It’s been 15 years since FATES WARNING have played a concert in Vegas and that’s entirely too long, and with only 6 US shows on this tour we were lucky to snag one of those dates taking place at the Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar & Grill.
Opening the night was local metal boys TYRANTS BY NIGHT, an excellent choice to have on the bill and by the end of their set most people talked to were very impressed by these homegrown metal heads. Tyrants are Matt O'Rourke - Vocals, Guitars, Mike O'Rourke - Drums, Jay Dumas - Guitars and Mark Ferry - Bass, Vocals. A solid band with a great sound, you can catch these talented musicians playing all over Vegas.
Next was KILL RITUAL, another 'local' group who is going out on tour opening up for ICED EARTH and SANCTUARY this year. KILL RITUAL is a melodic / thrash metal band with roots both in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Kill Ritual is Steven D. Rice on guitar, David Reed Watson on vocals, Jim Pegram on bass and Seamus Gleason on drums, and these guys are the real deal, and played a short but powerful set. Kill Ritual has one of the better frontmen I have seen playing Vegas, and I am sure the band will be a big hit with fans all over the US on their upcoming tour. Sad to say so far there are no Vegas dates for the Iced Earth/Sanctuary/KillRitual tour yet but hopefully some venue in Vegas will grab this killer tour.
FATES WARNING took the stage, the curtain was closed and the band played their opening as the crowd surged forward. When the curtain opened the band kicked off the show with "From the Rooftops", a song that starts very slow and melodic then rips into a more harder metal pace, followed with "Life in Still Water". Fates Warning also played a new song off their current album, Theories Of Flight, the infectious "Seven Stars", the first song the band wrote for the new album and possibly the best one. Continuing on the band played "A Pleasant Shade of Grey Part IX" and "A Pleasant Shade of Grey Part XI", and closing out the show the band went back to their past and played "The Eleventh Hour" followed by "Point of View" then closed with "Through Different Eyes and Monument". Thus came an end of a great evening of Prog Metal, not the usual type of show you see at Vamp’d but hopefully we will see more! The turnout was really good and the packed crowd loved the show.
Thank you to Kori and Count's Vamp’d for taking care of us and we look forward to the upcoming 2018 shows there! Check out the club calendar at http://www.vampdvegas.com
Tyrants by Night Photos: Harold Mountain / JustAFansPhotos
Kill Ritual Photos: Harold Mountain / JustAFansPhotos
FATES WARNING Photos: Harold Mountain / JustAFansPhotos