I started my day arriving at the Cleveland Agora shortly before doors. After getting grief from a power tripping security guard about my backpack, I finally was in the venue. Dark Soul and Engraved Darkness opened the main stage in theater to a 1/3 filled room. I'm always on the search for the next big local band, so I wandered the ballroom scope out the area and hand out business cards. Below The Tide, From The Hellmouth, and Cholera, were the only ones who stood out to me. I wandered outside to the bus area and saw a band setting up their gear. The band ended up being Ingested, and I did a drum setup video interview with their drummer, Lyn Jeffs.
Back in the theater, Revocation finally took the stage after some technical difficulties. I believe they played a shortened set of 5 songs. Carnifex and Suffocation were up next but I took that time to go back to shoot a video with From The Hellmouth's guitarist, Allan.
One of my favorite bands, After The Burial took the stage to packed room in the theater, opening with Lost In The Static from their latest album, Dig Deep. The band seemed to be playing to a backing track but it's understandable considering the tragic loss of their guitarist Justin Lowe. Also, if you're that high up on the bill, you would want everything to sound good as possible.
Nile aren't really my tempo so I watch the last remaining locals close out the ballroom before walking back over to the theater to watch the headlining act of the night, Cannibal Corpse! The familiar riff of Evisceration Plague filled the room as Corpsegrinder walked onto stage. Someone threw a can of beer around the 2nd or 3rd which made him visibly pissed. I believe his exact words were. "If I found out who fucking threw that, I'm gonna fucking murder everyone in your family!". The rest of the set went off without a hitch. The last three songs consisted of crowd favorites, Make Them Suffer, Hammer Smashed Face, and Devoured by Vermin. My only would be that the songs seemed a little slowed down due to the drummer. I understand he's old but the songs don't sound quite the same when you change the tempo.