With Apologies to Mighty Absu

Candlelight's big tour, dubbed CIII, hit St. Pete, FL, over the weekend.  The lineup was to include Absu, Glorior Belli, Averse Sefira, and Sothis, plus some others.  Averse Sefira dropped.  Glorior Belli canceled because somebody didn't get them their visas in time for travel.  Don't know what happened to Sothis but they weren't there, either.  So, this is what we got.

SWWAATS.  I took a liking to these guys after seeing them a few times last Fall.  The sheen's worn off a bit, though.  Good performers, but just a little vanilla in the end.

Then we took a break to go get some chow and missed Abysmal Dawn.  Not heartbroken.

Rumpelstiltskin Grinder.  Stood in for Averse Sefira.  These guys were cool.  They were much more serious in their approach than their name would suggest, which made for an odd sort of show - very silly themes with a tough guy delivery.  They were fun enough, though, and pretty energetic, if a little sloppy.  Entertaining set for the four or five of us paying attention (more on that later).

DAATH.  Biggest crowd of the night.  Their set was much better than expected but still pretty annoying.  These guys clearly love themselves.  I was half expecting them to stop in the middle of a breakdown and start blowing each other.  Seriously.

Abigail Williams.  These guys drew a fair crowd.  Good symphonic black metal with quality sound and high energy but not really my thing.

We stepped outside for a bit during this set only to find some of the straight edgers from the Irish pub across the street fixin to pummel on a kid they thought was a racist.  Nothing happened then, but apparently later there was a big throwdown, gunshots fired, etc.  Guess we missed that.

Goatwhore.  Kicked ass and took names.  They limited their set to mostly new stuff, which all sounded awesome.  Unfortunately, people were chanting "Absu" when they still had three songs to play.  My hope was that Sir Falgoust would jump off the stage and rip someone's spine out through his ass.  But, he was way too gracious and humble.  Very cool guy.

Absu.  Pro-fucking-scriptor.

^(Wait a minute.  Is that zach!?)

Killer, tight, intense, fully professional set.  I was a little amazed at the durable, unbridled enthusiasm from these guys.  This was their first tour in eight years and their first show in Florida - ever - and they were playing for about twenty of us.  Fucking twenty!  And, yet, they played as if it were a sold out arena.  Mr. McGovern injected raspy narration between each of the songs (that's what he's doing in the above pic of zach) and never let up a lick on the intensity meter.  I was telling Karl J after the show, as completely mesmerized as I was by Proscriptor's freakshow behind the kit, I found each of the other guys to be equally so when they took the focus.  They were outstanding, one and all.  Aaaaaand, I won't blame them a bit if they decide to never, ever return to St. Pete.  Such was the paltry, limp noodle, luke warm reception they got.  There were about six or eight of us making any noise at all.  Fucking disgraceful.  And, as the band left the stage to a nearly empty venue, Proscriptor was treated to the musings of one especially dunderheaded douchebag who waxed empathetic about his infamous Slayer audition.  Yeah, he ain't comin' back.  Karl J, I am happy to have seen one of two Absu shows ever in Florida with you.  Cheers, buddy.