Red Fang has definitely secured their name in the world of Stoner Rock. They have all the formulas one could love in a band such as Sleep or The Obsessed. I remember first hearing of Red Fang when they were announced on Mayhem Fest 2011 sharing the Side Stage with Unearth and Kingdom of Sorrow. I finally saw Red Fang for the first time on their recent tour with Black Label Society and Corrosion of Conformity. This time, they were headlining so all bets were off. On 9/19, they hit the Music Hall of Williamsburg bringing along Big Business and Dead Now!

We all have seen it before, but obviously most people at the show are there to see the headliner. That being said, the opener Dead Now, started things off on a high note. Dead Now from Atlanta, GA!! How could you go wrong?! Home of Mastodon, Sevendust, Royal Thunder and more. Dead Now is another band that showcases the talent that comes down from there. Dead Now was a great fit for any fan of Red Fang, having some traditional Stoner Rock elements with some unique twists. Having sludgy instrumentals with some cleans thrown in there. Dead Now started things of on the right note!

Up next is Big Business. While Dead Now kept it simple with just 3 members, Big Business only had two. With just a drummer and a bassist also taking on vocals. After doing a little bit of research in the performance (Sorry for looking at my phone during the set) it turns out that these two guys, Jared and Coady were actually performing with The Melvins back in the day. Ironically, their music had some uncanny similarities to the Melvins. At first, I was a little puzzled asking how a band works with just drums, vocals and bass, but they proved that less is more. With their drummer going absolutely nuts and their vocalist breaking all the rules when it comes to bass, Big Business talks elements of Stoner rock, grunge, doom, sludge and so much more, and do so much with so little. Impressive on both a performance level and a technical level. When I went to the bar after their set, one person said to me that they were the most amazing band he has ever seen in his life. Many people discovered new music that night.

At last, we had the headliner, Red Fang. They hit the ground (or should I say stage) running. They came in full force playing everything the fans wanted to hear. They managed to even get the audience moving and engaged with the crowd. Many bands I have seen in this sort of category tend to stay rather static and let the music and audience make their own sort of emotions. Red Fang is a band where you could either kick back and relax, or let off some steam on a bad day. Red Fang further proves that they are one of the finest in Stoner Rock and can either satisfy old school fans of bands such as Sleep, Melvins or The Obsessed, as well as appeal to many new fans. Their previous lineups demonstrate that they can play with any type of band and have both the down and dirty rock, and the aggressive metal side to appeal to many different audiences.

In the end, this show was a laid back show where fans went to enjoy music and interaction. From the looks of it, fans of Red Fang were satisfied with both their set as well as discovering two new bands to check out. Last but not least, I would like to thank Jonathan Arevalo for taking some kick ass pictures to further review this event. Regardless of what type of show is playing, venues without barriers or photo pits are considered to be the front lines for photographers. Thankfully, there was no stage diving last night.

Red Fang’s newest album ‘Only Ghosts’ came out in 2016 via Relapse Records.

Pictures by Jonathan Arevalo

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