Wolves in the Throne Room
The Black Lodge - 2/11/10
Having never been to the Black Lodge, both Nik and I had no clue what to expect as we ventured out last Thursday to check out Olympia's very own Wolves in the Throne Room, the best black metal band around these days. What we were to discover was a strangely converted loft space, an acceptable sound system and the least comfortable place in Seattle to watch a show. That sounds like a pussy thing to say, but seriously - the bands had to load their gear in and out through the fucking crowd. Plus it was packed beyond all reasonable fire codes (as the bands lit immense quantities of candles I'm thinking to myself, Great White... here we go...) and the bands played of the floor so anyone beyond the first two rows couldn't see for shit.
But I have a hard time getting so down on the Black Lodge. It's obviously an underground effort, and I love anything that promotes creativity whilst sticking it to the man. Their policies about bringing in alcohol and um, substances, is very lax and I can appreciate not blowing twenty bucks on beer. The room itself is a trip, the walls are colorfully painted with symbols and patterns of all varieties. It makes my inner punk all warm and fuzzy. Most importantly, the sound didn't suck. In fact, it was pretty good. All I really ask for is a solid PA and a competent sound guy, and they had both. I wish good luck for the proprietors of the Black Lodge, but would advise you to be wary of its informality should you hit a show there.
After well-intentioned efforts from a couple openers (Atriarch, Megaton Leviathan) and one really sweet antler-adorned mic stand, Wolves in the Throne Room began to assemble their gear, light more candles, burn some crazy incense that filled the room with smoke out and finally unveiled an intensely kick ass black triptych tapestry composed of natural elements mashed up with black metal design savvy. Even in such an awkward space, they were in complete control of the atmosphere and held it with grace. A hush swept over the crowd as some ambient tape noise similar to the beginning of 2009's 'Black Cascade' filled the room. After a few minutes, the band suddenly pounced and proceeded to execute several selections from 'Black Cascade' with violent precision. I really love Wolves on record, I dig their grandiosity, but their live show is something else altogether. I felt as though the whole set took place within an eternal second of time in a separate, frightening yet peaceful reality - and I swear it wasn't just oxygen deprivation from being packed in so tight. Whether or not you dig black metal, this band is worth a listen and truly a must-see show.
That's the most packed I've ever seen the Black Lodge, and I go there fairly frequently. Most shows aren't that uncomfortable. However, I spent this entire show in the hallway, because I'm 5'6" and thus couldn't see ANYTHING in the show room.
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