Instead, I was wired. All the lights and music and people and screaming and everything made me feel like I’d had a gallon of espresso. Steven was off shooting crowd things, and I was tucked backstage to catch the band exiting with my little DSLR. It was interesting to watch the guys onstage from so close. With everything that Dream Defiled had been through lately, I figured it would show. And in some ways it did, but not in a bad way. Their stage chemistry was still fantastic, and their professionalism shined through. But there was a new dimension to their performances. Something raw, almost frenzied. It was something I’d seen in videos of their very early shows in tiny clubs. Now, whether it was the loss they’d all suffered or the strained relationships between them, every song spoke of a wildness you rarely see in such famous groups. It was compelling and dangerous. Great entertainment. As each of the guys passed me, I just filmed them silently, scanning their smiling faces and exhausted bodies.
