In the early nineties I went to see House Of Pain, a group whose hypnotic hook laced hit “Jump Around” had prominently risen on the charts. As many do, I attended the show hoping for there not to be too long of a delay spent on the ritual of haphazardly listening to the performances of the typical array of underdeveloped opening acts. That was far from what transpired that day.
The opener hit the stage and there was a near instant acknowledgement that something special was happening. The band’s performance oozed energy from the first note. As the music seeped into the audience’s senses, the front man’s motion enthralled us with what could be best described as the embodiment of human electricity. To call this group’s small-framed vocalist’s delivery dynamic would be an understatement; his body jolted throughout every inch of the stage as if possessed by a supernatural force. The band’s hard riffs lit the fuse and his powerful demeanor ignited the venue. Song after song, the group bludgeoned the audience who masochistically beckoned for more. Waves of heads bounced in unison as if they had been listening to the tried and true tracks of proven hard rock lords such as AC/DC. The audience’s reaction was the ultimate affirmation that immense talent can be spotted upon contact.
I went to the show that day to see one group, and within minutes into the the opener’s set, I had a singular thought, “how quickly can I get my hands on their music?” It’s over two decades later, and I honestly don’t recall anything about any other bands’ performances that night. However, the memories of that opening act searing the stage, in the way a master chef does a piece of ahi, are vivid. I can close my eyes and again recall the revelation from inside the packed venue that headliners aren’t always the main attraction. That night we all left fans of Zack De La Rocha and Rage Against the Machine, a band that masterfully took another’s stage and didn’t have any qualms of killin’ it.
Written by Israel Vasquetelle.
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