Cough, Naam, Batillus & Sea of Bones played the Charleston (some on the new stage) -- pics
words & photos by BBG
Cough (and new stage)
Cough, Naam, Batillus, and Sea of Bones converged on a rainy Saturday (12/11) to play the packed-out Charleston as part of a BrooklynVegan-sponsored event. I haven’t spent much time at The Charleston as of late, and in my absence some work has been done to the dingy basement.
A small stage now sits in the left corner and the sound booth has moved to the rear. The intimate basement feel is still there, but now the venue’s steel supports obstruct the view of the newly-minted stage that most bands awkwardly only used as a drum riser. The stage was especially crowded when lined along the back with a wall of amps. Most of the guitarists and vocalists opted to play on the floor directly in front instead. Venue issues aside, a good performance can happen anywhere, and the audience got their share that night.
Sea of Bones opened the show, and though the band was sporting a considerably leaner lineup (guitarist count has gone from three to one), they were no less potent. As the band adjusts to the trio formation, look for them to get even more deadly.
Batillus was next, and even though their new record will be released next year on Seventh Rule, Saturday was Batillus’s last show for a while to concentrate on new material. Good for them. The Brooklyn band’s show at The Charleston did nothing but affirm my belief that Batillus is a live juggernaut and one of the best bands in NYC.
Naam followed Batillus, sporting tunes from their previous recorded efforts but it was no less interesting. Naam’s melodic and bluesy showing was a refreshing change from the dire doom & gloom of the night.
Cough closed their US tour in support of Ritual Abuse with the Charleston performance. The time on the road has obviously benefited the band, as they were more powerful and impressive than their last NYC showing (which was also great). The crowd was similarly excited, as Cough’s stuttering doom helped ignite a slow-motion pit.
More pictures from the show are below.
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Sea of Bones
Batillus
Naam
Cough
