May 25th, 2018
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
“JINJER! JINJER! JINJER!”
This cry resonated inside my mind as loudly as it did across the walls of Revolution. This was finally their American debut! After missing the first 3 dates as the supporting act to Cradle of Filth, - Jinjer, a Ukrainian deathcore act, had finally made their American introduction in sunny Fort Lauderdale.
Walking into Revolution before the opening act, one of the first things that struck me, albeit made me extremely happy, was the large amount of Jinjer shirts I saw the other concert goers wearing. For having never been on this side of the Atlantic, Jinjer has quite the cult following in the US. One of my all-time favorite activities while at a show is to people watch (how people interact, what bands excite them, see how the music and the people interact). One of the first things I learned by talking to a few members of the crowd, is that many of the fans there were very much like me, they were almost solely there for Jinjer.
This cult following may be in large part due to the massive success of their most recent album, King of Nothing. Songs such as “I Speak Astronomy” and “Sit, Stay, Roll Over” have received airtime play over the last year on SiriusXM Liquid Metal.
However, it is the success of their live sessions video to “Pisces” that truly catapulted Jinjer into the eye of the American metal community. With over six million views since its release a year ago, the live sessions video shocks and awes the viewer with Tatiana’s massive vocal range.
Opening with “I Speak Astronomy” Jinjer roared onto the stage, smacking the audience in the face with heavy double bass and Tatiana’s signature vocals. While Jinjer recently gained their widespread popularity in the metal scene, I’ve been following them since early 2010 and the release of their first EP Cloud Factory –which they reissued this year and are headlining a European tour to celebrate – seeing Jinjer take the stage in front of me was very cathartic and euphoric.
Tatiana worked the stage like a seasoned front woman should; however, she seemed slightly hesitant to interact directly with the crowd. But that really didn’t matter as each song progressed and worked those of us there to see Jinjer into a frenzy. The crowd seemed intent on following Jinjer more closely, giving me hope for Jinjer’s future in America. The band ended on “Pisces,” thoroughly representing the band’s technical skills as well as the range and quickness of Tatiana’s vocals – watching the faces of the concert goers experiencing that song for the first time, coupled with my experiencing the song live (and it sounding amazing) for the first time left me with a concert high I haven’t felt in a very long time.
Ending their set, Jinjer promised to join the crowd for a free meet and greet at the end of Cradle of Filth’s set. And they delivered (though it was quite some time after the end of the show), the entire band was warming and welcoming. Interacting with fans, shaking hands hugging and talking. Having purchased both a shirt and an LP, I talked to the band and tried not squeal like the little fan boy I am as they each took turns signing my LP before posing for a band photo with me. At the end of the night, driving home with a euphoric high, all I could think about was the fact that I couldn’t wait to experience Jinjer live again.
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