The Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas was the site on July 28th, 2022 for Anthrax with Black Label Society and Hatebreed. The fans that were lined up outside in the heat of a typical Las Vegas afternoon. The doors opened about at 5:45pm, but were held out of the venue while the finishing touches were going on onstage.Not you typical venue where there was a bowling alley along side of the stage.
Marking 40 years since the formation of thrash metal pioneers Anthrax, and they are partaking on a month-long tour with Black Label Society and Hatebreed. Considered to be one of the “Big 4” of thrash (along with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth), the band was officially formed on July 18th, 1981. The metal legends started the 40th anniversary celebration last year with a video series documenting their illustrious career.
Starting off the night were Connecticut hardcore scene veterans Hatebreed. The band came out with every intention of destroying the place. Led by vocalist Jamey Jasta they blistered through a fifteen-track set that opened with “Proven” from their Perseverance album. Jasta told the crowd it was their job to warm up the crowd, and they did a lot more than that.
Hatebreed:
Jamey Jasta – Vocals
Frank Novinec – Guitar
Chris Beattie – Bass
Wayne Lozinak – Guitar
Matt Byrne – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Proven
2.) Destroy Everything
3.) A Stroke of Red
4.) Before Dishonor
5.) Seven Enemies
6.) Driven by Suffering
7.) Betrayed by Life
8.) Instinctive (Slaughterlust)
9.) Smash Your Enemies
10.) Empty Promises
11.) Tear It Down
12.) Perseverance
13.) Live for This
14.) I Will Be Heard
15.) Looking Down the Barrel of Today
The iconic Black Label Society hit the stage and broke out in their song “Funeral Bell”, setting an insane tone for the evening. The “Las Vegas Chapter” of BLS (as dubbed by singer/lead guitarist Zakk Wylde), matched the band’s upbeat energy through an excellently curated array of songs like “Destroy and Conquer”, Trampled Down Below” and only slightly slowing it down for a tribute to Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell with the song “Set Me Free”. There were flawless twin solo moments and hand-offs to fellow guitarist Dario Lorina, while J.D. DeServio and Jeff Fabb showed off their fantastic showmanship during to complement. BLS plowed through the night like an ominous freight train on a collision path with your head, until the final notes of “Stillborn” rang out.
Black Label Society:
Zakk Wylde – Vocals, Guitar, Piano
John (JD) DeServio – Bass
Jeff Fabb – Drums
Dario Lorina – Rhythm Guitar
Setlist:
1.) Funeral Bell
2.) Destroy & Conquer
3.) Overlord
4.) Heart of Darkness
5.) A Love Unreal
6.) You Made Me Want to Live
7.) In This River
8.) Trampled Down Below
9.) Set You Free
10.) Fire It Up (With extended guitar solo duel)
11.) Suicide Messiah
12.) Stillborn (With intro solo)
New York natives Anthrax took the stage at the Brooklyn Bowl prepared and very much ready to bring their Las Vegas fans to their knees with a scorching set. For over four decades Anthrax have brought the wares of over eleven studio albums with their set list on this night delivering some of their best tracks to the party. Straight into high gear with the rather appropriately titled “Among the Living” it was instantly evident that they were here to kick collective ass. ‘Madhouse’ was just that, fans down the front stomping their feet and for those that had it swinging their hair like raw flags of tribute. One of the most notable points of Anthrax’s set was just how much fun the five members appeared to be having as they bounded about the stage smashing out tracks like “Caught in a Mosh” and “I Am the Law”.
A speedy cover of Trust’s “Antisocial” from their 1988 album State of Euphoria, a track that no one can deny Anthrax have fully made their own, was a definitive highlight of the set, thousands of voices joined together with the band as one. Vocalist Joey Belladonna played up to the audience every chance he gets while Jon Donais and legendary founding member Scott Ian bring the riffs, while Frank Bello and Charlie Benante remain arguably the most formidable engine room in thrash metal.
Anthrax’s set closed with one of the band’s absolute best and most iconic songs, “Indians.” The band milked the middle section for every drop of tension, before Ian let loose with his best “war dance!” and provided one of the best moments of the set.
Anthrax:
Scott Ian – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Charlie Benante – Drums
Frank Bello –Bass, Backing Vocals
Joey Belladonna – Lead Vocals
Jon Donais –Lead Guitar
Setlist:
1.) Among the Living
2.) Caught in a Mosh
3.) Madhouse
4.) Metal Thrashing Mad
5.) The Devil You Know
6.) Keep It in the Family
7.) Antisocial (Trust cover)
8.) I Am the Law
9.) In the End
10.) Only
11.) Bring the Noise (Public Enemy cover) (Partial, one verse & chorus only)
12.) Indians
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