For a tour named “A Huge Waste of Your Time and Money,” Tomahawk showed up to prove that title wrong. A beautiful Tuesday afternoon in Chicago saw a lively crowd of alternative rock heads excited not only to see Tomahawk return to the city for the first time in 13 years. There was also an added incentive to see them share the stage with the equally iconic Melvins. On the night of August 4 at The Riviera Theatre, the 109-year-old venue bore witness to stoner-like riffs, alien squealing, and intricate musicianship that only a supergroup like this could possess.
I do not say this about many popular musicians, but Mike Patton has the Midas touch. From Faith No More to Mr. Bungle to his solo Italian music, his daring ability to explore all kinds of music is inspiring. Given his recent appearances with Faith No More and the recent announcement of their reunion shows with System of a Down, it seems like the perfect time to see Patton throw down on stage.
Before he would bless the stage with Tomahawk, Washington’s own sludge pros, the Melvins, rocked the house.
The last time I saw the Melvins live was back in March 2022, when they opened for Ministry, coincidentally also at the Riviera. I very much did not enjoy the show. Chalk it up to ignorance or immaturity, but this time around, I found myself enjoying and appreciating their music much more. Their artful combination of slow, sludgy riffs and metal was energetic in a way I was glad to finally understand. Whether I finally understood the group or not, the crowd was certainly excited to see them.
Buzz Osborne’s iconic afro and eyeball-clad robe were mesmerizing enough, but that was only the beginning. The two-drummer attack, fuzzy bass lines, and rocking instrumentals were so loud that it was nearly impossible to hear the vocals during the beginning of their set. Somehow, that only added to the experience.
Riding the high that the Melvins had created, Tomahawk took to the stage.
As soon as guitarist Duane Denison played the opening notes to “Flashback,” the crowd roared with excitement. It was also a nice reminder that despite Tomahawk being one of Mike Patton’s more accessible projects, the weirdness was still there. Patton grabbed his handheld radio microphone and screamed into it during the chorus as if he might blow his larynx out. Drummer John Stanier kept the groove alive and the energy high, giving everyone plenty of space to rock out as appropriate, especially bassist Trevor Dunn, who was rocking the most badass cowboy hat in the building.
Clearly, I was not the only person that night who was probably a bigger Mike Patton fan than a Tomahawk fan. Countless fans packed the Riviera wearing Mr. Bungle and Faith No More shirts. What made Tomahawk special, however, was that Patton often took a backseat, allowing the show to genuinely feel like a group effort. During the encore, Patton and the band made sure to emphasize Denison’s guitar playing on their cover of Duane Eddy’s “Stalkin’.”
Much of the setlist emphasized their 2021 record, Tonic Immobility, an album they were unable to tour behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And that record stole the show! Especially “Fatback,” whose epic buildup created one of the night’s most explosive moments. Songs like “I.O.U.” and “Birdsong” showcased even more of the band’s charismatic talent, while closing the night with “God Hates a Coward” had the crowd singing along to every lyric.
This marked quite the remarkable return to Chicago for Tomahawk. The group played with unimaginable confidence, bringing to life music that had not been performed live in 13 years and showcasing the kind of talent that would give anyone who missed out some serious FOMO. For a tour supposedly dedicated to wasting your time and money, Tomahawk made a pretty convincing argument for doing anything but.
All photos by Oscar De Leon
