grandforksherald

'Disturbed' show: Heavy metal act plays Alerus
Matt Cory Grand Forks Herald
December 08, 2008


Disturbed lead singer Dave Draiman rocks
the Alerus Center Monday night.
Herald photo by John Stennes.

Once released from his straightjacket, Dave Draiman went to work.

The frontman for heavy metal act Disturbed hit the stage Monday night in the Alerus Center with a purpose.

“Let me see your fists in the air,” Draiman bellowed to the crowd of about 3,000 metalheads on the center’s floor. The crowd didn’t disappoint, thrusting their arms to the thunderous bass beat.

Hard rock fans in the area finally got what they’ve been wanting — a good heavy metal show in the Alerus Center. This was not Neil Diamond or Michael W. Smith, the past two name acts in the Alerus.

Best known for hits “Down with the Sickness,” “Ten Thousand Fists,” and even a cover of the Genesis track “Land of Confusion,” Disturbed was in Grand Forks on its “Indestructible” tour.

Last week, the band was nominated for a Grammy in Best Hard Rock Performance for “Indestructible,” and it was easy to see why Monday. The band’s mix of heavy bass and drums, aggressive guitar and Draiman’s sometimes staccato voice is definitely conducive to banging one’s head.

And while it wasn’t to a sold-out show, Draiman and the band kept the energy level high. While not tall in stature, Draiman commands a strong stage presence, especially when he was wheeled out in a straightjacket. He worked the crowd, enlivening them at every chance through songs such as “Just Stop,” “Prayer” and “Indestructible.” And he’s got a pretty mean “evil laugh.”

The stage layout and light show was fine for the venue, and you can see where they would amp it up in larger venues. The sound was decent, albeit with metal acts, sometimes louder is better.

Joining Disturbed was relative newcomers Art of Dying and Egypt Central.

While there was a smattering of older fans, the crowd was predominantly high school to college age. Black Disturbed T-shirts were the norm, along with black tees of other hard rock bands such as Slipknot, System of a Down and Godsmack.

Before the show, Tim Gaber, 22, Fargo, was waiting by the band’s control board, surveying the crowd. Heavy metal shows with general seating can be tricky, especially if you want to get up front. But that’s what Gaber likes. “You have to pick your spots, find the weak spots,” he said.

Art of Dying, the first band on stage, did a good job warming up the crowd. With an album not yet released yet in the United States, the Canadian five-piece made up for their lack of name recognition with an energetic set.

“Thanks for making a Canadian band feel at home,” lead singer Jonny Hetherington told the crowd.

Next up was Egypt Central, and the energy level went up as Disturbed drew nearer. More crowd-surfing could be found, keeping security and emergency personnel busy pulling people out from the crowd and hustling them to the sidelines. While Egypt Central also brought a frenetic show, their sound was a bit muddy compared to Disturbed and Art of Dying.