Sebastian Bach Show @ The Nectar Lounge in Seattle, WA

Traveled to Seattle last Wednesday June 10th to see the Sebastian Bach show at the Nectar Lounge. We left Spokane early so we could arrive in Seattle and get settled. we wanted to at least show up at the show an hour early to get a good spot by the stage. I myself usually don't stand by the stage unless the venue is big enough and not so packed. I like to rock with the best of them but I do not like getting pushed and bumped into during the entire show.

I arrived at the venue a little before 7 pm, doors were suppose to open at 8 pm? As I was standing there in the front of the line about an hour later I saw a bus pull up out front. At first I thought it was probably a decoy? The bus had some athletic team logo on the side, but it turned out that Sebastian Bach was on that bus. Bach's tour bus had broke down and he was late getting to the venue for sound check? after standing in line for an hour management informed us that doors would be pushed back another half hour so the meet n greet could take place, which was suppose to be at 7 pm but did not happen until 8:30 pm. Sound check happened about 9:15 pm, and I was getting very tired and parched waiting in line for so long. By this time what started out as a few people waiting in line at 7 pm, turned out to be a few hundred people as the line went clear down and around the block. The venue didn't open up the doors until 9:30 pm so I had waited over 2 and a half hours in line and my feet and back were killing me not to mention I was dying of thirst by this time.

As security opened the big glass like garage door that extended out into the smoking area and patio, all the fans that had been waiting so eagerly to get in just started pushing and shoving their way into the venue to find themselves a good spot to view the show. I almost got trampled over in the process but managed to find a seat finally at the only buddy bar on the main floor of the venue. As I sat there saving 2 seats, a friend went to get me some water and came back with a glass of very warm water from the water station, there was not ice at the station? I sat and watched this small venue fill to the brim, we were all packed in this venue like sardines. I noticed a sign near the front door that read capacity 175 patrons and I couldn't help but wonder where they were going to put all the concert goers in this small establishment? There were over 500 people packed into a 175 capacity venue and all I could think of was if there were an emergency it would be a disaster. I had to push my way through the crowd so I could make my way to the upper level of the venue, this area was not as populated and I thought it would be a better place to get pictures and videos, and to get out of the crowd.

First to perform was Seattle locals Fox and The Law. There were some technical difficulties but all in all this band pulled it off. Then Bach took the stage, he came running out singing "Slave", as his microphone kept cutting out. He kept looking and shaking the microphone and then ran off the stage, stating he would be right back once he got a new wand. His set list started with Slave, Hell Inside My Head, Temptation, Threat, Big Guns (Skid Row), 18 and Life (Skid Row), In A Darkened Room, Monkey Business (Skid Row), Tomorrow, I Remember You (Skid Row), All My Friends Are Dead, and ended the night with Youth Gone Wild (Skid Row). During Bach"s performance there was a little trouble? At one point in the show some fans had kept messing with the amp and speaker at the front of the stage and kept turning it around to face the crowd instead of the band so the band could not hear themselves. Bach had to keep turning it back around as he continued singing. Then at one point he stopped singing and told the culprits to keep their hands off the equipment and that he was not singing for youtube, he was singing for the people in the venue, and told them if they didn't like it they could leave. Bach mentioned how the stage was small, but not the smallest he had performed on, and that he had to work the space.

Later in the show there was another incidence with an eager fan that jumps up on stage to steal the set list as security tried to apprehend him he jumps back down into the crowd injuring a gal on the floor. He stopped the show at this point trying to get the guy kicked out and to see if the gal was alright? The show was interrupted for a good 2 or 3 minutes as fans started shouting to Sebastian, not to punish everyone for one persons acts. Then he asked, "if anyone wanted to have a good time tonight, and rock n roll"? He continued the rest of the show without anymore disturbances, at one point he asked the people outside, how everyone was doing out in the parking lot?

The show had many problems, from all the technical difficulties, to the problems with the patrons, and the show starting late, to being over populated. To extend the venue they used the patio area but even with that the venue could not handle another 300 patrons. Things happen, that is life but I was not impressed with the venue itself. For this show it should have been held at a bigger venue that had the capacity to hold the 500 people that attended the concert? I did meet the lead guitar player of Bach's band, he looked like a young Ronny James Dio, a very nice but serious young man. Bach put on a good show and I have to give him credit for not putting up with the overzealous fans. The sound quality in the venue was to be desired and did not do Bach's voice justice. Needless to say I will not be attending another concert in this venue.

Photo and video credit Janet RS.