Coheed and Cambria in Los Angeles: Prog-Rock Giants Deliver ‘Intricately Beautiful’ Night of Music (LIVE REVIEW)

Coheed and Cambria are currently out with Between the Buried and Me and Russian Circles on one of the most talked about tours this winter. The epic roadshow is a musical feast for both prog and hard rock fans alike so it's no surprise that the famed Wiltern theater in Los Angeles was packed to the rafters when the tour were rolled in last Friday night (Feb. 22).

Russian Circles, the prog instrumental trio from Chicago, was well received. But things really got going once Between the Buried and Me took over. The boys from North Carolina plowed through a cross-section of their career, opening with "Astral Body," and winding their way through such crowd favorites as "Lay Your Ghosts to Rest," "Ants of the Sky" and "Extremophile Elite" before closing with "Selkies: The Endless Succession."

Then at about 10PM, the lights went down, the crowd erupted, and it was time for the main event.

The stage set featured surreal mannequins posed throughout, along with an absolutely killer light show that pulsed and throbbed with the multicolored intensity that matched this always intense band. Frontman Claudio Sanchez, in particular, seemed wilder than usual, working himself up into a lathered frenzy as the band showcased many highlights from its brand-new album The Afterman: Descension.

The entire band, which also features Travis Stever on guitar, Josh Eppard on drums, and Zach Cooper on bass, was as tight as ever and had the crowd fist-pumping and singing back verses from the get-go. As epic as all of the new music is, it's hard to match the power of a closing tune like "Welcome Home." When this band is playing at this level and and closing a show with that powerful song, for us, it simply does not get any better.

This is a complex, intricately beautiful, overwhelming night of music. We do not recommend missing this tour if it's anywhere near your town.

Coheed & Cambria Tour Dates:

Feb 26 2013 – The Marquee – Tempe, AZ

Feb 27 2013 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theatre

Mar 01 2013 – Austin, TX – Stubb's

Mar 02 2013 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center

Mar 03 2013 – Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom

Mar 05 2013 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle

Mar 06 2013 – Saint Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live

Mar 07 2013 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues

Mar 08 2013 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore

Mar 10 2013 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte

Mar 11 2013 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory

Mar 14 2013 – Boston, MA – House of Blues

Mar 16 2013 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall