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Gonzo Report: Mosh and magnanimity at Metalli-Meet
Holding Company show benefits Brother Benno's
Thanks for coming, enjoy the show!
For me, walking through Ocean Beach never involves a direct stroll to a destination. There are too many cool distractions that catch my eye, too many things that make me ponder, too much sensory input that pulls me in. I park at the library and before I cover the two blocks it takes me to reach The Holding Company, I see a man holding a sign telling me that I’m perfect and that The Creator has my best interest in mind. Thanks, man! I’m on my way to “Metalli-Meet” to see the bands Druide, Brutalion, Helsott, Mythraeum, The Provoked, and Nukem, so the sentiment seems at odds with my adrenaline level. Much more in keeping with the evening's vibe: my the detour into Shift Gallery and Gatherings to eye an exhibit by the artist Barfo featuring humanoid creatures that would pass as whimsical if not for one image featuring a terrified human becoming one of them.
There’s no chalk drawing outside the Holding Company like the ones in front of several shops along the way, but the sidewalk is teeming with metalheads, which works as temporary signage. Slayer shirts mesh with battle jackets bearing the logos of more underground groups like Grave function to form a beacon to lovers of all things dark and heavy. The man in the Bee Gees shirt stands out here, and we share a few words of awe for the Brothers Gibb.
As I enter, Brutalion is laying down chucky riffs and inspiring a small mosh pit. I spot Steve Brogden and Norman Leggio of Nukem and grab a quick selfie while discussing their upcoming release "Random Acts of Violence." I tell Leggio his profile pic is a minor miracle; because it shows him playing drums, which is unremarkable. But his expression radiates calm, very much at odds with the explosive percussion he brings.
I'm entering a tight-knit but welcoming community here. No gatekeepers, just the proverbial open arms of welcome. And sometimes literal open arms: consider the case of Mythraeum vocalist Anthony Vivoli and his girlfriend Faith Roswell, who met when his band performed at Wacken Open-Air Festival in 2022. After his set, he stopped to say hello to cage fighter Roswell, and they’ve been linked ever since. In addition to cage fighting, Roswell teaches self-defense in her native England, and has authored a book titled Movie Monsters of the Deep. News of this sets off a mini nerd summit.
Other bonds linking the performers: Nukem leader Brogden’s long-time partner Cassie Morris sang on Mythraeum’s album, and Jonathan Gonzales of Work Ethic trains metal bands including Mythraeum with such motivators as demanding festival energy instead of Monday night opening-band vibes. Many of the musicians belong to multiple bands, and some will play multiple times today, like Alonzo Larios, who serves as bassist for Helsott and guitarist for Mythraeum. Speaking of bass: the sound for this show is outstanding, including the lower frequencies, which I’ve mocked on every other occasion that I’ve been to this venue. Huzzah!
It’s easy to be kind to people that you know, but it takes real heart to extend kindness spontaneously to a stranger, especially when you're part of a hyper crowd. But I see it with my own eyes here: a man in a wheelchair close to the stage attempts to back out, narrowly avoiding being tipped over by the moshers. That changes when a woman functioning as pit boss holds her hand up and the pit slows to allow the man to back up. He stops in the center of the pit while the bodies whirl around him, and when he retakes his place up front, a wall of patrons stands with their backs to the stage, protecting him from the Satanic swing dancers.
Vivoli’s transforms into the character Plague for Mythraeum’s set, but when I see him and Roswell outside, his friendly grin is back and shines through the corpse paint — some of which is on Roswell’s face. I say nothing, afraid any comment might break the magic of the moment.
San Diego’s metal community is a familial presence that aligns well with Metality, an organization that brings strangers together through their mutual love of metal for a good cause. Tonight’s recipient is Brother Benno’s, an Oceanside-based foundation that helps the poor, the seniors and the addicted, with services ranging from food assistance to drug treatment. It’s a ministry that might seem an unlikely ally for a group of people who openly sport Luciferian sigils and are somewhat less than religious — if not vehemently anti-religion. But that’s an outside view. One of the most pervasive, if hidden, traits of metal is being underestimated and judged. They’d give you the shirts off their backs. But probably not that Bee Gees shirt. Man, I need that fucking shirt.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Gonzo Report: Mosh and magnanimity at Metalli-Meet
Holding Company show benefits Brother Benno's
Gonzo Report: Mosh and magnanimity at Metalli-Meet
Holding Company show benefits Brother Benno's
Thanks for coming, enjoy the show!
For me, walking through Ocean Beach never involves a direct stroll to a destination. There are too many cool distractions that catch my eye, too many things that make me ponder, too much sensory input that pulls me in. I park at the library and before I cover the two blocks it takes me to reach The Holding Company, I see a man holding a sign telling me that I’m perfect and that The Creator has my best interest in mind. Thanks, man! I’m on my way to “Metalli-Meet” to see the bands Druide, Brutalion, Helsott, Mythraeum, The Provoked, and Nukem, so the sentiment seems at odds with my adrenaline level. Much more in keeping with the evening's vibe: my the detour into Shift Gallery and Gatherings to eye an exhibit by the artist Barfo featuring humanoid creatures that would pass as whimsical if not for one image featuring a terrified human becoming one of them.
There’s no chalk drawing outside the Holding Company like the ones in front of several shops along the way, but the sidewalk is teeming with metalheads, which works as temporary signage. Slayer shirts mesh with battle jackets bearing the logos of more underground groups like Grave function to form a beacon to lovers of all things dark and heavy. The man in the Bee Gees shirt stands out here, and we share a few words of awe for the Brothers Gibb.
As I enter, Brutalion is laying down chucky riffs and inspiring a small mosh pit. I spot Steve Brogden and Norman Leggio of Nukem and grab a quick selfie while discussing their upcoming release "Random Acts of Violence." I tell Leggio his profile pic is a minor miracle; because it shows him playing drums, which is unremarkable. But his expression radiates calm, very much at odds with the explosive percussion he brings.
I'm entering a tight-knit but welcoming community here. No gatekeepers, just the proverbial open arms of welcome. And sometimes literal open arms: consider the case of Mythraeum vocalist Anthony Vivoli and his girlfriend Faith Roswell, who met when his band performed at Wacken Open-Air Festival in 2022. After his set, he stopped to say hello to cage fighter Roswell, and they’ve been linked ever since. In addition to cage fighting, Roswell teaches self-defense in her native England, and has authored a book titled Movie Monsters of the Deep. News of this sets off a mini nerd summit.
Other bonds linking the performers: Nukem leader Brogden’s long-time partner Cassie Morris sang on Mythraeum’s album, and Jonathan Gonzales of Work Ethic trains metal bands including Mythraeum with such motivators as demanding festival energy instead of Monday night opening-band vibes. Many of the musicians belong to multiple bands, and some will play multiple times today, like Alonzo Larios, who serves as bassist for Helsott and guitarist for Mythraeum. Speaking of bass: the sound for this show is outstanding, including the lower frequencies, which I’ve mocked on every other occasion that I’ve been to this venue. Huzzah!
It’s easy to be kind to people that you know, but it takes real heart to extend kindness spontaneously to a stranger, especially when you're part of a hyper crowd. But I see it with my own eyes here: a man in a wheelchair close to the stage attempts to back out, narrowly avoiding being tipped over by the moshers. That changes when a woman functioning as pit boss holds her hand up and the pit slows to allow the man to back up. He stops in the center of the pit while the bodies whirl around him, and when he retakes his place up front, a wall of patrons stands with their backs to the stage, protecting him from the Satanic swing dancers.
Vivoli’s transforms into the character Plague for Mythraeum’s set, but when I see him and Roswell outside, his friendly grin is back and shines through the corpse paint — some of which is on Roswell’s face. I say nothing, afraid any comment might break the magic of the moment.
San Diego’s metal community is a familial presence that aligns well with Metality, an organization that brings strangers together through their mutual love of metal for a good cause. Tonight’s recipient is Brother Benno’s, an Oceanside-based foundation that helps the poor, the seniors and the addicted, with services ranging from food assistance to drug treatment. It’s a ministry that might seem an unlikely ally for a group of people who openly sport Luciferian sigils and are somewhat less than religious — if not vehemently anti-religion. But that’s an outside view. One of the most pervasive, if hidden, traits of metal is being underestimated and judged. They’d give you the shirts off their backs. But probably not that Bee Gees shirt. Man, I need that fucking shirt.
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