By Christopher David<\/p>\n
Friday night at The Abbey was a diabolical one indeed, with a solid lineup of occult-drenched rock and metal, capped off by the one and only Pentagram.<\/p>\n
Local doomsters Mexican Werewolf kicked things off with a slightly heavier set than the bands that followed, and second on the bill was a turn from Cincinnati\u2019s Electric Citizen, who set the bar high for theatricality as vocalist Laura Dolan hypnotically writhed about the stage.\u00a0\u00a0 Citizen\u2019s new album Sateen<\/em> is a blast of excellent Sabbath-style riffs, while Dolan\u2019s voice, calling to mind Ann Wilson in her heyday, rides high over the tight crunch of Citizen\u2019s rhythm section, and their live show is every bit as engaging as the record. (Indeed, there were fans from Ohio who had traveled to Chicago just to see Citizen open for Pentagram, so keep your eyes on them.)<\/p>\n Satan\u2019s Satyrs took things to a more frenetic level, with heavy-rock tunes leaning more toward punk at times than metal, and the band\u2019s loose, intense sound was almost too much for The Abbey to accommodate as vocalist\/bassist Clayton Burgess stalked the stage, surely one of the coolest looking dudes out there, sporting a black body suit right out of the wardrobe closet for the original Alice Cooper group.<\/p>\n But of course, the capacity crowd was there to see the one and only Bobby Leibling lead Pentagram through a career-spanning setlist, and Liebling and Co. did not disappoint. Opening with \u201cStarlady\u201d from First Daze Here<\/em>, Leibling cavorted and twisted his way around the stage like a psychotic wizard, clad in blood-red satin, his shock-white hair giving him an almost supernatural look as he and guitarist Victor Griffin led the band through classics like \u201cThe Ghoul,\u201d \u201cForever My Queen,\u201d and \u201cSign of the Wolf.\u201d Pentagram\u2019s new album, Curious Volume, was also well represented, and the new material fit seamlessly alongside old classics, validating the \u2018if it ain\u2019t broke\u2019 school of heavy rock championed by the likes of Motorhead and AC\/DC. More than once, Liebling appeared genuinely humbled, offering multiple thanks and shy smiles to the adoring crowd, who were as rabid as any I\u2019ve seen lately. With a set that was frontloaded with classics, a mid-point focused on the new record, and a final act that saw the place come unhinged for the crunching power chords of \u201cRelentless\u201d and \u201c20 Buck Spin,\u201d the balance of material was excellent, the performances tight and pummeling. Liebling has had his share of well-documented problems over the years, but if Friday night was any indication, Pentagram shouldn\u2019t look to close the casket on their touring career anytime soon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pentagram \u2013 The Abbey Pub, Chicago, IL \u2013 October 9, 2015 (Setlist)<\/strong><\/p>\n Starlady<\/p>\n Forever My Queen<\/p>\n The Ghoul<\/p>\n Sign of the Wolf<\/p>\n When the Screams Come<\/p>\n Close the Casket<\/p>\n All Your Sins<\/p>\n Dead Bury Dead<\/p>\n Curious Volume<\/p>\n Dying World<\/p>\n Devil\u2019s Playground<\/p>\n Relentless<\/p>\n Last Days Here<\/p>\n Be Forewarned<\/p>\n 20 Buck Spin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Christopher David Friday night at The Abbey was a diabolical one indeed, with a solid lineup of occult-drenched rock and metal, capped off by the one and only Pentagram. 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