Counterparts was welcomed back to Florida by a sold out crowd on February 28th at The Orpheum in Tampa, with support from Malevolence and Foreign Hands.
Foreign Hands, a nor-eastern storm of a band opened the night with an electric nine song set. Their energy was boundless and had the crowd matching them from the beginning of the set. Next up was Malevolence, who commanded the stage the moment they stepped on it. I was introduced to their music on the ride over, and was amazed to find out they sound identical, if not better, live. The two bands setting up the night these Florida metal fans would not forget.
With pews, stained glass, and candlesticks adorning the stage, Counterparts was ready to take Tampa to church. The crowd went silent as red light cascaded over them, the tolls of church bells ringing as the red light surged and smoke covered the stage. Brendan Murphy and band took the stage to a lively crowd, immediately diving into their setlist with “A Martyr Left Alive”. It only took the first song for crowd surfers to come flying over the barricade. Throughout the set there was an ebb and flow with the crowd, the pit forming and dissolving all night long. Counterparts’ nineteen song setlist showed their range and captured the attention of every fan in the crowd. What I loved the most about this set, was it felt intimate the whole night through: the light pauses between songs, members taking refuge on the pews bordering the stage, and the moments of spoken word with the crowd screaming it back.
“To the sky I prayed, for flesh not yet decayed, I wept when heaven let them die”
The band ended the night with “Love Me” and “Whispers Of Your Death” the crowd singing at the top of their lungs to close out, yet another sold out show for Counterparts in Tampa.
