“Well, my brother says Hello. So, hooray for speech therapy.”~ Emo Philips
I made it out to Dirty Dog Bar tonight and back in one piece. And even though we are experiencing what seems to be our first freeze of the winter months, which honestly doesn’t happen until the first week of December, I made it out and came back and I was more than happy to have done so.
Another show. But one last hurrah for FEAR CONTROL at least for 2014. And I battled whether or not I was going to go to begin with but lead singer Kash Sarkaria talked me into it, mentioning that it would probably be the last time FEAR CONTROL played live in Austin for the year.
Most recently, my adventures saw me going to the last live performance of CASKET OF CASSANDRA, it made sense to go to FEAR CONTROL. Plus hey, I love FEAR CONTROL!
I think that going back, that I have gone to see FEAR CONTROL play live the most out of any other musical acts in the state of Texas in the year of 2014. I’ll have to go back again and just count, but I know its more than just a couple.
The weather however was very much threatening to be a serious factor which dictated just how late I would be able to stay downtown before having to come home. And yet it came to be that the headlining band, 36 CrazyFists, is actually from Alaska. So if they were going to be out, then certainly Texans could come out to the show.
So I rolled out into the streets to get to the bus stop, not really knowing just how long I would be dealing with the elements first hand. I did dress in layers and was quite warm. I even took a shot of whiskey for good measure, and everyone who reads this knows I don’t really “drink” so… that was that.
To my personal dismay, the southbound bus stop was engulfed in construction. I had to go north just to get turned around and go south so I could head downtown. It took me an extra fifteen and about three miles extra before getting put in the right direction.
My biggest concern was the descending, colder temperatures as I spent the evening with music that I can appreciate and enjoy. Thankfully there was no precipitation expected.
I rolled on inside at the Dirty Dog Bar and had been kicking back for about fifteen before I actually and literally got kicked OUT.
It was 6:15 PM. Doors were posted to be 6:00 PM. And I’m being told I had to go back outside. Back into the cold. Back out into the impending darkness. What the hell, people?!??!?!?
I saw then on the doors that they had printed a time of 6:30 PM for the doors to be open and the show starting promptly at 7:00 PM.
I’m getting really sick and tired of these times getting screwed around. I’m tired of sitting outside- for no good reason- when door times are posted at a certain hour. I do not know who’s fault that is… but if I ever find out, LOOK OUT!!
So then FEAR CONTROL hit the stage as the second scheduled act.
FEAR CONTROL has new material, new songs. And through the sharing of privately marked YouTube videos, I was able to get a taste of the new stuff when others were not able to. I was excited. Their new song, “Masks” rocks to the center of your core. I was thrilled and pumped up to hear it live. 
But I had to get inside first. That didn’t happen until about ten minutes before seven. Absolutely stupid and retarded.. I swear!!!
FEAR CONTROL took over on stage and kicked it into overdrive. I mean, it was expected to happen but you never really know just how far Sarkaria is going to take things.
Guitarist Frankie Rodriguez allowed himself into consumption with the metal gods as he wailed on his instrument.
The band just compliments one another to bring forth the entertainment in heavy metal music as one has never seen before. They do so well with one another on stage.
“Masks” was played live early on. Its in the beginning stage of becoming one of those tunes that sticks with you to the end of time. Much like “Off With His Head” has done with me. I really cannot wait for their second appearance inside the recording studio to hear what these new songs are to be like. Its one thing being played live, its another when its recorded.
One thing that I have come to know about and admire about FEAR CONTROL is that they play with the same level of energy and passion no matter what the size of their audience is. It could be a packed venue or a filled up parking lot or it could be about fifteen people inside the same building and they still come at you hard and strong. 
But going back, “Masks” was an absolute treat for me personally. I cannot wait to hear it more and more and more.
FEAR CONTROL is one of these bands that I stumbled across.
Ever since then, I’ve been stuck and surrendered to their invoking metal powers.
I found myself just lost and not really caring much about the cold and bitter outside world that was just a few feet behind me through the double doors which led to Historic Sixth Street.
Needless to say that I have never been disappointed with FEAR CONTROL. Even when they got snipped at to cut things short and they played a shorter version of “Off With His Head” at the end of their set a few months ago, it still was entertaining and fun for me that I just melted away from the world just for a little while.
What was rather amusing was the impromptu game of “Let’s Fuck With The Time Keeper” as they were told that they had time left for one more song and they fully intended on playing “Off With His Head” but would it be the shortened version or the full on seven minute epic version?
The band blazed through and Kash Sarkaria kept his eyes peeled and what happened can only be described as the “speed metal version” of “Off With His Head” which was performed from beginning to end in its entirety but instead of taking a little more than seven minutes, it took just under five.
The brotherhood of FEAR CONTROL off the stage is through the roof and phenomenal. I dare say: off the chain. It honestly hasn’t taken very long since I first saw them play live at SXSW 2014 to the point where I’ve had the opportunity to know the members of the band personally. It is awesome, awesome stuff. 
“Masks” and “Off With His Head” are going to probably end up being those two great songs that can identify the band as their journey continues. My younger brother and I still believe that they have the sounds of Death Angel and both my brother and I still believe that FEAR CONTROL needs to contact Death Angel to get together and do some work together whether that is a tour or whatever.
If you like Death Angel, you’ll like FEAR CONTROL, hands down. No second guessing.
But as I had feared, the outside weather and temperatures were dropping like it was hot. Er, cold.
So I left, almost ditching their merch girl Sam as I was hanging out with her after the set. I’m not sure if that will prove to be a mistake and if so, if it will be fatal. One moment I am there, the next moment I am out the door without saying much at all in the ways of a farewell. Sam was looking quite fetching!!! That could have spelled DANGER for those who can’t handle it!
Thankfully my journey across downtown led me to the bus stop and I didn’t really have to wait long at all before I boarded the bus heading back up north and got home before 10:00 PM. Nice!
Just a couple of days shy of the very intense event of my highest honor of meeting fetish model, Red Vamp, as she will be in town. I did write about it briefly in a previous blog post. I’m trying not to flood this blog with my nervousness and excitement about it before it even happens.
So chalk up another show for me and FEAR CONTROL. I cannot wait to see what they will bring to the table in 2015!!!!!
Dambreaker 