Mushroomhead played at Harpo’s in Detroit to a rowdy metal-crowd. Jamie Limbright/The Pit
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith a weekend full of electronic music in Detroit, hard rock fans got their fix through the Mushroomhead show at Harpos. The evening was filled with sharp rock, variety from open to close.
Lydia Can’t Breathe kicked off the show, taking the stage clad Anchorman-style suits. Nevertheless, their intense sound overpowered what they were wearing with the beaming guitar riffs resonating the hall for their entire set.
It’s no surprise that UnSaid Fate’s Jackie LaPonza was recently called one of the “Hottest Chicks in Metal” by Revolver Magazine, with intense vocals to back up a pretty face. The group brought a lovely pop-rock feel to the evening, performing tracks from their latest EP, Never Turning Back, which was produced with the assistance of producer Don DeBiase and mixed by “Skinny” of Mushroomhead.
Next, the bad boys of Erasing Never took the stage with their black wardrobe, dreads and metal sound. Lead vocals by Dan were filled with exhaustive rage, and accompanied strongly with weighty drums and stressed guitar— a sound similar to Sanctity of Unearth.
When it was time for Mushroomhead to take the stage, Harpos had filled to presentable size with eager fans shouting for band members to make their way to the stage.
The band started their set off vehemently with “Qwerty” off their new album, The Righteous & The Butterfly. As each musician began to play, the front of the crowd was drenched with water that flew off the two drum sets in front of the stage, which was refreshing in the steamy hall. When water passed over the lights, it created a lavish, dreamy feel.
Throughout their set, Mushroomhead played an eclectic set of songs off their eight studio albums, along with a cover of Pink Floyds’ “Empty Spaces.” 2014 has been treating Mushroomhead quite nicely, with The Righteous & The Butterfly album debuting at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 with around 11,000 copies sold. With this band receiving comparisons to Gwar and Slipknot it is apparent, they are stepping out on its own, and acquiring the deserved acknowledgment for their endeavors.
You can catch Mushroomhead on tour this summer with the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The new album and stage setup is worth your time and ear.
