Photos: Telekinetic Yeti headline a night of metal at the Bottleneck

July 28, 2023

Nick Spacek,

Telekinetic Yeti. // photo by Nick Spacek

Telekinetic Yeti
with Stinking Lizaveta, Rifflord, and Digester
The Bottleneck
Thursday, July 27

When Iowa doom metal duo Telekinetic Yeti came through last summer, I wasn’t able to make it out to the RecordBar to check them out, so it was with some excitement that I headed into downtown Lawrence on Thursday evening to catch a stacked bill at the Bottleneck.

The headlining duo put out far more sound and volume than one could expect from just two men. Frontman and guitarist Alex Baumann was using a number of amps normally usually reserved for your standard four-piece lineup at the Replay, but cranked to room-rattling volume. It was amazing and were that more folks had made it out to the show. While the crowd was enthusiastic, it definitely could’ve been bigger, but a weeknight show in a college town the week everyone’s lease ends is a rough one.

Stinking Lizaveta. // photo by Nick Spacek

Philadelphia’s Stinking Lizaveta might’ve been a trio and wholly instrumental, but the dynamicism of the band’s sound was as lively as any power trio with vocals. Their sound live feels like a heavier, weirder Rush, and I mean that in the best possible way. You could’ve easily picked any one member to watch for the entirety of their set and learned a lifetime’s worth of performance skills.

Rifflord. // photo by Nick Spacek

Sioux Falls’ Rifflord lived up to their name from the very opening moments of their set. There were some issues with vocals coming through the PA for the first song and a half, but once those issues were sorted, Wyatt Bartlett’s voice crashed through the speakers and merged with the crunchy chords and crashing rhythms of the band. Tory Jean Stoddard on keys added an extra dimension to their classic rumble.

Digester. // photo by Nick Spacek

Lawrence’s Digester has been playing shows off and on for a decade now, and their opening slot at the Bottleneck was the best I’ve ever heard them. While there’s an appeal to hearing the quartet’s prairie sludge in a the confines of a house show or the Replay, their music really shined when granted a big sound system and room to expand.

All photos by Nick Spacek

Telekinetic Yeti