Recently on their North American tour Katatonia came through the legendary Metro in Chicago. An historic venue that has hosted many huge acts over the years. They were joined by Cellar Darling and The Ocean.
I’ve listened to Cellar Darling for some time now, a unique blend of folk and metal, and incorporating a hurdy gurdy into their tunes, they’re fun to listen to. They sounded fantastic, however, I feel that their set was extremely short, especially when compared to The Ocean. I think that Cellar Darling only played 7 or 8 songs. Although when I went looking for The Ocean’s setlist from the show, and other shows. They played about the same amount of songs. Their songs are significantly longer, so that would play into how long the set’s went.
I had never listened to The Ocean prior to attending the show. For being a band that I was very unfamiliar with, I wasn’t disappointed. Their show was energetic and despite the length of the songs, I was able to enjoy their entire set. They sounded great, and while I am unsure if I would seek them out if they were the main attraction, I wouldn’t bawk at seeing them again if they were opening up. I don’t mean that as a knock against the band, just not completely for me. Lots of people were really into them though, and that’s definitely a good thing.
I am also pretty new to Katatonia, having only recently started to get into them. For those unfamiliar with Katatonia, they are described as “melancholic metal”, which I feel is a very accurate description. It was a pretty chill show, despite also being really heavy. They’re definitely great if you are into music that is heavy, but contains lyrical content that is more introspective and dark in tone.
Given the tone and style, obviously the live show isn’t very energetic in the traditional sense, not a lot of movement on stage. But they were really tight as a unit. Their fans are passionate about them, that is for sure. A couple of friends that were also in attendance are very big fans. So much so that the music and lyrics hold deep personal meanings for them. A large portion of the crowd was singing along with the band.
Again, being new to the band, I didn’t know what to expect when I walked up the stairs and into that open space where that historic stage sits. When I left, I definitely left wanting to see them again. They won’t be a be band that I would hesitate to go see again if the opportunity presents itself. They actually played a couple of new songs off of the upcoming that released in January 2023. So maybe perhaps late next year, or early the year after the shores of the United States can be blessed with them coming back and playing much more new stuff.
Fantastic show. Would go again. Hopefully if you are a fan you got to see them on this run of the tour.
-Bill “Furious” Groen
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Links
Katatonia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katatoniaband
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katatonia
Website: https://www.katatonia.com
The Ocean
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoceancollective
Website: https://www.metalblade.com/theocean/
Cellar Darling
Website: https://www.cellardarling.com