STOPPING in Kuala Lumpur on its trek across Asia as part of its latest tour, the American crossover thrash metal band Power Trip gig saw a convergence of both the hardcore punk and metal subcultures in a small, nondescript first floor venue in Cheras on Feb 12.
One could easily identify who belonged to which niche group by the t-shirts or the patches sewn into jackets and vests that were worn that Wednesday night. It was rare for both groups to merge under a single banner.
Brought in by organisers Zero Nowhere, Violence Booking and Freshtown Records, the proudly Texan band has been stomping around for 12 years, actively performing throughout the US and the rest of the world. The event in Kuala Lumpur marked its first landfall in Malaysia.
It was also frontman Riley Gale’s first attempt at performing under the duress of both the humid Malaysian climate and a closed indoor venue.
Known for his high-energy performances which include mic-stand swinging and flying kicks, Gale was drenched with sweat just two songs into the band’s set, often looking as though he were on the verge of fainting, but soldiering on without missing a beat.
After Gale got into a tug-of-war with an audience member over his microphone, the device stopped working and a brief ‘break’ took place as the band shifted nervously on stage while everyone else stood around awkwardly.
Once the microphone went back online, Gale uttered: “We’ve wasted enough time,” and the crowd was quick to respond by resuming its swirling typhoon of fist-pumping, stage-diving and moshing for the remainder of the set that consisted of the band’s most popular songs – Executioner’s Tax, Crossbreaker, Soul Sacrifice and Crucifixation, to name a few.
As memorable and unforgettable as the experience was, it was a mystery how the 200-strong crowd did not cause the entire first floor to cave in or the building to topple over.
