11-2-24 – Fit For An Autopsy Bring The Nothing That Is Through Southern California | Photos + Review

Fit For An Autopsy is an electrifying band that I can’t resist seeing and photographing every time they come through my town. Their headlining tour celebrated the release of their eagerly awaited album, “The Nothing That Is,” which dropped on October 25, 2024, under the renowned Nuclear Blast Records label. The tour featured a formidable lineup of supporting acts, including Bodysnatcher, known for their aggressive sound; Distant, who brought a heavy, slamming style; Sylosis, with their melodic intricacies; and Judiciary, delivering relentless hardcore energy. The night promised an intense experience filled with face-melting riffs and an enthusiastic crowd ready to immerse themselves in the powerful soundscapes created by these artists.

Kicking off the night was Judiciary from Lubbock, Texas, a band that wasted no time in capturing the audience’s attention with their explosive opener, “Blood.” Right from the start, their hardcore roots shone through, unleashing a wave of energy that had fans two-stepping and moshing with fervor. Their sound is a captivating fusion of hardcore punk, metalcore, and thrash metal, creating an intense atmosphere that enveloped the venue. At the helm was vocalist Jake Collinson, whose commanding stage presence demanded more chaos from the audience. With every guttural scream and passionate plea, he galvanized the crowd, urging them to dive deeper into the mayhem. The heavy, intricate riffs woven by guitarists Israel Garza and Jimmy LaDue reverberated through the space, while bassist Juan Vazquez laid down a thunderous foundation of grooves. Drummer Austin Scott-Looney anchored the band with relentless, driving beats, propelling them forward into their next track, “Paradigm Piercer.” As the performance unfolded, the excitement reached a fever pitch during the fourth song, “Social Crusade,” where the crowd truly let loose, thrashing about in wild abandon. This fervor only intensified as they transitioned into the final songs, “Temple” and “The Axis of Equality,” which rounded out a powerful set. Judiciary not only ignited the stage but also crafted a memorable, groove-heavy hardcore experience that reverberated long after their last note faded away.

Sylosis, the electrifying band from Reading, Berkshire, England, burst onto the stage with a palpable energy that had been building for years. Their long-awaited return to North America was a highlight for fans, as it had been a staggering 11 years since their last performance on this side of the Atlantic. They kicked off the evening with “Poison for the Lost,” a track that serves as a perfect introduction to their signature sound: a relentless fusion of thrash, metalcore, and melodic death metal, featuring both infectious grooves and brutal intensity. At the forefront of the performance was lead guitarist and vocalist Josh Middleton, who captivated the audience with his stunning vocal prowess and intricate, face-melting riffs. His stage presence was commanding, drawing everyone’s eyes to him. Alongside him, rhythm guitarist Conor Marshall contributed thick, rhythmic riffs that got the crowd moving and headbanging in unison, amplifying the electric atmosphere. As the band dove into their second song, “Pariahs,” my attention was irresistibly drawn to drummer Ali Richardson. He was a veritable force of nature behind the kit, unleashing intricate drum patterns that throbbed through the venue like a heartbeat, elevating every moment of their performance. The band then unleashed the title track from their 2020 album, “Cycle of Suffering,” which resonated powerfully with the audience. Bassist Ben Thomas filled the soundscape with deep, booming bass lines, adding layers of depth and groove that enveloped the crowd. The frenetic energy in the room soared, igniting a wild wave of moshing and headbanging, especially during the latter half of the set as they ripped through powerful tracks like “Teras,” “Worship Decay,” and “Deadwood.” The culmination of the set was a testament to the anticipation that had been building for so long, and every moment spent waiting to witness Sylosis live was undeniably well worth it. As they took their final bows, I couldn’t help but hope that it wouldn’t take another 11 years for them to make their triumphant return (spoilers: they are slated to come back in 2025!). The excitement for that moment is already brewing.

The stage came alive as the powerful presence of Distant, hailing from the far reaches of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Bratislava, Slovakia, took center stage. It had been just over two years since I last witnessed and captured their electrifying performance when they opened for the Chaos & Carnage Tour. This time, they kicked off with the thunderous track “Loveless Suffering,” taken from their much-anticipated upcoming album “Tsukuyomi: The Origin.” Vocalist Alan Grnja burst onto the stage with an energy that was palpable, immediately showcasing his astonishing vocal range that soared and growled in perfect harmony with the ferocity of the music. Meanwhile, guitarist Nouri Yetgin unleashed a barrage of aggressive riffs that instantly set the tone for the night. The intricate and pulsating rhythms showcased by drummer Rene Gerbrandy were especially prominent in the second song, “Oedipism,” where his skillful execution and dynamic patterns kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Completing the lineup, bassist Elmer Maurits delivered extraordinarily deep and penetrating bass lines that resonated through the venue, adding a richer layer to the band’s sound. It was evident that this group has undergone significant growth, evolving into a premier down-tempo deathcore ensemble, and witnessing their upward trajectory was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The band concluded their blistering set with an impressive array of tracks, including crowd favorites like “Exofilth,” “Born of Blood,” and “Hellmøuth,” before wrapping up with the intense “Heirs of Torment.” Each song ignited the audience, sending waves of energy through the crowd and prompting mosh pits that threatened to spill over. I left feeling exhilarated, already eager for the next opportunity to see and photograph these incredible musicians again!

Bodysnatcher, hailing from Melbourne, Florida, erupted onto the stage with unrelenting energy. They kicked off their set with the ferocious track “King of Rats,” an explosive mix of nu-metal and deathcore that instantly captivated the audience. Kyle Medina’s commanding vocals pierced through the air, while Chris Whited laid down heavy, downtempo beats that reverberated through the venue. Guitarist Kyle Carter and bassist Kyle Shope unleashed a torrent of intricate, fight-driven riffs that intensified the atmosphere. As the band transitioned into their next song, “Dead Rabbit,” the crowd felt the unmistakable weight of their hardcore influences. This riff-heavy track, laden with powerful callouts, had fans thrashing and shouting in unison. The excitement swelled as Bodysnatcher performed a gripping 10-song set, drawing from their latest EP, “Vile Conduct.” Standout tracks like “Human Distain,” “Infested,” “Murder8,” and “Severed” brought the audience to a fever pitch, as each song resonated with raw intensity. Having witnessed their performance earlier this year when they co-headlined with Spite at The Glass House in Pomona, CA, I was amazed at how much harder they brought it this time around. The vigor and skill on display had the crowd in a frenzy, losing themselves in the music. Capturing their electric presence is always a thrill, and I can hardly wait for my next opportunity to experience their dynamic show once more.

Fit For An Autopsy, the unstoppable force from Jersey City, New Jersey, finally took the stage, igniting the crowd with their electrifying opener, “Lower Purpose.” This tour was a visual and auditory spectacle, featuring not only an impressive light show but also a compelling 12-song setlist that showcased their latest album, “The Nothing That Is”, alongside fan favorites from previous releases dating back to 2017. Frontman Joe Badolato dominated the stage, his commanding vocals demanding chaos and engagement from the crowd as he delivered a captivating performance. Guitarists Pat Sheridan and Tim Howley unleashed relentless riffs that reverberated through the venue, while bassist Peter “Blue” Spinazola’s infectious energy kept the audience vibing and fully immersed in the experience. Completing this powerhouse ensemble, drummer Josean Orta played with remarkable ferocity, his beats driving the performance to exhilarating heights. Their new album is a bold progression for the band, enhancing their unmistakable deathcore sound while incorporating more melodic elements and intricate tempo variations, especially in tracks like “Red Horizon”. The crowd was truly alive during the performance, erupting with excitement for fan favorites like “The Sea of Tragic Beasts” and the fierce “Warfare.” Fit For An Autopsy is a band I never want to miss when they come to town, and once again, they delivered an unforgettable show. This album release tour was nothing short of extraordinary, especially with the support from amazing acts such as Bodysnatcher, Distant, Sylosis, and Judiciary. Each band brought unparalleled energy, making this one of the most standout concerts of the year. With only a few dates left on the tour, if you’re wavering about attending, I highly urge you to go. This is a tour that promises to be a powerful and immersive experience you won’t regret!

Fit For An Autopsy | Bodysnatcher | Distant | Sylosis | Judiciary

Photos + Review by Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | X

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Leprous Featuring Earthside & Fight The Fight | Melodies of Atonement North American Tour | 9/27/24 | House of Blues, Anaheim, CA | Photos + Review

I recently stumbled upon the mesmerizing sounds of Leprous and was captivated by their extensive discography, especially their latest album “Melodies of Atonement.” When I found out about their North American tour, I knew I couldn’t miss the chance to witness their brilliance live. Due to a medical emergency, Monuments was unable to perform on the tour as initially planned. However, Earthside and the electrifying Fight The Fight performed as opening acts, promising an unforgettable evening.

Hailing from Oslo, Norway, Fight The Fight set the stage on fire with their performance of “Serpent of the Sand.” Bathed in striking red and blue lights, they delivered an intense 30-minute set, showcasing nine songs, including tracks from their new album “Shah Of Time.” Their fusion of groove-heavy influences and a perfect blend of melody and heaviness left a lasting impression. With a stellar lineup of vocalist Fredrik Teig Bergstrom, drummer Sander Lambrechts, guitarists Tord Larsen and Tobias Rekke, and bassist Hans-Magnus E. Hermansen, Fight The Fight’s performance was an exhilarating mix of diverse sounds that left me craving for more!

SETLIST

  1. Serpent of the Sand
  2. Ascent
  3. Monarch
  4. Shining
  5. Heart of Stone
  6. A.I.
  7. Alien
  8. 12800
  9. In Memory

Earthside from New Haven, Connecticut was the next band to hit the stage. The band can be best described as cinematic progressive metal. This four-piece is quite unique as it is an instrumental quartet consisting of guitarist Jamie van Dyck, keyboardist Frank Sacramone, bassist Ryan Griffin, and drummer Ben Shanbrom. The band opened with their song “We Who Lament,” for which they recently released a video. Throughout the set, vocals from the featured vocalists on the album echoed through the backing tracks, adding a full-rounded sound to songs such as “We Who Lament” and “Let The Truth Speak.” The lighting during their set was dynamic, with lots of moody backlighting to enhance the atmosphere. The band played a total of five songs, most of which came from their newest album “Let The Truth Speak,” released in 2023 via Mascot Label Group and Music Theories Recordings. It was really cool to finally see Earthside live, especially since I’ve been online friends with Jamie for quite some time. They were truly incredible and really moved me.

SETLIST

  1. We Who Lament
  2. Pattern of Rebirth
  3. Watching the Earth Sink
  4. Let The Truth Speak
  5. The Closest I’ve Become

The all-mighty Leprous from Notodden, Norway hit the stage next. The band put on an amazing hour and 40-minute show with a fantastic light display. They started with the opening track “Silently Walking Alone” from their new album “Melodies of Atonement”, showcasing Einar Solberg’s incredible vocal range. Throughout the set, they performed a total of 15 songs. The band’s lineup includes guitarists Tor Oddmund Suhrke and Robin Ognedal, bassist Simen Børven, drummer Baard Kolstad, and keyboardist Harrison White. During the song “Faceless”, they invited local fans onto the stage to sing with them as their choir, which was a really cool moment. They closed with my personal favorite song “Atonement” and then came back for an encore, letting the fans choose between three songs. The crowd chose “Illuminate”, which was an amazing way to end the show. It was an incredible performance that left me speechless. They prepared an amazing tour, and with Earthside and Fight The Fight alongside them, they brought a progressive metal show that was to die for.

SETLIST

  1. Silently Walking Alone
  2. The Price
  3. Mirage
  4. I Hear The Sirens
  5. Like A Sunken Ship
  6. Slave
  7. Distant Bells
  8. Unfree My Soul
  9. Below
  10. Faceless
  11. Castaway Angels
  12. From The Flame
  13. Atonement
  14. The Sky Is Red (Outro)
  15. Illuminate (ENCORE)

Leprous | Earthside | Fight The Fight

Photos + Review Courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | X

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Signs of the Swarm Featuring Cane Hill, Ov Sulfur, 156/Silence, A Wake In Providence | Decade of the Swarm | 9/14/24 | Chain Reaction, Anaheim, CA | Photos

A Wake In Providence

156/Silence

Ov Sulfur

Cane Hill

Signs of the Swarm

Signs of the Swarm | Cane Hill | Ov Sulfur | 156/Silence | A Wake In Providence

Photos courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | X

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Alien Ant Farm Featuring Atomic Life & Antenna The End | mANTras US Tour | 8/29/24 | House of Blues in Anaheim, CA

Antenna The End

Atomic Life

Alien Ant Farm

Alien Ant Farm | Atomic Life | Antenna The End

Photos courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | X

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Better Lovers, See You Space Cowboy, and Foreign Hands @  Exchange Event Center.

May 9th, 2024 | Winnipeg MB.

Better Lovers

See You Space Cowboy

Foreign Hands

Photos courtesy of Kay Arnal

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Oneus 2024 2nd World Tour La Dolce Vita in USA

Date: March 28, 2024 | Venue: The Louisville Palace Theater Louisville, KY

ONEUS 2024 2nd World Tour La Dolce Vita in USA | Fandom Name: TOMOON

ONEUS Members:  Seoho 서호 or Lee Seoho (이서호), Leedo 이도 or Kim Gunhak (김건학), Keonhee 건희 or Lee Keonhee (이건희), Hwanwoong 환웅 or Yeo Hwanwoong (여환웅), and Xion 시온 or Son Dongju (손동주).

   안녕하세요 TOMOON!

                                                                                                                  annyonghaseyo

                                                  Hello TOMOON!

ONEUS (원어스)  debuted under RBW Entertainment on January 9, 2019, with a mini album “LIGHT US” and their title track, “Valkyrie.” ONEUS is a five-member group consisting of Seoho, Leedo, Keonhee, Hwanwoong, and Xion. Former member, Ravn, who originally debuted with the members as a six-member group, departed from ONEUS in October 2022. The group’s name, “ONEUS,” has two meanings – the first meaning is the members came together by gathering strength from every one of their fans. The second meaning symbolizes ONEUS’ mission to bring together regular people, who will work side-by-side to create a united world. The group’s fandom name, “TO MOON,” represents ONEUS’ fans as the “Moon,” who always orbit ONEUS, as the group represents the “Earth.” In addition, the group’s name, “ONEUS,” can be spelled as “One Earth” in Korean.

Milestones that ONEUS achieved in the past includes winning their first-ever music show win on MBC M’s Show Champion in 2021, for their lead single, “Luna,” which is off of the group’s 6th Mini Album, Blood Moon. In 2022, ONEUS joined the K-Pop competition series and reality survival show called, Road to Kingdom  – where already debuted male K-Pop groups competed to see who could be placed at the top, as well as gain eyes from a massive global audience in the process. This television program aired on Mnet to let lesser-known groups be seen by a global audience, as well as showcase each group’s charms, skills, talents, and overall potential of making it on the global stage. Out of the seven groups that competed, ONEUS finished in 4th place overall and has gained a bigger fan base because of the show’s program. The members also got a chance to release their digital single, “Come Back Home,” during the show’s airing.

The talented and underrated K-Pop group, ONEUS, took the stage at the historical Louisville Palace Theater in Louisville, Kentucky for their 2nd World Tour La Dolce Vita in USA. ONEUS opened with “Baila Conmigo” from the EP La Dolce Vita in 2023.

They played a few songs before they took a small break and talked with TOMOON introducing themselves, talking about food and what animals they are, and talking about how long it had been since the last time they came to Louisville. TOMOON was high energy and excited to see them again and packed the theater. TOMOON showed up for this show. They slowed things down so they could take a small breather from all the dancing for a few songs to make it more of an intimate show while singing to the hearts of their TOMOONS. There was a moment near the end of the show when one of the members saw a TOMOON in front eating their popcorn and was in shock that they were just unbothered while watching the show or when they took a small break on stage and Keonhee was showing everyone what he saw and he took the box of popcorn on stage to see if it was a real box of popcorn and it was funny and a cute moment. While they were saying their goodbyes one of the members said “Louisville is the best” in Korean and the translator had to question it like did he say that? He had to explain that it also had a different meaning and was a good moment where everyone laughed.

As for the lighting for the show, it was vibrant with all of their songs and each song for the LED BG effects was the MV’s for a visual. One of the songs LED BG had Traditional Korean Hanok or Palace to show us Korea. I can agree that Korea has a special place in my heart in history, architecture, food, shopping, and most importantly music.

Keep up with ONEUS on socials: Instagram | Youtube | Fanclub | Facebook

Thank you to Livenation, ONEUS, The Louisville Palace Theater, and RBW Entertainment for having us at The Camera Affect and In The Moment Productions for a great show. Please enjoy the moments we caught. We appreciate your continued support.

다음 공연 때 만나요, 안녕! 

daeum gongyon ttae mannayo annyong!

See you at the next show, bye!

Photos + Review by Chyenne Conner | Photography

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Cannibal Corpse 2023 North American Tour ft Mayhem, Gorguts, & Blood Incantation | Photos + Review 

 Palladium, Worcester, MA  |  9/29/23                                                                    

On a very rainy Friday night the Cannibal Corpse 2023 North American Tour came to destroy the sold out Worcester Palladium. Supporting this tour was the one and only Mayhem, Gorguts, & Blood Incantation. I have been to the Worcester Palladium at least a hundred times but I have never seen this iconic venue as electric as it was. I rushed in to just make it down the four packed levels into the photo pit to start my coverage. 

Being a little overwhelmed having to hurry in after waiting in traffic, running through the rain to collect my credentials at the box office, getting down to the photo pit, and immediately starting to photograph half way through song one, I finally had a second to turn around to take in what was hands down one of the most religious concert experience I have ever attended. 

Not knowing the two opening acts until this bill was announced, Blood Incantation was up first, a death metal band out of Denver, CO started in 2011. With dark blue and green lights, with an occasional white light shining, & endless fog, this band was a little hard to capture, but the job got done. Lead singer & guitarist, Paul Riedl had the softest most humble speaking voice to hype up crowd, then went into this deep death metal scream. You could barely see drummer Isaac Faulk whaling on the kit that made the whole room shake. The guitars were flawlessly melodic as Paul was joined by guitarist Mossis Faulk, and of course, the bassist Jeff Barret matched this vibe. As an opening band, sometimes it’s hard to get the crowd going and ready to rage but not on this night. The mosh pit was massive and going hard and people were flying through the air endlessly.

Gorguts was next. A seasoned Canadian death metal band out of Quebec formed in 1989. Lead singer & guitarist, Luc Lemay is the only original member left, but with how this band was flowing together you wouldn’t have known that. This group isn’t just death metal, they are technical death metal. Having fast blast beats, aggressive build ups, and guttural low screams, it’s honestly quite catchy to keep the head banging. Each band definitely had its collection of fans there but everyone was so electric that it almost was hard to tell.

I stated at the beginning of this “The one and only Mayhem” because that is truly what this band is. Formed in 1984 in Langhus, this Norwegian black metal band was one to put this genre on the map. The fog machines went off every 30 seconds, making the band members silhouettes during some of their performance. Front man Attila Csihar, known as Void, was dressed in a long tattered up robe with his entire face painted up moving across the stage like Voldermont did in Harry Potter. Memorizing the audience. Actually the entire band did that. Morten Bergeton Iversen, known as Teloch, one of the guitarists, was sporting his face being painted up as well, with a gothic style outfit, while everyone was wearing black shirts and jeans. The other members of the band did not sport the look those two did which was interesting to me but it didn’t matter due to what these musicians brought to the Palladium. I felt like I was on a Norwegian journey. The bass, played by Jorn Stubberud, known as Necrobutcher. The drums, ripped on by Jan Axel Blomberg, known as Hellhammer.  Seamlessly flowing riffs being played by Charles Edward Hedger, known as Ghul alongside Teloch, and those vocals shook the house in a way I’ve never experienced. Mayhem brought an intensified element to this bill. I highly suggest catching them live at any point in time.  

Waiting for the headliner, as the stage hands cleared the stage, the venue was still going hard with its wild energy. The merch booth still had a massive line half way down the venue steps, fans were still moshing & crowd surfing while waiting for the band to go on, I have yet to see that live at any show! Cannibal Corpse, starting out in 1988, originally out of Buffalo, NY, was on. If you’re a death metal fan, I’m going to say most likely you’re a Cannibal Corpse fan. George Fisher, aka Corpsegrinder, wore his very own “Respect The Neck” shirt which I thought was great. If you know anything about him, you know he is known for his unmatched headbanging, windmill whipping massive neck! The screams that came out of that man’s mouth may actually be talking demons, it was a little imidateding being that close but it was absolutely amazing. This seasoned band was nothing short of perfect, which was to no surprise. Playing a variety of fan favorites, the wild energy the Palladium held in its walls all night elevated to 11 for the entire 14 song setlist. It seriously never stopped. Alex Webster, the original bass player & founding member, guitarist Rob Barrett & Erik Rutan (who is fairly new to the band), and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz, all in sync. The solos and riffs were dirty ripping through the hammering of the drums, in the best way we all want our riffs to be. They weren’t flashy in the way they looked or how the stage looked. The fog machine was barely pressed and the lights weren’t anything fancy whatsoever, but none of that mattered to anyone. I think at this point in time people from quite young ages to older folks in that crowd were heart warmed to be watching and respecting legends. Being able to witness all these things I have heard about Cannibal Corpse was one to cross off the bucket list. I am truly grateful I was able to attend this tour passing through. It was one for the books.

Coverage courtesy of Ashley Grace of aGrace Photography

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Kamelot’s Awaken The World North American Tour 2023 ft Xandria | Photos & Review

To start off the night on Kamelot’s tour, comes Xandria. A German symphonic metal band. With lead vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, rhythm guitar and keyboardist Marco Heubaum, bassist Tim Schwarz, and drummer Dimitrios Gatsios. Let me say this from a personal perspective. Wow! Simply put you have to hear it, see it, and witness it to understand the passion behind this band and how amazing they are from beginning to end truly incredible, with some pretty awesome added bonus that the singer does just all around amazing. 

You ever heard a symphony orchestra? Now add some metal vocals with clean screams with the blasting sounds of the drums and shredding and solo sounds of ear pounding guitars, now add some POWER!! Well put that all together and you have a band called Kamelot. From start to finish this band gave everything they had and more to deliver and amazing show here at the Echo Lounge and Music Hall in Dallas Texas.  

What a way to start the set coming in their song Veil of Elysium from their 2015 album Haven. Tommy with his smooth and powerful vocals gave the fans exactly what they wanted the passion in the song and the way the band played the crowd was just electric and you could feel it. To make the song just as intense Kamelot had special guest vocalist Melissa Bonny from Ad Infinitum. Personally can i say… Wow what a singer,  

Cannot forget how amazing guitarist Thomas Youngblood how he was just shredding all the songs and how well Sean Tibbetts delivered some amazing bass work. But turned up a bit more once they hit the fifth song Opus of the Night, from their new album The Awakening. The drum work and keyboarding from both Alex Landenburg and and Oliver Palotai. Again an amazing display of power metal with the symphonic sounds. 

 As the night rolled on Kamelot frontman Tommy slowed it down with Song for Jolee. Tommy again showed how good and beautiful his vocals are. Such a beautiful song and well played by Oliver Palotai, but just when you think it can’t get any better here comes Alex, Thomas, and Sean to give the big finish to such a beautiful song. What a band and they are just amazing and just keep on giving. 

 To end their incredible set in Dallas they finished with the top hit Liar Liar, from their album Haven. What a way to finish an amazing night displaying once again how great this band is incorporating symphonic sounds with the intensity of power metal. The solo Thomas hits us with is nothing short of incredible, just truly incredible. Oh and it doesn’t stop there, oh no it doesn’t bring back Melissa to show how great a vocalist she is but then hits you with guttural vocals you didn’t expect to hear. What a set. What a night. What an incredible night.

Coverage courtesy of Angel Castillo

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Foreigner’s Farewell Tour 2023 | Photos & Review

Foreigner’s final tour arrived in St. Louis, MO, Wednesday night, greeted by thick, damp air, and a crowd ranging from the oldest Boomers to the tiniest Gen Alpha fans, all screaming, dancing, and ready for a show. From my own seat I saw Gen X couples dancing together, a mom and her teenage daughter laughing at the constant jokes from Kelly Hansen, Foreigner’s frontman, and a dad with his son who couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years old.

And that’s the thing about Foreigner, and any classic rock band still around. When you’ve been playing for nearly half a century, you won’t be limited to one small demographic. Everyone knows at least one or two Foreigner songs, whether they remember hearing them on the radio, or first learned of them from TV and movies like Pitch Perfect, Stranger Things, or even The Angry Birds Movie. But half a century also means that there’s only one original band member left, Mick Jones, 78, who makes special appearances on the tour and sadly wasn’t performing Wednesday.

So a final tour — and a true final tour, not the “Final Tour, Wait, Just Kidding, Never Say Never, Okay Now We Mean It This time” final tour — makes sense. But just because there weren’t any original members on stage Wednesday doesn’t mean they didn’t bring the same charismatic, timeless, iconic energy to the stage that we’ve been hearing for the past 47 years.

Foreigner opened their set with “Double Vision”, and frontman Hansen, clad in yellow pants dotted with rhinestones, was nothing short of breathtaking. He charmed the audience as well as the cameramen, and cracked jokes throughout the concert. 

Bassist Jeff Pilson was seated much of the concert, from an apparent “chicken coop construction” injury, but didn’t let that limit him, especially shining during Dirty White Boy as well as the acoustic set mid concert. Bruce Watson, guitarist, took the opportunity during the acoustic set to show off his slide guitar skills, which was really unique to see. Watson’s energy during the show was incredible, running, jumping, and showing off moves that definitely betrayed his 64 year old age. The freshest face of Foreigner, Luis Maldonado, guitarist, had several entertaining interactions on stage with Hansen, and was able to show off his classic flamenco-style guitar skills during the acoustic set as well. 

If you have the chance to see this final showing of one of the last true classic rock bands left, it’s well worth it. Through the years the faces of Foreigner may have changed, but the spirit and sound have remained the same.  

Coverage courtesy of Elizabeth Rajchart

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Savings EP “Get Well Soon” out NOW | Review

A song by song review –

American Psycho

As an album opener, I think it sets a good pace for the rest of the EP. It’s very melodic while still fitting into the pop punk genre. Not as catchy as some of the other songs, lyrically, but the instrumentals really help keep you engaged in the song.

You Mean to Tell Me a Head of Lettuce Sunk This Ship?

This song really grabs my attention right away with the first few notes and as we get into the lyrics it slowly picks up. It’s slower paced than the song before but it’s still keeping my attention. At 2:08 it really picks up in beat while still keeping that melodic tone within the voice that follows through the rest of the EP. 

Alter Ego

We return with some high energy instrumentals compared to what we’ve heard so far on top of having lyrics that are rhythmic and would make it easy for a crowd to engage with, this would definitely be a song I would look forward to hearing if I ever got a chance to see them live.

Chin Up, Champ!

We slow it down again with this one, but it still keeps those catchy vibes. This is what I would consider the slowest paced song on the album. The first couple lines of lyrics feeling very powerful and it’s conveyed throughout the song

I Found a Date for the Holidays

The closing sounds very much like  Modern Baseball, which the band takes a lot of inspiration from as it’s highlighted on their TikTok. That inspiration makes itself present in this song by sounding like an instant anthem that’s begging to be screamed out every time it comes on

Overall,

The name of the album “Get Well Soon”, reminds me of the kind of feelings you’d have while going through a hard time and the songs lyrically would remind me of what I would sound like talking myself through it. It’s not often you see a whole set of songs encompass the same theme or feelings but that is the vibe I got from this whole EP right down to the album artwork.

I found the transitions between the songs to be smooth and natural, not trying to be too hard and flowing well into one another. I like that there are dynamic variations within the instrumentals and the harmonizing throughout the songs and I think that comes from the inspirations within the pop punk genre not unlike Modern Baseball (as mentioned earlier) but I find Savings still has a sound that makes them unique.

Each release is better than the next and I am always looking forward to new music from Savings.

Listen here | Review by Quinn Hall

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