Bay Area metal band Slough Feg headlines Eli's in Oakland
Bay Area metal stalwarts Slough Feg bring their Celtic-influenced sounds to Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland Friday night with like-minded NYC band Shadowland.
Though founded in central Pennsylvania in the late 1980s, the Lord Weird Slough Feg (as the band was known initially) had relocated to San Francisco by 1990. Fronted by guitarist/singer and principle songwriter Michael Scalzi, the group crafted a sound that was true to it's unusual name reportedly taken from a Celtic myth. Drawing sonic influences from the twin-guitar attack of Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden with occasional touches of Irish folk, the band made a name for itself with its theatrical presentation featuring flaming torches and war paint to go with their galloping metal anthems.
Several demo tapes were followed by the band's self-released, eponymous debut in 1996. That effort attracted the attention of European imprint Dragonheart Records, who would release the next several albums starting with 1999's Twilight of the Idols. By the time the group recorded their celebrated follow-up album Down Among the Dead Men, Scalzi had been joined by noted San Francisco metal guitarist John Cobbett, who had already established himself with the bands Osgood Slaughter and Unholy Cadavar. That latter group also featured Scalzi as a member and would morph into the group Hammers of Misfortune.
Scalzi and Cobbett would earn a higher profile with both outfits after the release of their respective conceptual albums -- Hammers of Misfortune's breakout debut The Bastard in 2001 and the Lord Weird Slough Feg's sci-fi opus Traveller, that was based on a late '70s role-playing game similar to Dungeons and Dragons. With the two talented players and songwriters contributing to each other's bands, both groups put out a string of acclaimed releases that further spread their notoriety.
Scalzi would depart Hammers of Misfortune by the mid-2000s to focus his attention on Slough Feg, with the guitarist leading new configurations of the band through more sci-fi epics like Hardworlder and Ape Uprising! Slough Feg put out its first new album since 2014's Digital Resistance. Issued in 2019 by the group's current label Cruz Del Sur Music, New Organon finds Scalzi and company unleashing another batch of tunes spotlighting their familiar twin-guitar attack and the band leader's concept-driven songwriting (the title tune refers to a book on the scientific method published in 1620 by English philosopher Francis Bacon).
For this Friday night show at Eli's Mile High Club, Slough Feg will be joined by touring NYC band Shadowland. Fronted by powerhouse siren Tanya Finder, the group has been making waves on the East Coast since first coming together in 2018. The band spotlights songs from its 2021 debut album The Necromancer's Castle. The show will kick off with an opening set from Oakland metal outfit Ancient Rage.
Slough Feg with Shadowland and Ancient Rage
Friday, August 9, 8 p.m. $15-$20
Eli's Mile High Club
