Lacuna Coil at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD – September 15, 2022

This goes without saying that this is another rescheduled tour due to that thing we don’t like to talk about that’s been happening in the last two years. Anyway, the North American Black Anima Tour hit Silver Spring, MD, and it was certainly a memorable night with a fantastic band lineup.

Lions at the Gate

I don’t understand why most people don’t come early to see the opening bands. Sometimes you’ll discover your new favorite band by attending a concert early. I sure as hell did when I saw Lions at the Gate. I haven’t been able to stop listening to them after seeing them last Thursday. To anyone who just wanted a good spot and was impatiently waiting for either Butcher Babies or Lacuna Coil to start their set, Lions at the Gate might’ve seemed like your typical first opening band, but they were far from that. The band did a phenomenal job amping up the crowd with a set they ran through by memory alone. No setlist written and taped to the stage. That alone impressed me.

Uncured

Now this was another band I got hooked onto. Not because of their set, but for their high energy. The crowd caught onto that wave and refused to let go. I’m trying to find the words to describe this band, but none come to mind. Uncured left me speechless and pretty sure they short-circuited my brain. They had so much going on from their front man grabbing a guitar and joining the lead guitarist, to the drummer doing a solo with light-up drumsticks, to the front man again playing guitar and blindfolding himself. This band didn’t need bells and whistles, they were the bells and whistles. I can’t begin to recommend them enough. Uncured certainly gained a fan in me as well as the crowd.

Butcher Babies

I’ve seen Butcher Babies twice, this time being my third, and each and every time I see them, I’m never fully prepared. Carla and Heidi are a force to be reckoned with the minute they hit the stage with their headbanging skills, their guttural growls and their screeches. Butcher Babies continued giving that burst of energy the opening bands gave to the Thursday crowd, heightening the anticipation for Lacuna Coil’s arrival on stage. It was an incredible set featuring a new cover of Saweetie and Doja Cat’s hit, “Best Friend.” It’s almost impossible to describe Butcher Babies on stage, you just need to see them.

Lacuna Coil

Now, onto the final and main event; Lacuna Coil. They never need much on stage to get the crowd going, they just do their thing. Lacuna Coil showed up in white face paint, with black covering their eyes, or in streaks down their face. But Cristina and Andrea appeared adorning black cowls and minimal face makeup, giving off the aesthetic of their latest album, Black Anima, released in 2019. Their set consisted of songs off that record and previous ones, including the forthcoming 20th Anniversary edition of Comalies, due for release on October 14. Words are failing me at the moment, but I’m sure if you ask me in person what I thought of the show, I could just give you an elated smile and only say, “Oh my god… So. Good! You need to see them!”

This show was a night to remember, and I am sad to report the tour ends tonight. Keep a sharp eye out for any of these bands announcing a future tour; you won’t regret missing them.