Hate Dept/OGHR
June 6, Metro, Chicago
One thing I've noticed about Chicago audiences/musical tastes is that they are very particular when it comes to Industrial music, even to go as far as to be snobby and cold about it. From my experience in promoting Razed In Black in this scene, I know that industrial music with guitars is not well liked. The attitude of pickiness was prevalent through Hate Dept.'s entire set. Now, Hate Dept. Isn't by any means a god in the realm of Industrial, but they were met with a very poor and even hostile audience response. As a result, the show lacked energy.
I'd seen Hate Dept. back in Cleveland and enjoyed their music and belligerant goading of the audience - and was one of the few people who didn't stand still and refused to even try to enjoy their set. I know in other cities, Hate Dept. was a couple songs into their set before people loosened up and starting bouncing...then the whole floor would be into the music. Not the case here.
I don't know whether to balme it on snobbery or the dislike of guitars...which makes no sense because OGHR had plenty of guitars...Whatever the case, the audience is as much a part of the show's energy as the band. Thanks to outright refusal to even ejoy the set at all, the mood made the whole set feel stilted. Hate Dept. did play favorites such as Bitch, New Power, and Release It, punctuating the inbetween moments with insults, comments and middle fingers. ANYTHING to get a rise out of the crowd. After all...if these were Nice Happy Friendly Dept., what good would that be?
On the other hand, people packed themselves in for OGHR like a dominatrix trying to stuff her oversized bust into a corset 2 sizes 2 small. I was informed that NO SKINNY PUPPY would be played., yet OGHR was going to be up from 10:15 to 11:30. HMMMMM. The stage had 9 TVs set up in the center, and keyboards strewn with rope lights on either side of the stage.