On the 10th of October, I was in attendance at the Machine Killer Tour’s stop in Atlanta. My advice? If you have a chance to see this show when it comes to a town near you, *do it.* It was absolutely incredible. I’ll try to give you a bit of a rundown of what went on as best I can.

While I was mostly in attendance to cover Dope, I have to say the entire show has a level of production value and polish that makes every moment a visual and auditory feast. Dope took the stage after Lines of Loyalty (keep reading for my opinions on them). Edsel’s voice sounded fantastic during this set, as though he had barely aged a day since Dope first exploded onto the music scene. I’d go as far to say that his voice sounds basically identical to how it does on Dope records, which is a feat not a lot of vocalists can claim. My only gripe is not even a gripe, really: I just wish the set had been longer! I could have gone for an hour of listening to them. As they were an opening act, their set was short but damn did it kick ass.

I’ve added several videos from the performance to EDF.org’s Youtube page. Though you might find the opinion of the webmaster of an Edsel Dope fansite a bit biased (Which… fair, enough, I guess?), I think the videos prove that Dope’s still got it. Click here if you’d like to see them! I’ve still got more to upload, so keep checking back! (And while you’re at it, please also sub to Dope’s official YT – you can do so at @dopetheband)

Additionally, I had the absolute honour and pleasure of meeting Edsel as part of the VIP Bus Hang add on. To say this was a dream realized is a massive understatement. He was very sweet and very kind. Just a really genuine and authentic person. I actually walked away from that meeting even more of a fan of his, which I didn’t think was possible! I also got to meet Daniel Fox, who is adorable. He gave each member of the VIP group one of his picks, a bonus I will certainly treasure.

If you can swing it, I recommend taking part in this VIP package if there are any left at the show you’re attending. I don’t use the phrase “best day ever” lightly, but this was probably my best day ever. Compared to a lot of artist meet and greets, this gives you a lot of value for what you spend and the memories are absolutely priceless.

My thoughts on the other acts on the bill:

  • Lines of Loyalty: I had actually never heard of this band before, and only managed to catch the tail end of their set. So my opinion is informed only by the little I saw. From what I was able to check out, they rocked *hard*. Give them a listen on their official YT page @LINESOFLOYALTY.
  • Sevendust: You might think it’s heresy that I was not too familiar with Sevendust in the ATL (that’s Sevendust country!), but their set gained them a new fan: me! Hearing Lajon speak about his deep roots and emotional connection to Atlanta was a powerful moment. The band brought the house down with their slick production values and not a single person was seated or still during the entire set. Mad respect to these guys.
  • Static-X: Though I was indeed there to cover Dope, I have to say I was equally excited to see Static-X. I didn’t indulge in the spoilers or fan vids I knew were floating around about their show, and this was a sound decision in my opinion. Seeing it with fresh eyes without knowing what was going to happen next was thrilling. The tribute to Wayne Static (“Cold”) was made even sweeter by the revelation that Wayne’s mother and sister were in the house that night.

It might seem like this post is just a gushing mountain of praise, and you’d be correct to think that. Because… it is! But it’s well deserved. I’m not the type to blow smoke up someone’s ass and tell them something’s worth it when it isn’t. And this whole experience was 100% worth every bit I spent on it (And I’m talking airfare, hotels and Ubers as well, since I travelled to be there!) In all honesty, if I had the money and resources I would see this lineup twenty more times. If the tour is rolling through or near your town: go. You’ll have a fucking blast.