Deafheaven at Chop Suey

If not for Deafheaven, I wouldn't have bothered popping out to Chop Suey for Red Bull Sound Select's December gig that also showcased Usnea and Lesbian. This one is curated by Capitol Hill Block Party.

Couldn't stop giggling at the tacky decor of Chop Suey. It's got character though. This neon-colored dragon with red lights for eyes (used for those festive dragon dances) hung across the ceiling. The entry stamp on my wrist was quite ultimate. It was huge, covering my wrist in the form of the word '愛'. Yup. Somebody bothered to carve out a rubber stamp in the Chinese character.

Chop Suey is located outside of the city and probably not subjected to noise/time limits. Usually weeknight gigs in downtown Seattle begin on time and end by 11pm. This one started at 9.20pm and the headlining Deafheaven was still going strong at 12.15pm. The last time we saw Deafheaven was in Singapore, just a couple of months earlier in May. Each time they tour, their schedules are so tight. Dunno how these bands get through a tour and muscle up enough energy to burn bright on stage.

Sludge, doom and black metal is really not my cup of tea. But I stuck it through Lesbian and Usnea. Squeezed my eyes shut from the irritating strobe lights. That ridiculous volume cranked up by powerful amps was made bearable by earplugs. :P Three bands playing a similar genre in an evening is a bit too much for me. Ear fatigue. Late start = late night = sleepy. Deafheaven isn't lighter. But their songs hold elements of shoegaze and post-rock which make them...uhh...less growly.