On August 22nd 2015, heavy metal fans of all ages flocked to the St. Albert Community Hall for the first installment of Breakdowns for Break-FEST, put on by the rock stars at Breakdowns for Breakfast, who are working non-stop to put on epic all-ages shows for everyone to enjoy. With Edmonton's delectable death metal heavy-weights, Death Toll Rising as the evening's headliner, volunteers generously catered to about 150 people while serving breakfast to attendees of the festival, making this a truly tasty event!
Saturday's stage was jam packed with excellence. The likes of: Sleeping in Traffic, Protosequence, Krepitus, Valyria and Great White Shark Fight, were pleasantly received by all in the room, each having a lively crowd, chanting and cheering for more. Not only was this the first festival put on by Breakdowns for Breakfast, it was also a goodbye to Great White Shark Fight. The St. Albert deathcore band has decided to go on hiatus under personal reasons, but being their last show, Great White Shark Fight shredded and boomed through their set, more aggressively than I have ever seen before. As the rhythms of their songs bled through the monitors for one last time, smiles and hugs were exchanged among band members and their nearby fans, making this a sentimental evening for all. Finally, as Death Toll Rising took the stage, the 10-year-strong, five-piece death metal masterpiece sliced and diced their way through their performance with precision and excellence. Playing a hefty amount of songs from their newest album "Infection Legacy", and surprising their audience with a new track, as well as some older songs, and one of my personal favorites, "Demon Rot".
It warms my heart to be a small part of events like Breakdowns for Break-FEST; Seeing smiling faces in the crowd and on stage all while happiness in general sits thick in the air, is a pleasant reminder of why I photograph concerts. The power of music and how it brings people together is unmatched! Here's to more sweet shows and smiling faces!
