Los Angeles is known for setting a certain tone with its Halloween festivities when the annual parade takes over the streets of West Hollywood for a portion of the night. The area is generally bursting with something fun to discover right around its corners, as the famous Sunset Strip has provided for over half a century with clubs and music venues. That in mind, as the week after Halloween approached, on Tuesday, November 5th, The Viper Room welcomed back heavy Alternative Rock band Cold to their stage and the City of Angels for the first time in eight years.
A busy year for Cold, in 2019 they have released the long overdue album The Things We Can’t Stop with their new label Napalm Records, all while returning to the road in full swing with their Broken Human Tour across the United States. Even more exciting, they recently wrapped up the current string of dates with a special two night stand at The Viper Room, the first being the as stated on November 5th and the second being on Wednesday, November 6th to offer Southern Cali Cold fans a double dosage of fun.
The first of two nights kicked off with local Rock openers The Mendenhall Experiment setting the ambiance with their energetic set. This was followed by University Drive, who in fact accompanied Cold on the road across the country. The night’s third opener was Awake For Days, who were also on the touring bill, bringing a darker Metal vibe to get the growing crowd even more excited for the main attraction. Their U.S. debut and their first time at The Viper Room, Awake For Days came all the way from Italy with a good share of their own supporters in the midst of a well-performed, extended set.
With anticipation running high, behind the black velvet curtain was the band that die-hard fans had come to see, the one and only Cold. Ready to deliver after being away for so long, they opened with “Everyone’s A Devil,” a track that was originally performed back in the day when Cold was still going under the name Grundig. An interesting way to start the night, the song automatically creates a a mood as the darker lyrics and vocal styling of Frontman Scooter Ward shined bright, as did the stage with white strobes fitting suitably around the entire band as they displayed their skilled instrumentation and tight mix as a collective unit.
Up next was “Suffocate,” a longtime fan-favorite from the band’s 2003 release Year of the Spider before they went into their latest single “Without You.” The latter, a melodic and haunting tune, the live performance reached through with somber emotions, yet remained catchy enough to bring the crowd even more to life. Keeping up with their Post-Grunge vibe was the now 20-year-old hit “No One,” delivering another beloved gem from Cold’s history. That in mind, it was clear that the chosen setlist was made with intentions to bring the Cold Army together and with that it also spotlighted the exciting new lineup of Cold themselves – Lindsey Manfredi on bass, along with Jon Nova and Nick Coyle on guitar – playing together as a collective ensemble for the first time for a full tour.
Keeping the momentum moving right along they went into “Shine,” before amping up the room even more with yet another major hit song, “Stupid Girl.” These selections matched with the stage presence of the five-piece band, that also included longtime Cold alumni Sam McCandless behind the drum kit. Cold held the attention of the crowd before exiting for an encore consisting of three more songs – a beautiful cover of Snow Patrol’s “Run,” another signature Alt Metal classic in 2000’s “Just Got Wicked,” and 2005’s “Feel It In Your Heart.”
Anyone who knows their music knows that it was proven years ago that Cold is a band that creates a unique sound all their own thanks to a mixture of styles and presentations that they fit into the heavier Alternative Rock genre with heavy riffs, deep basslines, and undeniably raw vocals. In truth, it was meant to be that the final two nights of their tour were held in Los Angeles, because it shows that an act like Cold can bring back that jagged edge which is sometimes greatly missed among those who love the Metal scene in the city. Welcome back Cold, next time don’t stay away so long!
No comment