If you’ve read any of my reviews for Parklife DC, you may remember that I am a huge advocate for opening acts. These guys are working hard, putting on great shows to impress audiences who usually have no idea who they are. For the Eidola/Nerv/Astronoid show at Baltimore Soundstage last week, I did it the other way around.
You see, I love Astronoid. I’ve been a huge fan since their first full length album, Air, released in 2016. So when I saw that they were coming to the area, I was all in. But they weren’t the headliner, so I started listening to the two other bands on the bill, Nerv and Eidola.
First up was Astronoid at Baltimore Soundstage on March 12. They’re on tour supporting their fourth full length album, Stargod. The band came out hitting on all eight cylinders.
Their sound is cinematic, high energy metal. The five-piece ripped into Detachment from their first EP, Stargazer. It was all headbanging, all the time after that, done particularly well by guitarist Casey Aylward. Singer/guitarist Brett Boland was right behind, alternating between singing and head banging. And I can’t write about this show without mentioning that drummer Dan Schwartz is the happiest drummer I have ever covered. Ever. He was smiling ear to ear all set.
Astronoid plays fast and heavy without the doomy vocals. Brett’s voice soars rather than growls. That’s what drew me into the band in the first place. And they sound just as great live as they do on the albums.
Next up was Sacramento, California’s own Nerv. They continued the energy with a strong set of originals. Singer Dillon Jones has a great rock voice with the heavier screaming done by guitarist Scott Buchanan.
After a couple of technical issues, the band settled in and tore through their set. As they were winding down, Dillon told the story of losing his mother and how the only way he could deal with the loss was to write about it. Their brand of metalcore was a perfect bridge from Astronoid to Eidola. Before Eidola emerged, security was stepped up in the pit in anticipation of the energetic performance on the horizon.
So I thought the first two bands were really energetic. Well…I hadn’t seen anything yet. Eidola is touring in support of their two most recent albums, 2024’s Eviscerate and 2025’s Mend.
Check out the official music video for the song “Purity Ladder” by Eidola on YouTube:
The band emerged on stage with an aura that said “We will destroy you and you WILL love it.” They opened with Purity Ladder and it was non-stop from there. Singer Andrew Wells prowled the stage like an animal. He looked like a cross between a new age guru and Wolverine. So when he told the audience that they might want to start a pit in the middle of the floor, they did as they were told.
Crowd surfing began soon after and bodies were tossed over the barrier like so much detritus; only for said surfer to pop back up, smiling and bouncing around while being led out of the space by security.
And that was the theme for the rest of the night. Eidola kept the crowd in their palm, squeezing every last drop of energy from them.
The entire show was exhausting in the best way imaginable. Each band had a different energy that worked for the bill. I’m glad I got to catch this trio of artists playing together. I’m glad I made it out with enough left in the tank to make it home!
Here are some more photos of the bands performing live at Baltimore Soundstage on March 12, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Marc Shea.
