Stabbing Westward at House of Blues Chicago Nov. 3, 2018
With the 1998 release Darkest Days, Stabbing Westward mined the depths of industrial rock to reveal a vast spectrum of emotion. Anger, hurt, betrayal, helplessness and acceptance intertwine in Christopher Hall’s flawless vocals while Walter Flakus’ distinct synth sounds pierced through throbbing rhythms, driving listeners deeper and deeper into the shadows of heartbreak with each passing note.
On Nov. 3, the group returned to their hometown of Chicago to play the House of Blues in honor of the 20th anniversary of the album. In the decades since the release, yet another cathartic emotion has risen from the void as a stream of happiness effortlessly flowed between the musicians and the crowd. Stabbing Westward used the Saturday night concert to remind everyone of the healing power of music and the joy found in rocking the f*ck out with 1,000 like-minded fans.
Stabbing Westward at House of Blues Chicago Nov. 3, 2018
The show began exactly as the album does with the title track brooding towards “Everything I Touch” which exploded in defiant rage. Hall leaned into the faces of fans – singing every word – relishing in the interactive nature of the concert. Later, Flakus’ metallic keys and Mark Eliopulos’ screeching guitars provided an intriguing contrast to the swaggering basslines of Carlton Bost on a pumped-up and passionate rendition of “Drugstore.”
The show reached its first fever pitch of the night as Stabbing Westward broke into the album’s lead single “Save Yourself,” which Hall joked “was a new one.” The chorus found the frontman’s impassioned pleas resonating across the venue as fans screamed the lyrics back at the band. Before the song was through, Hall jumped off the stage, further eliminating the barrier between artist and audience.
Stabbing Westward at House of Blues Chicago Nov. 3, 2018
An undercurrent of nineties nostalgia rippled across the night, most notably during “The Thing I Hate.” As fans moved to the song’s irresistible beats, the onstage screen displayed images from the (now) old-school video game “Duke Nukem” which credits the Darkest Days banger as its opening theme.
“Haunting Me,” “Waking Up Beside You” and “Drowning,” beautiful in its despair, further demonstrated the timeless appeal of the album.
With Darkest Days behind them, Stabbing Westward revisited some of the biggest hits of their career in the encore, kicking things off with “Nothing” from their debut album, Ungod. Bobby Amaro closed out the tune with an anarchic drum solo with a little help from Hall who joined in on the percussive mayhem. Before the show concluded, fans were also treated to “What Do I Have to Do?,” “Shame,” “Violent Mood Swings” and more.
There is no vaccination to ward away life’s Darkest Days, but good music and even better company sure does help. Check out photos from Stabbing Westward’s Nov. 3 concert at the House of Blues Chicago – featuring I:Scintilla – and keep up with the band’s latest news on Twitter.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)