Ghoul
Oakland, California’s Tankcrimes Records sure knows how to throw a party, taking over the Metro Operahouse for a night of blistering music from 8 local from their lengthy roster. Folks waited patiently in the rain as the line to get in snaked down the block and by the time things kicked off with Los Huaycos at the smaller “Party Stage,” there was already a healthy crowd gathered and ready to rumble.
Introduced by Scotty Heath (Mr. Tankcrimes himself, who served both as MC as well as occasional stagehand throughout the evening) Connoisseur kicked off the main stage with a set of “songs about weed,” and proceeded to smoke out half the now-substantial crowd with giant blunt after giant blunt. For those not partaking, the contact high from the cloud enveloping the stage was unavoidable.
By the time DeathgraVe took over the Party Stage, the Metro was officially sold out and it felt it. Crammed between the back side of the main stage and the front bar, the sufficiently baked crowd got rowdy as frontman Andre Cornejo scowled and wailed in their faces.
Kicker wrapped things up on the Party Stage and broke from the metal theme of the evening with their East Bay punk featuring members of Neurosis, Operation Ivy and Dystopia and fronted by legendary Pete the Roadie with an excellent set that could have easily handled the main stage crowd.
Back on the main stage, Brainoil, Murtuous and Necrot delivered heavy AF sets and when it appeared as if the crowd was finally tuckering out, Ghoul took the stage for some down and dirty Easy Bay thrash. The band’s relationship with Tankcrimes seems to have paid off for everyone involved and the floor was downright chaotic as the on-stage mauling showered the front rows with blood.
Thanks to Tankcrimes Records for being the real deal and bringing five hours of solid music to the masses. Perfectly curated and seamlessly executed, Tankcrimes Takeover is sure to go down in Bay Area lore as one of those shows that should not have been missed.
