The night was cold and dark, the streets of Ybor City were just starting to fill with the signs of life that is reminiscent of Ybor during the weekend. Rounding the corner of 20th St. and 7th Ave, one was greeted to the sight of humanity wrapping around the block like a boa-constrictor tightening its grasp, The Orpheum was its prey.
Fans eagerly awaited for the evening’s festivities as the Wisconsin Death Trip 20th Anniversary Tour & Memorial to Wayne Static featuring Static-X with special guests Raven Black, Wednesday 13, and Dope.
First up on the bill was the Los Angeles band, Raven Black. If you’re looking for a truly great theatrical show with killer music, this is the band to see. They have this dark carnival, nightmare before Christmas vibe that really kicks ass. Playing a mix of their previous releases and a track from their upcoming 2020 release “The Key,” Raven Black really set the tone for the night.
The heavy riffs of The Doctor and Stitches growling bass driven by Muppets heart-pounding rhythm gave the perfect backdrop to the haunting melodies the Raven was belting out. You could feel the emotion in every note she sang. Raven Black really got the crowd going and they didn’t stop all the way through the set. Raven even brought out her oversized Teddy Bear, Axel, and set him loose to crowd surf during the set.
True entertainers that really care about their audience and put forth 110% effort to entertain. You will not be disappointed if you get the chance to see them.
Wednesday 13 and his band took to the stage next, supporting their newest release NECROPHAZE. The music, a cross between heavy metal and 1980’s horror genre movies, a horror-punk if you will, had this other-worldly sound that captivated the audience.
Wednesday 13 came out in this kind of African tribal headdress with a ceramic face that looked as if it was floating in the air, really creepy but freaking awesome! The music created this exciting enthralling atmosphere that took you to another place like no other band I’ve seen. Playing “Zodiac,” “Necrophaze” and “Decompose” you really get a sense of how each song is tied to the macabre and how craftily they are written. Wednesday 13 is another truly entertaining act that you don’t want to miss.
Next up to bat in the 3-hole position was NYC Industrial Metal band Dope. They made their entrance to the Sopranos Theme song “Woke Up This Morning” perfectly befitting the band’s bad-ass gangster persona. Kicking their set off with the title track “Blood Money” from their 2016 release Blood Money Part 1.
Dope has not lost a step in the least, and kept it going with previous tracks “Bring it On” and “Everything Sucks” and everybody’s favorite “Die MF Die”. Lead Vocalist Edsel Dope also took time to thank all the fans for coming out and supporting them and the other bands, but most of all for coming out to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Static-X’s Wisconsin Death Trip and the memory of the departed Wayne Static. He also spoke about the 20-year history Dope has had with Static-X and how much he appreciates the support for the show. They ended the set with what they called the Stupidest F’cking song, but in fact, it was probably the biggest response of their set when they played their remake of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record).”
Next up the crown jewel of the evening Static-X. Original Members bassist Tony Campos, Guitarist Koichi “The Samurai” Fukuda and Drummer Ken Jay took to the stage, but there was one more. A masked figure in a skeleton bodysuit that resembled the departed Wayne Static known only as ‘Xer0” took center stage.
It has been rumored and recently confirmed by the band that Xer0 is actually Edsel Dope from the band Dope. The resemblance is intended to pay homage to Wayne Static and Edsel has stated in interviews that he didn’t feel it was right to have his image placed in the middle of something he didn’t create and felt as if it was the perfect way to keep the focus on the four guys who started the band.
All clarification aside, this was an amazing show. I was blessed to see Static-X at the Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta, GA back in 1999 and this show brought me back. They are the same heavy industrial metal band they were back then. The music was on point. Throughout the show images of Wayne were illuminated on the back LED panels reminding the crowd that this was a celebration of the Wisconsin Death Trip album and of Wayne Static’s life. Let me say that there was no moving around in this venue, the place was packed to the gills. The fans really showed love for the band as Bassist Tony Campos mentioned to them that the promoters originally felt that the tour would be a bust, but the fans were the ones that made it happen.
Playing a majority of songs off of the Wisconsin Death Trip album “Bled for Days,” “Sweat of Bud,” “Fix” to name a few, the crowd was genuinely thrilled to see their favorite band back on stage. They ended the night with the Ultimate Static-X anthem “Push It”. You could’ve sworn there was an earthquake in Ybor, as the crowd was jumped in unison with the band, it shook the ground and it really showed the power of how Static-X’s music moved the crowd.
It was an excellent way to end the show by an excellent band that will hopefully be back around this way again soon.
Review and Photos by Jaime Rodriguez