This Friday, the Heavy Metal Halloween show is taking place at the Vaudeville Mews for local metal and music lovers alike to enjoy. This show is part of the “Metal Up Your Tap” series. On the last Friday of every month at Vaudeville Mews, audiences can listen to a showcase of metal bands organized by Trevor Fischer and Nate Phillips. Phillips is also known as “Mr. Heavy Metal.”
The Minnesota band Impaler will headline, followed by cover band Sick Burn and Agrinex. The show is for all ages, and doors open at 5 p.m. The cover charge is $6.
Hailing from the Twin Cities, Impaler has been playing heavy metal since 1983. One of the five original members, vocalist Bill Lindsey is the only member still playing in the band 28 years later.
According to Fischer, the band is perfect for the Halloween show. They are theatrical, using fake blood, spikes, leather and other props.
“I’ve met some other heavy metal bands who have been in the business for a while and are pretty jaded, but these are class act guys,” Fischer said.
Sick Burn is a name many heavy metal listeners will not recognize. This hardcore tribute band is really just the members of Black Market Fetus coming out of hiatus to play again. Phillips, who also goes by Nate Fetus, is the main vocalist in the band.
Agrinex is a brand new black metal band. This Friday will be its first live show. Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. This type of music includes fast tempos, shrieked vocals, blast beat drumming, raw recording and unconventional song structure. Fischer said to expect things like paint and satanic images during the Agrinex set.
Trevor Fischer started “Metal Up Your Tap” nights in May 2008. Living in Chicago on the north side in Rogers Park, there were no metal shows close to his home.
“This whole idea was kind of selfish on my part,” Fischer said. “I didn’t want to have to ride the train all the way across Chicago, so ‘Metal Up Your Tap’ nights was a way for me to see bands and walk home at night.”
Fischer pitched the idea of showcasing metal bands to the owner of the Red Line Tap, and he was automatically on board. Since then, “Metal Up Your Tap” nights take place every last Saturday of every month in Chicago.
Once Fischer relocated to Des Moines, he befriended Phillips. Together they started up Des Moines’ own “Metal Up Your Tap” nights every last Friday of the month at the Vaudeville Mews. The first “Metal Up Your Tap” night in Des Moines was in June 2011.
The Vaudeville Mews is an intimate, 250-capacity venue in the Court Avenue district. It’s open on days when bands are performing and has a full bar during performances.
Keeping along with the Halloween theme, horror movie trivia will be going on between band performances and DVD prizes will also be given away.
Fischer thinks it’s only fitting that this “Metal Up Your Tap” event uses a Halloween theme.
“Death metal is inherently scary,” Fischer said. “Metal and Halloween is a great match for each other. Everyone should put on costumes and come out.”
