Special report by Mark Gromen

An all day event, but not sure why the Theater Of The Living Arts (aka TLA) felt it necessary to play the likes of VAN HALEN, QUEEN and LED ZEPPELIN between bands. Can you say out of touch? Not sure how it will play out around the country, but the final three acts: DARKEST HOUR, SUFFOCATION and the headlining NECROPHAGIST ended up playing to about half the attendance of earlier in the day. Darkest Hour are about ready to release The Eternal Return (June 23rd, via Victory) and as such, the set was peppered with newbies, including 'No God', as well as 'Marching To The Killing Rhythm' and the title track from Deliver Us. Trying to get a bunch of out-of-shape white kids running as fast as they can in a circle pit is a recipe for disaster! It was the guitarist's 22nd birthday and after a whip cream pie in the face from other acts on the tour, he was hoisted aloft a roadie's shoulders and finished the set about seven feet above the stage.

There will be various incarnations of Suffocation's latest Nuclear Blast CD, Blood Oath, including different pairs of bonus tracks on the North American, European and I-Tunes downloadable versions. Maybe one day (like four months from now), they'll all be re-issued as a two disc bonus/box set (whatever)! Opening with 'Catatonia', the old school mavens also offered 'Habitual Infamy', karate chopping, tattooed frontman Frank Mullen waging his tongue when not delivering vicious diatribes. Then it was 'Jesus Wept', 'Blood Oath', 'Infecting The Crypts', where Mullen asked for a circle pit like he'd seen in '89, '90 or '91, all well beyond the scope of most attendees' birth! A pair of forthcoming tracks, 'Come Hell Or High Priest' and video choice, 'Cataclysmic Purification' preceded the set ending, two decade old, 'Effigy Of The Forgotten'.

It was a lengthy, mistaken laden interval before death metal's version of DREAM THEATER, aka Necrophagist, took the stage. The foursome, two baldies flanking backwards ball cap wearing guitarist/singer Muhammed Suicmez, opened with the title track of their second album, Epitaph. before proceeding to 'Foul Body Autopsy' and 'The Stillborn One'. Amazingly, while the Germans were onstage, there was no circlepit/moshing, those remaining eager to see/hear the band uninterrupted. 'Stabwound', 'Intestinal Incubation', 'Only Ash Remains' and 'Diminished To B' were eagerly devoured, as were 'Extreme Unction' and ' Ignominious and Pale' around a soon to issued 'Dawn And Demise'.

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