On May 1st, I experienced one of the best events of my life.
Not only was I able to experience three of my favorite bands, but also I was able to see them in a perfect venue. The Rail II in Peoria hosted a plethora of my favorite bands – Signs of the Swarm, Bodysnatcher, & Ingested. It was one of the heaviest shows I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.
The night started out with Upon A Broken Throne, an amazing band based out of Bloomington, IL. It was the perfect appetizer for what was to come throughout the night. Signs of the Swarm was next up for the night, which is when the mosh pit really opened up. Arms and bodies trashed around the pit for a good half hour until Signs of the Swarm finished up their set.
Bodysnatcher quickly set up their equipment and continue to fill The Rail II with aggressive music. The mosh pit got bigger and bigger as Bodysnatcher progressed through their set. They played some crowd favorites like ‘Death of Me’ and others off their newest, self-titled album. After that, it wasn’t long before the most anticipated band, Ingested, took the stage.
All the way from Manchester, United Kingdom, Ingested has embarked on tour across the globe. Thankfully, Peoria was on the list of stops before they hit Mexico, Germany, and Canada. It was a gift to watch them perform, as they played a fantastic blend of older and newer tracks. As soon as they took the stage, a certain energy filled the venue. Electricity pulsed throughout The Rail II and stayed until the crowd filed outside. One of the most memorable moments of their set was their encore. The entire crowd chanted their name – and they responded with aggressive positivity. Ingested took back the stage and within the first few seconds of the encore, the crowd erupted as they start playing one of my favorite songs – ‘Titanomachy’.
The crowd then dispersed. Some went to purchase merchandise from the vendors or headed outside to smoke cigarettes, while others stay within the venue still in awe of what they’ve just seen. If you have the chance to catch any of these artists, do not slack on catching a live show. As I said before, this was one of the heaviest shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The Rail II did an amazing job with production, sound, and the overall concert experience.
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