As soon as I saw that this tour was announced, I knew that I had to go. The lineup was stacked, and with some of my all-time favorite pop-punk bands were all on this – State Champs, Four Year Strong, Real Friends, Just Friends, and Bearings.
First up was Bearings. The crowd was slowly starting to pour in before they took the stage. I remember the first time I saw them, and I didn’t know who they were. I instantly fell in love with their music because of the lyrics in the songs they played and was upbeat and happy. The type of music that makes you want to jump around and start singing along. I wasn’t expecting to see many crowd surfers during their set, but to my surprise, there was and their frontman, Doug Cousins even jumped off stage to help people coming over the barricade. They played songs off their newest album, “Hello, It’s You,” and some of their older songs from the past. Bearings set the show off with energy to carry on throughout the night.
Following Bearings, Just Friends was up next. It’s been a few years since I had last seen them live on Sad Summer Fest, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from them. It was the strangest yet most hypnotizing band I’ve seen in my years of going to concerts. They danced and swayed to the music and got the crowd hyped during the opening song, “Supersonic.” I’ve never seen a band like them with their energy and stage presence. At one point, most of the band turned around and started shaking their butts to the crowd. Everyone was cheering while Eric Butler slapped the bassists’ butt and taking a phone out, and taking selfies and random pictures of the other band members on stage during “Never Gonna Bring You Down” and “Flex.”
Next, we had one of my favorite bands playing – Four Year Strong. I’ve been listening to them since 2009 and have seen them countless times over the years, and they never disappoint. Starting off with “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die” the crowd exploded while the lights flashed, and everyone was singing along. The set was a mix of songs from multiple albums, including their newest, “Brain Pain.” released last year. People were slowly coming back over the barricade crowd surfing, but even more, came during the third song they played, “It Must Really Suck to Be Four Year Strong Right Now.” The tempo was upbeat and fast-paced and the whole time. I always lose my voice when I see them live as the music is so much fun to listen to and scream to the top of your lungs.
Real Friends came out next. I was excited to see them live as this was my first time. I have almost every single album from them, and once I heard in 2020 that they parted ways with Dan Lambton, I was sad but excited to see what the future held for them. Cody Murano, formerly of Parting Ways and Youth Fountain, they came back with their newest album, “Torn in Two.” It’s been on repeat since it came out for me, and they played a mix of songs from that album, as well as older classics such as “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” “Late Nights in My Car,” and “Me First.” I was impressed with the sound, the lighting, and the energy they had on stage.
Then, it was time for the headliner – State Champs. Yet another band I’ve seen countless times over the years since I first discovered them. They started off with “Secrets” while cryo and streamers emerged from the stage. The venue was packed with people; everyone was singing along, more people came over the barricade, crowd surfing while the photographers did their best not to get hit or kicked in the process for the three songs. I was singing the whole time as they’re one of my favorite bands, and the energy they show on stage is unmatched. They played older songs such as “Elevated,” “Criminal,” and “Mine Is Gold,” as well as some of the newer songs they’ve released recently like “Just Sound” and their cover of Fall Out Boy’s “Chicago Is So Two Years.” After the last song, the house lights stayed off, meaning that they have encore songs. They came out from behind the stage and ended the night with more pryo and playing “All You Are Is History” and “Dead and Gone.” The whole show was full of energy throughout the entire night, making it one of the favorites I’ve been to in the last 19 months since the pandemic started.
State Champs and co. Slay The Belasco on the Pure Noise Records Tour
Date: 10-6-21
Venue – The Belasco in Los Angeles, CA
I’ve taken in music like a sponge for as long as I could remember going to shows. Being so open-minded musically, I listen to everything from classical to death metal. However, as a photographer, I’ve photographed a ton more metal than I have other genres. Since shows have come back post lockdown, I really wanted to broaden my horizons and photograph and see bands that have always been on my bucket list. State Champs was one of those bands for me. They have always been on my radar with catchy, high energy, and derived from classic pop-punk. But when running a publication, I have to pick and choose my shows and have typically gone for the heavier metal tours over pop-punk as I know others on the team will cover it instead. With the announcement of the Pure Noise Records Tour, I knew this was finally my chance to see and photograph State Champs, but to once again see Four Year Strong, along with other bands I’ve wanted to see and photograph for years and years, like Real Friends, Just Friends, and Bearings. This showcase of bands from the Pure Noise Records lineup was excellent!
First up was Bearings from Ottawa, Canada. The quintet can be best described as the perfect blend between pop-punk and alternative. They opened up the set with “Better Off Yesterday,” which acts as somewhat of a title track off their newest album, “Hello, It’s You,” released in 2020 via Pure Noise Records. Off the bat, vocalist Dougie Cousins took command of that stage, belting out those words in tune with the major key. A staple element to any pop-punk band is that most songs are in major keys, which is a massive change-up compared to the metal I typically see and photograph. I’m all here for a change and branching out here. Guitarist Ryan Culligan acts as a backing vocalist, sometimes singing lead parts and adding harmonies that add the extra touch to the band’s songs. The second song in the set was “Aforementioned” from their 2018 release “Blue In The Dark.” This song definitely incorporates some of their indie and alternative influences, and drummer Mike McKerracher was pounding away at his drum kit with a big smile on his face throughout the whole song. Bassist Collin Hanes and guitarist Ryan Fits were grooving along during the third song, in particular, that being “Over Now,” which once again came from their 2020 release. The band just seems to really enjoy what they’re doing, and with the music they create, and you can’t help but vibe and headbang along with them. Bearings was incredibly endearing and had positively infectious energy throughout their six-song set. I cannot wait to see and photograph them again!
SETLIST
Better Yesterday
Aforementioned
Over Now
Dreams
Eyes Closed
Sway
Up next was Just Friends from Dublin, California. The band is best described as “funk rock,” but to me, they are honestly a melting pot of genres. They have a blend of funk-rock, alternative rock, pop-rap, ska, and a slight emo vibe that I LIVE for. They had some technical difficulties at the start of their set. Still, co-lead vocalist Brianda “Brand” Goyos Leon did a good job entertaining the crowd during the downtime. In fact, she was asking us if we had bought anything cool recently, and I held up my hand sanitizer holder, which is a unicorn cat whose horn lights up when a button is pushed. Well, Brand held it up to the crowd and yells “LOOK HOW COOL THIS IS!!” I started dying laughing, and it’s now kind of an inside joke between us, which I now have looped you all in on too! After the band fixed their technical difficulties, they started the set with their song “I Wanna Love You” from their 2018 album “Nothing But Love,” released in 2018 via Pure Noise Records. I love the vocal dynamics between Sam Kless and Brand throughout their set, with Sam providing the rapping and some singing and Brand providing her bluesy tones that really amp everything up. The next song was the band’s most popular single, “Supersonic.” This song gets the crowd dancing. You can see guitarists Brandon Downum and Matt Yankovich, along with bassist Kevin Prochnow, dancing to choreographed moves to the song while playing their instruments. It’s an absolute bop and a half of a song, so much so that I couldn’t help but stop shooting for a second and dance along with them. The band played a total of five songs, each truly showcasing their talent and range as a group. They were an absolute blast to see and photograph, and I would absolutely love the opportunity to do so again!
SETLIST
I Wanna Love You
Supersonic
Fever
Stupid
Sunflower
Real Friends from Tinley Park, Illinois, was up next. Coming fresh off their new EP “Torn In Two,” released in 2021 via Pure Noise Records, the band set out on this tour as their first tour post-lockdown. This new release for the band was a new chapter in a couple of ways. It was their first release under Pure Noise Records, as they were previously signed to Fearless Records before this. The EP was also their first release with vocalist Cody Muraro. The band opened their set with the song “Nervous Wreck” from this new EP, showcasing their new music right off the bat. Cody is incredibly high energy, constantly jumping, hyping up the crowd, and owning every inch of that stage. The band came prepared for this tour, with a simple yet effective lighting set up behind them, adding a lot of contrast between the darkness and light behind them. Guitarist Dave Knox provided his excellent backing vocals and high energy when not being the mic. The band then moved on to “Me First,” from their last release on Fearless Records released in 2018 titled “Composure.” You could just see how happy the members were to be playing again. Drummer Brian Blake was constantly smiling while playing those fast pop-punk beats. Bassist Kyle Fasel held down the rhythm section with Brian, strumming those deep bass tones that bring the band’s sound to the next level. The band then moved on to the song “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” which came from their 2014 album released via Fearless Records titled “Maybe This Place Is The Same, And We’re Just Changing.” This is where I really honed in on rhythm guitarist Eric Haines, who strummed his parts with precision and seemed ecstatic to be performing again. To finally see these guys after many years of listening to them brought me a ton of excitement. Their pop-punk meets emo sound makes their sound both current and new yet feels like an homage to the music that has come in the scene before their emergence. Their nine-song set did a beautiful job of showcasing songs from each release, including two off the new EP. I cannot wait to see and photograph them the next time they come out here. If this new EP shows a glimmer of what’s to come for the band, there’s no stopping this band!
SETLIST
Nervous Wreck
Me First
I Don’t Love You Anymore
Late Nights In My Car
Storyteller
I’ve Given Up On You
Get By
Mess
From The Outside
Four Year Strong from Worcester, Massachusetts, was up next to the stage as direct support. As one of the pioneers of the easycore genre, Four Year Strong blends Pop Punk with elements of Post Hardcore. Think of it like pop-punk with breakdowns. These guys were by far the heaviest band on this lineup. I previously saw them at the Rockstar Disrupt Fest back in 2019, and they didn’t have much energy on stage that day I saw them. When I tell you these guys blew my expectations out of the water this time around would be an understatement. The band opened their set with the song “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die” from their 2007 album “Rise or Die Trying,” released via I Surrender Records. The band showcased their insane light show from the gate, something they did not have when performing at the outdoor music festival I last saw them at. The light show the band had with them was fast-paced, just like the band themselves are. Four Year Strong has a unique dynamic, with two co-lead vocalists who both play guitar for the band, Alan Day and Dan O’Connor. This dynamic of their vocals going back and forth add a lot of energy and superb dynamics to their music. The band then moved on to their second song being “Get Out Of My Head,” from their 2020 album “Brain Pain,” released via Pure Noise Records. Brain Pain is by far my favorite album by Four Year Strong, as it truly showcases the perfect blend of the band’s sound. Get Out Of My Head is a more pop-punk heavy song with lots of punchy energy. There’s a deep bass groove heard throughout the song, which is provided by bassist Joe Weiss. Joe is an energetic bassist, constantly moving about and engaging with the audience. They then moved on to their third song, “It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now,” from their 2010 album “Enemy of the World,” released via Universal Motown Records. I honed in on drummer Jake Massucco during this song, and that dude RIPS it on drums. As I said, Four Year Strong’s vocals are incredibly fast-paced, and Jake really keeps up with those fast songs, laying out the foundation needed in this kind of music. I am beyond stoked to have seen Four Year Strong again and am stoked that they blew my expectations out of the water! They absolutely killed it throughout their entire nine-song set, and I cannot wait to see them again next time they come through Southern California!
SETLIST
Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
Get Out Of My Head
It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now
Learn To Love The Lie
We All Float Down Here
Brain Pain
Go Down In History
Talking Myself In Circles
Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)
Finally, State Champs from Albany, New York, hit the state to absolutely slay the house down! State Champs have been on a steady rise in popularity within the pop-punk and alternative music scenes, starting with their EP “Overslept,” released in 2012 via Pure Noise Records. The band prepared a lengthy sixteen-song set for their headlining set on tour, showcasing songs from each release, starting with “Secrets” from their 2015 album “Around The World And Back.” The band came out the gate with insanely high energy. Vocalist Derek DiScanio had the crowd practically eating out of the palm of his hand the second he came on stage, with crowd surfers galore coming over the barricade throughout my time photographing the set. Like Four Year Strong and Real Friends, the band brought an extensive amount of lighting equipment that made the set feel larger than life and bright as all hell. Guitarist Tyler Szalkowski jumped onto the platform at the start of the set, amping the crowd up. Between the first song, “Secrets,” and the second song, “Crystal Ball,” a fan threw their underwear onto the stage, which landed right in front of bassist Ryan Scott Graham. With a visibly shocked face, Ryan picked up the underwear and put them on his’ mic stand as they proceeded to play “Crystal Ball” from the band’s 2018 album “Living Proof.” This song had bright blue and pink backlighting, which shined bright and vibrant. This is where I saw touring guitarist and backing vocalist Cameron Hurley, who absolutely kills it on stage with the band and meshes right in with their easy-going energy and vibe. The band then went into the song “Frozen,” coming from “Living Proof.” Drummer Evan Ambrosio seemed to be right on par with the rest of the drummers we’ve seen tonight, joyful with lots of smiles and absolutely DOMINATING that stage with his’ beats. The band’s incredibly high energy was evident, and they absolutely did not disappoint. The crowd was heavily engaged, and the band had the most crowdsurfers for any band thus far in the night. During “Frozen,” so many crowd surfers were coming over the barricade that we photographers got kicked out of the photo pit half a song early. I was a bit disappointed, but I got all the shots I needed and got to be up close and personal with a band I’ve wanted to see and photograph for many years at this point. The rest of the set consisted of songs from the band’s releases, a couple of covers, and lots of CO2 cannons shooting out confetti. It was a wild set that I am grateful I was able to witness and capture!
SETLIST
Secrets
Crystal Ball
Frozen
Outta My Head
Mine Is Gold
Easy Enough
Stitches (Shawn Mendes Cover
Chicago Is So Two Years Ago (Fall Out Boy Cover)
Criminal
Just Sound
Remedy
Slow Burn
Losing Myself
Elevated
ENCORE
15. All You Are Is History
16. Dead And Gone
The Pure Noise Records Tour 2021 was an absolute blast. Filled with years of nostalgia and bucket list bands I’ve wanted to see and photograph for quite some time, this made for an exciting evening. Make sure to catch the tour on the east coast during the last few dates if you are nearby!
Entering into the amphitheater and seeing a familiar layout, it felt like a return to form for me. I went to the Vans Warped Tour yearly with my Dad from 2011 – 2018 so seeing the Five Point Amphitheater with merch tents and a Rockstar booth, I felt like a new tradition starting that still held close ties to the previous one. The Rockstar Disrupt Festival had two tiers of bands: the festival stage bands and the main stage bands. On my date, however, all of the bands played on the same stage. So, the festival stage bands were treated like Kings and Queens for a day.
I unfortunately missed Hyro the Hero, due to a family emergency, but arrived just in time to catch Juliet Simms. Juliet Simms was in a few bands but really hit it big once she competed on the reality competition show “The Voice” where she placed second. Since then, she has garnered a large following, especially in the Warped Tour and alternative scenes, which lead to her signing to Sumerian Records in 2019. She has released 3 albums over her career, which she showcased in her 6-song set. Juliet pleasantly surprised me with her stage presence and vocal style. I would describe her musical style as a mixture of alternative rock, indie rock, and pop rock. Her vocals are very raspy, and I was thoroughly impressed. I was slightly getting some Janis Joplin vibes. Her backing band consisted of drummer Lindsay Martin, guitarist Evan Potter, and bassist Justus Dixon. Juliet put her heart on that stage, and I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.
SETLIST
100 Little Deaths
Say Hello
Trouble Finds You
Take Me
Wild Child
Bad Love
Next up was Memphis May Fire from Denton, Texas. Memphis May Fire is one of the first bands I got into when I was getting more into metalcore. When I found out that I would finally be photographing them, I was ecstatic to say the least. Memphis May Fire brought out songs from five of their six albums for their set, showcasing how diverse of a band they are. I personally got to photograph them during one of my favorite songs in their entire discography “Prove Me Right” from their 2012 release “Challenger”, which is still the bands bestselling record to date, reaching 16 on the top 200 Billboard Charts. Memphis May Fire would best be described as on the border between metalcore and post-hardcore, with some songs more on the hard rock side. The current lineup consists of vocalist Matty Mullens, lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, bassist Cory Elder, drummer Jake Garland, and touring rhythm guitarist Samuel Penner. Not only does Memphis May Fire truly slay in terms of sound, their stage presence was insane. I always love seeing Memphis May Fire and am so glad I finally got the chance to photograph them!
SETLIST
The Old Me
Prove Me Right
Carry On
No Ordinary Love
Heavy Is The Weight
Vices
The Sinner
The next band up was Four Year Strong from Worcester, Massachusetts. Their sound is commonly referred to as “Easycore”, as they mix pop punk with post-hardcore and melodic hardcore. Coming on after Memphis May Fire would be hard for many bands to top. But, despite not moving to much, no one could deny Four Year Strong’s sound was truly amazing that day. They played four songs from their 2010 album “Enemy of the World”, which is still their bestselling album to date. Along with those four songs, they played two songs from their 2015 self-titled album “Four Year Strong”, two songs from their 2007 album “Rise or Die Trying”, and one from their 2014 EP “Go Down In History”. This band has had a long history in the scene, and the reason for their popularity is shown through their catchy music with riff-heavy melodic verses and choruses mixed with breakdowns. I have lived for Four Year Strong for years and am so glad to see them still going strong.
SETLIST
Maniac (R.O.D.)
Go Down In History
Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
What the Hell is a Gigawatt?
Who Cares?
Find My Way Back
It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now
We All Float Down Here
Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)
Andy Black came up to the stage next. Andy Black is also known as Andy Biersack or as his previous stage name “Andy Six”. I used to listen to his band Black Veil Brides almost religiously, but even though I don’t listen to them anymore, I was looking forward to seeing what he had to offer in a solo performance. While Black Veil Brides’ sound centers around hard rock and heavy metal, Andy’s solo music is a good mixture of alternative rock, pop rock, and synth pop. Andy played a 7-song setlist, showcasing songs from his’ two albums “The Ghost of Ohio”, which was released in 2019 via Republic Records, and “The Shadow Side” which was released in 2016 via Republic Records. He also played a Billy Idol cover, which was pretty cool to hear. During the first song of his’ set, Andy went into the crowd and hi fived a bunch of the crowd members. It was cool to see him interacting with fans and truly engaging with the crowd. The support band behind him consists of drummer Sage Webber, bassist Niles Gibbs, and guitarist Lonny Eagleton. Although I am not the biggest Andy Black fan in the world, I was still thoroughly impressed by his’ showmanship and his musical style!
SETLIST
Ribcage
They Don’t Need To Understand
Stay Alive
Westwood Road
Dancing With Myself (Billy Idol Cover)
Ghost of Ohio
We Don’t Have To Dance
Closing out the Festival Stage was Sleeping With Sirens from Orlando, Florida. Sleeping With Sirens, like Memphis May Fire, was one of the first bands I got into in the scene. I fell in love with their post-hardcore style and unique vocals courtesy of Kellin Quinn. The rest of this very talented band consists of drummer Gabe Barham, guitarists Jack Fowler and Nick Martin, and bassist Justin Hills. The band played a 7-song set, filled with fan favorites and 2 songs off their upcoming album “How It Feels To Be Lost”, which will be released via Sumerian Records on September 6th, 2019. One thing Sleeping With Sirens delivers consistently is a stellar performance. They are extremely tight as a band and are extremely high energy. They utilize every inch of the stage and truly slay. Sleeping With Sirens also delivers on sounding even better live. They are already stellar on record, but that unbeatable energy drives each song further and engraves that live experience into the brains of their viewers. It truly brought me back to how I felt when I first discovered their music years and years back. I loved their set and believe they were the perfect band to close out the festival stage.
SETLIST
Kick Me
Do It Now, Remember It Later
Leave It All Behind
Better Off Dead
Break Me Down
If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn
If You Can’t Hang
The festival stage bands on the Rockstar Disrupt Festival showcased a variety of bands of many different styles that meshed beautifully. It truly set the stage for the main stage bands to come. I was truly excited to see bands like Sleeping With Sirens and Memphis May Fire again, and to finally photograph them, so it was a dream come true.
With the Vans Warped Tour coming to an end in 2018, a lot of us were wondering what we would do to fill that void. Well, the Rockstar Disrupt Fest was announced, and it is a game changer in the scene. Unlike a lot of festivals, you get the best of both worlds. The event starts off on an outdoor stage on the festival grounds and then shifts into an amphitheater concert at night. And unlike other festivals, there will only be one band performing at a time, so you don’t have to pick and choose which bands to see. The lineup is absolutely stacked, and bands include: The Used, Thrice, Circa Survive, Sum 41, The Story So Far, Atreyu, Sleeping With Sirens, Andy Black, Four Year Strong, Memphis May Fire, Trophy Eyes, Meg & Dia, Juliet Simms, and Hyro The Hero. Lineups differ from date to date so make sure to check your date on rockstardisrupt.com to see what bands are playing. The festival kicks off in exactly one week, Friday, June 21st, in Dallas, TX, and tours the country for over a month until Sunday, July 28th, in Albuquerque, NM. Two of our photographers will be attending the tour, and each have listed their top 5 most anticipated sets to see on the Rockstar Disrupt Festival.
Laura’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Sets
Super stoked to cover Atreyu for the 2nd time. I had the unique experience of being a part of The Photo Odyssey with Porter McKnight (bassist of Atreyu) exploring downtown Denver with our cameras. That evening I sat through their sound check and photographed their set.
Sum 41 were my middle school heroes and during one of their shows in 2012 was when I first crowd surfed. That night is one of my all-time most memorable shows I’ve ever attended.
Memphis May Fire blew my mind when they toured with Atreyu last year. Their stage presence was a blast to photograph and I can’t wait to see them again!
Sleeping With Sirens is with no doubt going to bring a contagious energy to the crowd that I cannot wait to capture through my lens.
The Used is one of those bands that makes you sing along to all of their songs. It’ll be my first time seeing them play live and I already know for a fact I’ll “savor every moment of this” set as they close the night.
Jamie’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Sets
Atreyu has been a band I have been listening to for several years since their song “Ravenous” was on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. The band has released nothing but excellence in their 7-album discography, with a perfect blend of metalcore, hard rock, and post-hardcore. I am thoroughly excited to see them finally and to photograph their set.
Circa Survive was yet another band I got into from playing Rock Band as a kid, specifically through their song “The Difference Between Medicine and Poison Is The Dose” from their 2007 album “On Letting Go”. Throughout their career, Circa Survive has garnered a large following and has continued to evolve their sound, which is a mixture of post-hardcore, progressive metal, progressive rock, and indie rock. They are a unique blend and I cannot wait to finally see them.
Sleeping With Sirens was one of my favorite bands in the post-hardcore and hard rock scene for quite some time. While I haven’t been a big fan of their last two albums, I cannot wait to see them again after several years and finally photograph them. Kellin Quinn’s distinct vocal range is a powerhouse to have in the scene and I cannot wait to see him showcase it again.
Hyro the Hero is the first band on the lineup that caught my eye, since I had just seen them open for Nothing More, Of Mice & Men, and Palisades at The Belasco in February. The band is named after front man and rapper Hyron Fenton but includes a lot of musical talent from bassist Dave Gracious, drummer Troy Wageman, and guitarist Matty Mac. This four piece is going to be such a great way to kick off the Disrupt Fest with high energy and I cannot wait!
Memphis May Fire has been a regular band in my daily rotation for several years. Their powerhouse metalcore sound resonates with me and pushes me through my daily life. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of their newest album, their discography as a whole has been impressive to me and have helped shape my musical taste over the years. They always have an incredible stage presence and I am stoked to finally see them again!
The Rockstar Disrupt Fest looks to be an exciting event and will help fill the void other tours once stayed in. The tour will also cover new ground with the festival and amphitheater mixture idea. Check out the dates below, pick up your tickets at the link below, and keep up with the festival by following their socials!
The Camera Affect 