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By Kat Gullage<\/p>\n
Nonpoint <\/strong>brings their \u201cEven More Outa Control\u201d tour to Empire Live in Albany with Soil, Spineshank and Hed PE for support.<\/p>\n NONPOINT<\/strong>\u2019S \u201cEVEN MORE OUTTA CONTROL TOUR\u201d BREATHES LIFE INTO NY\u2019S CAPITAL<\/p>\n Our nu metal besties made a stop \u201cwith even less control than before\u201d at Empire Live in Albany, NY. So grateful they did since it had been three months since we\u2019d seen them last. Can\u2019t have that!<\/p>\n Hed PE<\/a> warmed us up with their signature reggae infused G-Punk sound and West Coast swagger. I really love these guys! The band has fourteen (!) studio albums and two cover LPs but Broke<\/em> was my anthem in the early aughts, and their too short six song set was devoted to it.<\/p>\n Top shelf guitarist, performer, and hella-legit real one Nathan Javier launched into a distorted chant of \u201cJesus\u201d that led to \u201cJesus (Of Nazareth)\u201d. Hardly took any notes folks cuz I was at the rail jamming the fuck out. Founding father, frontman, lead singer and Hed PE OG Jared \u201cM.C.U.D.\u201d (MC Underdog) Gomes, drummer Stephen Arango, Kurt \u201cKid Bass\u201d Blankenship and our boi Nate continued to lead us through an abbreviated journey of Broke<\/em>. They served up \u201cKilling Time\u201d, \u201cWaiting To Die\u201d, \u201cFeel Good\u201d and \u201cI Got You\u201d.<\/p>\n Photos Holly Roy Photography<\/a><\/p>\n Hed PE closed with their highest charting song and fan favorite \u201cBartender\u201d. And it was during this track that Jared took \u201cit\u201d out. His staple. The melodica. Played it for a full minute before kicking back into the song. Phew, perfect dose of it. But alas, he whipped it out again and blew into it for another minute plus. The crowd erupted into applause when he wrapped that detour.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck yeah! My parents came to this country from Brazil, I\u2019m the first born american of my tribe, and look what I\u2019ve done with my fucking self! In one generation my family went from living on dirt floors to living the American dream. Only in America bitch. I have an eighteen year old son starting college and a five year old daughter, by the same girl, so not only am I paying college tuition, I\u2019m buying the barbie dream house. After this song I\u2019ll meet ya at the t- shirt booth. I\u2019ll sell ya a fucking t-shirt, take a picture, I don\u2019t care, I need to put food on the fucking table. Albany TY so much!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Hed PE did a great job warming up the uptight Albany crowd cuz they\u2019re super fun to watch and give a fuck about their fans. The group is expecting! Their due date is October 2nd when Relapse<\/em> will become the latest addition to their discography. Check out their new single \u201cViolent Girl\u201d and watch Nate narrowly miss tripping over a car lift!<\/p>\n Spineshank<\/a> is a nu-industrial metal band out of LA that has survived lineup changes and two lengthy hiatuses. Their latest, and third, reunion just happened in January 2025. I didn\u2019t know what to expect but I\u2019d set the bar low going into my virginal Spineshank experience. Holy fuck were these guys ready, they blew the dust off me with the first note.<\/p>\n On this night they were a foursome: OG members Jonny Santos on lead vocals and Tommy Decker on drums, Tommy Decker, Jr (drummer\u2019s son) on guitar and James Mills (filling in for Rob Garcia) on bass. Spineshank has four studio albums, but their eight song set pulled exclusively from The Height Of Callousness (2000) and Self- Destructive Pattern (2003).<\/p>\n Photos Holly Roy Photography<\/a><\/p>\n They immediately assaulted us with \u201cAsthmatic\u201d which triggered the mosh pit to fire up. Not even halfway through the song I saw security assisting a mosher that was shook. Jonny retorted \u201cWe can\u2019t have a mosh pit tonight? That\u2019s fucking stupid! Make some noise!\u201d<\/em> The crowd responded enthusiastically as he continued, \u201cLet the people mosh, that\u2019s who the fuck we are! Sing with me!\u201d<\/em> The fans resumed their frenzy for \u201cSynthetic\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cHow you guys doin tonight? You guys are killing it tonight! We\u2019re a violent band that plays violent music for violent people. Don\u2019t let me down. You motherfuckers ready?!?\u201d<\/em> was Jonny\u2019s intro to \u201cViolent Mood Swings\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t been here in thirteen years, it\u2019s so good to see your faces. This one is called \u201cSmothered\u201d.<\/em> This was my fave song of the set, something almost Avatar-ish about it. (Have I mentioned I fucking love the band Avatar?) \u201cBeginning Of The End\u201d was followed by their highest charting song \u201cNew Disease\u201d and title track \u201cThe Height Of Callousness\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you so fucking much, you guys are so beautiful. For those of you who don\u2019t know us, for those of you who don\u2019t like us, Fuck You. We\u2019re Spineshank and we\u2019re back! This is our last song for the evening. We love you.\u201d <\/em>They closed with \u201cDead To Me\u201d. I was impressed with the power of Spineshank\u2019s rust-free set and I heard a rumor they\u2019re cooking up new music. Are you a fan? Check out their live show. But get your rest and bring your A game cuz ya gonna get Spineshank-ed.<\/p>\n A gritty blast from the past was up next with SOiL<\/a>, a heavy alt metal band from Chicago that hit paydirt in the early 2000s. SOiL has eight studio albums, but their eight song set stuck to fan favorites Scars<\/em> and Redefine<\/em>.<\/p>\n OG lead singer Ryan McCombs (despite a seven year exodus to front Drowning Pool) was backed by fellow SOiL original members Adam Zadel on lead axe and Tim King on bass. They were joined by drummer T.J. Taylor, handling percussion since 2017.<\/p>\n They opened the set by pummeling us with \u201cBreaking Me Down\u201d before Ryan proclaimed \u201cWe are allowed to do what we do cuz people like you allow us to be who we are.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n My fave pick of the setlist was next with \u201cNeed To Feel\u201d followed by \u201cUnreal\u201d and \u201cPride\u201d. SOiL delivered a raw rock and roll show centered around Ryan\u2019s signature gruff and gritty vocals. \u201cFor the first time in many, many fuckin moons, SOiL is gonna be releasin some new music. We wanna thank everybody for takin time outta their life and allowing us to do this old school shit. Thank you so fucking much.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n