A Few Words on Opening Bands and Paralysis
Get to shows early and support, especially for New Jersey thrash
The job of any opening band is to warm up the crowd, not to leave everyone in a state of paralysis. That wouldn’t be good for business, but after seeing New Jersey quartet Paralysis live, I’m seeing things in a different light.
Always a kick ass time at Dingbatz, literally, and it was the same story as the D.R.I. tour rolled into Clifton on Saturday in early September. A pair of Garden State outfits to begin, then Paralysis, the primary support on the East Coast run for the crossover thrash legends, hit the stage. A few days prior, I’d dialed up Bandcamp and listened to the first cut off Spiral Of Suffering. Commanded my attention from start to finish, so I digested the second, and the next, through all 10 tracks. The material keeps you…spiraling and thinking. Way more thrash than hardcore and that’s fine by me, while the sequencing over the 31+ minutes is smooth.
When the youngest group on the undercard has the slot before the headliner, look out. Paralysis’s set skewed toward SOS, not shocking considering the LP was just released in August. I’d become familiar with their studio vibe, and it didn’t take me long to get acclimated to them in a live setting, the natural habitat for thrash. And, like many bands in the genre, song composition is progressive. A lot happens, twists and turns along with tempo and time changes. Riffs fueled by propulsion, no matter if fast or slow. What a pleasure to be there in person.
Van Halen opened for Black Sabbath in 1978. Metallica opened for Ozzy Osbourne in ’86. A couple of years later, I saw Metallica as the second of four openers for Van Halen in ’88. I also saw Pantera open for Skid Row in ’92, twice. New Jersey’s Kool & The Gang opening for Van Halen in 2012 was a stroke of brilliance. And with my son and two of his buds, I saw Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth as well as Pantera open for Metallica in ’23. Full circle moments for sure, but the net-net is that at theater, arena, or stadium shows, you’re likely getting a quality opening act.
Capacity at Dingbatz is roughly 200 so, of course, the rules change. But what’s to love here, in many cases, is the type of band being booked to flesh out a bill. Local. It’s not just about meat, produce, beer, and wine—music counts, too!—and it’s more than just “you paid for a ticket, get max value.” Bands are working hard, they’re providing an experience and they seek support, your support, as you also seek at work or in life. Clap, cheer, respect. Doesn’t hurt to try something new, either. No one is ordering you to enjoy it, but to taste something foreign is to push yourself to the edge of your comfort zone, and that’s when you know you’re alive.
It’s impossible not to feel alive as Paralysis crushes one song after another. They have a confidence that exceeds many bands their senior—still so young, yet so seasoned. Rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Jon Plemenik, the lone original member, brings a tenacious attitude to the table, critical for a thrash frontman. Patrick Harte has played bass on all three Paralysis albums, and his licks and progressions supplement their mature depth. If his lead guitar skills weren’t enough, and they’re damn impressive, Tommy Vasta also engineered, mixed, and mastered Spiral Of Suffering. Steven Rago’s drumming is adventurous, nothing seems too complex or challenging for him.
These kids wail. With passion. Leave it all out there like you leave it all in the pit. No doubt, they appreciated all the love from the sold-out crowd in their home state. Gloucester County. Jersey pride. The band has a convert in this guy. And while they did an awesome job of opening for D.R.I., Paralysis has plenty of big headlining gigs in their future.
Let’s go.