Killing Grace, Shadowed Self, and Reign Like Rain at the Bowery

I love surprises!  I got one from Killing Grace this past Saturday:  an originally unscheduled night at the Bowery.  Needless to say, I had to go, as if it were almost required of me.  I didn't know what was going on and why until a few hours before I got there.  They had an exciting announcement:  They had signed a new contract with Red Arrow Records.  And of all the places they have played at for this tour, they chose Knoxville, TN.   It was an honor not only to see them again, and to be able to celebrate with them in this victory.  This goes to show you they celebrate the smallest of things.

I also wanted to check out the two other bands opening up for them.  Reign Like Reign was the first one up.  For those of you who have never been at the Bowery in Knoxville, TN, the best feature regarding the acoustics is the vibrations you can feel either on the floor or in the seats.  They had a new song called "Second Stage."  That was the song where I felt those vibrations.  

Reign Like Rain

The vibes (for a lack of better words) continued when Shadowed Self came up next.

Shadowed Self

Again, this was another band I hadn't heard of or seen.  What band member did I get the "vibes" (in more ways than one) from?  Brandon Rice, the bass player.  This guy had green strings on his bass.  Green strings!  So help me God, they were green!

Brandon Rice, bassist of Shadowed Self

Not only that, but the expressions on his face really stood out to me...and most may have been captured on pictures. This was the best one I could take the other night.

Shadowed Self doesn't take themselves too seriously.  Lead singer C J Asburn, at one time, asked the audience, "Anyone wanna kick off a song for us?"  I couldn't imagine what one-liners the audience could think of.  But it was their way of leading into "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor."  It's a catchy line; I'll be able to remember this next time I see them.

What I like about seeing Killing Grace this time was they were the headliners.  What this meant to me was the best, my personal favorite, was saved for last.  I also would experience something I hadn't before in the two other times I had seen them.  The band went deep into the details of the stories and inspiration behind many of their songs, two of which were "17 Scars" and "No Soul."  "17 Scars" is about lead singer Matt Edmondson's father serving in two wars, and bearing the many scars from them. "No Soul" is the song they consider their deepest and darkest song.  It is about those in their lives who have brought about major disappointments.

The band now considers Knoxville, TN, as "home away from home."  I'm happy they feel that way.  If I do say do myself, that allowed them to go as deep as they did with their music, and with the relationships they have made with fans and members of other bands.