Wage War Drags New York’s Irving Plaza Into the Swamp
Wednesday evening in New York City was humid and sticky. After lining the sidewalks for doors, fans had little time to enjoy Irving Plaza’s air conditioning before being drenched in sweat and pulled deep into the swamp of Wage War.
Nearly done with the It Calls Me By Name tour, Wage War arrived in town with Nevertel and Orthodox. These three bands made a convincing case that a midweek show is just as good a night to risk being torn apart by the gators in the mosh pit. Maybe there is some truth to that New York City urban legend!
ORTHODOX
Downing an ice cold 20oz Red Bull on a humid Wednesday is one way to get your blood moving. Orthodox is another. The Nashville metalcore band wasted no time luring the City’s metal fans knee-deep into the swamp. Their music hit like the death roll of a young gator. Just when you thought you had surfaced, it had you again. There was no escape.
NEVERTEL
Where Orthodox brutally attacked the room, Florida's Nevertel took a different approach to lure the crowd further into the swamp. A bit more cunning and patient like a wise, old gator with battle scars and a missing eye. Their sound is heavy but with plenty of melodic hooks provided by Jeremy Michael and Raul Lopez trading vocals on the mic.
By this time, the crowd had fully arrived to Irving Plaza, with latecomers peeking through open doors and around the pillars to catch what was happening on stage. Or maybe they were just scared to fully submerge themselves into the swamp.
Keep scrolling to the end of this review for a bonus gallery of the fearless NYC gators in their natural habitat!
WAGE WAR
Prior to Wage War's set, you could see elements of their stage production poking out behind the other bands' gear. But at set change, it was clear we had made it to the depths of the swamp.
Reeds and vegetation backlit by red light. The drum kit, risers and mic stands covered in vegetation. You really have to appreciate how a band leans into its aesthetic, especially given the inspiration from their EP It Calls Me By Name, released last month. (Almost as much as I appreciated Pantera's "Cowboys from Hell" blasting through the PA right before they took the stage!)
Neck-deep in the murky waters of the swamp, we met the evening’s final boss, Wage War. The band's sound and stage presence is massive. Like an ancient Florida gator that has survived everything it has encountered in the swamp.
Surviving this show was a true battle. The low end shaking the walls and floor of Irving Plaza. You could feel everything in your chest. I imagine it’s what that ancient gator must sound like, guttural and beastly. Exactly what you'd expect from something that size. The king of the swamp came to New York City, and Irving Plaza got swallowed whole.
Didn’t see yourself in the galleries above? Check out our bonus gallery below for more crowd-surfing and mosh pit chaos! If you spot yourself, we want to hear from you! Let us know in the comments!
