The anticpation was building, the bodies were banging, the pits began swirling. And the band was simply doing some last-minute tuning.
Welcome to a D.R.I. show. Where the music doesn’t have to officially begin before things get crazy.
So naturally, the calm before the storm last Friday night at Bonds 007 Rock Bar resulted in another tornado-like fury of pits and thrash as the three-decade-plus veterans from Houston made their mark again in the Alamo City. By show’s end, one burly patron was bleeding senselessly, holding a white towel to his shut right eye while streams poured down the left side of his bald head. In between, a sold-out crowd of roughly 300 on Bonds’ upper level enjoyed an intense night of Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Wartorn and locals Metalriser and Isolaydead (see 74-photo slideshow below).
Although scheduled openers Cheesegrater Masturbation had to drop off the bill due to illness, there was plenty of pent-up energy to go around. A no-camera policy instilled by the headliners led to yours truly graciously being the only photographic access granted (though no video of D.R.I. songs was permitted). And neither the bands nor fans disappointed.
All four groups incited a wave of whirling dervishes, with one young male fan landing some unwanted exclusive dancing with a bouncer after bringing in his own can of beer. Aside from that, it was business as usual for the artists. D.R.I. vocalist Kurt Brecht on two occasions remarked how “this place has come a long way,” citing the band’s storied history with San Antonio, and Bonds in particular, since the late ‘80s. Favorites such as “Do the Dream,” “Who Am I (D.R.I.),” “Acid Rain,” “Slumlord,” “Dead in a Ditch” and 1989 MTV video “Suit and Tie Guy” warmed the cockles of fans’ hearts as only D.R.I. could muster.
The founding duo of guitarist Spike Cassidy and Brecht teamed with longtime drummer Rob Rampy, who’s on his second stint with the group, and bassist Greg Orr who replaced Harald Oimoen in 2017, on other classics such as “Abduction",” “I Don’t Need Society” and the once Slayer-covered “Violent Pacification.” And even though it’s been 24 years since D.R.I. has put out a full-length album, they also played tracks from 2016 EP But wait. . . There’s More including “Against Me,” “Anonymity” and “As Seen On TV” — which total 6 1/2 minutes of thrash combined.
Wartorn, the lone national group on the program out of Wisconsin, brought its politically infused Iconic Nightmare to Bonds for the first time (setlist in slideshow). Though the band’s intensity was no less than the rest, the crowd by that point was mainly salivating over the impending arrival of D.R.I. after the brutality brought on by locals Metalriser and Isolaydead.
Metalriser, led by founder and lone remaining original member in singer/rhythm guitarist Joel Estrada, lit up Bonds with several tracks from Demise including “D.I.Y.” (ATM footage below). The band also amazed with a stirring rendition of Metallica’s “Disposable Heroes” to close its set as Estrada has surrounded himself with a new lineup of lead guitarist Mario Prz Jr., bassist Nick Gamboa and drummer David Sanchez Jr.
Isolaydead, featuring singer/bassist Ricky Vela, guitarist Louis Cervantes and drummer Alex Carillo, got things started at 9:15 p.m. Although Isolaydead is certainly no stranger to Bonds, this night’s set spawned a rare display of moshing — in large part due to the removal of the bench tables to make way for D.R.I.’s infestation of stage diving and circular action — to tracks such as “No Blood Left” that undoubtedly made the local trio eager to set up on Bonds’ stage once again sooner than later.
As always, the professionalism and generosity of bar owners Dirce and John Eguia coupled with their staff made for another night to remember within the cozy walls of Bonds. Keep checking the Concert Listings of AlamoTrueMetal.com for more upcoming shows there and within surrounding areas as San Antonio readies to ring in 2020 with resounding beats of metal.
