Original image by There Stands the Glass.
Attending musical performances involves a lot of standing around. Late starts, technical delays and enduring the occasional wretched opening act are part of the ritual. I was elated, consequently, when I heard Escuela Grind open its set at Farewell on Monday, August 15, as I parked my car a block away in the industrial district.
A scrum of about 50 people forced me to remain pinned to the door next to the stage as the quartet from New England raged. Front person Katerina Economou proclaimed her group played nothing but death metal amid the brief but cathartic set. The brutal noise was belied by a room full of smiles.
Headbangers knew they were experiencing something extraordinary as they took in ferocious renditions of songs like "All Is Forgiven" and "Cliffhanger". The ecstatic antics of a large man in the mosh pit embodied the gobsmacked response to Escuela Grind. No one was seriously hurt, and at least one soul was partially healed.