LIVE SHOW REVIEW: IN THIS MOMENT - HELL POP II

Arvest Bank Theater at the Midland - Kansas City, MO - 01/08/2014

Maria Brink and In This Moment perform in Kansas City, MO

In This Moment was out in full force at The Midland Theater in Kansas City recently. With an all new sexy, and seductive megalithic stage show, In This Moment proved yet again that they’re no longer just that band that had their breakout on Ozzfest 2007, with their beautiful front-woman, Maria Brink singing heavy songs in a skimpy blue dress. Not just heavy songs I might add, but finely written heavy metal jams from start to finish. I’ve personally had the pleasure of watching In This Moment grow over the years, and have attended many, many of their shows throughout their career, and despite each album being vastly different, and some of their original members leaving, the band has stuck pretty tight to their own original flavor. However, it’s obvious with the release of “Blood” in 2012, In This Moment had set out to reinvent themselves in a completely different direction. Set in stride with an all new look, a different approach on on their music, a story to tell, and some crazy sensual music videos, it was obvious the band had set out to make a drastic stylistic change. Gone are the old school metalcore ways some of us grew fond of in the early days. With this new approach many have gotten it, and maybe some longtime fans: myself included didn’t quite grasp the look, style, and story “Blood” was meant to tell at first. However, with this recent HellPop II tour coming to a close, and witnessing a show first hand, I assure you, I shifted my opinion on the future outlook I had for the band. Allow me to put this all into perspective based off what my sponge-like sensory overload was able to soak up that night from their full-scale “balls to the wall” production spectacle.

Allow me set the scene here: The Midland Theater in Kansas City is arguably one of the most beautiful venues in the nation. Its large stage, massive ceilings, glorious balconies, and red velvet furnishings we’re the perfect setting for the beautiful chaos that is all that is In This Moment. It’s 2,500 capacity space was filled to the brim with a sold-out music-starved crowd ready to rock wall-to-wall, four balconies tall. It was apparent that there were just as many new faces coming to see In This Moment as there were old school In This Moment veterans. The crowd was growing hungry to devour their main course of their pure injection of metal, and after a slightly longer than normal set change, their patience had finally paid off.

The lights dropped to a dim, faint light within the darkness as the bands sampler kicked into gear featuring Type O Negative’s “Black No. 1” track. A perfect song to set the mood to allude to what In This Moment’s set was going to essentially be all about: Sensuality. Those familiar with Type O Negative wouldn’t disagree with me that Type O Negative is one of the best bands of all time to have hot, rough sex with your partner to. If Type O’s music doesn’t get the mood going, I’m not sure what music does. It was a pretty cool extra touch that In This Moment chose the perfect accompanying music to match what I stressed this set was going to be mainly all about: Rough, heavy, and sensual music. In This Moments key to their intricate set was a visual feast for the eyes. Immediately following the Type O Negative tune, In This Moments opening instrumental track “Rise With Me” taken from their most recent record “Blood” began to play. After a calm intro, the light within the middle of the stage began to illuminate, along with a healthy dose of fog shooting to the ceiling. Reminiscent of the cover of the album “Blood” - Two petite symmetrically-placed faceless, white-masked-sporting female figures climbed upon the stage. An elevated platform placed directly in the center of the stage was their destination, and the two mystery girls walked their way up to the illuminated riser and took their appropriate place on either side of the center. The centerpiece’s purpose only being there for one sole reason, and that was to serve the star of the show: Maria Brink. With the fog pouring out from the center of the stage sky high, a silhouette emerged from behind the cloaking mist. The silhouette, Maria Brink now within sight, then chants “I can’t hear you Kansas City” which sent the sold-out crown into a screaming frenzy.

Wasting no time to get into the heavy action, with the male members of In This Moment within sight now as well, the band suddenly opened the set with their second single “Adrenalize” taken from their most recent album to an explosive applause. I wasn’t the only one who probably had to regain their senses once the stage lights kicked on when the song began, during, and post-“Adrenalize” because by the time the song shot into full gear, it apparent that this was a one-of-a-kind In This Moment show unlike anything I had the chance to see before. On stage was a delightful intricately album-woven show unfolding before my virgin eyes. Perfectly complimenting their most recent record “Blood” was a stage show unlike anything I had seen, complete with stage props, those - creepy, yet sexy petite stage dancers meticulously dancing in exact sync with one another while front-woman Maria Brink took the center of the stage and belched out her beautiful vocals. It was a challenge to try and take your eyes off the stage. The beautiful dancers on either side of Maria we’re a very interesting compliment to In This Moments stage show, and brought all attention to our beloved front-woman standing right in the center of them. With everyone’s adrenaline now pumping, and the crowd beginning to loosen up from the recent inevitable set change. The band didn’t lose any intensity and went straight into “Blazin’” from their last record prior to the most recent - “A Star-Crossed Wasteland.” There wasn’t a single body not bobbing, head banging or body slamming into one another. After that song had approached a wrap, things slowed down only enough to add a little flavor to the intensity. “Beast Within” lyrically serves as a song to get people moving, as Maria chants:

“I don’t know how I got here
But we cannot get out
I’m surrounded by strangers
As the music starts to pound
I see the bodies slowly swayin’
Movin’ side to side
I feel the animal rising
As I slowly come alive”

“So everybody start to move now
I wanna see you all give way
I wanna tear this place apart tonight
And have you thank me for my rage
Tell me what you came for
Can I give you just a taste?
I wanna see you lose your fucking minds
And rip apart this place”

With the crowd now finally a well-oiled machine completely warmed up, and ready to rock, the band continued onward with their set. About half-way in the band reached the slow point of the night, and we were treated to the emotional segment with Brink going solo while seated at center stage to perform “Into The Light” while the other band members disappeared from the sightlines. Breaking into her ballad, and adding to the spectacle, Maria appeared to be in her own little world, singing her heart out through the emotionally impactful song. Maria pouring emotion her seat sang flawlessly, complete with expressive hand gestures, and the crowd remained respectfully silent, some with lighters illuminating in hand until she reached the climax of her song and the crowd finally uproariously cheering her on.

Next up the band treated us to a cover of “Closer.” Obviously with their own twist, and take on the provocative Nine Inch Nails song. The band performed “Gun Show” next, which is in my opinion the bands heaviest song to date. The crowd plateaued in energy when “Gun Show” went into full effect.

Afterwards the band proceeded to walk off stage, and give drummer Tom Hane a chance to shine with a full on drum solo, which wasn’t too shabby to say the least.

The highlight of the show in my opinion having been a longtime oldschool fan, was watching In This Moment acknowledge some of their songs that initiated their career back in 2007 from their album “Beautiful Tragedy”. If I may say something, the genius of “Blood” didn’t completely make sense to me until seeing the songs performed live. In This Moment’s clear objective is to take the band to that next level, and appeal to a wider audience. I believe the band tried to achieve this early on with their ever so poppy sophomore effort “The Dream” back in 2009, but fail a bit short of hitting the target they were looking for. So back to my point, the band going back in time to play some songs from their old school metal-core catalog was amazing. I truthfully didn’t expect it sensing so many brand new fans were in the building that night. Despite so many first timers gawking in awe of the old tunes. A few of us who had been there since day 1 we’re rocking our asses off. Maria began with a “thank you” to the crowd, and some encouraging words of how live shows bring people together. Meanwhile founding guitar player - Chris Howorth strumming the calming opening notes reminiscent of “Beautiful Tragedy.” “How many of you have seen In This Moment before?” Maria asked. “How many old fans, and how many new fans?” “So how many of you want to hear something heavy?” The band began playing “Prayers” and through about a 1/3 of the way through the song, they stop abruptly with Maria saying “that is not the heaviest song off the first record!” Maria says. “Chris Howorth give me the heaviest!” and Chris began to shred away on the opening notes of “Next Life” which is considerably heavier than “Prayers,” but just as the heavy breakdown kicked in within the song, the band broke away again, and Maria begins to say “that was once again NOT the heaviest song on the record. Old fans what is the heaviest song off the first record? Let me hear it!” With the crowd all shouting their answers, the band launches full assault into their heaviest track from their first album “Daddy’s Falling Angel.” I was delighted because this has always been my favorite In This Moment track, and one of the songs that made me a fan from Day 1, and they played the song in its entirety. Despite the fact that the band didn’t play all of the songs from “Beautiful Tragedy” all the way through, the “Beautiful Tragedy” medley was a really cool touch on the bands part, and didn’t stretch the attention of those new fans the band has worked so hard to gain that may not be familiar with the older material. By making it sort of a game about the heaviest song, it warmed the crowd to the older songs, and was definitely a unique touch, and one of the highlights of the night for me. Very cool In This Moment, well played, and I was very happy to hear the old tunes still a part of the set.

With lights going dim, and returning back shortly after seemingly reaching the end of the night donning a dunce cap with “Whore” written on it, Maria Brink sat back on her throne center stage, with the faceless girls lying beside her, and began chanting the lyrics to the current fan favorite, and latest single - “Whore.”

“I’m the girl you’ve been thinking about
The one thing you can’t live without
I’m the girl you’ve been waiting for
I’ll have you down on your knees
I’ll have you begging for more”

The crowd goes crazy, new fans and old alike. You can hear the crowd chanting back effortlessly right back at the “whore” sporting front-woman. I believe there wasn’t a single voice in the building who wasn’t chanting one of the lyrics to that song, and In This Moment’s closing applause paid testament to that. After the band had left the stage, the crowd demanded an encore, and back onto the stage In This Moment returned to finish off the night by shedding some “Blood.” The first single off their latest record as you might have guessed - “Blood” began to play, and once again the crowd frenzied with every word. To finish off the night the band was joined by a couple of the disguised crew members blasting fog from a couple smoke guns straight into the air above the crowd. This was timed along with the heavy parts of the song within the chorus, and was a neat effect.

Thus, we had reached the closure of the show, and the ending to the night - In This Moment delivered a rock solid show to a sold-out crowd of 2,500 and fed the music starved masses their rock induced meal they justly deserved. It was a great night, and much metaphorical “Blood” was shed. I have zero doubt in my mind that the new direction In This Moment is approaching with their new music, and new live shows that they will be thrust further into stardom, and gain many new fans along the way. After seeing the Hellpop Two tour first hand, it all makes sense.

In This Moment has just wrapped up the Hellpop Two Tour, and if you weren’t able to catch a live show from it, or even just want to relive the experience and you did attend a show, Century Media Records, and the band have just released the first In This Moment live DVD. Entitled “Blood At The Orpheum” which is packaged along in the Special Edition of “Blood” which is the latest version of the CD. You can watch the trailer to the live DVD below!

Thanks for reading, and make sure to keep it tuned in here at RockRevolt Mag for the latest In This Moment news, and everything that rocks.

~Show review by Bradford W. Skelley

~Photography by Thomas Woroniak