Metal Trifecta Graces Bluefox Billiards With Explosive Performance
Three local bands go rough and tumble in Winchester VA
I find myself at Bluefox Billiards, Bar & Grill on a gorgeous Friday evening for a show I’ve had on my calendar for months. Not only am I getting to hear a new-to-me band tonight, but two of Winchester’s finest are on the bill tonight, too. Hollow Light and Ashes of Everest, both of which are no strangers to me. I’ve seen both perform a handful of times before, and they even shared the stage at a show I attended nearly a year ago now.
Going on first is Hollow Light, a 5 man band born right here out of Winchester that packs a serious punch. Their first song is “Shines Bright”, and they don’t waste a damn second when they clear sound check. Immediately they go from 0 to 110, this song is incredibly fast-paced and the perfect headbanger. Honestly, if I didn’t have a hand full of camera and lens I would have been front and center in the pit, first song in. Yeah, I was not kidding when I said they packed a punch.
The intimate stage is shrouded by fog from the fog machine that’s positioned at the rear of the stage left. I’m being completely sincere when I say it may have been a bit of a safety issue but god damn did it look cool. Bassist Josh did take a little bit of a spill, but he caught himself and latched on to a mic stand to regain his composure and played it off with a tongue-out grin, which I just so happened to catch on camera. Visibility isn’t an issue for long because these dudes are shooting back and forth across this stage, swishing the fog away as they do their thing. There was a short interlude at one point where a sound clip quote of Kenny Powers from Eastbound & Down plays, if you know you know. I’m so consumed by their stage presence and firing away with my camera that suddenly they’re playing their last song, “Antpile”, which is a Kublai Kahn TX cover. Fuck. Yeah.
Tan and Handsome hit the stage next, and this is a band I’ve not previously heard of. After all, they did just become a band during the winter of 2022, playing their first show at the tail end of that year. The band was born out of Harrisonburg, VA which is a little over an hour away. I hang out by the side of the stage as they set up, not sure exactly what to expect, but I know I’m not going to be disappointed because they’re on the ticket with heavy hitters.
I knew Tan and Handsome would be good, but damn I really was blown away by how much I enjoyed their set. Their vocalist is especially neat to watch perform, he’s got lengthy curls that go well past his shoulders that fly around him as he whips his head. Being so new to the scene, the guys only have a six-track EP out so far. They made the most of their set and played five of them, though. “Texas Plate” was probably my favorite, but I really dug them all. They close out their set with a tune of theirs called “Glass in the Ice Well”, which has a vintage sound clip prelude featuring a gal saying “Well golly, those sure are tan and handsome.” It concluded their set impeccably.
Last but for damn sure not least, Ashes of Everest goes on. Hailing from the Front Royal area, this five-piece group kills it every time. I’m pumped out of my mind, these dudes haven’t been on stage too much lately but they’re without a doubt in my top three for this area. Vocalist Jamichael has been promoting this show on his socials, teasing that he’d be wearing his hoochiest jorts and he did not disappoint. Those jorts were JORTING, and really I know a hefty portion of the crowd, if not all of them, were counting on the jorts to make an appearance.
Anywho, as usual, the guys immediately get down to business putting out their sweet metal goodness. Ashes of Everest has a stage presence that is unmatched. Though bassist Tyler has a boot on his foot (he got injured in a mosh pit, pretty badass) he’s still on stage delivering the goods. Guitarists Will and Tyler are absolutely shredding, occasionally coming to visit each other on their respective sides of the stage while drummer Ricky’s hands are moving so quickly around his kit that I’m starting to think he’s a robot. Jamichael always brings to stage a wooden box that he climbs up onto before puffing his chest out and ripping a lengthy scream.
The guys play back-to-back my two favorite jams, “Degenerate” and “Blue Whale”. While I’ve been hip to Ashes of Everest for a little over a year, they have some old jams that I’m not as familiar with so the entire set for me is a can of kick ass. Not only is the band absolutely exploding with energy, but the crowd is also losing their sanity in the pit. I kneeled down at one point to grab a straight on shot of Jamichael and got my leg stomped on by someone moshing, and then ripped my pants trying to make my way back to safety. This set was so ridiculously sensational that I lowkey believed that my pants had come alive and tried to tear off of me to join the pit. Jamichael leaps back up onto his mini stage and expresses his gratitude to the audience as the set comes to a close.
The guys group up on stage and take a selfie together before breaking down their equipment and hitting the road.
Was I ready for their set to end? Truthfully, no but I can’t say I’m not utterly thrilled with how the evening played out. I make my way to the merch table where I grab some band swag before I hit the road.
Did I almost blow my speakers out listening to Ashes of Everest on the way home? Absolutely.
Click Here for the Full Gallery of the Evening!
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