Coheed and Cambria
w/ Glassjaw, I The Mighty, Silver Snakes
The SF Masonic
San Francisco, CA
March 23, 2016
I saw Coheed and Cambria only one time before their recent SF Masonic show. They played at The Warfield several years ago with Between The Buried and Me, and it was quite a fantastic show. Their performance at the Masonic proved to be just as fantastic, with a rather large upgrade in lighting equipment to add some extra flair to the set.
The band embarked on a headlining tour in support of their most recent effort and eighth studio album, The Color of the Sun. This show was their fourth to last stop on the tour, and the energy in the room was electrifying throughout the entire night.
Unfortunately I missed the majority of the first act, Silver Snakes, due to the venue deciding to begin the show a bit earlier than advertised on the flyer (and the website....and the ticket....), but I did catch the last song. Very powerful post-hardcore, and I really hope I can get a chance to see these guys perform again based on the little bit of them that I saw.
Next up was a band that I couldn't be more proud of: I The Mighty. I grew up watching I The Mighty play to empty rooms in the Bay Area, and I've gotten to see them progress more and more gradually every single year (today they announced that they will be the main support for Pierce The Veil on their upcoming headlining run this summer). It was incredible to see the band play to such a packed room, playing material from albums I've had the pleasure of seeing them perform over the past several years, while finally getting the stellar reaction that it deserves.
The mighty Glassjaw took the stage, after a long break from performing, and played easily one of the best sets of the entire evening. Vocalist Daryl Palumbo commanded an entire crowd like they were the headliners. I expect that part of the buzz surrounding Glassjaw is the fact that it's been years since they've been back to the Bay Area (not including the small show they did at the end of 2015 at the new Social Hall SF).
The crowd was more than ready for Coheed to take the stage once Glassjaw's set concluded. The band opened with the relaxing, calming intro track "Ghost", performed solely by vocalist/guitarist Claudio Sanchez and guitarist Travis Stever. They almost immediately launch into "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3" once "Ghost" concludes. The band pulled material from six of their eight studio albums, with a majority coming from The Color of the Sun. Other material came from The Afterman: Descension ("Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry The Defiant"), The Second Stage Turbine Blade ("Devil In Jersey City"), and both volumes of Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV ("No World For Tomorrow", "Welcome Home").
I finish photographing my three songs, and I make my way upstairs to the balcony to sit and watch the show. The most incredible thing about Coheed and Cambria is their immaculate musicianship. It doesn't matter if it's a calm moment or an insane face-melting solo; it's amazing to watch them play as both musicians and a band. Tying in the fact that they're fascinating storytellers (they have comic books and stories that coincide with a number of their records) and their enjoyable stage presence, Coheed and Cambria are an act that are never to be missed.
Coheed and Cambria: www.facebook.com/coheedandcambria
Glassjaw: www.facebook.com/glassjaw
I The Mighty: www.facebook.com/ithemighty
Silver Snakes: www.facebook.com/yearofthesnakes
This has been another Shameless Promotion.