidXchange Music Factory to the core. Starting with a snippet of Collective Soul’s “Shine” Flynn joke that this was the first time Machine Head ever played any Collective Soul before wreaking havoc on us all with their own take on Sepultura’s “Roots Bloody Roots” and capping off the evening with a monstrous version of “Halo.”
Machine Head was phenomenal, far surpassing anything I could have imagined. If you want to get your metal money’s worth, get your ass to a Machine Head show! If you want to feel like you’ve been hit with a “Ten Ton Hammer,” get your ass to a Machine Head show! If you want a night, you’ll never forget, get your ass to a Machine Head show! And just in case, it still hasn’t sunk in, get your ass to a Machine Head show!
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