The Obsessed/Restless Spirit @ Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY 10/19/24

October 20, 2024

Bill: The Obsessed/Restless Spirit

Venue: Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY

Date: 10/19/24

Door: $25

9pm The Obsessed

Active: 1976 (Potomac, MD)

Affiliated: Wino AKA Scott Weinrich, Guitar & Vocals (Bullring Brummies, Lost Breed, Place Of Skulls, Premonition 13, Royale Daemons, Saint Vitus, Shine (21), Shrinebuilder, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand)

Latest Release: Gilded Sorrow (Ripple Music, 2024)

Featured Release: The Church Within (Columbia, 1993)

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8pm Restless Spirit

Active: 2015 (Long Island, NY)

Affiliated: Witchtripper, and DMP (7)

Latest Release: Afterimage (Magnetic Eye, 2023)

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Wino makes his way through town, currently with long running moniker The Obsessed. The Obsessed existed prior to Wino joining Saint Vitus in the mid-80's, but wasn't a known recording entity until 1990. The 1993 album featured on this current tour, The Church Within, was a major label release on Columbia back then but has since been reissued on Century Media with bonus tracks. The NEW album by the Obsessed is Gilded Sorrow.

When I saw the band at the Meadows about half a year ago, one song stood out among all others: "It's Not OK." It was dedicated to "keyboard warriors" (like myself, heh) that rip him off. He really turns a cliche on it's head with that one. This is my favorite way to discover a great song: LIVE.

I actually (despite my penchant for being "The Reverse Collector") bought $75 worth of music from the merch table after the show, including vinyl copies these two albums and a copy of the Saint Vitus Born Too Late CD that I had and sold a long while back, instead of adding yet another shirt in my rotation. I lost the Saint Vitus sweatshirt and the great solo shirt with the flying bird has started to fall apart as has the Saint Vitus logo t-shirt I got at the first reformation show at Roadburn after not having seen them since Providence in 1987 opening for the Mentors.

Oddly enough, I completely missed the Obsessed in their 90's years. Kenny got me to see Shine at the Continental, then when they became Spirit Caravan, I started seeing every band Wino brought to town whether The Hidden Hand or Saint Vitus or Wino solo acoustic ever since. For me, he has become short list special over the years, someone whose music should be regularly supported.

Long Island band Restless Spirit were the lone opener of the night. They've established themselves with a few albums and Wino joined on guitar for a song. It's driving me nuts what band his vocal range reminds me of. I want to say something like Torche or maybe Elder. Something on the high end but not "metal high."

Anyway, glad I checked in and have my newly bought copy of Gilded Sorrow cranking on the turntable now that I got my Sunday morning classical record out of the way (Tchaikovsky Pathetique if you were wondering).