Sunn O))) @ The Neptune, 12/16/2012

SUNN O))) is not so much a musical performance as it is a sonic experiment. Sound is just compressed air, and you stand there, helpless as wave after wave rushes through your bones. Any melodies are stretched out too far to comprehend; the only rhythms are those of oscillating waves of horrific intervals.

Not to be obscene, but: SUNN O))) is the sound of your ears getting fucked in positions you've never tried before.

I always think people taking cell phone pictures are kind of annoying, but they felt extremely out-of-place at this show. I mean, these guys come out in cloaks, inviting us to join them in their ritual...I think "no cell phones" should be implied, eh? One of my favorite moments of the show was standing near the front, being enveloped in smoke; the only light I could see was the power light from a single amp. I couldn't even see people directly behind me. As the smoke clears, my first vision is the shadow of three reapers on stage.

The relative darkness of the stage fits the theme of the music. As your eyes adjust to the lack of light, your ears become comfortable with the noise, and after awhile, you start to notice things you wouldn't otherwise. There's really nothing for you to do but concentrate on what the sound waves are doing to you.