June 2022

Columbia, South Carolina is not commonly known for its metal scene. This state capital only has a few venues that regularly host bands that truly know how to rock and roll; and most main- streambands skip the heart of the Palmetto State, making their way north to Charlotte, west to At- lanta, or east to Myrtle Beach and Charleston. Columbia’s nightlife generally sounds like steel guitars and college-town bars, but tonight the sound of electric guitars and power chords took the stage. The Senate hosted tonight’s show and the bar itself feels like a true underground venue. The Senate is a smaller, cozier venue, without rows of seats and without barriers separating fans from one another. To me, this venue is an example of what an ideal metal venue looks like, allow- ing the fans to get closer to their favorite bands; helping to eliminate the divide between them and their favorite artists. I’ve been to a plethora of metal shows before, and typically the first band of the night gets some head nods and 3–5-person pits consist- ing of slam dancers and some hyped-up fans wind-milling and kicking about. ERRA broke this trend and before the end of their six-song set, they had fans head banging to the music and a well-sized pit thrashing and moshing it out in the center of the room. By the end of their per- formance, everyone in the room was hyped and ready for the next band to come on. Click on any picture to enlarge Click here to view the full ERRA gallery Beartooth | Silverstein | The Devil Wears Prada | ERRA Review and photos by Xavier Martin 16