Live-Metal.Net - Concerts: Black Light Burns

Unfortunately, local radio has shown Black Light Burns, the new band led by former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, no love. This show received no promotion I was aware of. At least half of the people who showed up were there for opening act HORSE the band and most of them left after their set. Shame on them because they missed an electrifying performance by one of the year’s best new bands.

The members of HORSE the band didn’t arrive at the venue until literally minutes before they were to take the stage, a stage strangely filled with large potted plants. Once their set began, it was evident they were either stoned out of their minds or naturally goofy guys. If I had to take a guess, I’d say it was probably a little of both. Frontman Nathan Winneke dedicated one song to “polar bears, small turtles and babies born without left arms and right eyes.” Keyboardist Erik Engstrom, who is a dead-ringer for Napoleon Dynamite, said this was the last tour for drummer Chris Prophet before he dies of cancer. It felt like they spent more time rambling between songs than actually playing. I guess that’s part of their shtick, and you either get it or you don’t. Their songs have the same rambling quality to them, mixing hardcore and keyboards that could be playing the soundtrack to an 8-bit Nintendo game. I’m not sure what the appeal is, but they’ve been around long enough to build a small, loyal underground following.

After a short break, Black Light Burns took the stage, which was now free of foliage and decorated by a few of Borland’s paintings, and powered through a 50-minute set of industrial-strength goth rock. Think a heavy Nine Inch Nails meets The Cure. Dressed in black, with long dark hair and white and red facepaint, Borland prowled the stage like a cross between the Crow and Iggy Pop. Whether he was playing guitar or only singing, he brought a magnetic presence to the stage. He may be best known as the eccentric guitarist from Limp Bizkit, but from watching him you’d think he’s been a frontman for years. Though his band is not the one from Black Light Burns’ debut, Cruel Melody, they effectively translated the songs to the stage, giving them a more intense, guitar-heavy feel. Highlights included the catchy opener, “Mesopotamia,” and the raging closer, “The Mark.”

Borland is on to something here. With some exposure as a support act on a high-profile tour, we could hear a lot more from Black Light Burns in the future.

BLACK LIGHT BURNS SET LIST: Mesopotamia, Coward, Animal, Cruel Melody, Stop a Bullet, I Have a Need, Lie, One of Yours, 4 Walls, The Mark