On November 14th, I went to El Corazon, a low-key music venue in Eastlake.  Even if you haven’t been there yourself, you may have noticed the building covered in black paint looming next to REI while driving on I-5.  Unassuming from the outside, it hosts a bar as well as a small — but not super small — venue on two levels, with a wide stage interrupted by a pole plastered in stickers.

The headliner was Korpiklaani, a Finnish folk metal band with an upbeat assortment of ear worms marked by lyrics such as “I’m a man with a plan! / The plan is too booze as much as I can! / I will lead this way, until the fall of my final time!”  

The opener of the evening, Siren’s Rain, a native Seattle-area folk metal band fronted by Rena Hellzinger, put me right into the mood for the main act.  With a deep band including Zak Krouse on the Hurdy Gurdy — an instrument that produces sounds similar to a violin with a hand-cranked, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings — and violin, Valerie Hudak on keyboards, guitarists Michael Heaney and Ed Miller, bassist William Beritich, drummer Michael Macomber, and Robert Madrid on flute, Siren’s Rain started filling the pit.  What came next, I did not expect.

But more on that later.  Let me skip ahead to Arkona, who is touring with Korpiklaani.  A giant horned animal served as the stage’s center piece, with LEDs illuminating its orbits as the band unleashed its heavy arsenal of songs inspired by Russian folklore.  Formed over 15 years ago in Moscow and fronted by Masha “Scream” Arhipova, Arkona rocked non-stop for an hour and a half as the pit grew ever more violent.

Finally, what most of the audience came to see — though perhaps not what they left chatting over — Korpiklaani.  Dressed in colorful costumes, the members took the stage. In addition to the usual metal band lineup, they also feature accordion and violin.  Instantly, the mosh pit consumed the entire lower part of the venue, and I was left fearing for my camera equipment. Their songs are fast, high energy, and make you want to dance and sing along.

But that’s not what I’m here to talk about.  I’m here to tell you about the band that didn’t fit in.  Right after Siren’s Rain, a small group of young men took the stage wearing tight pants and white sunglasses.  A Rickenbacker bass just yelled “Beatles.” They stood out like a sore thumb. Their name: Actionesse.

What happened next can only be described as gross hornography. Joel Kenworthy rocked out on several horned implements throughout the show as Ian Reed — guitar and vocals — whirled about like a tornado on stage and Paddy Moran on bass got lost in the groove.  They say Moran’s spirit animal is the phone, and he was definitely ringing off the hook. Halfway through the show, provided with ample backbone by drummer Jimmy Colven, the quartet was joined by a guest horn star on the saxophone. What followed was life changing.  I felt horn again by the chaos, horn to be wild.

Actionesse have several self-produced music videos, but you really owe it to yourself to experience them live.  They’re from Seattle, so chances are they’re coming to a venue near you.