Tantric Walks The Plank at Tailgaters in Bolingbrook, Illinois
Tailgaters in Bolingbrook, Illinois on April 11th, 2019
by Coren McLeod
On Thursday, April 11th, 2019, Tantric, who I have been a fan of for the past 20 or so years, came into town and I was ready to be free.
Tantric is coming off a great 2018 with their impeccable album Mercury Retrograde released on October 5th, 2018. The guys in #Tantric are beyond brilliant and have been touring all over the United States nonstop. With that, it gives fans every opportunity to see them live and to experience the speculator thrills which is Tantric.
The crowd that Thursday night was full of energy. Tailgaters were packed with people preparing themselves to drink, party and celebrate this thing called #rockandroll. I love the anticipation right before a band officially hits the stage. Tantric is no exception. Even though I’ve seen the group over ten times, it always fills me with enthusiasm. Looking around, I had seen many emotions from the crowd.
That moment arrived at 9:00 p.m. The chords of the smash hit “Down and Out” rang out and massive screams echoed throughout the room. Tantric stepped onto the stage with confidence and knew it was their night to dominate.
If you know Tantric, you recognize lead singer and frontman Hugo’s legendary, husky voice. The ladies seem to adore him and every move he makes. Hugo sings favorites from the past and seamlessly brings out new material. His ability to spot a Saliva hat is impeccable – it’s nice to see other bands supporting one another.
The tall and relaxed bass player Jaron is awe-inspiring to watch. He is all over the stage playing his Fender bass. Jaron gives it his all while still enjoying every aspect of the performance. His dedication is seen and very much respected by all. Plus, the new red jacket he is wearing as of late makes a great statement. #loveit
Then there is Sebastian, the quiet and reserved lead guitar player who will wail on stage. Sebastian is not one to question his ability to play guitar. He can play and will leave you wanting more! The smile that crosses his face expresses the sheer enjoyment he gets out of being a musician. And believe me when I say his dad is especially proud of his son! (Look up this band called Cinderella. You may have heard of them.)
Nick, the drummer, brings energy on a new level. He may be in the background but you know he is there. With every beat, cymbal thrash and thump, Nick adds a unique element to Tantric. He plays into the audience by singing along and standing up while playing which you do not typically see from a drummer.
The standouts for that night were “Angry,” “Lie Awake, “Astounded,” “Is This Love?” (Whitesnake Cover), and the tearjerker “Mourning” to close the set. Everyone was singing along to all the songs. At one point, Jaron and Sebastian decided to play next to each other on what seemed to be two dining room tables pushed together. I saw a look of exhilaration and also a, “what the hell are we doing?” look on their faces. It was more than clear that Jaron and Sebastian were having fun. The two walked the plank and were able to joke about it later.
Overall, Tantric is an inspiration to many, including myself. Everyone gets to that point in their lives where you know what you were meant to do and for Tantric, it is to keep performing the hell out of each show! Tantric overall is what every band out there should strive to be. There may be tough times in this crazy music industry. Just keep in mind, keep moving forward, and you will be at the level Tantric is!!!!
Congrats guys!!!!!
Catch Tantric on tour as they join Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, and Trapt for #Muddfest. ffff
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