Banished Into Oblivion - July 21, 2003 - 7 / 10 Galactus 77 The Lorax At The Mercy Of Inspiration I found out before the show that the opening band, local stoner metal heroes Galactus 77, couldn't play due to a massive SARS outbreak in Sussex. As a result, I knew I could arrive a little late and not miss the other 2 bands. The name of the venue was The Right Spot, but as I walked in I thought that it was anything but. I was greeted with a "Dude!" by the man responsible for booking the show, the always-friendly RealDeadOne. On my left, some bandmembers/roadies were setting up the stage. As I panned the hall, I recognized some familiar Moncton metalheads, and quite a few not-so-familiar ones. I was not surprised to find that none of the co-worker friends I invited showed up. So far so good. On the far end opposite the doors, a few regulars were shooting a game of pool. The other pool tables were empty. Over on the right, the bar and VLT machines were lined with the local barfly/gamblers, nursing their drinks and making idle chit-chat whilst plopping quarters into the gambling machines. After paying my 5 bucks, I went over to RDO's table and introduced myself to Fatal If Swallowed, a popular Brave Board poster. FIS was in attendance all the way from Toronto - he had chosen nearby Bouctouche as his vacation spot for a week and took this opportunity to soak in a local metal show, ironically featuring a band from his own hometown. The bands set up their merch table, and a few of us took advantage of the early setup to buy some CDs and t-shirts. 13 bucks (a good number) got me 3 CDs: The Lorax 2003 demo, ATMOI's "A Perfect Way To Kill An Evening", and a free live sampler CD of a band called Steel Rain. I should have bought an ATMOI shirt, in retrospect, as I have since learned that my wife likes the CD. But I digress. Others in attendance chose to wait until after hearing the bands before showing their support at the merch table. When The Lorax took to the stage and began belting out their first song, the legions of black (ie: the metalheads) stood quietly in appreciation while the bar regulars wasted no time in clearing themselves out. I don't remember much about the music except that the drummer was killer. The drum sound was fairly loud in the mix, which left the singer barely audible throughout the first song. They made a few adjustments before the second song, which helped bring up the vocals a bit. The Lorax are an energetic band, especially the crazy bass guitarist (who almost knocked RDO out cold while he was taking a picture). The singer was striking unusual poses during his performance: he'd sing a verse or two kneeling down with one outstretched leg, facing the ground, then he'd spring up and arch his body backwards, and sing a few more verses to the ceiling. He was fun to watch, as was the bassist who kept thrashing around, and occasionally I'd look at the drummer who was still playing like a madman. Midway through their set, a non-descript looking couple in their early 30s strolled in, probably expecting a typical Monday night at "The Right Spot", and left after witnessing about a minute of The Lorax's blasphemous music. Now they'll have a nice story to tell their stupid grandchildren when they're old. I was entertained by The Lorax's short set, but it was really just a warm up to the incredible ATMOI performance. The mp3s I had listened to were a great primer, but I was still amazed by their performance. If The Lorax were stars, then ATMOI were novas. All 3 guitarists thrashed around crazily, but it was the singer (again) who stole the show. He ran around a LOT, danced, gyrated, mounted a chair and screamed bloody murderous venom into the mike. The band executed the music flawlessly, as well as I could recall from the mp3s. The live performance even outshines the studio output because of the sheer intensity of the music. I don't remember the song titles or order, except I know they played The Embarassed midway through the set. I was personally disappointed with the turnout for this show, but I was entertained and I could tell the others in attendance were as well. Ultimately this is what counts the most; because without their support our little music scene could not survive. A huge thanks to RDO, Necromaster, the Undergrowth boarders that helped put up the posters (which worked!) and of course the two bands for making their way to Moncton for the show. Here's to future success in the Moncton metal scene! Cheers! D. Grimby return to hangar