Arts & Entertainment

Music as a Weapon Tour basically an Ozzfest preview

By Mauro Alvarez
The Daily Cougar

After 9/11 the nu-metal band Disturbed started the Music as a Weapon Tour and now that the United States is at war with Saddam Hussein, the tour regrouped and stopped off in Houston Wednesday to protest violence through music at the Verizon Wireless Theater. The sold-out show included Disturbed, Taproot, Chevelle and Unloco. 

Unloco, the Adema-sounding group from Austin opened the show with songs off its new album Becoming I. Unloco, which opened for Disturbed before, at the Pop Sux Tour back in October, began its set with "Neurotic." The band performed "Crashing" before vocalist Joey Duenas brought out the acoustic guitar for "Failure." The final song they performed was "Texas."

Next, Taproot began its set with "Mine" as the venue slowly began to look more like a sold out show. "Myself" went into "Again and Again" as vocalist Steven Richards entered the crowd. He walked past fans and they high-fived him from the mosh pit, and he continued to sing as the pit thrashed into full swing. Once back on stage, Richards played "Breathe," which he ironically was probably having trouble doing after moshing and singing at the same time. The crowd helped sing along as Taproot played its final song "Poem."

Chevelle took the stage and the Houston crowd yelled and finally began to sound like a sold out rock show. "Send the Pain" began its set. They play "Until you Reform," from the Daredevil soundtrack, as well as "The Red." "One Lonely Visitor" slowed the crowd down before the set ended.

The balcony was completely full when a giant pentacle embedded with a crescent moon and star of David was revealed to the crowd as the Chicago quartet Disturbed begin its weapon assault with the song "Awaken." 

"Voices," from the bands debut album The Sickness, received back up vocals from the crowd before "Liberate" and "The Game" were played.

Vocalist David Draiman, moved his hand across motioning the crowd to silence in a spellbinding way before he began his sermon. 

"Thereis a problem with this place, we have chairs in here," Draiman said about the balcony. "This is a heavy metal show, not your living room." 

And just like that the cheap-seaters rose to their feet. It was almost magic. 

"This symbol behind me contains the star of David, for the belief of Judaism," he continued. "It contains the pentacle, for those who are Wiccans or Pagans, and the crescent moon for the belief in Islam, which isnit a real popular one right now. We all focus on whatis different in each belief, rather then what we have in common. No matter what someone has their faith in, music is the only thing that everyone believes in."

With this the band went into the title track from its new album Believe. "Intoxication", "Devour" and "Down with the Sickness" headed the band off the stage. 

"Goodnight Houston," Draimain said as he left the stage. The crowd began a cry for an encore, and the band ended the show with "Stupify" and "Prayer."

For $30, Houston got a sneak peek of an indoor OzzFest preview. All the bands except Taproot on this tour are performing together at OzzFest over the summer. While each of the bands put on a great show, the only time the venue was at full capacity was during Disturbedis set. This revealed that headliner Disturbed was what Houston couldnit afford to miss.

Music as a Weapon Tour

Verizon Wireless Theater

The verdict: Though it lacked the free alcohol of the Jagermeister Tour, Disturbed made a believer out of Houston.

 Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu