This has been an amazing year for the void report. Probably best known for delivering live reviews of local and national touring artists, we’re proud to report that in 2018 we covered 63 individual dates that included a total of 193 bands. This doesn’t include the two-day Deep Ellum Metal Fest, the Fort Worth Metal Fest, the Ridglea Metal Fest, or the Punk in Drublic Craft Beer and Music Festival. Needless to say, there was hardly a venue we didn’t visit or an album or band (local or otherwise) that didn’t cross our radar.
For our year end review, we use the category “Best” a few times, but I’m sure all of us would agree that term sucks and our opinions might change tomorrow. Nevertheless, here’s our run down of 2018.
Best Concert
Brently Kirksey – Fit For A King, Like Moths To Flames, Currents, The Leader The Legend, and Dispositions at The Rail Club (RIP). The amount of energy packed inside that venue was insane. Bodies flew in every direction and the photo pit caved in multiple times. The air conditioning could not keep up and the sweat soaked bodies moved even more violently.
J. Kevin Lynch – The best concert of 2018 was Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at the Bomb Factory. We didn’t cover this show because that’s my favorite band in the world and writing about it just seems like a chore. I can’t put into words how amazing it was, it’s impossible. If you were there, you know.
DeLisa McMurray – Dying Fetus, Incantation, Gatecreeper, and Genocide Pact.
Corey Smith – Greta van Fleet at the Southside Ballroom.
Best Touring Package
Brently Kirksey – Underoath, Dance Gavin Dance, Veil of Maya, LIMBS. Underoath was number one on my list of bands I wanted to photograph. I’ve loved them since high school and the crowd was massive, almost filling The Bomb Factory. The line-up was perfect for the tour with each band complimenting the next.
J. Kevin Lynch – It would be easy to pick Slayer, Anthrax, Behemoth, Lamb of God, and Testament – that was a killer concert. But, for me it was 3Teeth and Ho99o9. These bands kick so much ass it’s ridiculous. They’re both innovative and their live shows are stupefying.
DeLisa McMurray – Three great packages came through Dallas-Fort Worth: Everclear, Marcy’s Playground, and Local H; Dying Fetus, Incantation, Gatecreeper, and Genocide Pact; and Neurosis and Converge.
Corey Smith – Behemoth, At The Gates, Wolves in the Throne Room. Honorable mention goes to Void Omnia and Isenordal.
Best Local Show
Brently Kirksey – Most certainly it would have to be the Cutthroat Conspiracy comeback show at The Rail Club. It was a huge crowd for locals and the line-up was stacked: featuring Hunt The Dinosaur, Civil Unrest, Suffer The Human Condition, and Headstitch. It was a night of heavy music that the crowd and I most certainly wanted. It had been a long road to the comeback for Cutthroat Conspiracy so the moment was sweet and deserved.
J. Kevin Lynch – Wizards of Gore, Life of Scars, Creeper, Iron Jaw, and Chemicaust at the Rail Club. Bruce Corbitt of Wizards of Gore (aka Rigor Mortis) and Warbeast fighting cancer, renewing his wedding vows, and singing Rigor Mortis songs was the ultimate local show for me. So many long-time fans were in attendance showing their love and support and any time Iron Jaw and Chemicaust are on the bill it’s gonna be a great show.
DeLisa McMurray – The Warbeast Comeback Show at the Ridglea Theater. Go Bruce!!!
Corey Smith – Any show with Giant of the Mountain.
Favorite Local Band(s)
Brently Kirksey – This is an impossible decision.
J. Kevin Lynch – Rosegarden Funeral Party, Electric Vengeance, and Motorcade.
DeLisa McMurray – Skull Archer, Apophis 2036, and silvertonguedevil.
Corey Smith – Giant of the Mountain, Wyrm Chasm, and Rosegarden Funeral Party.
Favorite Venue
Brently Kirksey – The Rail Club in Fort Worth was a second home to me and the staff was my family, but it is no longer with us so The Bomb Factory takes it. The staff was always super friendly and welcoming, helped me whenever they could, but most importantly they never over-complicated things.
J. Kevin Lynch – I wish every gig happened at Three Links in Deep Ellum. There’s just something about that place: the staff is awesome, the sound is always great, and the band is right there in your face. Otherwise, Bomb Factory all day.
DeLisa McMurray – Tomcats West. Shout out to Justin Mills for helping keep this scene alive.
Corey Smith – For shooting, Southside Ballroom; for attending, Gas Monkey Bar n’ Grill.
Favorite Album
Brently Kirksey – Travis Thompson’s YOUGOOD? I am more of a hip-hop head than metal and this album is a breath of fresh air to anyone craving lyricism and flow. An easy flow that touches on topics that hit home make for replay value that I haven’t found an end to yet.
J. Kevin Lynch – It was a pretty solid year for new releases, but I’d have to go with The Cocky Bitches Mercy LP, Night Club’s Scary World, and Ministry’s AmeriKKKant.
DeLisa McMurray – Atmosphere’s Mi Vida Local.
Corey Smith – Uada’s Cult of a Dying Sun.
Favorite Local Album
Brently Kirksey – This was such a tough decision and I couldn’t make it…So, here are my top three albums Bellicose EP by Bad Blood, The Eureka Effect’s self titled EP, and UMBRA’s RAW EP.
J. Kevin Lynch – I probably listened to Rosegarden Funeral Party’s The Chopping Block EP more than anything else, but Electric Vengeance’s Homicidal Relapse is a close second. Finally, I’m astonished by how good the Reverend Horton Heat’s, Whole New Life, album is….it just makes me happy.
DeLisa McMurray – Interment’s The Suspense is Killing Me and Astyanax’s Embalmed With Afterbirth comes in at a close second.
Corey Smith – Giant of the Mountain’s Nature’s Wrath.
Favorite Photos
