Wishing I Could Be Two Places At Once

I picked the wrong weekend to be occupied with apartment hunting and other obligations as there are some great shows happening in the NYC area this Friday and Saturday. Three bands that had albums on my Top 25 of 2009 list (and one who would have been on it had I heard the album in 2009) are playing as well as former Queens of the Stone Age member Nick Oliveri. Check it out:

Tombs and City Of Ships both made my Top 25 of 2009 and I have a Rosetta album that sounded pretty good the one time I listened to it. I haven't heard Battlefields, but they are in good company on this bill, so how bad could they be? And since they're the opener, you can always just skip them.

For you "old schoolers" and youngsters alike, Arch Enemy, Exodus, Arsis and newcomers Mutiny Within are playing the Nokia Theatre on Friday. Arch Enemy and Exodus will definitely melt your face. I'm not terribly familiar with Arsis, but they seem to be adored by people whose opinions I respect. Mutiny Within is a relatively new Roadrunner signee and their debut album comes out next month. The one song I have heard from them is pretty good and new Roadrunner bands are usually worth a listen. I do remember meeting the singer at Judas Priest/Heaven & Hell/Motorhead/Testament in the summer of 2008 and talking about the Drive-By Truckers with him, so the guy at least has good taste in music.

Magrudergrind most definitely would have bumped an album from my Top 25 of 2009 had I only heard their incredible self-titled album last year. Think Entombed playing grindcore and you'll have a pretty clear idea of what they sound like. I hope to catch them live at some point this year, preferably at this year's Maryland Deathfest with Obituary, Autopsy, D.R.I., the aforementioned Entombed, Converge, Eyehategod and a host of others.

I haven't heard Nick Oliveri's solo material, but I'd certainly be curious to check it out as I really thought he was a crucial part of Queens of the Stone Age (their albums since his departure have certainly been relatively lackluster). And another band whose album appeared on my Top 25 of 2009, Goes Cube, is opening, so at a minimum there is one guaranteed good band playing.

If metal is your bag, then maybe check out one or all of the above shows if you are in the NYC area. Mine as well see some good bands while you are drinking those Recession Blues away!

Tombs "Gossamer":



City Of Ships:



Arch Enemy "My Apocalypse":



Exodus "Toxic Waltz":



Mutiny Within "Awake":



Magrudergrind "Martyrs Of The Shoah":



Goes Cube "Saab Sonnnet: