Zig Zag Live Hits Beantown

As metal rockers Boris did their sound check yesterday evening at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA for the Zig Zag Live show, employees from neighboring venues called, "wondering what the hell was going on over here," reported the young scenester manning the door. "All of these bands are just so fucking loud," he noted. Grungy metal rockers Ocean opened with an uninterrupted thirty minutes of straight metal, pleasing their young audience who enthusiastically banged their heads. During Pearls and Brass's set, the crowd swelled, but Boris drew the biggest audience. Whether they came for the music or to ogle Wata, the band's sweet, somber, pixie guitarist, Boris admirers rushed into the tiny venue for the sold-out show, and many superfans were turned away at the door, crushed. Still, some found they needed a break from the loud rock. Naomi Yang, of Boston indie band rock band Damon and Naomi, stepped outside for a break near the end of the show. "I've been in the studio wearing headphones all day," she sighed. "This is just too much!" EMMA LIND

We asked: What motivated you to come out to a heavy metal show on a seemingly random Wednesday night? COMMENT

Name: Chrissy Leary
Age: 26
Hometown: Cape Cod, MA
Occupation: Stylist
"Most of my friends are really into Boris, and I just got into them. It's pretty hard and loud. I had to take a break and come outside because my ears hurt so bad."

Name: Jillian Clark
Age: 24
Hometown: Providence, RI
Occupation: Artist
"Going to shows with people is a great way to bond. You have all these different aspects of your lives, but a good show brings all of those experiences together."

Name: Seth Johnson
Age: 21
Hometown: Stillwater, MN
Occupation: Student
"I was just looking for a really awesome show. It's what I'm here for."

Name: Matt Brooks
Age: 29
Hometown: Providence, RI
Occupation: Mechanic
"I don't care about Ocean, I came tonight to see Pearls and Brass and Boris. The Boris guitarist is this little girl who’s really amazing."

Name: Jason Bergman
Age: 18
Hometown: West Orange, NJ
Occupation: Student
"Boris are amazing and I've always missed them when they've been in New York. I had heard that their two nights in New York were phenomenal."