March 19, 2004
SOCIETY 1 Suspension Show Makes History
On Thursday, March 11, at LA's Key Club, Society 1 made history. In front of a tightly-packed house, Matt "The Lord" Zane became the first rock singer in history to perform live while "suspended" - pierced through the back and hoisted up in the air, supported only by the hooks in his flesh.
An uncommonly disciplined and daring feat that has never been accomplished before now, The Lord's suspension is the latest chapter in the unfolding saga of the man recently described in the LA Weekly as an embodiment of "Morrisonesque shamanics and Satanic self-determination".
LA's Key Club was filled beyond capacity with over 700 people in attendance to witness the historic spectacle. The entire venue was abuzz with anticipation, wonder, and doubt as The Lord took center stage (bearing a giant wooden cross!) and prepared for the show. With ambient Middle Eastern melodies pumping through the PA, The Lord was pierced with six hooks and hoisted off the ground. Amidst wild cheering, a curtain rose and Society 1 launched into "Fornicate", off their Earache debut, "Exit Through Fear", as The Lord rose higher and higher in the air. The Lord remained suspended for the duration of three full songs, reaching nearly thirty feet off the stage, fronting the band in his inimitable style all the while. On the last of the three songs, "Everyone Dies (Rock Stars Don't Count)", The Lord was joined by Orgy's Jay Gordon on vocals.
Following the three suspended songs, The Lord returned to the stage for a full set with Society 1, featuring the debut of new Society 1 bassist, Dirt.
In a night full of extreme spectacles - from porn stars enacting live S&M rituals to a performance by "America's Most Extreme Performance Artist", CoRE - Matt "The Lord" Zane's suspended set with Society 1 stole the show, and made history in the process.
Society 1's March 11 show at LA's Key Club marked their final show in support of their Earache debut, "Exit Through Fear". The entire show was filmed for a DVD, to be released on Earache later this year. Society 1 will now enter the studio to record their second Earache album.
Posted by MK Magazine at March 19, 2004 04:48 PM