Coheed and Cambria

Mastodon

Every Time I Die

Roxy Theatre, Atlanta, GA

May 31, 2019

May 31, 2019, The Roxy Theatre hosted the Unheavenly Sky tour featuring coheadliners Mastodon and Coheed and Cambria, along with opening act Every Time I Die. Mastodon is celebrating the tenth anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Crack the Skye by playing it in its entirety. In contrast, Coheed and Cambria is supporting their newest release, Vaxis - Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures.

Every Time I Die opened the show. Although I’m not particular familiar with their music, their live show was energetic and engaged the crowd. Mastodon began with a brief set of crowd favorites including "Blood and Thunder," "Crystal Skull," "Steambreather," and "The Motherload" before playing Crack the Skye in its entirety from beginning to end. Coheed and Cambria focused on their new album, but also played classics off Good Apollo, The Second Stage Turbine Blade, and No World for Tomorrow. Both bands played excellent sets and kept the crowd entertained. Rather than write a standard review, I’d like to focus on the format of this tour: First, bands choosing their touring mates, and second, playing an album in its entirety as the basis of a tour.

Over the last decade or so many bands have opted to tour with other bands on the same record label. Independent labels often cater to one genre of music so touring with a label mate is a reasonable plan. The bands will likely have a similar fan base therefore increasing the chance of the show having a strong attendance. It also makes sense financially. With the rise of free music via downloading and streaming coupled with the steady decline in album sales, keeping all financial affairs under the umbrella of one label should consolidate expenses and maximize profits. I suspect this arrangement is more likely planned by managers, promoters, and labels as opposed to artists, but that’s their jobs. They have to make their bands as profitable as possible.

Mastodon has been one of those bands who have kept a very active role in who they tour with. Rather than take a band on the road that shares a record label, they seem to often choose bands that that they personally enjoy and think their fans will too, even if, and especially if, the other bands challenge their fans’ expectations. They've toured with co-headliners as diverse as Alice in Chains, Deftones, Scandinavian prog/death metallers Opeth, alternatives heroes Dinosaur Jr, the one and only Primus, stoner rock faves Clutch, theatrical metallers Ghost, and for this tour Coheed and Cambria, who have been described as everything from prog to emo. To my understanding, this tour came about when Troy Sanders (Mastodon) and Carlos (Coheed and Cambria) were talking at a NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) convention. As Sanders left the room, he yelled back "Would it be weird if our bands toured together?" Carlos responded, "Probably," to which Sanders replied, "Great let's do it!"

With soaring ticket prices, I appreciate an artist that knows whether a fans comes to a show may depend on the strength of the bill as a whole. Although it’s great to see one of your favorite bands, it’s a bonus when there’s a little diversity to the bill. Mastodon aren’t pandering to their fans. They respect their fans enough to offer them something different rather than force feed them what they might expect. Sure, all the bands are driven by distorted guitars, but there is big difference between Opeth and Dinosaur Jr. You most likely won’t see them tour together. It wouldn’t really make sense. But, Mastodon touring with either somehow makes sense. In addition, it shows their enthusiasm as fans themselves. I’ve always enjoyed the bands that were eager to talk about bands that they liked. It’s clear Mastodon are still fans at heart.

The other trend that Mastodon draws on for this tour is playing an entire album from beginning to end. I've heard some music fans refer to this as just a cash grab. Although sometimes credible, “sellout” is always the go to argument when someone wants to appear superior or denigrate an artist. It doesn’t really hold up to any scrutiny, though. You could argue that a greatest hits tour is a cash grab; playing only the songs everyone knows therefore drawing in casual fans. It’s unlikely, though, that many fair weather fans are coming out to hear a ninety minute set comprised mostly of deep tracks. This is especially true with this tour, as Crack the Skye includes "The Baron" and "The Czar" which both clock in around thirteen minutes. If anything, a full album tour is a tip of the hat to the hardcore fans who listen beyond the hits and want to see those songs played live.

My first experience with a full album show was when the Cult played Love in its entirety back in 2010 for the 25th anniversary of its release. They followed it with a second set of hits from their other albums, similar to Mastodon’s set. This is a great way for fans to see songs that have never been played live before and to enjoy the full album as they are used to hearing it at home. That’s hardly a sellout move or a cash grab. It also presents an opportunity for artists to offer a new live experience without putting out a new album. It can be reflective moment for artists with extensive catalogs to revisit albums, relearn how to play songs, and play songs they may have never played live. Songs often evolve so this can also be a creative process without the pressure of a new release. Although it's only been ten years since the release of Crack the Skye, It was a unique and progressive record in the Mastodon discography which also, oddly enough, broke them into a more mainstream audience. That doesn't happen often.

I suspect Mastodon will continue to challenge their fans in upcoming tours. I will expect nothing less. Time will tell if full album shows will continue to trend. I suspect they will. Acid King just announced a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 1999 album Busse Woods, which I know many of us will be looking forward to!

Mastodon Gallery