Written by Jonathan Jung
SYMPHONIC METALLERS WILL PLAY BENEFIT SHOW IN HONOUR OF COMRADES WHO HAVE FALLEN TO ALS
The Full Wattage Assault benefit concert back in 2010 was supposed to be a benefit show for Karl Watt, a popular jazz and rock drummer who had been previously diagnosed with ALS, a currently incurable neurological disease that affects your nerve cells’ ability to contact your brain which leads to a progressive decline in health until you are unable to move, swallow, or breathe. Most people pass away from ALS within 2-5 years of diagnosis.
Unfortunately, Watt passed away before this show happened, and instead, this show became a celebration of life. In his honour, the Karl Watt Endowment Fund was created to help those suffering from this as well as support for both the victims and their families.
Vancouver symphonic metal outfit Evereal is set to perform the Full Wattage Assault on ALS virtual concert on January 18 with a replay happening on January 23, a way to pay tribute to their fallen comrades. Proceeds will be donated to the ALS Society of BC.
“Karl was among the best drummers I shared the stage with,” says Evereal guitarist Stephen Roberts. “He was my musical brother. We formed the band Osiris in high school and had a close musical bond. We spent many years playing and working together. His loss was, and still is difficult to think about.”
Roberts isn’t the only member of the band to lose a friend to this disease. Evereal drummer Nelson Bennet recalls losing his friend Scott Bonnell to the disease in 2007.
“Scott was one of my dearest friends,” Bennet says. “[He was] a mentor who helped me in my career and my personal life.”
Evereal dropped their new EP Falling Down in March 2020. It’s a collection of catchy instrumentals, good grooves and ethereal like vocals to tie it all together. They have such a solid foundation going on with their music and tons of little nuances that keep everything creative and the listener wanting more. With the album dropping at the beginning of the pandemic, a virtual show is a nice way to scratch that performance itch.
“Virtually is definitely different as there isn’t the crowd to feed off, but being able to bring something to the fans feels good,” Roberts explains. “To be able to do a show for a worthy cause as ALS makes it so much rewarding. Being that all our shows in 2020 were canceled, it will be nice to get back on stage.”
But at the end of the day, the Full Wattage Assault on ALS is about more than getting a chance to perform. The band hopes this show can help raise awareness about the disease and raise funds to find a cure. A way to pay tribute to those who have fallen.
Full Wattage Assault takes place on January 18 and January 23. Click here for ticket details.
