"If we send you home with one message tonight it is that you should never wait to tell the people that you love that you love them. Don't wait until something tragic happens, tell them every day, tell them often." - Nate Newton Cave In, Helms Alee, The Primals, Heiress @ El Corazon - Seattle, WA 11/19/19 The Primals, a band from LA on Southern Lord, brought so much genuine Seattle-flavored post-grunge/punk/rock intensity and energy to a stage that was once used by Seattle royalty Nirvana. As tricky as a comparison like that is to make, I've never heard a band more earnestly embody what Kurt, Dave, and Krist did so well years ago. Fucking outstanding set, if we're being totally real. Helms Alee is another known quantity in these parts and for good reason. They absolutely fucking rip every time I've had the pleasure of seeing them live. I geek out about my love of early These Arms are Snakes and also how guitarist Ben Verellen makes much of the amplifiers and equipment they use on stage. I even got to play one of his heads at a guitar shop in Ballard once and I was reminded that I'm not as good of a guitar player on a real amp than I am in the comfort of my home. They came, they shredded, they filled that room with crushers for 45 minutes. I came to see Cave In, like I mentioned in my post earlier in the week. It had been almost 20 years of listening to their albums, trying to figure out how to play Adam's parts on my guitar in my parents basement, and using Jupiter/Antenna/Perfect Pitch Black as soundtracks to a big blur in my life. They were as big and heavy and amazing as I'd imagined, but what might have been most special for me (if not all of us), is how thoughtful and compassionate Nate Newton, of Converge, was about Caleb Scofield's passing and the importance of his role in sharing this music with all of us the way Caleb would have wanted. It was touching to see how he honored Caleb and even let his fans touch the bass he spent his career playing. A lot of us will never forget that moment. I'm still in awe and dumbfounded. Incredible set, guys. #cavein #caveinboston #helmsalee #elcorazon #theprimals (at Seattle, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Gl_OYJKxn/?igshid=1g6om30m9wv5p
