Silverstein with special guests The Plot In You and Can’t Swim | Silverstein 20th Anniversary Tour | 11/19/21 | Photos + Review

December 29, 2021 Leave a comment

Silverstein Sells Out Their 20 Year Celebration In Los Angeles

11/19/21 at The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, CA

              In March of 2020, Silverstein was set to go out on their 20th Anniversary Tour. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the tour was postponed twice. Finally setting out on tour in November and December of 2021, the band now hit their 21st anniversary as a band. To prepare for just a significant anniversary, the band prepared one of the longest sets I’ve ever seen a band play, and they brought along with them The Plot In You and Can’t Swim for the ride. This lineup made for a night of diverse music that kept fans entertained from start to finish.

              First up was Can’t Swim from Keansburg, New Jersey. I’d best describe the band’s sound in the subgenre known as “easycore.” Easycore is basically the merging of pop-punk and metalcore. Similar bands in sound would be A Day To Remember, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk, and more. The band started with the song “Set The Room Ablaze,” which comes from their newest album, “Change Of Plans,” released in 2021 via Pure Noise Records. This song has a heavy edge, with metalcore-inspired riffs courtesy of Danny Rico and Mike Sanchez. This song also features some raspy screams from guitarist Chris LoPorto. The song’s studio recording features Caleb Shomo from Beartooth, which honestly pushes the song over the edge. This is easily my favorite song from the band and having them open up with it was incredible to witness. The band then went on to play their song “Sometimes You Meet The Right People At The Wrong Time” from their 2018 record “This Too Won’t Pass,” released via Pure Noise Records. This song has an overall pop-punk feel, with the stand-out elements being the drum patterns and overall atmosphere. I focused during this song on drummer Blake Gamel, who was absolutely smashing those drums like crazy. Bassist Greg McDevitt also did a superb job on backup vocals, adding amazing harmonies that pushed the songs to another level. The third song in the set that I captured was their song “Sense of Humor,” which has a very lighthearted feel in the melodies and atmosphere. The song changes up about two-thirds of the way through with a breakdown, adding an extra layer of contrast and depth to the song that kept me jamming while in the photo pit. The band was tight as hell during their set and had incredible energy. They absolutely blew away my expectations. They played a nine-song setlist, playing songs from four of their releases. They’re a fantastic band, and I highly recommend attending their headlining tour in the spring if it comes near you!

SETLIST

  1. Set The Room Ablaze
  2. “Sometimes You Meet The Right Person At The Wrong Time”
  3. Sense Of Humor
  4. Prick
  5. Deliver Us From Evil
  6. Power
  7. My Queen
  8. Your Clothes
  9. Stranger

Up next was The Plot In You Hancock County, Ohio. This was my second time ever seeing The Plot In You, with the first and only other time being back in 2016 when they were headlining their “Happiness In Self Destruction” tour in support of their album they had released the year prior of the same title. The band has made quite the transformation since then. The band was previously a through and through metalcore band. They experimented with more melodic elements in the album “Happiness In Self Destruction” before diving deep into their new sound in 2018’s “Dispose” via Fearless Records. Going more towards a post-hardcore and progressive rock sound, the band has genuinely diversified their more recent records. The band opened with the song “Face Me” from their 2021 record “Swan Song,” also released on Fearless Records. Face Me opens up with a beat, and vocalist Landon Tewers before the full band comes in during the chorus. The band really brought the theatrics, with a gorgeous light show that really brought their performance to the next level. The instrumentals have a truly modern vibe to them. The bass from Ethan Yoder is vibrant and prominent, the guitar is deep and full from Josh Lewis Childress, and the drums are clean and solid from Michael Cooper. The band then went on to their second song, “Fall Again,” which is my favorite track from the new record. This song plays with the band’s heavier elements, bringing in some nu-metal inspiration in the guitar tones and vocalizations. Landon Tewers is truly on fire vocally on this record, showing his vast repertoire and prowess. The band then went on to play their song “Enemy,” which has an r&b feel to it, while still dialing into their post-hardcore sound. I love the new addition of the electronics into the music, as it adds a whole other layer to their sound. The crowd was eating them up, jumping, and singing along to every word. The band played a total of ten songs, spanning from “Swan Song,” “Dispose,” and “Happiness in Self Destruction,” which are three albums that really meld nicely in the band’s current discography and their more modern sound. The Plot In You has truly grown a lot since I last saw them, and I cannot wait to see them again. 

SETLIST

  1. Face Me
  2. Fall Again
  3. Enemy
  4. Not Just Breathing
  5. Time Changes Everything
  6. Paradigm
  7. One Last Time
  8. Too Far Gone
  9. Disposable Fix
  10. Feel Nothing

Silverstein from Burlington, Ontario, Canada, hit the stage next. Hitting two decades for a band in the heavier music genre is a massive milestone for bands in our genre and music in general. It can be easy to burn out and give up, but Silverstein has proven that a band can not only succeed but push themselves further and thrive through perseverance, growth, and rebuilding. For those who somehow have never heard Silverstein, they are that perfect blend of metalcore, post-hardcore, pop-punk, and punk rock. They started out as one of the classic emo bands and have constantly expanded upon their sound to keep previous fans impressed and gain a new, innovative following. For their 20th Anniversary Tour, the band went the whole nine yards, preparing three sets in total. They also brought an extensive amount of colorful and vibrant lighting, timed and themed perfectly to their music. The first set Silverstein played was a greatest hits set, performing songs from their whole discography. They opened with one of their newer singles titled “Bankrupt.” This track is an explosive and heavy track with a deep guitar groove courtesy of Josh Bradford and Paul Marc Rousseau. The crowd went bonkers, with crowd surfing and moshing galore. This track showcases vocalist Shane Told’s intense screams and solid clean vocals. He is a powerhouse vocalist and truly showcased that with this song. The band then went into the song “Massachusetts” from their 2013 album “This Is How The Wind Shifts,” which has a lighter sound compared to “Bankrupt.” Those intricate drum patterns from Paul Koehler are a standout in this song for me. The next song the band went into was “Smashed Into Pieces” from their debut album “When The Broken Is Easily Fixed,” which really has that classic emo and post-hardcore vibe the band founded themselves on. Bassist Billy Hamilton was on point with those harmonies and backup screams on this song, and that deep bass grove really helped push it over. The band then went into songs like “Bad Habits,” “It’s Over,” “Infinite,” and “The Afterglow.” The band even did a massive melody of songs, which included “The Artist,” “Sacrifice,” “I Am The Arsonist,” “The Continual Condition,” “My Disaster,” “Vices,” “Je Me Souviens,” and “Broken Stars.” After a short interlude, Shane Told came out to do an acoustic set while a few members joined during a song or two. The acoustic set consisted of “Rescue You,” “Untitled” by Social Distortion, “Red Light Pledge,” and “Where Are You,” all of which once again showcased how diverse and strong Shane Told’s vocals are all these years later. The band came on for their third set just a minute later to play their second album, “Discovering The Waterfront,” in its entirety. Songs like “My Heroine” and “Call It Karma” were standouts on the album for me, so to hear them live, along with the rest of the songs, was absolutely incredible. The band gave us a special treat for their encore to top it all off. As a final song, the band played “Bleeds No More” from their debut album. However, they changed things up, putting Shane Told on bass and having Billy Hamilton absolutely demolish those vocals. He was on fire, and Shane was plunking away at those chunky bass notes. This song finished off their set on such a high note. Silverstein again proves why they are a staple in their cohort, and I cannot wait to see them again in the new year. 

SETLIST

  1. Bankrupt
  2. Massachusetts
  3. Smashed Into Pieces
  4. Bad Habits
  5. The Artist/ Sacrifice / I Am The Arsonist / The Continual Condition / My Disaster / Vices / Je Me Souviens / Broken Stars
  6. It’s Over
  7. Infinite
  8. The Afterglow
  9. Replace You
  10. Untitled (Social Distortion Cover)
  11. Red Light Pledge
  12. Where Are You
  13. Your Sword Versus My Dagger
  14. Smile In Your Sleep
  15. The Ides Of March
  16. Fist Wrapped In Blood
  17. Discovering The Waterfront
  18. Defend You
  19. My Heroine
  20. Always And Never
  21. Already Dead
  22. The Hours Back
  23. Call It Karma

ENCORE

24. Bleeds No More

Silverstein really went above and beyond for their 20th-anniversary tour. I am beyond grateful I could see and photograph them again, along with The Plot In You and Can’t Swim. All three bands played amazing sets and made the crowd go NUTS. Give some love to all of these bands and go see them live when they hit cities near you!

Silverstein | The Plot In You | Can’t Swim

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter |

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube |

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We Came As Romans ft The Devil Wears Prada, Dayseeker, and Hollow Front | To Plant A Seed 10 Year Anniversary Tour | 10/20/21 | Photos + Review

November 4, 2021 Leave a comment

We Came As Romans Plant A Seed At A Sold Out Los Angeles Show

Venue: The Regent

Date: 10/20/21

We Came As Romans announced their 10 Year Anniversary Tour for their debut album “To Plant A Seed” in late 2019. Unfortunately, due to the global pandemic, the tour was postponed not once but twice. At last, the band could embark on the long-awaited anniversary tour, a year and a half after it was initially scheduled for. Along with the band came support from The Devil Wears Prada, Dayseeker, and Hollow Front. This stacked lineup brought the heavy, the emotional, and the nostalgia to a sold-out crowd that had awaited this night for a long while.

Up first was Hollow Front Grand Rapids, Michigan. The band is on the border between metalcore and post-hardcore, with some ambient backing tracks that bring in the progressive metal influences. The band opened their set with the opening track from their 2020 release “Loose Threads” titled “Afflicted,” which the band released independently. This song is melodic and comes out the gate, showcasing Tyler Tate’s harsh, growled vocals. The dude truly owns every inch of that stage. The band then went on to the title track from their newest album, “Loose Threads,” which really showcased guitarist and vocalist Dakota Alvarez’s vocal abilities and had a slower vibe to it. Devin Attard, one of the rising drummers in the metal scene, was headbanging and smashing the hell out of the drums in the back. The band then went on to play Vegabond, also from their newest album. This is one of the heavier tracks on the record and goes deep into the downtune with deep bass tones from bassist Brandon Rummler. In total, the band played seven songs and really started the show out perfectly. The crowd was still warming up and coming in, but they definitely got the pit warmed up for the bands to come. I cannot wait to see and photograph the Hollow Front boys again next year!

SETLIST

  1. Afflicted
  2. Loose Threads
  3. Vagabond
  4. Wearing Thin
  5. Don’t Fall Asleep
  6. Left Behind
  7. Treading Water

Up next was the incredible Dayseeker from Orange County, CA. Dayseeker is another band that borders between metalcore and post-hardcore, with a lot of progressive metal influences in their instrumentalization and the ambiance that is felt throughout their music. For their setlist on this tour, the band played songs all from their newest album, “Sleeptalk,” released in 2019 via Spinefarm Records. The interlude “The Embers Glow” played as the band came on stage, leading into their first song, “The Color Black,” one of the heavier songs on that new album. The song showcases vocalist Rory Rodriguez’s vocals in the forefront, with him mixing between cleans and screaming. This new album is very emotional, speaking about alcoholism, loss, eating disorders, and more. Rory really poured his heart into these vocals, and you can tell with how much emotion he has on stage. One thing that is apparent throughout Dayseeker’s music is the intricate chord progression and fluidity, which are courtesy of the band’s guitarist Gino Sgambelluri and bassist Ramone Valerio, who really add a lot of complex parts to the instrumentals. The band then moved on to their second song, that being “Gates of Ivory.” This is another of the heavier songs on the album. Still, it does such a great job as the rest, with a good yin and yang between the heavy and the melodic with those beautiful instrumentals and Rory’s vocals. The third song in the set was “Crooked Soul,” which has some of the heaviest instrumentals of the record, paired with Rory’s more melodic vocals, creating a beautiful pairing in the song. Drummer Zac Mayfield, the drummer for bands Oh, Sleeper, and Noble, filled in for this tour, truly holding down the fort on the drums. But during the fourth song in the set, “Burial Plot,” the band’s drummer Mike Karle swapped in and finished the set with the band. It was fantastic to see him there slaying as always. The band, in total, had seven songs in their set, six if you don’t include the interlude intro. Dayseeker is always a joy to see and photograph. Keep an eye out on them, as they have many more things in their arsenal to come!

SETLIST

  1. The Embers Glow (Interlude/Intro)
  2. The Color Black
  3. Gates Of Ivory
  4. Crooked Soul
  5. Burial Plot
  6. Drunk
  7. Sleeptalk

Up next was the all mighty The Devil Wears Prada from Dayton, Ohio. The Devil Wears Prada has become one of the most consistent bands within the metalcore genre throughout their career, releasing seven full-length albums and two EPs. The band played a career-spanning set for their direct support slot, playing songs from almost all of their releases. They opened up the set with “Nightfall,” the opening track from “ZII,” released in 2021 via Solid State Records. This song is one of the heaviest songs the band has released in years, bringing the band to an elevated version of the heaviness they were known for in their earlier days as a band. Vocalist Mike Hranica is on full display for a majority of the song, with his mid and high range screams piercing through the heaviness. The song has a slowdown section for the cleans, which are provided by guitarist and clean vocalist Jeremy DePoyster. The band then went on to play “Outnumbered” from the “Zombie EP.” This EP stands the test of time as one of the band’s most popular releases with its sheer heaviness. The crowd went nuts, with lots of moshing and crowd surfing. During this song, bassist Mason Nagy had incredible energy, flailing and headbanging to his’ heart’s content. Keyboardist Jonathan Gering really brings a lot to this song, adding the needed synths and backing that amp up the song to new levels. The third song in the band’s set was “Born To Lose” from the album “Dead Throne.” Coming hot off the release of Zombie EP in 2010, this 2011 record saw the band continuing off the momentum they built thus far, combining the sound of their previous works with their new, more mature sound. Born To Lose is one of the highlighted tracks from this album. I was honed in on guitarist Kyle Sipress, who absolutely slayed it on those lead guitar parts, as well as drummer Giuseppe Capolupo, who is an absolute machine on those beats. I was, unfortunately, unable to get any photos of Kyle or Giuseppe, as we photographers were kicked out of the photo pit a song early due to the crowdsurfing. However, I was still able to enjoy the band’s incredible set from the crowd, where they played ten songs in total, ranging from most of their discography. This band always plays a flawless set, and I was thoroughly impressed with what they showcased to us. I cannot wait to see and photograph these guys once again in the new year!

SETLIST

  1. Nightfall
  2. Outnumbered
  3. Born To Lose
  4. Chemical
  5. Lines of Your Hands
  6. Forlorn
  7. Sacrifice
  8. Mammoth
  9. Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?
  10. Danger: Wildman

Finally, We Came As Romans from Troy, Michigan, came to the stage. For the 10th anniversary of “To Plant A Seed,” the band played the album in its entirety. However, they didn’t necessarily play it in order. The band played the entirety of the album but mixed in fan-favorite songs from the band’s discography. Before the band came on stage, they had a beautiful video playing on their LED screens about how impactful this album was on their careers and onto them as individuals. The band opened up with the title track “To Plant A Seed.” The stage exploded with CO2 cannons and an extensive lighting setup brought by the band. Vocalist Dave Stephens came right out the gate screaming those vocals and really controlling the crowd. What was remarkable was seeing the dynamic between Dave and bassist and backup vocalist Andy Glass. This was my first time seeing the band after the passing of the band’s founding clean vocalist Kyle Pavone. I was curious to see how the vocal duties would be split up. Andy took over, doing some of the screaming vocals, while Dave did the clean vocal parts. The band changed keys to fit Dave’s voice, and the new arrangements sounded absolutely incredible. The second song the band played was “Broken Statues.” During this song, I focused on guitarist Joshua Moore, who really holds it down on those lead guitar parts and instrumental melody. I have been a fan of his guitar playing for years, and to finally photograph it live was a dream come true. It was also so cool to see drummer David Puckett absolutely slay those drums. Formerly in the band For Today, David is quite established in the metal scene and has a range in his’ drum playing. Just hearing his’ playing on these songs that inspired me so much as a young kid was amazing. For their third song, the band played “We Are The Reasons.” I focused during this song on rhythm guitarist Lou Cotton, who truly grooved along with the rhythm section and held it down. It was amazing to finally hear songs like “Intensions” and “Roads That Don’t End and Views That Never Cease” played live since I saw them back in 2012 for the first time. It was also incredible to hear the band’s newest song, “Black Hole,” performed live, along with fan-favorite songs like “Hope,” “Tracing Back Roots,” and “Wasted Age,” among others. This is a band that has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. They were one of the first bands I got into in the scene. I remember getting this We Came As Romans gray shirt at Hot Topic back in 2011 and just being in awe. Little did I know that it would start quite the collection of metal shirts to come. We Came As Romans demolished that stage and performed a fantastic nineteen-song set, really planting their seed into The Regent in Los Angeles, California, on this Wednesday night!

SETLIST

  1. To Plant A Seed
  2. Broken Statues
  3. We Are The Reasons
  4. Beliefs
  5. Dreams
  6. To Move On Is To Grow
  7. Wasted Age
  8. Lost In The Moment
  9. Hope
  10. Tracing Back Roots
  11. Black Hole
  12. Intensions
  13. Roads That Don’t End and Views That Never Cease
  14. Searching, Seeking, Reaching, Always
  15. I Will Not Reap Destruction
  16. An Ever-Growing Wonder

ENCORE

17. Promise Me

18. Cold Like War

19. Darkbloom

The “To Plant A Seed 10 Year Anniversary Tour” was a long time coming and something I’ve had on my calendar a total of 4 different times now. I am just so happy that the bands, the management, and the venue worked hard to make it happen. We Came As Romans is an essential band in my personal musical journey, so to see the album that brought them into my life played in its entirety was a dream come true. Shout out to The Devil Wears Prada, Dayseeker, and Hollow Front for truly bringing your A-Game and bringing some incredible music to Los Angeles. Truly one of the best shows I’ve had the honor of covering this year.

We Came As Romans | The Devil Wears Prada | Dayseeker | Hollow Front

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Butcher Babies w/ Infected Rain, Stitched Up Heart, & The Unsung | Butcher Babies VS. Goliath Tour | 10/7/21 | Photos + Review

October 20, 2021 Leave a comment

Butcher Babies Slay Their Final Battle Against Goliath at 1720 in Los Angeles, CA

Venue: 1720 in Los Angeles, CA

Date: 10/7/21

When a band hits their 10-year milestone of being together, that is a huge accomplishment that deserves celebration. Unfortunately, that milestone for Butcher Babies came during the global COVID-19 pandemic, where they couldn’t party like the rockstars they are. One year later, the band came back with a vengeance to dominate the country with their first headlining tour in well over two years, where the band would play their debut album “Goliath” in its entirety, along with other songs. In the battle against Goliath were: Infected Rain, Stitched Up Heart, and local support from The Unsung. With this quartet of bands, Butcher Babies led the clan to victory at the final date of the Butcher Babies VS. Goliath Tour!

Up first was The Unsung from San Diego, CA. This quartet is the perfect example of progressive metalcore. One thing I always note whenever I see The Unsung live is just how tight these guys are. Like bands like Periphery, Veil of Maya, and many more in the genre, the vocals are a great mixture of cleans and screaming, courtesy of Tyler Sinclair. However, what sets them apart is that their music tends to have more cleans than screaming, which helps them reach a wider audience. Guitarist Devin Castro is an absolute beast, creating melodic hooks, leads, and solos that shred the hell out of the crowd. Drummer Garret Brown is a beast, playing many different styles and rhythmic patterns throughout the band’s music, sometimes changing time signature and tempos mid-song, which is common within the progressive metal genre. Closing out the band’s lineup is Thomas Sumstine on bass, who absolutely SLAYS adding in those deep grooves and tones that are pretty much essential to the music The Unsung releases. The band played a total of 7 songs, bringing out songs from their first EP, “Rise,” for the first time in a while, along with songs from their sophomore EP “Sin Cera” and new singles “Manic” and “Awake.” The band also brought their iconic light show with them, which adds that extra edge and atmosphere that helps set the tone. It was an epic start to the show, and I am so happy to have seen them again! The last time was around Christmas time in 2019, so it had been almost 2 years without hangs and without seeing this epic band live.

SETLIST

  1. Manic
  2. Herald
  3. Awake
  4. Rise
  5. Lacuna
  6. Chosen
  7. Desolation

Up next was Stitched Up Heart from Los Angeles, CA. I last saw and photographed Stitched Up Heart back in 2019, so I was excited to see and photograph them again and do so at an actual venue, this time and not at a bar. I’d best describe Stitched Up Heart’s sound as a combination between gothic metal, hard rock, and alternative metal. Touring alongside bands across the hard rock and metal genres, they have a sound that is quite versatile and diverse. The band started their set with the song “This Skin” from their 2020 album “Darkness,” released via Century Media Records. This song has a light electronic backing in parts and the downtuned guitar and bass tones, making the song a bit more light sounding than a lot of their other music. You could hear vocalist Mixi’s singing on full display out of the gate, showing a newfound strength and force behind her vocals that I didn’t hear at the last show. The second song, “Warrior,” also came from their newest album and is more of a stadium rock-style track. Those bass tones courtesy of Randy Mathias are on full display in this song, along with the crushing beats from drummer James Decker. The band then went on to their third song, “Catch Me When I Fall,” from their 2016 album “Finally Free.” Overall, this album has a darker vibe, and the guitar tones are much more gritty and dark, and guitarist Merritt Goodwin delivers on this tenfold. The band played a total of seven songs throughout their thirty-minute set, completely blowing my expectations out of the water. As it was the last day of the tour, there happened to be the last day of tour pranks. The other bands ran on stage during the band’s final song, “Monster,” and started randomly taking apart Decker’s drum kit mid-song. It was pretty funny, to say the least, and it made me wonder what pranks would come going forward. Stitched Up Heart as a whole seems to have stepped things up since the lockdown, really fine-tuning things and coming back tighter than ever.

SETLIST

  1. This Skin
  2. Warrior
  3. Catch Me When I Fall
  4. Finally Free
  5. Lost
  6. My Demon
  7. Monster

Up next as direct support was Infected Rain from Chisinau, Moldova. I got into Infected Rain’s music shortly after 2019’s “Endorphin” was unleashed to the world via Napalm Records. This was the band’s first US tour, as their 2020 tour with Swallow The Sun was cancelled due to the pandemic. The band’s sound is the perfect combination of metalcore, melodic death metal, and progressive metal. The band started their set with the song “Pendulum” from that 2019 album I just mentioned. This song is the perfect showcasing of vocalist Lena Scissorhands’ vocal prowess, showing a good amount of her harsh fry screaming, along with lots of her cleans, making for probably their most dynamic song on “Endorphin.” A core part of the band’s sound is downtuned guitars with djenty riffs, courtesy of Vadim “Vidick” Ojog and Serghei Babici. The band then went on to their second song, “Mold,” from their 2017 record “86”, which the band released independently. A big part of progressive metal is the deep, intricate bass tones provided by Vladimir Babich. The band is tight as all hell, and the foundation of any tight band is the drummer, whose part is essential in terms of tempo and keeping on the beat. Drummer Eugene Voluta is an absolute beast on stage, demolishing those double bass parts and obliterating the stage. The band moved onto their third song, “Black Gold,” one of the singles from that 2019 record “Endorphin.” In my honest opinion, Infected Rain blew me away with their control of the stage and just how tight they were. I was very much looking forward to their set, and they did not disappoint. Just like with Stitched Up Heart, Infected Rain found themselves in the midst of the end of tour pranks. During the final song, “Sweet, Sweet Lies,” of the band’s ten-song set, members from Butcher Babies and Stitched Up Heart came on stage and unleashed a pillow fight onto the members of Infected Rain. It was an all-out pillow fight to the death, and I couldn’t help but hysterically laugh. Infected Rain was absolutely incredible and set a very high bar for the whole night.

SETLIST

  1. Pendulum
  2. Mold
  3. Black Gold
  4. Passerby
  5. Freaky Carnival
  6. Endless Stairs
  7. Fool the Gravity
  8. Orphan Soul
  9. The Earth Mantra

Sweet, Sweet Lies

Finally, Butcher Babies come home to Los Angeles, CA, and hit the stage! For the band’s tenth anniversary tour, they decided to play eight of the twelve songs from their debut 2013 album “Goliath,” released via Century Media Records. I would best describe the band’s sound as a perfect blend between metalcore, death metal, thrash metal, and progressive metal. The band came prepared for this tour, with a light show and headbangs galore. Opening the show with “I Smell A Massacre,” the stage lit up bright red, showcasing the brutality and grittiness these songs from “Goliath” have. This first song is a fast one and showcases the vocal stylings of Heidi Shephard and Carla Harvey. Carla has a deeper guttural sound, while Heidi has the high screams on point. They both have a mixture of clean singing and screaming in their registers during this opening song, really showcasing a large amount of variety within this heavy song. Their second song, “The Mirror Never Lies,” opens up with this groovy guitar hook that can be heard throughout the song, courtesy of guitarist Henry Flury. This song is just groove central, even showcasing the bass in the forefront in sections. It’s moments like this where each member really shines, and you really feel all of the puzzle pieces individually come together. I love me a groovy djent song, and those bass tones from Ricky Bonazza are really showcased deep in the roots of this groove-heavy song. The band then moved on to their third song, the popular single from 2015’s “Take It Like A Man” titled “Monsters Ball.” This song is super thrashy, groovy, and heavy. You can really hear the intricate drum parts from drummer Chase Brickenden as he slams those drums to his’ heart’s content. “Monsters Ball” was the song that got me into the band in the first place, so to photograph them during this song was AMAZING. The band played many other songs from Goliath, my personal favorite being “In Denial.” This song has a classic metalcore vibe and is more on the tame side while also being heavy. It has the perfect yin and yang. The band also played quite a few of their new singles, such as “Bottom of a Bottle,” “It’s Killin’ Time, Baby!”, “Sleeping With the Enemy,” and “Yorktown.” They even played a game of Red Light, Green Light with the crowd, paying homage to the viral Netflix sensation “Squid Games.” Their set was absolutely incredible, and they seem to have somehow leveled up since the last time I saw them back in 2018. They absolutely killed it and proved why they are still so beloved 11 years after their debut in the scene. They definitely defeated Goliath in Los Angeles.

SETLIST

  1. I Smell a Massacre
  2. The Mirror Never Lies
  3. Monsters Ball
  4. It’s Killin’ Time, Baby!
  5. C8H18 (Gasoline)
  6. Grim Sleeper
  7. In Denial
  8. Bottom of a Bottle
  9. The Deathsurround
  10. Axe Wound
  11. Sleeping With The Enemy
  12. Yorktown

ENCORE

13. They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! (Napoleon XIV cover)

14. Magnolia Blvd.

Butcher Babies put on an excellent tour for their comeback. This tour commemorating their 10 years of being a band was stacked to the brim with a fantastic lineup consisting of Infected Rain, Stitched Up Heart, and local support from The Unsung. This was a fantastic show and will easily be one of my favorites of the year!

Butcher Babies | Infected Rain | Stitched Up Heart | The Unsung

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

State Champs w/ Four Year Strong, Real Friends, Just Friends, and Bearings | Pure Noise Records Tour 2021 | Photos + Review

October 15, 2021 Leave a comment

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

  1. Better Yesterday
  2. Aforementioned
  3. Over Now
  4. Dreams
  5. Eyes Closed
  6. 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

  1. I Wanna Love You
  2. Supersonic
  3. Fever
  4. Stupid
  5. 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

  1. Nervous Wreck
  2. Me First
  3. I Don’t Love You Anymore
  4. Late Nights In My Car
  5. Storyteller
  6. I’ve Given Up On You
  7. Get By
  8. Mess
  9. 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

  1. Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
  2. Get Out Of My Head
  3. It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now
  4. Learn To Love The Lie
  5. We All Float Down Here
  6. Brain Pain
  7. Go Down In History
  8. Talking Myself In Circles
  9. 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

  1. Secrets
  2. Crystal Ball
  3. Frozen
  4. Outta My Head
  5. Mine Is Gold
  6. Easy Enough
  7. Stitches (Shawn Mendes Cover
  8. Chicago Is So Two Years Ago (Fall Out Boy Cover)
  9. Criminal
  10. Just Sound
  11. Remedy
  12. Slow Burn
  13. Losing Myself
  14. 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!

State Champs | Four Year Strong | Real Friends | Just Friends | Bearings

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Keep up with us on social media! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Black Dahlia Murder w/ After The Burial, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil, and Undeath | Up From The Sewer Tour | Photos + Review

October 11, 2021 Leave a comment

The Black Dahlia Murder Returns To California With A Bang Selling Out The Belasco

Date: September 18th, 2021

Venue: The Belasco in Los Angeles, CA

The Black Dahlia Murder is a band I constantly see live whenever they come through Southern California. As one of the staples of the melodic death metal genre, they are continually one-upping themselves with each record, staying true to who they are musically but constantly grinding like the madmen they are. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, a lot of their touring surrounding their newest album, “Verminous,” was put on hold, and in such, this is their first tour back after all of the chaos. Unsurprisingly, the tour sold out like crazy, with over two-thirds of the dates being completely sold out, with the others close to selling out as well. Not only did The Black Dahlia Murder play quite a stacked setlist, but they brought along a beastly lineup of bands. The supporting lineup consisted of After The Burial, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil, and Undeath. With a lineup this stacked, it was no wonder why the Los Angeles date was the first on the tour to sell out.

Undeath from Rochester, New York, was the first up to the stage. Coining themselves as “skull-crushing death metal,” it is no wonder why this is the perfect term to describe these guys. Their music is HEAVY. I had to bold that word because it needed emphasis.  With a gritty barebones sound similar to staple bands of the death metal genre like Dying Fetus, Nile, Cannibal Corpse, and more, this brutal death metal style set them apart from the rest of the bands on this lineup. Their vocalist Alexander Jones did a great job of crowd management. He owned that whole stage with his’ distinct vocals that you can tell have a slight black metal influence. Bassist Tommy Wall spanked that bass to give it those deep thick tones pumping through and prominent throughout Undeath’s sound. Guitarists Jared Welch and Kyle Beam add the riffage, really adding that gritty sound that pays homage to the death metal greats that came before them. The final member that closes out the band’s lineup is their drummer Matt Browning, who plays those stank beats with precision. When listening to the band’s album and witnessing their live set, I also feel a slight thrash vibe in their music, prominent throughout the brutal death metal genre. That gritty edge was showcased on their debut album “Lesions of a Different Kind,” released in 2020 via Prosthetic Records. They played 3 songs from this release, 1 song from their 2019 independent EP “Sentient Autolysis,” and one unreleased song that I, unfortunately, do not know the name of. Overall, these guys were a great way to start out the show and really set the stage for those to come with their high energy and brutal riffs.

SETLIST

  1. Enhancing the Dead
  2. (Unknown)
  3. Acidic Twilight Visions
  4. Chained to a Reeking Rotted Body
  5. Lesions of a Different Kind

The next band up was the ever so talented Rivers of Nihil from Reading, Pennsylvania. I first saw Rivers of Nihil back in 2018 when they opened for Thy Art Is Murder and Dying Fetus, and I already thought they were great then. But boy have they risen in my ranks since then. Initially, the band’s style was very much in line with the rest of those in the technical death metal genre: fast-paced, heavy, and riffy. However, as the band found their groove and started experimenting, they started moving more into the realm of progressive metal, mixing in clean vocals, and creating a cinematic style within their music. With their new record, The Work, just weeks away from debuting to the world, we as the audience were lucky to hear two of the new songs live, those being “Clean” and “Focus.” Within the new songs, you can really hear the power of vocalist Jake Dieffenbach and bassist/clean vocalist Adam Biggs’ voices. The new songs, along with the songs from their 2018 release “Where The Owls Know My Name,” have a lot of dynamics. But it seems that Jake and Adam have a good number of trade-offs in terms of vocals with The Work. They were the only band at the show to have clean vocals, and the change really felt needed as their set was well-rounded, and I couldn’t hold back a smile underneath my mask. Drummer Jared Klein is an absolute beast behind the kit, and my eyes always go to him because some of the technical parts he plays blow me away. Guitarists Brody Uttley and Jon Topore help create the atmosphere with their melodic instrumentals, paired with Uttley’s lead guitar solos and hooks. Honestly, Rivers of Nihil continue to get better and better every time I see them, and they constantly blow away any expectations I had prior. I cannot wait to see where this band goes with the release of “The Work,” which came out in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. You MUST all check out this band and see live if you have not yet done so.

SETLIST

  1. The Silent Life
  2. Focus
  3. Clean
  4. Sand Baptism
  5. Where The Owls Know My Name

The third band up to the stage was Carnifex from San Diego, CA. Carnifex has been one of the leading deathcore bands for quite some time, being one of the genre’s founders. Coming hot off the release of their newest album, “Graveside Confessions,” out now via Nuclear Blast Records, I was stoked to hear how the new songs would sound live. The lead singles from the record “Pray For Peace” and the title track “Graveyard Confessions” sounded epic and translated very well live. The band started their set with the title track from their 2019 record, “World War X,” and also played some of the band’s most famous songs, “Slit Wrist Savior” and “Lie To My Face,” which the band re-recorded for the new album “Graveside Confessions.” The band closed out the set with the title track from their 2010 album “Hell Chose Me,” which got the crowd wild. From the start of the set to the end, I was stoked.

As usual, the band had their large lit-up pentagrams, but they also had a bright lighting setup on stage with many strobing lights that were very well lit and timed. Vocalist Scott Ian Lewis is an absolute beast on stage, genuinely taking every inch in and captivating the crowd. Carnifex was one of the first death metal bands I got into, which came with their 2016 album “Slow Death.” What drew me straight in was the symphonic backing, along with Scott’s vocals. Something evident in Carnifex’s music is just how intricate and technical their drumming parts are, and that is all courtesy of the ever so talented Shawn Cameron on drums. This dude is an absolute beast and truly has me in awe when I hear how fast some of his parts are. A significant change from the last time I saw Carnifex to now is the band going from having two guitarists down to one. Still, guitarist Cory Arford did not disappoint in the slightest. He absolutely killed it on those leads and shredded it on that stage. Closing out the band’s lineup is Fred Calderon, who provides the headbangs and the deep tones from his bass. Bass, in my opinion, is the most underrated instrument when it comes to bands. To me, the bass is one of the most essential, as it adds some of the deeper undertones that can really bring the music to the next level, and Fred does that very well. All in all, Carnifex is an absolutely insane band to see live and is very consistent when it comes to theatrics and musicianship.

SETLIST

  1. World War X
  2. Pray For Peace
  3. Slit Wrist Savior
  4. Graveside Confessions
  5. Lie To My Face
  6. Hell Chose Me

Up next as direct support was the ever so talented band After The Burial from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Unfortunately, vocalist Anthony Notarmaso became sick on tour and lost his voice. The band continued on and played instrumentally, which the crowd went WILD for. After the Burial is a very technical band instrumentally. Thanks to their odd time signatures, guitar tones, and fast pacing, the band is well known in the progressive metal genre, constantly teetering between metalcore and deathcore territory. Having the instrumentals showcased in the forefront was an absolutely incredible sight and audible experience. Guitarist Trent Hafdahl was on full display. His leads and backing vocal parts were at the forefront of the band’s performance. They had beautifully timed and strobed lighting that added to the overall experience and performance. The crowd went wild when the band started the set with the fan-favorite song “Lost In The Static.” During the next song, “In Flux,” I couldn’t help but really tune in to bass player Adrian Oropeza. Adrian is really vibing on stage, with his headbanging and downtuned bass tones really adding the grit and djenty sound that the band is known for. Dan Carle closes out the band’s rhythm section, and he is by far one of the most on-point and technical drummers in the progressive metal scene, not missing a beat. I especially noticed it during the third song in the set, “Collapse.” After I left the photo pit, I got to see just how nuts the crowd was going. With a moshpit about twice the size as it was prior, they were absolutely mesmerized by the technicality and prowess the band showcased. During the lead single “Behold The Crown,” from the band’s 2019 album “Evergreen,” released via Sumerian Records, I especially saw this energy from the crowd with one of the fastest and most violent circle pits of the night. The band played two more songs before closing out their incredible set, those songs being “Exist, Exist,” and “A Wolf Among Ravens.” I am incredibly proud of these guys for trooping on through their vocalist being sick. Them playing instrumentally was incredible and wowed the whole audience in attendance.

SETLIST

  1. Lost In The Static
  2. In Flux
  3. Collapse
  4. Behold The Crown
  5. Exist, Exist
  6. A Wolf Among Ravens

The Black Dahlia Murder hailing from Waterford, Michigan, finally hit the stage next. To say they obliterated the stage with their talent would be an understatement. Being a band with 20 years and nine albums under their belt, they had a lot of songs to choose from for their set. I think they created a setlist that was both dynamic and crowd-pleasing. The band opened up the show with “I Will Return” from the 2009 album “Deflorate,” released via Metal Blade Records, which is the record label the band has been with thus far throughout their career. This is typically the band’s closing track when they headline, so it was cool to hear it at the beginning of the set. One thing that cannot be ignored when seeing The Black Dahlia Murder live is vocalist Trevor Strnad’s vocal prowess and control over the crowd. His vocal tone and stage presence combined have made him a figurehead within the death metal community. With crowd surfers galore and tons of moshing in the pit, the band quickly moved on to the title track “Verminous” from their newest album from 2020 that reached number 99 on the billboard 200. Strnad stated himself that the addition of guitarist Brandon Ellis was really showcased on this record. While Ellis was also a part of their 2017 record “Nightbringers,” his style and musicianship really took the helm for the new record. Bassist Max Lavelle provided lots of headbanging, windmills, and deep grooving bass tones that really mesh beautifully with the band’s sound. The band then went into their third song, “Nightbringers,” and I really noticed just how on-point drummer Alan Cassidy was during this song and throughout the whole set. The Black Dahlia Murder songs are incredibly technical, fast, and complex, and Cassidy did not miss a single beat. Guitarist and founding member Brian Eschbach absolutely shreds those rhythm guitar parts with ease. As I’ve stated, the band’s songs are challenging. But someone like Eschbach has been performing them with ease for over two decades at this point, and you can tell he is genuinely enjoying himself on stage with him smiling and exuding lots of positive energy. The band went on to play a career-spanning set, with songs from seven of their nine records. I always get excited when they play “What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse” from their 2007 album “Nocturnal,” as it reminds me of when I first discovered the band myself when I found that song on Rock Band. Fun fact, that song is still the most challenging song on Rock Band for drums. The Black Dahlia Murder once again blew me away, with their colorful green and red lighting to their technical musicianship that got the rest of the crowd and me going wild. They are always on point and are a band that must be witnessed to fully appreciate how great of a band they truly are.

SETLIST

  1. I Will Return
  2. Verminous
  3. Nightbringers
  4. Unhallowed
  5. Funeral Thirst
  6. Sunless Empire
  7. Nocturnal
  8. Statutory Ape
  9. Removal of the Oaken Stake
  10. Contagion
  11. Everything Went Black
  12. On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood
  13. Child of Night
  14. Kings of the Nightworld
  15. What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
  16. Warborn
  17. As Good As Dead
  18. Deathmask Divine
  19. Miasma

This tour was beyond incredible. After a year and a half away from shows, to have this monster of a tour with these fantastic bands be one of my first shows back; was beyond incredible. Thank you to all of the amazing bands, crew, and venue staff for making sure this show and tour ran so smoothly. This will probably go down as one of the best tours of 2021.

The Black Dahlia Murder | After The Burial | Carnifex | Rivers of Nihil | Undeath

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

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

8/16/21 | Beartooth | The Below Tour | Photos + Review

August 24, 2021 Leave a comment

Beartooth Dominates Anaheim With A Sold Out Show on The Below Tour

Venue: House of Blues Anaheim in Anaheim, CA on 8/16/21

As music fans, we all have bands that we want to see. But then something seems to always come up. Whether it be scheduling issues or another show overlapping, that’s always been my issue when it’s come to seeing or photographing Beartooth. I’ve been listening to their music since their debut in 2013, but this show was my first time actually seeing or photographing them. To say it was amazing would be an understatement, and I was so glad to finally see and photograph Wage War and Dragged Under as well. California hasn’t been getting as many big tours since we reopened live venues post-pandemic. So to have a show of this caliber come through was absolutely amazing.

First up on tour was Dragged Under from Seattle, Washington. I’d best describe Dragged Under’s sound as being that perfect blend of metalcore and hardcore punk. Their sound is right up the same vein as bands like Stick To Your Guns, Beartooth, and Stray From The Path, which are all among some of my favorite bands of all time. The band started off their set with the songs “Instability” and “The Real You”, which really showcased vocalist Anthony Cappocchi’s vocal prowess and control over the stage and crowd. Bassist Hans Hessburg was an animal on stage, headbanging and jumping around the stage like crazy. The band then went on to play their newest single, “Brainwash Broadcast”, which has received critical acclaim and has garnered a lot of views, streams, and radio play on SiriusXM Octane. Ryan “Fluff” Bruce shines on this song with his’ leads and hooks, which translate well live as well. Sean Rosario on rhythm guitar adds that dynamic sound that pushes the band over the edge. Kalan Anderson is the final piece to the puzzle, slamming the hell out of those drums and keeps the beat on time. The band played 7 songs, 6 of which came from their debut album “The World Is In Your Way”. I was thoroughly impressed with their set overall, and I’m glad they could play a good number of songs as the opener. I cannot wait to see these guys shine on a stage again soon!

SETLIST

  1. Instability
  2. The Real You
  3. Brainwash Broadcast
  4. Chelsea
  5. The Hardest Drug
  6. Just Like Me
  7. Hypocondria

Up next was Wage War from Ocala, Florida. Wage War has been a band that has always been on my bucket list and has always been on my radar, but I never got the chance to see. For my first time seeing them, I was blown away. The first thing you will notice about Wage War is how much of a presence lead vocalist Briton Bond has on stage. He absolutely commands that stage and screams the hell out of those words. The band played a great mix of songs, 3 of which came from their 2019 album “Pressure”, 3 from their 2017 album “Deadweight”, 2 from their 2015 album “Blueprints”, their newest single “High Horse”, and an unreleased track “Teeth”, presumably coming from their upcoming fourth album. One of my favorite things about Wage War’s sound is the clean vocals provided by Cody Quistad, who also plays rhythm guitar in the band. Those melodic choruses on songs like “Who I Am”, “Low”, and “Alive” are what really hooked me on Wage War, and I was so happy to hear these songs live. Lead guitarist Seth Blake really adds some unique hooks to the band’s sound. I consistently find myself humming some of those down-tuned guitar hooks from their songs in my head, and they sounded even better live! Adding to those lower tones, Chris Gaylord hits deep with those groovy bass tones that keep those heads banging. Finalizing their lineup is Stephen Kluesener, who adds some dynamic beats and rhythm that really grounds the band. I’m so stoked I was finally able to see Wage War, and I cannot wait to see and photograph them again soon!

SETLIST

  1. Stitch
  2. Who I Am
  3. Prison
  4. High Horse
  5. Alive
  6. The River
  7. Don’t Let Me Fade Away
  8. Teeth
  9. Gravity
  10. Low

Finally, Beartooth came to the stage from Columbus, Ohio. Beartooth has a sound that has always been unique. They’re riff-heavy metalcore with more of a hardcore punk style edge mixed in. But what sets them apart from many bands are their melodic choruses and hooks that really drive home with audiences. For their fourth record entitled “Below”, the band set out to really go back to their roots, with an aggressive yet diverse showing of music. Beartooth opened the show with the first track off the album, titled “Below”. This aggressive start to the album and set truly set the stage for the show they were about to put on. As vocalist Caleb Shomo ran out stage and screamed out those opening lines of the song, it was chaos from then on. The band brought an extensive lighting setup and LED light panel behind them, which lit up lyrics to songs and showed dynamic visuals for each song. Caleb really honed in on his’ musicianship on this record, taking elements from each of the three previous records while also trying out some new styles as well. Bassist Oshie Bichar was on fire, constantly moving about on stage and helping with the sing-along sections. Guitarists Zach Huston and Will Deely shredded on their parts and added a lot to the band’s sound. Connor Dennis is a superb drummer and was incredibly energetic throughout the entire set. The band played a whopping 17-song set: 8 from 2021’s “Below”, 4 from 2014’s “Aggressive”, 3 from 2018’s “Disease”, and 2 from 2016’s “Aggressive”. With a wide array of songs from both the new album and the rest of the discography, Beartooth made sure to make this headlining set something new fans and old would love. I am so glad I could finally see and photograph them, and I cannot wait to do so again soon.

SETLIST:

  1. Below
  2. Devastation
  3. Hated
  4. Sick of Me
  5. Fed Up
  6. Dominate
  7. The Lines
  8. Beaten In Lips
  9. Body Bag
  10. Hell of It
  11. Skin
  12. You Never Know
  13. Bad Listener
  14. Disease
  15. In Between

ENCORE

16. The Past Is Dead

17. The Last Riff

All in all, The Below tour was an absolute dream come true. Beartooth has been a huge bucket list band for me to see for quite some time, so seeing and photographing them was a dream come true. A massive shoutout to the fantastic crew and the other bands Wage War and Dragged Under, who absolutely DESTROYED that stage! Thank you for bringing this tour to California and for presenting us with live music once again!

Beartooth | Wage War | Dragged Under

Photos + Review By: Jamie Kaufman | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under news, Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Atreyu w/ Whitechapel, He Is Legend, Tempting Fate, and Santa Cruz | 20th Anniversary Tour | Photos + Review

April 10, 2020 Leave a comment

Atreyu Closes Out Their 20th Anniversary Celebration In Ventura

Venue: The Majestic Ventura Theater in Ventura, CA on 11/20/19

When a band hits a milestone in their career, it’s a big deal. From hitting 1 year as a band, to selling out a show, each of these milestones for bands has sentimental value in their growth. Atreyu hit twenty years of being a band, which is huge considering the many bands in their cohort of metal that have come and gone since they started. While it seemed the band would be done after 2010, the band came back in 2014 stronger than ever, continuing with the momentum they had before and then some! With seven albums under their belt, the band let the fans vote on their setlist, which showcased songs from each record. Atreyu brought along with them an interesting mix of bands. With Whitechapel as direct support bringing the deathcore, He Is Legend bringing their southern influenced Mathcore, Tempting Fate bringing the post hardcore, and Santa Cruz throwing it back with some glam rock to the table, this tour was a blend of bands that were different from one another and kept the show truly interesting. Those of us in attendance at this final date of the tour has a wonderful time!

First up was Santa Cruz from Helsinki, Finland. Opening the show up, the band brought out a flare completely different than any other band on the lineup. Their sound is a mixture of glam metal, heavy metal, hard rock, and has some elements of post hardcore mixed in. As the oddballs on the tour, they really hyped the crowd up with energy, especially frontman and founding member Archie Cruz, who shredded to his’ hearts content center stage and captivated the audience with his vocal abilities reminiscent of hair metal from the 80s. The band’s touring guitarist Joe Perez was on point, shredding both the rhythm and lead parts when he and Archie switched off, with incredible stage presence and lots of hairflipping action. On stage left, you’ll find the band’s bassist Eemi Lamberg, who played his basslines with precision and class, while also giving lots of windmills and high energy. Closing out the band’s lineup is drummer Tuomas Lehtonen, who did backup vocals along with his fast and intense drum playing. Throughout the band’s six-song set, you could feel the energy thriving on the stage. I wasn’t able to meet the band, as they took their merch away shortly after they played, but they slayed their set and executed their performance brilliantly. It was a great way to start out the show!

SETLIST

  1. Changing Of Seasons
  2. Bang Bang (My Worst Enemy)
  3. True Believer
  4. We Are The Ones To Fall
  5. Wasted & Wounded
  6. Aiming High

Up next was Tempting Fate from Los Angeles, CA. This band sits on the borderline of post-hardcore and metalcore, while also blending in some nu metal influences, shown especially in their song “Sik”. As an independent band, they have released two EPs and one full length record, which they incorporated songs from each release into their eight-song set. The band has an interesting dynamic, with brothers Cory Beecher on vocals and Shane Beecher on guitar. Drummer Alex Rivas played the heavy blast beat sections with ease and had a lot of energy behind the kit. Eemi Lamberg from Santa Cruz filled in on bass, providing a lot of energy and bass lines to the band’s set. It was cool for me to see the variety in the band’s sound, with songs like “Filthy” showing their heavier side, and other songs like “A Place Called Home” showing off the band’s hard rock side. I was thoroughly impressed by their set. Tempting Fate is definitely a band to keep your eyes on!

SETLIST

  1. Filthy
  2. Questions
  3. Eminence
  4. 99
  5. Falling To Pieces
  6. I’d Rather Burn
  7. A Place Called Home
  8. Sik

Next to the stage was the all mighty He Is Legend from Wilmington, North Carolina. Starting out as a metalcore band, the band’s sound has progressed throughout the years, becoming more of a fusion between a plethora of sub-genres, most notably being a mixture of hard rock, alternative metal, stoner rock, psychedelic rock, sludge metal, and southern rock. Watching their set and listening to their music takes listeners on a journey, as songs can sometimes mix several of these influences together, creating an album where each song is dynamic and impressive. Vocalist Schuylar Croom is an entertaining person to watch on stage, grooving along with the music as if he is entranced in it. Lead guitarist Adam Tanbouz and rhythm guitarist Andrew Gaultier played their parts with ease and headbanging to their hearts content. Bassist Matty Williams strummed in those deep basslines that hit the spot in the band’s music, while providing tons of hairflips and energy. Jesse Shelley on drums is the final piece to the band’s lineup, holding down the fort and keeping the band on track while playing the drums with precision, even through the many random tempo changes. The band has a total of six albums, four of which they played songs from in their seven-song setlist. Overall, I was blown away by their set and cannot wait to see He Is Legend again in the future.

SETLIST

  1. White Bat
  2. Burn All Your Rock Records
  3. The Seduction
  4. The Widow of Magnolia
  5. Attack of the Dungeon Witch
  6. Everyone I Know Has Fangs
  7. Boogiewoman

Whitechapel from Knoxville, Tennessee was up next as direct support. Whenever I prepare for a Whitechapel set, I know what to expect: lots of energy, lots of strobing lighting, and those groovy heavy tones that match perfectly with vocalist Phil Bozeman’s deep guttural vocals. Since they released their album “The Valley” earlier in the year, which was released via Metal Blade Records, the band played six-songs from the album, along with three other fan favorite songs, adding up to a nine-song set. Whitechapel has interesting dynamics in their band, with three guitarists: Ben Savage, Alex Wade, and Zach Householder. While Ben technically does a majority of the leads, each guitarist shines during the set, truly adding to the band’s groove metal infused deathcore. Vocalist Phil Boseman really stepped out of the box on the new record, showing off more of his’ vocal abilities in terms of clean vocals, shown in songs “When A Demon Defiles A Witch” and “Hickory Creek”, both of which they played on this tour. I’m also very amused whenever I see Gabe Crisp on stage, as the dude has a really intense presence on that stage, truly jamming out and grooving along while playing those piercing bass tones. The band’s live drummer Alex Rüdinger closes out the current Whitechapel lineup, and he does not disappoint, nailing all of the bands intricate drum patterns. One funny part of the set that stuck out to me was when Phil Boseman said, “We just wrote this next song this morning, so I hope you enjoy it”, and then going on to play the band’s most recognizable song “This Is Exile”. I always love seeing Whitechapel live because they truly have an amazing arsenal of music and it’s cool to see what songs they’re going to pull out of the vault for their sets. Whitechapel never disappoints in concert, and I am looking forward to seeing them again when they come out to Southern California next!

SETLIST

  1. Forgiveness Is Weakness
  2. Brimstone
  3. Black Bear
  4. Third Depth
  5. When A Demon Defiles A Witch
  6. This Is Exile
  7. Hickory Creek
  8. Our Endless War
  9. The Saw Is The Law

Atreyu from Yorba Linda, California was up next to celebrate being together as a band for 20 years. The band’s setlist was voted on by the fans, adding up to a setlist with 20-songs spanning their entire discography, except songs from 2015’s “Long Live”. For the anniversary tour, the band brought an elaborate light show that lit up the whole venue, which made the 1200 capacity venue feel like a stadium show. The band’s lead vocalist Alex Varkatzas was filled with energy, truly utilizing every inch of that stage and engaging fans from every part of the crowd. One thing Atreyu never strays from is their guitar solos, and co-lead guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel truly showcased their abilities throughout the set. Brandon Staller is the member that truly sets Atreyu apart from many other bands, as he plays the technical drum parts while providing the clean vocals for the band. Bassist Marc McKnight is truly a hype man on stage, playing his bass lines while engaging the audience members and headbanging with his epic beard waving around. Since the fans voted on the setlist, it consisted of mainly songs from the band’s earlier albums “The Curse” and “A Death-Grip On Yesterday”, but I was glad to see that fans at least voted on some songs from the band’s later albums. I am truly lucky and happy that I was able to see Atreyu two times in a span of five months. They’re a very entertaining band to see and photograph. I cannot wait to see them again when they come back out here!

SETLIST

  1. The Time Is Now
  2. Right Side of the Bed
  3. Ain’t Love Grand
  4. Doomsday
  5. My Fork in the Road (Your Knife in My Back)
  6. Ex’s and Oh’s
  7. Our Sick Story (Thus Far)
  8. The Theft
  9. Bleeding Mascara
  10. Demonology and Heartache
  11. The Crimson
  12. Her Portrait in Black
  13. Bleeding Is a Luxury
  14. House of Gold
  15. Becoming the Bull
  16. Falling Down
  17. Blow
  18. Five Vicodin Chased With a Shot of Clarity
  19. Untitled Finale
  20. Lip Gloss and Black

Atreyu has been dominating the rock and metal scenes for two decades and truly went all in on their anniversary tour. Whitechapel, He Is Legend, Tempting Fate, and Santa Cruz all brought it and meshed with Atreyu beautifully to create a wonderful night of music and a beautiful end to this tour! Make sure to check out all of these bands and see them on tour at a city near you!

Atreyu | Whitechapel | He Is Legend | Tempting Fate | Santa Cruz

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Issues w/ Polyphia and Sleep Token | Beautiful Oblivion North American Tour | Photos + Review

April 9, 2020 Leave a comment

Issues Runs Los Angeles Into Beautiful Oblivion

Venue: The Mayan in Los Angeles, CA on 11/14/20

When it comes to sound progression in a band’s discography, Issues almost instantly comes to my mind. While they started out sounding a lot like vocalist Tyler Carter’s previous band “Woe, Is Me”, the band started to slowly but surely incorporate influences from genres such as R&B, Funk, Jazz, and EDM. Their newest record “Beautiful Oblivion” saw the band taking a giant leap in terms of their sound. With the departure of long-time vocalist Michael Bahn, the band distanced themselves a bit from the metalcore sound, incorporating more of those influences than ever before. To celebrate the album, the band set out on their world tour, with the first stop being North America with support from Polyphia and Sleep Token: a mixed bag of talent that worked well for the tour!

First up was Sleep Token from London, England. Sleep Token is a fully conceptual band, with each member sporting masks and black body paint. They’ve created this story of being united in worshipping their god known as “Sleep”. The lineup still remains completely anonymous, which adds to the appeal. Sleep Token has taken the scene by storm, garnering a cult-like following with their diversified sound that blends together alternative rock, progressive rock, progressive metalcore, ambient, and EDM. It was surreal to see them on stage, as they looked very ominous on stage with their masks and look. But their music is very melodic and can completely change genres mid-song, which continuously keeps the listeners on their toes. I was personally thrilled to hear the band play songs from their debut album “Sundowning”, which was released in 2019 via Spinefarm Records. The band played a total of six songs, five of which came from that new album. The band played a flawless set with a lot of energy, and I cannot wait for the band to return to the U.S. in the future!

SETLIST

  1. The Night Does Not Belong To God
  2. The Offering
  3. Dark Signs
  4. Higher
  5. Sugar
  6. Jaws

Up next was Polyphia from Dallas, Texas as the direct support for the tour. Polyphia is a very dynamic band. And while they are fully instrumental, they got the crowd going wild like no other, blending together progressive metal, progressive rock, math rock, funk rock, and even some elements of electronic music. Both guitarists Scott LePage and Clay Aeschliman played some insane riffs, with odd time signatures that fit perfectly into the songs. Bassist Clay Glover acts as the band’s front man, hyping up the crowd between the songs and grooving along with his’ deep hitting basslines. With three full length records and two EPs under their belt, the band has garnered a very passionate following, selling out shows country wide on their headlining tours. As direct support, the band prepared a ten-song set, which showcased songs from each of their releases, the newest of which being their 2018 album “New Levels New Devils”, which was released via Equal Vision Records. Polyphia was truly amazing and blew my expectations out of the water!

SETLIST

  1. O.A.T.
  2. D.
  3. Saucy
  4. Goose
  5. 40oz
  6. Champagne
  7. Icronic
  8. Look But Don’t Touch
  9. Finale
  10. Euphoria

Issues from Atlanta, Georgia finally hit the stage next for their headlining set. To celebrate the new album’s release, the band played the album “Beautiful Oblivion” in its entirety, along with songs from their previous releases, adding up to a whopping 20-song set. “Beautiful Oblivion” was released in 2019 via Rise Records and shows a more adventurous side to Issues’ sound. Each song brings its own flavor, bringing in different levels of influences and styles. Many fans were surprised by the change in style, compared to their metalcore foundations on previous albums. New songs like “Drink About It”, “Tapping Out”, “Downfall”, “Rain”, and “Here’s To You” still retain some of the heavy instrumentals, but rarely include the screaming vocals or as heavy of instrumentals as the band had on their first several releases, 2012’s “Black Diamonds EP”, 2014’s “Issues” and 2016’s “Headspace”. It personally took me a couple of listens through the record to truly fall in love with it, but I eventually became obsessed. Tyler Carter writes some truly catchy lyrics that get stuck in my head on a daily basis. The groovy guitar and bass lines courtesy of AJ Rebollo and Skyler Acord. The intricate drum patterns come from the one and only Josh Manuel, who is very fun to see in concert with his energy in the back. Issues brought out some older songs on this tour, with “Never Lose Your Flames” and “Mad At Myself” being fan favorite songs from their self-titled album. I was thoroughly impressed by their performance and cannot wait to see them in the fall when they tour North America as support for Dance Gavin Dance, Animals As Leaders, Veil of Maya, and Wolf & Bear!

SETLIST

  1. Here’s to You
  2. Drink About It
  3. Never Lose Your Flames
  4. Hero
  5. Find Forever
  6. Tapping Out
  7. Stingray Affliction
  8. Without You
  9. Rain
  10. Your Sake
  11. COMA
  12. Downfall
  13. Second Best
  14. Get It Right
  15. King of Amarillo
  16. Flexin
  17. No Problem (Keep It Alive)
  18. Slow Me Down
  19. Beautiful Oblivion

ENCORE

20. Mad at Myself

Issues’ Beautiful Oblivion North American Tour brought together an excellent tour, with a mixture of music that was entertaining from the moment Sleep Token opened the show, to Polyphia slaying their set with crowdsurfers galore, and finally to Issues playing a monstrous twenty song set! Don’t forget to get your tickets to see Issues open for Dance Gavin Dance in August!

Issues | Polyphia | Sleep Token

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ice Nine Kills w/ Fit For A King, Light The Torch, and Awake At Last | SiriusXM Octane Accelerator Tour | Photos + Review

March 5, 2020 Leave a comment

Ice Nine Kills Play Homage To Horror Classics At Their Sold-Out Los Angeles Show

Venue: The Belasco on 11/9/19

Ice Nine Kills has been a consistent band I’ve listened to since I got into them when I first saw them on Warped Tour in 2014. Their blend of symphonics with metalcore has always been intriguing to me. For the second edition of the SiriusXM Octane Accelerator Tour, Ice Nine Kills was announced to headline, with support from Fit For A King, Light The Torch, and Awake At Last. Make Them Suffer was also slotted to open on the tour, but due to VISA issues, they were unable to perform on the tour. This would be Ice Nine Kills’ biggest headlining tour to date in the United States, and they really went all out to make this an amazing tour.

First up was Awake At Last from Dover, Delaware. The band describes themselves as a mixture between pop, hard rock, and post-hardcore, which I agree with. Continuing their touring schedule in support of their newest release “The Change”, which was released in 2019 via Outerloop Records, the band opened the show with high energy that got the crowd going. Similarly to Ice Nine Kills, the band uses symphonic backing in their songs, with adds a great level of depth to their songs. Opening their set with the song “Purgatorium” from their independently released 2017 EP titled “Life/Death/Rebirth” showcases this depth to a T. Vocalist Vincent Torres has great stage presence, really engaging the crowd and moving about. Guitarists Imran Xhelili and Eric Blackway really held their own on stage, engaging their respective sides of the crowd and really adding to the energy coming from the band. Drew Hansen headbanged and slammed those notes with the bass with ease. Closing out the band’s live lineup is Jeff Dorber on drums, who was very energetic and engaging. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the band’s seven-song set, and thought they really got the energy going for the bands to come!

SETLIST

  1. Purgatorium
  2. More Than Animals
  3. Unobtainable
  4. Paralyzed
  5. Fallen Stars
  6. Dead Generation
  7. The Change

Up next was the all mighty Light The Torch from Los Angeles, CA. Previously called “Devil You Know”, the band has been around since 2012 and have released three studio albums together. I was very much excited to see them, as I have been a fan of each member’s respective bands. Vocalist Howard Jones was previously in Killswitch Engage, guitarist Francesco Artusato is also in All Shall Perish, who are on an indefinite hiatus, bassist Ryan Wombacher is also the bassist of Bleeding Through, who I had the pleasure of seeing and photographing in June of 2018, and drummer Kyle Baltus is the drummer of 38 Crazyfists. So as a super group, the band embarked on this tour and prepared an 8-song set, most of which came from their 2018 record “Revival”, which was released via Nuclear Blast Records. As the perfect blend between metalcore and alternative metal, the band was energetic and slayed that stage with ease. I was just in awe to finally see Howard Jones on stage, and to be able to photograph them was a dream come true. The band will be going on a North American tour in support of Killswitch Engage and August Burns Red in March – April, so definitely go check them out when they hit a city near you!

SETLIST

  1. The Bitter End
  2. Calm Before The Storm
  3. Lost In The Fire
  4. Virus
  5. Consume The Damned
  6. The Safety of Disbelief
  7. The Sound of Violence
  8. Die Alone

As direct support, Fit For A King from Dallas, Texas was up next. I have seen and photographed these guys four times now over the last two years and this is by far my favorite set they’ve performed. The band plays some damn good metalcore, and with five albums under their belt, they have created a solid career for themselves. For their direct support slot on this tour, the band prepared a ten-song set, with songs from their two newest releases “Dark Skies” from 2018 and “Deathgrip” from 2016, both of which were released via Solid State Records. Something long time fans will know is that vocalist Ryan Kirby has taken on more as a vocalist, doing both screaming and singing on these releases. His stage presence is incredible. Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary is the hypeman of the band, jumping, spinning, kicking, screaming, and singing to his’ heart’s content while playing those bass notes. Drummer and founding member Jared Easterling is always on point, playing intricate and dynamic drum parts, while exuding such joy and happiness while playing on stage. Guitarist Daniel Gailey closes out the band’s lineup, and despite some technical difficulties at the beginning of the set, came out and delivered a stellar performance. I love Fit For A King. If you love some good metalcore, they’ll be going on a world tour in support of “Dark Skies” that will be hitting North America, Europe, and more in the coming months!

SETLIST

  1. Engraved
  2. Backbreaker
  3. When Everything Means Nothing
  4. Shattered Glass
  5. Cold Room
  6. Dead Memory
  7. Deathgrip
  8. The Price of Agony
  9. Oblivion
  10. Tower of Pain

Ice Nine Kills from Boston, Massachusetts came out next to headline the night. With a dramatic curtain drop, the band started out their set with the infamous song and the third single “Thank God It’s Friday” from “The Silver Scream”, which was released in 2018 via Fearless Records. What the curtain drop revealed was an elaborate set of lighting and costuming. Each member was dressed up as a different horror icon: drummer Patrick Galante was dressed up was Billy The Puppet from SAW, guitarist and backup vocalist Ricky Armellino was dressed up as Georgie from IT, guitarist Dan Sugarman was dressed up as Jack Torrance from The Shining, and bassist Joe Occhiuti was dressed up as Edward Scissorhands. Spencer Charnas, the lead vocalist and founding member, changed costumes and props each song. When “Thank God It’s Friday” played, he was dressed up as Jason Vorhees from Friday The 13th, with the machete in hand. The second song in the set “The Jig Is Up”, spencer switched into his usual outfit for the show: a ripped green and red striped cut of shirt, black jeans, and shoes. But, to fit the song being about the SAW franchise, he sported an old man mask to act like John Kramer. For our third and final song in the photo pit, Spencer brought out a chainsaw and played with it for the duration of the song “Savages”. The rest of the set was filled with other costume changes, notably his’ complete costume change to be dressed up as Ghostface from the Scream franchise for the song “Your Number’s Up” from their 2019 deluxe edition release of the album. The whole band held their own. The most hyped part of the set would have to be during the encore when Spencer came on stage dressed up as Pennywise from IT and brought up someone in a Mickey Mouse costume. It was a creative way to mock Disney for banning the band. This set was filled with theatrics, amazing music, and amazing costumes. The band prepared a whopping 19-song set for their larger than life headliner, and it’s truly amazing to see how far they’ve come as a band since I first saw them. Ice Nine Kills is currently on a European tour in support of Hollywood Undead and Papa Roach, and then will be touring the US once again as support for Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach, and I Prevail from 4/8 – 5/20, so definitely go see them on a date near you! I can’t wait to see one of my favorite bands again when they come out here!

SETLIST

  1. Thank God It’s Friday
  2. The Jig Is Up
  3. SAVAGES
  4. The Nature of the Beast
  5. The World In My Hands
  6. Communion of the Cursed
  7. A Grave Mistake
  8. Your Number’s Up
  9. Rocking The Boat
  10. Merry Axe-Mas
  11. Thriller (Michael Jackson cover)
  12. Hell In The Hallways
  13. Stabbing In The Dark
  14. The Fastest Way To A Girl’s Heart Is Through Her Ribcage
  15. Love Bites
  16. Tess-Timony
  17. Me, Myself, & Hyde
  18. The American Nightmare

ENCORE

19. IT Is The End

The SiriusXM Octane Accelerator Tour was absolutely incredible from start to finish. Ice Nine Kills truly put on a one of a kind set that truly made me speechless walking out of the venue. Fit For A King delivered an incredible set as direct support and blew me away yet again. Light The Torch tore the stage up and made me an even bigger fan of them. And Awake At Last delivered a flawless set with ease as the opening act. I am truly grateful that I was able to attend this show and capture all of these amazing moments.

Ice Nine Kills | Fit For A King | Light The Torch | Awake At Last

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In Flames with Red and Arrival Of Autumn | Winter North American Tour | Photos + Review

February 1, 2020 Leave a comment

In Flames Set The Observatory On Fire On Their Winter North American Tour

Venue: The Observatory Orange Country on 11/6/19

            In Flames has been a band on my radar for quite some time. I got into them later than most when their 2016 album “Battles” hit the shelves. I was stoked when their North American Tour was announced, as I had still never seen them live. Along with the band came support from Red and Arrival of Autumn, giving the evening a mixture of metalcore, post-hardcore, hard rock, and melodic death metal. This night was truly amazing.

First up was Arrival Of Autumn from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. This was my second time seeing and photographing these guys, the last time being a little over a month prior on the last date of their tour with Soulfly, Incite, and Prison. The band is the perfect mixture of metalcore and melodic death metal. Unfortunately, due to traffic, I was only able to photograph and catch the last song and a half of their set at The Observatory, but something that is evident about Arrival of Autumn is just how strong and together they are as a band. From their riff heavy instrumentals, courtesy of Ryan Sorensen and Brendan Anderson, to their thick basslines, thanks to Kevin Student, technical drumming from Ty Fox, and the mixture of a wide array of singing and screaming from vocalist Jamison Friesen, the band has a very strong sound that have blown me away both times I’ve seen them. The band played a 7-song set, most of which came from their debut 2019 release “Harbinger”, which was released via Nuclear Blast. Arrival Of Autumn is truly an amazing band and I cannot wait to catch their set again next time they’re in Southern California!

SETLIST

  1. Hurricane on the Horizon
  2. Witness
  3. Better Off Without
  4. The Endless
  5. Apocalyptic
  6. Old Bones / New Blood
  7. The Horror

Up next was Red from Nashville, Tennessee. This was my second time seeing these guys, with my last time being in March of 2018 when they co-headlined The Regent with Lacey Strum. I didn’t know much about them the first time I saw them but became a big fan after seeing them the first time. I now own every one of their six albums on physical copy and was happy with the songs they chose for their 9-song set. They mixed songs from their albums, along with songs from their 2019 EP “The Evening Hate”, which they released via The Fuel. I would best describe their sound as a mixture of Nu Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, and Hard Rock. Their sound is dynamic, blending each of these songs into their diversified discography to perfection. When you go see Red live, the first thing you will realize is just how energetic vocalist Michael Barnes is, truly engaging with the crowd and owning every inch of the stage. Guitarist Anthony Armstrong, and twin brother and bassist Randy Armstrong own their sides of the stage with ease, slaying those guitars with ease. In the back of the stage, you’ll find drummer Dan Johnson drumming with force with his double bass drums on point. The band was a joy to see, and I especially liked them more now that I actually know the music they were playing. I cannot wait to see Red again in the future.

SETLIST

  1. Fight Inside
  2. Death of Me
  3. Confession (What’s Inside My Head)
  4. Let Go
  5. From The Ashes
  6. Already Over
  7. Feed The Machine
  8. The Evening Hate
  9. Breathe Into Me

In Flames from Gothenburg, Sweden finally hit the stage last. The band really went all out in terms of choosing their setlist, putting together 21-songs that showcased songs from ten of their thirteen albums. What blew me away was hearing the band’s change in sound over the span of their 30-year career as a band. Their musical style mixes together melodic death metal, metalcore, alternative metal, and heavy metal. The band played the perfect mix of the heavy, with some of their more melodic songs, to make both old school fans and newer fans alike very happy. Of the 21 songs they played, 6 of those songs came from their newest album “I, The Mask”, which was released in 2019 via Eleven Seven Records in North America, and via Nuclear Blast throughout the rest of the world. One element to the band’s sound that is iconic when many think of melodic death metal is their heavy use of guitar solos and dueling guitar parts, courtesy of Björn Gelotte and Chris Broderick. Both Gelotte and Broderick had great stage presence and interacted a lot with the crowd. The band’s older sound was strictly melodic death metal, but as time went on, vocalist Anders Fridén started incorporating more clean vocals, which truly helped bring the band in a different direction. Fridén told jokes between the band’s songs and was very active on stage. Bassist Bryce Paul headbanged like crazy and was also very big on crowd participation while he slammed out those bass notes. Drummer Tanner Wayne closes out the band’s lineup, playing an intricate drum patterns with ease. Wayne was previously in post-hardcore bands Chiodos and Scary Kids Scaring Kids but has since joined the metal greats of In Flames and helped them create “I, The Mask”, which has truly become my favorite record from the band to date. Just like their live set, the new record mixes together elements from melodic death metal with elements from metalcore, alternative metal, and heavy metal. They played a truly amazing set that left a lasting impression on me. I cannot wait to see them next time they come out to Southern California!

SETLIST

  1. Cloud Connected
  2. Only for the Weak
  3. Take This Life
  4. Clay Man
  5. Where the Dead Ships Dwell
  6. Call My Name
  7. Behind Space
  8. Follow Me
  9. Monsters in the Ballroom
  10. All for Me
  11. (This Is Our) House
  12. The Hive
  13. Wallflower
  14. Here Until Forever
  15. Burn
  16. Voices
  17. Everything’s Gone
  18. Colony
  19. The Truth
  20. I Am Above
  21. The End

The Winter North American Tour was an amazing spectacle to attend. I was finally able to see In Flames, who completely obliterated my expectations out of the water. It was great to see Red again, who were insane at this show and tore that stage up. And it was great to see my new friends in Arrival Of Autumn tear up that stage again, even though I was only able to catch a couple of songs. Truly an amazing night!

In Flames | Red | Arrival Of Autumn

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older posts

Newer posts →