Mayhem Festival - Gexa Energy Pavilion - 7/10/12

Jaime-Paul Falcon July 11, 2012 9:00AM

Mayhem Festival Gexa Energy Pavilion Tuesday, July 10

See also: The fans of Mayhem Festival

As I parked next to the Amsterdam and walked through Fair Park's Esplanade yesterday, I took in the neo-modernist sculptures and murals that adorn the Art Deco buildings. The closer I got to the Gexa Energy Pavilion, the more I started to question my own sanity. You see, what passes for modern metal on the radio turns me into Alex Ross. I hear the guitars - it is impossible not to - but the rest is noise. The guttural screams and angst-ridden musicianship does little but make me change the station.

However, that is reason enough to take in Rockstar Energy Drink's Mayhem Festival, Yes, I know Anthrax from their rather fantastic output, the guys in Slayer are legends, and "Lemmy is God." Nevertheless, I knew little about the other bands playing. To me, Slipknot was the band the guy with absurdly long hair and a ratty beard on the football team listened to. Devil Wears Prada is nothing more than a middling Anne Hathaway film, and bands like Asking Alexandria, Upon A Burning Body and I the Breather seem like candidates for the AV Club's annual "Worst Band Names" list.

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Jaime-Paul Falcon

Contact: Jaime-Paul Falcon