Saturday night in the Tower District was a loud night in music, and definitely in a good way, as Diehardz Music presented a very well-received show of heavy and insane metal-rock acts at the Babylon club located on 1064 N Fulton.
The show drew a crowd to rival other rock shows around the Tower District as the headlining band was big-name act Motograter. The night was their second stop in a national tour, and the lineup for the Babylon show couldn’t have been better. The night’s supporting acts were Desma, Obsidian Seraph, Infinite Aggression, and Nativeburn, all of which kept the crowd going throughout the entire night.
While onstage, several shout-outs were made by band members to sponsors, friends and families who helped in putting the show together and went out to support them all. That goes to show that everyone there was there for one thing, and one thing only.
“The people were there for the music,” said Diehardz’ manager, Pete Salazar. “They were really there to see Motograter, but they were also there to see the supporting acts,” he added.
It was clear, as the crowd stayed as close to the stage as possible through each set of the night – even lingering there while awaiting the next set with great anticipation – just about everyone who entered Babylon on Saturday had a great night. Bands were giving out signed copies of their albums, and merchandise to the crowd after their sets, creating an intimate atmosphere in which everyone was enabled to mesh as one.
The music that night was insane. Powerful vocals, hasty guitars, and pounding drums had the performers’ intensity rivaling the audience’s own. Performer-audience interaction did not need encouragement, the audience showed just as much passion as they sang along to the songs and shouting out their support in between songs. “We love you!”, yelled one audience member during Infinite Aggression’s set, which prompted guitarist to shout back, “We love you too!”
By the time 11 p.m. rolled around, audience members were ready to “mosh” to the even faster and louder music of Nativeburn. They introduced a new song titled “Dying Inside,” and pulled out an acoustic guitar for their own rendition of The Eagles’ 1977 hit “Hotel California,” completely making it their own. As hard as their music was, the vibe they projected was that of an enjoyable jam session. In contrast to the intensity of the music, once they called it a set after “Hotel California,” members of Nativeburn genuinely welcomed audience members who went up to the stage to shake hands and say hi.
While it took more than 15 minutes, and about six people to set up for Motograter, the momentum in no way wound down. The anticipation that built minute by minute was unbearable once the members of Motograter made their way to the stage in full body paint.
The energy had no place higher to go, and neither did Motograter lead singer once he climbed up to hang from ceiling rafters reaching out above the audience with such a magnificently expressive stage presence that fed right back into the audience.
“I gotta say, were pleased to be at this show with you tonight! Enjoy the f***** show!” said Motograter singer before kicking into the third song of their set. They treated the audience to several old Motograter tracks, as well as some so new only the audience from the previous night’s show had heard, such as “Start a War.”
Motograter was the only way to finish a night of heavy, in-your-face rock such as this. As Diehardz Pete Salazar said, “It was like thunder rolled through the building, yet the sun was shining.”
