Blaze Bayley and friends pack an arena sized show in to the Token Lounge.
Supergroup The Foundry: Where Metal Is Made consists of four amazing musicians who are no strangers to the heavy metal world. Vocalist Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane, Iron Maiden), bassist John Moyer (Disturbed), guitarist Rick Plester (Black Symphony), and drummer A.J. Pero (Twisted Sister, Adrenaline Mob) performed an incredible set of songs that spanned decades of their careers.
The Token Lounge was transformed in to a stadium sized venue as the band cranked out a nearly two-hour set. The energy level on stage could have powered a small city with Bayley running back and forth across the stage, arms waving madly, and fully engaging the crowd. Moyer and Plester paired up often playing off each other through rhythm lines and solos.
The set list opened with several songs from Bayley’s discography before branching off in to songs from Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, and others. The crowd was ecstatic and completely immersed in the show at the beckoning of Bayley who encouraged the fans to “give themselves to this night!” And give themselves they did with fists pumping, chanting, and singing word for word with Bayley as he shared the microphone with several fans to sing along. It was a tremendous show for a brutally cold Monday night that stoked the fires of heavy metal in everyone in attendance.
The opening acts on the bill were no less impressive. Local Detroit metal-heads, A.S.S., provided direct support to the headliner. A.S.S. is another super group in their own right, featuring frontman Brian Thomas of Halloween fame. They performed a shortened set of original material showcasing their dual guitars and relentless bass lines. The other members Chris Taylor (bass), T.J. (lead guitars), Foot (drums), and Brandon Richardson (guitar) all have extensive ties to the Detroit music scene. Combined, they are one of the most booked and hardest working bands on the regional circuit.
The performance of the Lansing, Michigan based band, Past Tense, brought their set of classically styled metal in the vein of Iron Maiden and Iced Earth. With a superb performance that elicited a rousing response from the audience, they showed true metal is far from dead. Singer Shannon Strobel proved that clean singing is still an art form in the rock and roll world with his multi-octave voice. Matt Noe (drums), Banzai Ryan (bass), Richard Bates (guitar), and Stony Garza (guitar) round out this extraordinary metal act who would be right at home at any major rock festival. They’ve been at it for a few years now and have garnered more than their fair share of accolades from local press and music fans around the state.
The local act Torque opened the night in their impressive live debut, which also fit perfectly in the groove of this rock and roll extravaganza. Their EP, “Hammer It Hard,” should be out soon giving the local music scene another solid act to follow. The band consists of DC Childs (vocals), The Mod (guitar), Virus (drums), and Keeter (bass). You can expect Torque to gain attention on the local circuit this coming year.
Fans of metal would do themselves a favor by catching this act on their remaining tour dates. You will come away enthralled and exhilarated and yearning for more!
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The Foundry: Where Metal is Made
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Torque
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