Mastodon - Medium Rarities

[Squigs]

That gig was Dec 2008.

[Squigs]

Ambassador March 2007 was prob the best I ever saw them.

[Pagan Saviour]

Yep just checked there the gig was December 2008 and Bill was missing

[Squigs]

I think that was the night they covered The Bit which was cool.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Yah, Scott Kelly was with them when I caught them in Prague on the Emperor of Sand tour. Amazing gig, one of those real cherished live memories for me.

[Mooncat]

Saw them headline 3 times in Belfast. First time was great, second was the three-piece night which was terrible (likewise Fiend Without a Face. Wasn't that members of Mastodon too?), and the third time was ok. So the full range there!

Also saw multiple festival performances which were all ok.

They're definitely the kind of band that needs their sound to be really nailed for the music to come across.

[open face surgery]

Bar the Slayer support in Cork I thought they were great everytime I saw them which was probably about 6/7 times.

[Sworntothecans]

They weren't great at the Ambassador gig from what I recall. Heard the Academy gigs when Harvester from Galway supported them were meant to be savage.

[Ducky]

Only saw them once, supporting 'Tallica at Marley Park in 2009.

Probably not the best venue to see them, but I certainly enjoyed them the most that day by far (and picked up a CTS tour t-shirt I still have).

[OpenSores]

Saw them headline 3 times in Belfast. First time was great, second was the three-piece night which was terrible (likewise Fiend Without a Face. Wasn't that members of Mastodon too?), and the third time was ok. So the full range there!

Yeah likewise, Fiend on the night seemed to be fleshed out with the rest of the members. Didn't Big Business support on one occasion? My memory for gigs at least date wise is getting somewhat hazier with age.

[open face surgery]

Ya, BB supported them in The Academy on one occasion. That was the around the time they cameoed in Game of Thrones. Brent was locked and hilarious beforehand. Punched a dent in the cab during the gig. The dent was still there a few years later when they played the Olympia.

[Squigs]

The Big Business gigs were 2014, I did Dublin and Belfast that time. 2013 and 2016 I think had two-nights in The Academy each, in fairly sure.

[Born of Fire]

Been blasting through the back catalogue all weekend. Some killer musicianship all throughout. Leviathan is still top of the pile after that it's a close call between Emperor of Sand and Once More Round The Sun for second place. Possibly EoS tips it because the riffs and guitar tone on the likes of Precious Stones and Steambreather are so fuckin moreish!

Crack the Skye is obviously savage but it's kinda one of those albums where you have to be in the mood for it unlike the immediacy of their other albums.

Blood Mountain is one that I sometimes forget about but after listening this weekend I can't for the life of me think why! Brilliant start to finish. Big fan of Hushed and Grim too, production is monstrous it and a great effort for a band that far in their career.

The Hunter is definitely their weakest but still some excellent riffs on there. Remission is the one that does the least for me. Again you have unreal crushing riffs like March of the Fire Ants but the album never really clicked with me.

[Pentagrimes]

There's another video of that speech Brann made in Alaska on youtube from a closer angle. God love them. You can see the absolute heartbreak on their faces, and you can tell Bill and Troy have been bawling their eyes out. That gig must have been so difficult.

[Giggles]

I'd say they're devastated. If Brent was still in the band he'd probably still be alive, so who knows what kind of horrors they could be tormenting themselves with.