Chicago is one of the best towns to be a metalhead in the world. On any given night, somewhere at some venue, an all killer, no filler lineup like the one we caught last night as playing. This, mind you, after catching the thrashing triple threat of Vio-Lence, Exhorder, and Deceased at the same club the evening before, but I digress. Lucky for us, Reggies never sleeps and we were on hand to feast upon a full course metal meal consisting of Raven, Vicious Rumors, Lutharo, and Wicked. Here’s how it all went down!
Wicked
The evening began with a nonstop action packed set from up and coming hard rockers, Wicked. When we interviewed the band a few weeks ago, they sure hyped up their live show, with founding bassist Danny Döll even going as far to say, “We bring the energy, the jumping, the theatrics.” They sure brought all of this and more, making them one of the most challenging, yet rewarding acts I’ve ever photographed. For 30 minutes, you would’ve been convinced it was not the humble quarters of Reggies they were playing, but rather a jam packed megadome with screaming fans. These dudes have the looks and hooks to make it to the “Top of the Bill” as Scorpions sang, exuding the hedonistic carefree attitude that made glam metal the commercial sensation it was. It’s time to make rock fun again and Wicked are leading the charge!
Lutharo
Next on the docket were Great White Northerners Lutharo, whose brand of extreme metal can only be described as unique. Their unusual blend of Children of Bodom-esque melo death with Helloweenian power metal sounds straight off the euro festival circuit, and I mean that as a compliment. It was a half hour clinic of blistering guitar solos, anthemic choruses, and powerhouse vocals, the latter courtesy of frontwoman Krista Shipperbottom. With a delivery lying somewhere between Doro Pesch circa Warlock and an enraged demon, Shipperbottom commands the stage with her mighty presence, laying the nonbelievers to waste one growl and shriek at a time.
Vicious Rumors
After two exciting newcomers, it was time to go old school! How old you ask? Way back in time to 1985, to be exact. For it was that year that US metal luminaries Vicious Rumors released their classic debut album, Soldiers of the Night. The US power metal masterpiece that subsequently launched the career of prolific shredder Vinnie Moore was highlighted heavily in last night’s set. Whether it be the breakneck speed of “In Fire” or militant stomp of “March or Die”, the current iteration of the band blazed through these classics with the same fervor as those early days. The incorporation of early ’90s favorites “Abandoned” and “Don’t Wait for Me” made for an added surprise!
Raven
When we last saw Raven, the legendary power trio gave a marathon 30 minute “greatest hits” set at last year’s reboot of Milwaukee Metal Fest. This time around, they were back with a headlining vengeance, giving the dedicated crowd of Chicago lunatics a full 90 minute display of speed, fire, and metal. Having now two albums with new drummer Mike Heller under their belt (2020’s Metal City and 2023’s All Hell’s Breaking Loose), last night’s setlist drew heavily from these latest affairs, cuts like “Surf the Tsunami”, “Turn of the Screw”, and “The Power” going toe to toe with such classics as “Inquisitor”, “Faster than the Speed of Light”, and “Hell Patrol”.
While most veteran bands announcement of, “Here’s one from the new album.” leads to a mass exodus to the bathroom or bar, Raven aren’t most veteran bands. The crowd was as invested in the old material as the new, and for good reason: The new stuff sounds like the old stuff! By the time Raven blazed through their set closer “Chainsaw”, yours truly was exhausted just watching them. I’ve never seen this band put on a bad show. Hell, even 50 years on, they remain more energetic than most of the bands they once took out as openers (looking at you Metallica and Kreator)! If there is a fountain of youth, these maniacs have chugged from it. The world is a better and more metal place because so!
Awesome review and pics! Thanks.