PERIPHERY AT THEATRE OF LIVING ARTS IN PHILADELPHIA
Hearing crazy intricate instrumentals on an album and then getting the chance to actually see them performed flawlessly live is always impressive. The “Hail Stan Tour” featuring Periphery with Veil of Maya and Covet is the ultimate example of this. Being able to watch these three bands pull off some incredibly difficult instrumentals as well as jumping around, interacting with the crowd, and putting on a great show gave the audience at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia a night to remember.
Opening the show that night was Covet. Covet holds an incredibly special place in my heart because of how inspiring it is to see Yvette Young absolutely kill it on stage. You don’t see many female guitarists in the scene, and seeing how she impeccably plays through Covet’s complex guitar parts warms my heart. She serves as such an inspiration to other female musicians. The band’s set was more on the relaxed side, but always kept the audience on their toes with their way their instrumentals flow.
Taking the stage next was Veil of Maya. The contrast in sound between Veil of Maya and Covet is quite literally deafening. The band is known for heavy instrumentals and monstrous vocals. That combined with some of the darkest lighting I’ve ever seen at a show really set the mood in the room. The pit stayed open their entire set as the crowd moshed and screamed along to the tracks.
Finally, it was time for Periphery to hit the stage. I don’t think fans could have asked for a better opening than the band starting with “Reptile”, the sixteen minute track that opens their newest album “Periphery IV: HAIL STAN” which was released earlier this year in April. By the end of that song you could already see the crowd drenched in sweat and basically foaming at the mouth for more. Throughout the set the band played other crowd favorites such as “Follow Your Ghost”, “Marigold”, and “Blood Eagle”. All the while each member could be seen running around and putting forth all of their energy. Guitarists Misha Mansoor and Mark Holcomb looked like they didn’t stop moving once while playing through some of the heavy hitting guitar parts. For their finale “Lune”, the moshers in the pit wrapped their arms around each other to jump and scream/sing. The entire crowd blew the roof off the TLA with their chorus of “Ohs” from the end of the song, and then band gave their goodbyes before exiting the stage. Periphery put on one of the most impressive live sets any metal fan could ask for. The talent from the group is undeniable.
Nicole DiBenedetto is a photographer based out of New Jersey. She likes making new friends and meeting new people so catch her out in the pit and say hi!