The Whisky A Go Go is a piece of rock history. It’s not a huge club but not a small club. It’s the type of venue that really forces a band to prove themselves live. Kill Devil Hill did that and more in their first live show since releasing their newest full length album – Seas of Oblivion.
Shows at the Whisky are usually put together so as to give local bands warmup slots for a band with a bigger draw. In this scenario KDH was obviously the headliner but there were a couple of other noteworthy acts on the roster as well: Formation Ritual, Blak Earth, Revelant Souls, Absence Embodied and On A Suicide Mission.
It was around 11:00pm when Kill Devil Hill finally took the stage in front of their waiting crowd. The lights dimmed and the band’s pirate intro began to play as they filed on to the stage.
From the first note it was clear this band is well rehearsed and ready to take on the world. They tore through a set that combined some of their earlier tracks with songs from their newly released album “Seas of Oblivion.” For my money one of the most memorable hooks is in the song “You Can’t Kill Me California” just to give you an idea here is a sampling:
As the night progressed the band dug deeper into their catalog eventually playing several of the tracks from the new record including one of my favorites “Blood in the Water.” They ended the night leaving the audience fulfilled and staking their claim as a band on the rise.
It’s always refreshing to see a live rock band that is completely raw and not aided by any kind of backing tracks or computerized assistance.
If you are lucky enough to get the chance to catch Kill Devil Hill when they play in your town – do not miss your chance to see them!
(Photos by Peter Amisano)
