The San Francisco Bay Area was treated to an epic, tinnitus-inducing metal show when Red Fang, the Dillinger Escape Plan and Mastodon rocked the Warfield Theater in San Francisco last night.
Red Fang opened the show with a blend of stoner rock and hardcore punk that their label describes as being somewhere between Black Sabbath and Black Flag. That’s a bold claim, but Red Fang live up to the comparison, doing those influences justice while forging their own sound. The crowd was feeling these guys throughout their performance, and when Red Fang kicked off the groovy, chugging opening of “Prehistoric Dog” to close the show, everybody went nuts.

The Dillinger Escape Plan took the stage, and sonic chaos reigned. Greg Puciato’s vocals pierced through every ear in the joint, and the onstage presence of the band members was electrifying. Lead guitarist Ben Weinman leapt across the stage, onto amp stacks, and into the crowd, swinging his guitar around like a madman in the meantime. Rhythm guitarist Jeff Tuttle and bass guitarist Liam Wilson, driven by drummer Billy Rymer, held a tight groove underneath all the melodic madness.

The lights dimmed for the final time, and Mastodon walked onto the stage like veterans. After a single ringing chord, Thursday night’s Warfield inhabitants went insane. They opened with “Dry Bone Valley” and the clean vocals of drummer Brann Drailor before hitting us in the face with the growling, snarling voices of bass guitarist Troy Sanders and guitarist Brent Hinds. Guitarist Bill Kelliher perched stoically on the right side of the stage as his fingers danced the most involved jigs across the fingerboard of his Gibson Les Paul. An impressive light and video show accented the technical musical mastery on display. They hammered out the close of their set with “Blood and Thunder.” End show, metal fix sated.

Check out Mastodon’s latest release, The Hunter. For more information, visit www.mastodonrocks.com. Mastodon’s Troy Sanders player Dunlop Electric Bass Nickel strings, Ultex Triangle picks, Cry Baby Bass Wah, MXR Blow Torch Distortion and Bass Octave Pedal, and Way Huge Swollen Pickle Fuzz.

The Dillinger Escape Plan is currently working on its next album. For more info, visit www.dillingerescapeplan.org. Dillinger Escape Plan plays Dunlop Heavy Core Electric Guitar Nickel strings, Jerry Cantrell Wah, Dimebag Signature Wah, Tortex Triangle picks, Tortex Sharp Picks, MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion, Smart Gate, EVH Phase 90, Way Huge Aqua Puss Analog Delay and Swollen Pickle Fuzz.

Red Fang’s latest release is Murder the Mountains. For more info, visit www.redfang.net. Red Fang plays Tortex Triangle picks and Electric Guitar Nickel strings.