Lord of the Lost returns to Los Angeles on their Dark Winter Tour with a powerful performance 

Anyone who knows these bands knows that this is a powerhouse lineup, and there were plenty of fans who did. Well before the doors opened at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA, the line formed on Hollywood Blvd and continued around the corner and down N El Centro Ave. On the inside, the theatre was packed long before the opening act, and the bands did not disappoint!

Wednesday 13

Horror punk band Wednesday 13 blasted right out of the gate, opening with “When the Devil Commands.” They engaged their fans and encouraged participation, and the audience did not let them down. It was reminiscent of bands who performed on the Sunset Strip in the 1980s, but heavier. “In Misery” slowed it down a bit but maintained the power. Wednesday 13 is such a great opening band to rev up the energy. The crowd joined in singing “Summertime Suicide” as well as “Haunt Me,” with its spooky and fun riffs. To keep everyone happy, fans were showered with sweets (candy tossed from a pumpkin). “I Walked With a Zombie” had everyone singing, dancing, and swaying their arms high in the air. “Bad Things” followed, which I feel is a tip of the hat to glam metal, and had a touch of Rob Zombie through the chorus. Wednesday 13 ended their set with a crowd favourite, “Love to Say F*ck.” As Wednesday 13 (vocalist Joseph Poole) was dancing around like a mischievous Mary Poppins with his umbrella, fans followed his every move. It was a fun ending of the set anda great start to the night.

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The Birthday Massacre

The Birthday Massacre followed, and their intro was like a heartbeat leading into the eerie “Night Shift,” and they held the crowd’s attention with their synth rock and harmonious style. Songs like “Counterpane” and “Precious Hearts” give them an 80s synthesiser vibe with a heavy backbeat and driving guitar riffs. Sara “Chibi” Taylor has a lot of fun with her fans in a very carefree style, even tossing a friendship bracelet to one of them. The crowd ate it up, and one audience member even got into a mock battle with her to see who could thank the other more before the song “Superstition.” Chibi won by way of the microphone. Through the middle of the set, things picked up with some of their newer songs, “The Vanishing Game” and “Sleep Tonight,” which had a lot of audience participation. Things got even a little harder with “All of Nothing” and “Dead.” Powerful vocals were highlighted in “Crush,” and the fans loved “Blue” with its freaky fun house theme. Of course, they played “Happy Birthday,” which is not your traditional happy birthday song. The set concluded with the gritty “In the Dark” and “Pins And Needles,” adding to the build, capped with “Red Stars.”

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Lord of the Lost

German dark rock band Lord of the Lost is, without a doubt, one of my favourite bands. Chris Harms has such a mesmerising voice. “Bazaar Bizarre” is an anthem that started the set with its thundering drums, and Chris gets down and sings directly to the people in the front rows, looking into their eyes (and maybe their souls) during “I Will Die in It.” “Damage” had Gerrit Heinemann and Niklas Kahl in the back playing off each other and encouraging the crowd to engage. Everyone on stage looked like they were having a great time. Before singing “Prison,” Chris talked about how fun and exciting it is, as a foreign band, to be playing in the United States in LA. They once again got everyone in the theatre participating, from the floor to the balcony, with their energy during “Drag Me to Hell.” Chris took time to deliver a simple, but heartfelt, message of his dislike of stupidity and people trying to redefine freedom. He then invited Wednesday 13 (Joseph Poole) back to the stage to join him for their song “I Hate People,” a collaboration that had everyone on stage and in the crowd jumping. Before Wednesday 13 left the stage, Chris thanked him for being an inspiration to him for more than 20 years. Chris then spent time interacting with the crowd and stirring up enthusiasm during “Blood for Blood.” There was actual jumping and “fake it until you make it” fake jumping. As Chris says, “it still looks real on camera in Hollywood.” Everyone was then encouraged to put a single finger in the air and do a “one-person circle pit.” With full command of the stage and crowd, they powered through “Priest,” “On This Rock I Will Build My Church,” “Loreley” (where he climbed into the front row to engage directly with the fans, yelling “SCREAM FOR MEEEE!”), and “Blood & Glitter.”

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Chris took time before “Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness” to reiterate how happy he was to play in LA, to give thoughts to bandmate Klaas who is currently taking a break from touring, and to provide an uplifting message in today’s world of divide. A new addition to Lord of the Lost’s set on this tour is their cover of the Roxette song, “The Look,” which had the audience singing in unison before the night ended with “The Things We Do For Love.” It was a powerful conclusion with bright lights and a fast and loud drum finale. The crowd was buzzing and wanting more, so it is good that the band announced they were able to get a three-year working visa for the United States and will be returning for tours over the next few years.

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