Jade Jones
August 5, 2022
Pictured: Aaron Hardin of 3PEACE storming through a solo.
Alpha Zero put on a star-studded event this past Saturday at outdoor Charlottesville venue Champion Brewery. A day filled with family, community, and heavy tunes.
1st Annual Gathering Ov Wolves, a festival-type show held by booking pros Alpha Zero, was a get-together Josh Lewis, Cory Oliphant and their whole entire team put on to bring some of the up and coming stars of the scene in one place. The bands, of course, included local favorites 3PEACE, Disposed, Aura, and Diseased Earth; gore kings Autopsy Affair; new kids on the block Defying Death; the head liner for the evening DeadSwitch; and none other than Maryland heroes Gradual Slip. Not to mention photography legend in the making Caleb Good and his wife making an appearance.
Pictured: Chase Whitehurst of Defying Death laying down some vocals.
The planning for the event began last year. According to Lewis, "Cory initially came up with the idea and put the artwork together. He's extremely talented!" Logistically, Gathering Ov Wolves took alot of planning and scheduling, but the boys handled it with style and grace. And having so many bands that are familiar with each certainly helps. Upon speaking with band Disposed, you can be certain that "connections are a blessing". Singer Zach Knott spoke about how rewarding of an experience it has been thus far to be a part of the Va Hardcore scene. "We've definitely learned alot, and we're extremely thankful and fortunate," he says.
Each band brought a new level of intensity and raw energy to the gig. It was an absolute pleasure watching everyone perform. From Diseased Earth lead singer Travis Simmons getting in the pit to do his set, to Tristan Gleason's ferocity as Gradual Slip went into their encore performance of 'POV', an older song of theirs. And yet, the pit was a fun and safe space even for children, who ran about the venue enjoying the music just as much as the adults did.
There's a certain feeling in the air when you're at an Alpha Zero event; the food of good, the music slaps, and everyone always has a grand old time. But most importantly, a welcoming atmosphere; it's like going to a family reunion. When asked about what's next for Alpha Zero, Josh and Cory were open and honest. They have a couple more shows coming up with bands such as Betty Grey and Followship, then they plan to coast through to November and take some time off to enjoy the holidays with family. After that, of course, they plan on holding a special Christmas event for the little ones. But most of all, bringing people to hear good, heavy music and enjoy each other's company. With these guys leading the way, there's a bright future around for the Virginia metal scene.
Pictured below: Autopsy Affair catching some air.
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