Top 13 reasons to see Opeth live, maybe

. . .

My friend Robert is trying to get me to see Opeth with him next week. He is so fervent about this that he sent me a 13-reason list of why I should go. (He forgot reason #1: his girlfriend bailed on him, so he has an extra ticket.)

So far I have resisted, since (1) the ticket is pricey; (2) I like but don’t love Opeth; (3) I like but don’t love Blackwater Park, which they are playing in its entirety; and (4) I’ve already seen their Roundtapes Tapes live DVD, an entertaining experience but not one I feel compelled to relive personally.

I feel a little sheepish for resisting, especially since the show is sold out.

. . .

Top 13 reasons to see Opeth, as told by Robert to me

. . .

1. Mikael Åkerfeldt’s stage banter pwns;
2. Best sound mix you will ever hear at a metal show (particularly one w/ death vox);
3. Blackwater Park in its entirety – may not be your fave, but it is Decibel‘s #3 album of the decade, and Terrorizer‘s #5 album of the decade;
4. There are only 6 dates worldwide for the 20th anniversary tour, so it is “exclusive”;
5. The Wiltern is one of LA’s historic venues and you have never been;
6. The Wiltern is a relatively small venue/intimate setting;
7. Not everyday you get to see a metal band that has cracked Billboard’s top 25 in record sales in a small intimate setting;
8. No opening band – you don’t like opening bands anyways;
9. Even at their commercial peak, Opeth is playing [at] their critical peak. This is HUGE. One thing I appreciate about Opeth is that even though they have signed to a big label and have singles to push, the last two times I saw them, they didn’t play the singles;
10. Opeth still employs death vox while attaining commercial success;p
11. As a fan of the underground, we need to watch overground bands as a basis of comparison;
12. Granted, Opeth is at the tail end of their prime, don’t wait until they are a legacy act to see them;
13. The heavy parts will melt your face, the intricate acoustic prettiness will melt your soul!!!

Should I stay or should I go?