CONCERT COVERAGE: The Battery Electric & EODM Bring Feel Good Rock to Louisville
Date of show: June 28, 2017 Location: Mercury Ballroom, Louisville, KY Photos and Review by: Nina Martin (Copy editing by Tori Biggs) It’s rare to see pure passion and overwhelming brotherly pride neatly wrapped and delivered in the form of a good old-fashioned, in-your-face rock show. Yet somehow, Eagles of Death Metal do just that. On June 28th, Louisville’s Mercury Ballroom played host to EoDM on one of their nights off from their current tour with Mastodon. Nestled in the very happening 4th Street area, the Ballroom offers a solid venue to soak in a live show like a finely aged bourbon on the rocks. This show was no exception. Opening act The Battery Electric came out shredding, decked in denim and oozing bad-assery. Hailing from Asbury Park, NJ, the long-haired heathens made it clear from the moment they stepped on stage that they did, in fact, come to party. Taking cues from everything from rockabilly to punk to even a bit of soulful crooning, the band’s flavorful rock tones had the entire crowd primed and ready for the main event. Eagles of Death Metal wasted no time making a bang as they hit the stage. The venue was packed tight as the band played their hearts out. Boot scootin', hip swayin', booty shakin', feel good rock and roll is EoDM's heart and soul' and their live show epitomizes those elements. As original drummer Josh Homme is off working with Queens of the Stone Age, Jorma Vik filled in on drums, making an excellent contribution to the live shows. The newest addition to the band, bassist Jennie Vee, was both superb and badass with her roaring bass lines. The showmanship and multiple cape exchanges were on point. One cape was specifically made for Jesse by a little dude who was then invited on stage with his mom to watch the set. Despite the tragedy that occurred in Paris in 2015, EoDM manage to still have such a positive show and energy, which speaks volumes for their career and personalities. Toward the end of the night vocalist Jesse Hughes stated "I will never stop rockin'" and the raucous screams of joy solidified the crowd's dedication. As part of their 3 song encore, the group threw in a cover of David Bowie's Moonage Daydream and absolutely nailed it. They followed with "I Want You So Hard (Boys Bad News)", an old hit from their first album, Peace. Love. Death Metal, and "Speaking in Tongues" couldn't have been a better choice to close up the set. The Battery Electric and Eagles of Death Metal compliment each other more perfectly than anyone expected. The pair truly exemplifies what one would imagine the WHOLE package to be. From a photographer standpoint, I really have to hand it to the entire EoDM crew for allowing the photogs to photograph the entire show rather than the traditional '3 songs and you're out' deal. It was truly an honor to continue to capture all of the passion, exchanged smiles, and pure rock and roll these California rockers delivered throughout the set. With tons of dates left on the east coast, Eagles of Death Metal will be performing throughout the rest of the year, both headlining and supporting Mastodon. If you are looking for a genuinely enjoyable rock and roll show, these guys are not to be missed. Find their dates with the links below and prepare to boogie the night away. https://thebatteryelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheBatteryElectric/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/1exTyZfjN3rBRVIdH3ACRW https://www.eaglesofdeathmetal.com/ https://www.facebook.com/eaglesofdeathmetal/ https://twitter.com/eodmofficial https://www.youtube.com/user/EaglesDeathMetalVEVO
