Lineup: The Rosebuds, Bon Iver
Date: August 3, 2011
Venue: Tower Theater (Upper Darby, PA)

Sometimes things hit me quickly and sometimes they take a certain amount of time to really hit me. I know it’s almost trendy to complain about the state of today’s music scene. You probably know which bands I’m talking about but I don’t want to soil this review with name-dropping. However, I’ve been on somewhat of a musical self-discovery lately, settling into the artists and genres I’m comfortable with and trying to ignore the rest because they’ll only trick my mind into thinking no quality music is being released. At a show that Bon Iver is headlining, you can probably assume that notion was tossed out the window. And it was.

What I was trying to get at with that probably unnecessary opening paragraph is that it only just hit me that I witnessed the best show of my life last night. I’ve seen a lot of shows, but none have left me on the verge of tears for an hour and a half like last night’s show did. Not because I’ve been waiting eons to see Bon Iver but because every song has such beauty associated with it. Seeing those songs performed live with such passion attached to them was honestly like a religious experience.

I don’t know whether all those in attended who had seen Bon Iver live before had some sort of unwritten agreement but throughout their entire set (until the very end) no one said a word during the performances. Everyone sat there in silence, letting Justin & co. do what we paid to see them do –– and do it beautifully. That added to the wonder of the show. I like to think that it was because we all came down with a case of shock and awe, like we were all in some sort of incredulity-induced trance. Personally that was what happened to me. I sat there trying to soak in the words Justin was singing, the sound of all the instruments, the lights. It’s now twelve-plus hours later and I think I’ve digested at least half of what I’d seen.

If I hadn’t looked at last night’s set list I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what was played. Everything seemed to blur together until the end. After a fourteen song set, they played an encore of three songs. The second was “The Wolves (Act I and II)” and this was the first song during which the audience said a word. And that was only because Justin asked us to. Having roughly 3,000 people sing every word just as loud as the person on stage is always an incredible thing to witness. This continued over into the last song of the night, “Skinny Love.” No one missed a word, only pausing briefly to clap as Justin threw aside his acoustic guitar halfway through the song to finish it a cappella. One standing ovation later, the best show I’d ever been to was over, and I couldn’t have left feeling more satisfied.

A lot of people say they’re a fan of music. I do and I’m sure you do as well. Taking that a bit further, I’d like to say that I’m a fan of music that makes me feel something. Last night I felt emotions that probably don’t have names yet. I’m still feeling them. Hearing these songs on vinyl or on an album only give you half of those emotions. Seeing them live is honestly indescribable.

Trust me, even though this review is 95% Bon Iver, don’t count out The Rosebuds. They, too, have a great sound that are worthy of just as much respect. However, I think that no matter who Bon Iver go on tour with, they’re bound to be overshadowed. That’s just part of the territory. Overall the two bands made for an amazing evening that I won’t soon, if ever, be forgetting.

*Photo courtesy of me walking and trying to take a picture with my iPhone.
*If you have any questions, feel free to ask! 

Posted by why dont u guys make out As well:)??? 4 August 3 Permalink

Lineup: The New Regime, Colour Revolt, Thursday, Taking Back Sunday
Date: July 15, 2011
Venue: Tower Theater (Upper Darby, PA)

It’s very rare that I go to a show and am seeing every band on the ticket for the first time. You’d think that someone like myself, who got into the post-hardcore genre of music when it was arguably at its peak (I’m talking early 2000s here) would have seen bands like Taking Back Sunday and Thursday dozens of times. Especially the latter since we share residence in the same state and they are, as some would say, loyal to their soil. I think what that means is they still play their traditional New Years Eve show every year and since both myself and the band are from New Jersey, I would’ve attended it and therefore have seen them live by now.

However, it’s now 2011, post-hardcore and all the bands I used to listen to so long ago have mostly died out, and Friday was the first time I’d ever seen Taking Back Sunday and Thursday live. Shame on me.

We Are the In Crowd were supposed to be the opening act on this tour but due to recording issues they had to drop off — or so I’ve heard. Regardless, The New Regime took their place and, in my humble opinion, fit in much better with the rest of the bands and their respective sounds. The New Regime are a different sounding band and did a good job opening the show and leading into Colour Revolt, who seemed to slow things down a few notches. Like I’d said earlier, I’d never seen any of the bands before, including Colour Revolt, and I was almost stunned at how much they sound like Manchester Orchestra. (Or maybe Manchester sound like them, I don’t know the chronological order in which the bands were formed.) 

Thursday have always been one of those bands I kind of forget I love until I randomly hear them one day while driving or doing something else in which I’d be around their music. I missed them at Warped many moons ago and since then my opportunities to see them live have been null. They’re one of those bands who make it cool to be from Jersey. Despite our high level of suckage in other departments, we’ve got an incredible music scene and Thursday only up the ante. They’re still in the process of promoting their newest album, No Devolución, so a large chunk of their set consisted of songs from that. But they still played some of their best oldies (“For the Workforce, Drowning” and “Jet Black New Year”) so I was very pleased. However, “No Answers” is the song you’ve got to watch them play if you choose to ignore the rest of their set. It’s arguably the best song off No Devolución and what they do with it in a live setting is just unreal. Geoff Rickly has incredible stage presence, too, which can’t not be mentioned.

The only thing that put a damper on my mood after Thursday’s amazing set were the dimwits sitting (yes, sitting – Tower Theater has real live seating, which sucked but in reality is good when you go to a show with a cripple) next to me who kept asking who Thursday were and why they were relevant. But all those concerns were tossed out the window as soon as TBS came on. After rekindling my love for them, it was safe to say that I was nearly peeing my pants in anticipation.

Seeing the original line-up back together is something people have been talking about since it happened. Since then the focus has totally been on John and Shaun being back, the new record, and how great it is seeing them at shows because of it. I hope to take a different approach because I’ve never seen them any other way. I never saw them with Fred or Matt, only John and Shaun. And I’m kind of proud of that in a strange way.

Their set kicked off with “El Paso” and the momentum didn’t stop for a breather until John traded in his guitar for a keyboard and they covered Straylight Run’s “Existentialism on Prom Night” — with Adam on vocals. That may or may not have caused a tear or fifty to roll down my cheeks. Now, if I could only get them to tour with Brand New, it’d be like the ultimate Apology Accepted tour.

Most of the songs were from Tell All Your Friends. There was a dash of Where You Want to Be, a side of Taking Back Sunday, and another dash of Louder Now. Overall it was a set that any long-lasting fan would appreciate because it had it all. There was a lot of funny story-telling between songs and I walked away at the end of the night knowing I’d just witnessed a great show. That doesn’t happen very often — sometimes I get annoyed and wish they would’ve played this song or that song or something else happens but Friday was void of all negative feelings. All I could say was, “Oh my god, that was such a good show.” And I meant every word of it.

Going back to 2003 for a second, my twelve-year-old self would be so proud of my now nineteen-year-old self for attending this show. I thought it was all about nostalgia but I got something much more out of it. It was a show that made me feel like going to shows was cool again, that there was still something to get out of them after being a steady show-goer for so long. Everything that used to be so unappealing about seeing a band live was gone, replaced with songs that I’ve known the words to for almost a decade and bands I’ve been listening to just as long.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Posted by why dont u guys make out As well:)??? 21 July 4 Permalink

(Image courtesy of Catherine Powell)

Lineup: Panic! At The Disco, fun., Funeral Party
Date: June 22, 2011
Venue: The Warfield (San Francisco, CA)

The thing about this show is I, for once, wasn’t going in blind on any accounts. I’d seen every one of these bands play and had something to base their performances off of. However, while I thought I knew what I was getting in to going to this show…I found out that I honestly had no idea. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been so unprepared before in my life at a show.

I arrived late thanks to a foggy day in San Francisco and the Pride Week festivities setting me up for massive amounts of traffic. When I arrived I was just in time to see the first note that Funeral Party played and I was blown away. They were not what I expected and though I never gave them a second thought before, I walked away a huge fan and most definitely bought their album off of iTunes when I got home.

Fun. took the stage after and to say I originally went there for anyone else would be a lie. The thing about Nate Ruess is that no matter what project he is doing, I will be a fan because his voice is so unique and wonderful that I cannot help but love it. Watching that band is always a magical experience. It’s never the same show, the band’s energy radiating and fueling the crowd’s energy. Some of the notes Nate hit I couldn’t even believe and I was definitely impressed.

What I wasn’t expecting though was how much I was going to enjoy Panic! At The Disco’s performance. The first time I saw Panic! At The Disco was, in fact, at this same theater on the Nintendo Fusion Tour with Fall Out Boy and The Starting Line. To say that they’d come a long way since that, I would consider that an understatement. The first time I saw Panic! At The Disco they had an iPod they used on stage and they were fumbling around the stage like awkward teenagers, but they still demanded your attention.

Now they’re on a completely other level. Ian, Brendon, Spencer, and Dallon all can command your attention flawlessly. From their stage banter to their actual musicianship, Panic! At The Disco have evolved into a wonderful, entertaining, and talented band beyond what most had expected for them. The set was full of songs, both new and old, but seemed to lack a lot of Pretty. Odd, which was alright because it really kept the fun atmosphere alive and thriving. The way they moved about the stage didn’t allow for the audience to take their eyes away.

They truly performed like artist, a thing which I think lacks in the music scene nowadays. Not to say there aren’t talented musicians, and some times it really is enough to just sit and watch because they are that good. However, some artist take it to that next level. Panic! At The Disco have always been theatrical but this show was special. There wasn’t dancers, the cabaret wasn’t there, and there wasn’t a magical array of plants everywhere. The thing is, with the simplified steampunk-esque theme going on it allowed for the band to truly shine and step away from being drowned out by their background theatrics and instead be the true thing that people are focusing on.

The performance wasn’t technically perfect. There was a few technical issues here and there. Yet, the performance was still one of the best performance I’ve seen this entire year. It was a beautiful and fantastic show and I was so glad to be able to attend it. People write them off because of their past, and I truly believe that if you are one of those that write them off you are a fool. Honestly, to have seen this wonderful transformation in the last five years has been fantastic and I can only hope to see this band continue to grow.

*If you have any questions about the show feel free to ask!

Posted by No One Stays At The Top Forever 23 June 10 Permalink

Lineup: The Get Up Kids, Saves The Day
Date: June 12, 2011
Venue: Crocodile Rock Cafe (Allentown, PA)

I had no intention of going to this show until I received a text message from my friend at 3am the morning(?) before saying he’d bought the tickets. I’ve been an avid fan of Saves The Day since I first heard “At Your Funeral” in the seventh grade. Seeing as how I’m going on my third year of college, that’s a pretty long time. Even though I’ve been a fan for so long, I’d never seen them live. For someone who seriously started getting into music beyond what was on the radio during the early 2000s, I was ashamed of that. Saves The Day, to me, have always been one of those bands. You know, those bands who write exactly what’s on your mind and get you through whatever hardship you’re facing at the time. That was them, and after seven long years of waiting, I finally got to see those songs I loved so much at the age of twelve at the age of nineteen.

I must admit that I was never a fan of The Get Up Kids. I’d never heard anything other than “Holiday” (and that was only because it was in a Legion of Doom mashup — whoops) but I like knowing I was at a band’s show that has made such an impact on the genre. And they definitely put on a fantastic show. The crowd was heavily into everything they were doing and they seemed to be having a blast as well. Each band played for an hour and a half so there was a ton of time for them to not only have fun but take requests from the crowd and do their thing. When the band is having a blast on stage, it translates to the crowd, and that’s exactly what happened. I was surrounded by fans of theirs and by the end of it I was jumping along and acting like an idiot even though I didn’t know any of the words. And that was perfectly alright with me.

Now, let me preface the Saves The Day part of this review by saying a few times. The first is that I got a chance to meet Chris Conley before the show. He is one of the nicest, most down to earth human beings I’ve ever met. And I don’t mean one of the nicest, most down to earth band members I’ve ever met. He is a truly humble and kind person — the type of person that’s really rare nowadays. Regardless, there was also a group of friends in line behind me/next to me in the crowd. One of the members of that group was at his 80th Saves The Day show. I couldn’t even wrap my mind around that. I’ve been to more than 80 shows in my life but I’ve never seen one band that many times. Many, many kudos to him.

Anyway, back to the show. When I was outside in line, I heard Chris tell someone that the band was playing a 27-song set and that there was a bunch of new stuff as well as old. They kicked off the show with “Firefly” — one of my absolute favorites — and finished with “At Your Funeral”. There was so many great songs in between that I can’t even begin to tell you all about them. If you’re worried about their new material and what it’s going to sound like, have no fear. Everyone I talked to after the show agreed that it sounds fantastic. Once I get my next paycheck, I’m undoubtedly pre-ordering the album. (If you’re out of the loop, it’ll be entitled Daybreak and will be released on September 13th.)

Like I said earlier, I’ve never seen Saves The Day live so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was blown away. They all have incredible stage presence and I feel like I did my seventh grade self justice by screaming along to every song they played. I’m falling back into the bands I was into back then and I’m so glad I rediscovered my love for Saves right when they were playing semi-locally. They mentioned that they’ll be going on a headlining tour in the fall when the album drops and I know it’ll take everything in me to not go to every date. If you get a chance to see them, please take advantage of it. They’re not only great musicians but great people as well and deserve the support.

*If you have any questions about the show, please feel free to ask!

Posted by why dont u guys make out As well:)??? 14 June 7 Permalink

Tour: Keystone Tour
Lineup: Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band, Brand New
Date: April 28, 2011
Venue: Crocodile Rock Cafe (Allentown, PA)

When I initially ordered my tickets, I had no qualms about seeing Brand New two nights in a row. After all, they’ve been my favorite band forever and I haven’t even seen them a handful of times. But on the way there, I got to thinking: wouldn’t it be kind of boring to see the same exact show? I’m not saying I would’ve minded. Brand New could’ve played the same song for two hours and I would’ve been into it. But believe me when I say last night’s show blew the Philadelphia show out of the water.

I got to the venue early thinking it’d be a three-hour wait for doors in the blistering sun. It was monsoon’ing when I left my house so I didn’t think to bring sunscreen. (That doesn’t have anything to do with the story, I just want you all to know that I’m slightly sunburnt and bitter about it.) And we also missed our exit so we went on a 30 minute detour to do an illegal U-turn. So, by the time we arrived, it was safe to say that 2.5 hour wait for doors was number one on my ‘hate’ list. But it proved to be a blessing in disguise seeing as how we were sitting right next to the door the bands/staff went in and out of. So, not only did we get to meet Kevin Devine, we also got to meet Vin Accardi and Brian Lane. (And Brian Lane’s dog. It was cute.)

Regardless, I never got huge into Kevin Devine. Not because I didn’t like him, but because I just never did. But I was blown away by his live set. The whole time I kept thinking about the person who asked us about soul in modern music. Kevin Devine has soul. A lot of it. And it’s inspirationally obvious to everyone who was in the crowd last night. Every person he has playing with him is so talented, and it made for an all-around incredible set to watch. He could also double as a comedian. For example:

Guy in crowd: CAN YOU PLAY *SONG NAME*?
Kevin: Yeah, I can play that. I’m not going to, but I can. I wrote it so I’m pretty sure I can play it.

Kevin Devine changed me from a non-listener to someone who’s going to see him every time he plays within a 100-mile radius.

While sitting outside, we heard Brand New sound checking a song neither of us knew. We went back and forth between whether it was a cover or a new song. We gave up because the song got stuck in our heads and we didn’t know it. But Brand New opened their set with this song, and we later found out it was a Nine Inch Nails cover. “Wish” to be exact. And the rest of the set went on to blow my mind because it was so much better and different from the night before. Jesse seemed to be in a better mood — he was talkative, cracking jokes, and was as sweet as ever — and that seemed to change the entire atmosphere.

There wasn’t much difference in the set list except the opening cover and that they played “Logan to Government Center” last night. That was fine with me because I’d never complain about Brand New playing a 22-song set.

Overall, these past two shows have solidified Brand New as my favorite band forever. No one is going to take their place. Nothing they do in the future is going to jeopardize their spot. They’re there forever. And what more can you ask from your biggest inspirations?

As always, if you have any questions about the set list or anything else in general, feel free to ask!

Posted by why dont u guys make out As well:)??? 29 April 10 Permalink

(Photo from Brand New’s Facebook page.)

Lineup: River City Extension, Brand New
Date: April 27, 2011
Venue: Electric Factory (Philadelphia, PA)

In case any of you didn’t know, Brand New have been my favorite band since 2003. This was only the second time I’ve seen them live. The first was back in ‘09, right after Daisy was released. Even though there’s no new (surfaced) material, a lot has changed since then. And this mini-tour seemed to come out of nowhere, leaving me with a bunch of question marks over my head. I had no idea what to expect with this show.

The first date of the tour was last night in Baltimore. The aftermath left us with four things: Kevin Devine opened the show, Brand New are supposedly in the process of writing a new album, they’re going to try and make it happier than the last few, and they’re supposedly going on tour again soon. The first came as no surprise. The other three, however, left me with mixed emotions. I was obviously ecstatic that they’re writing again (and are not breaking up/retiring as a lot of people claimed would happen after Daisy was released) but what exactly does “happier” mean? Regardless, I kind of pushed those thoughts to the side in anticipation of the night’s show.

Now, I’m never really shocked when I hear about the extremes Brand New fans go through to see them live. After all, the show I attended sold out in under twenty minutes. But standing in the crowd, I got to talking to a girl who’d flown into Philadelphia that morning — from New Mexico. Her and her friend didn’t just happen to be coming to Philly and decided to go see their favorite band. No, they went to Philly just to see the show. Which got me to thinking: for being such a private, disclosed band, they have some of the greatest, most loyal fans I’ve ever seen.

River City Extension opened the show. Most of us weren’t aware of this until we walked in and saw their merch set up. I’m ashamed to admit that I’d never listened to them until seeing them live. And, seeing as how they’re from my home state of New Jersey, I’m even more ashamed. We don’t get many bands as talented as RCE. (Maybe Saves the Day, but that’s it.) They absolutely blew me away with their sound. It’s so refreshing to see bands doing something different, something that may not be popular but is true to the band members and is something they really believe in. It’s nice to see every band member screaming along to the lead vocalist, playing their respective instruments with so much passion you can feel it all the way in the back of the venue. But it wasn’t just the instrumentals and obvious passion that got me, it was the lyrics as well. Especially in “If I Still Own a Bible.” If you’re like me and never gave River City Extension a listen, please do. I really can’t put into words how blown away I was.

When I saw Brand New for the first time back in 2009, I cried. Embarrassing, yes, but it didn’t last long with the way the crowd was. Which is exactly what happened this time around. I didn’t cry (although I was two people away from the barricade and right in front of Vin) but I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach as soon as they walked onto stage and broke into “Sowing Season.” That feeling was love. Not the love you feel when you’re 13 and seeing the dude in the band you have the biggest crush on. No, this is the kind of love I can only imagine a parent feels when they’re beyond proud of their child.

It still shocks me how modest and almost nervous Jesse Lacey seems on stage. After they played the first few songs (“Sowing Season”, “Millstone”, “Vices”, “Gasoline”, “Bought a Bride”) he thanked the crowd and said it was really cool of us to let them come and play music. It’s as if he doesn’t know and/or realize that a majority of the crowd consider him some kind of god. But I digress.

I don’t know what more to say to put into words how incredible Brand New’s live show is. They tweak each song so it doesn’t sound exactly like the album version and that’s something I can really appreciate. If I want to hear the album I’d listen to it in my car or at home. When I go to a show I want to see it done with a personal edge to it and that’s exactly what Brand New gives the audience. And if I thought River City Extension played with passion, it was nothing compared to Brand New (and I’m not being 100% biased when I say such things).

Two hours, nineteen songs, and one less shoe later, I’m exhausted yet still filled with that on-top-of-the-world feeling. Not only because I just saw my favorite band live, but because I get to do it all again tomorrow.

If you have any questions about the show, setlist, or anything else in general, feel free to ask!

Posted by why dont u guys make out As well:)??? 28 April 8 Permalink

“Now for a brief intermission!”

Tour: Downtown Battle Mountain Tour 2011

Lineup: Just Like Vinyl, Close to Home, In Fear and Faith, iwrestledabearonce, Dance Gavin Dance

Date: March 28, 2011

Venue: First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA)

I wasn’t supposed to go to this show. If it weren’t for a friend of mine who got me guest listed, I wouldn’t have gone at all. Well, I have to give part of that credit to Mikey Montgomery from IWABO who threw me on the guest list at the last minute. If the two of them hadn’t gotten me in I would’ve missed a ridiculous show. I always love being blown away when I’m least expecting to be.

At Mikey’s insistence, my friends and I hung around for the opening band, Just Like Vinyl. They’re a Seattle-based DIY band that has the potential to be huge. Not only are they sick musicians, they have the stage presence and personalities to make it far. They got the crowd involved throughout their set, which is something a lot of opening bands don’t utilize. I think someone said their frontman was the previous guitarist and vocalist for the Fall of Troy. If this is true, you could definitely hear some TFOT in the music, mostly the guitar parts. If you’re looking for a new band to jam to I would recommend these guys. Like I said, they’re a completely DIY band and they both need and deserve the support.

I’d only heard one song from Close to Home prior to their set and that was their cover of Sean Kingston’s “Replay,” and that was only because it was free to download from PureVolume. Regardless, I think everyone in the crowd was kind of looking for something to move to and Close to Home gave them that something. They had some pop-punkish songs and some harder ones, which provided a nice change of pace for someone smashed against a barrier that only comes up to your knees. Some of the guys from INFAF provided instrumental help so I’m not sure what the full band is like live, but if they’re anything like they were last night, they put on a show worth seeing.

I was lucky enough to see In Fear and Faith last September when they toured with We Came as Romans and Confide. This was before their former rough vocalist quit the band and they played their cover of “Gangsta’s Paradise.” I wasn’t smart enough to ask who they have filling in for them (or if he’s their new screamer) but he was fantastic. I always enjoy the show they put on, even if they’re one of those bands music websites like to rag on for being the same as every other band in the scene. They got the crowd moving and the songs they chose were (most of) my favorites. I’m still kicking myself for not watching their set on Warped last summer but c’est la vie.

However, if I thought I’d seen anything before iwrestledabearonce took the stage, I was sorely mistaken. I admire IWABO as musicians because they’re all incredibly talented, but I was never really able to get into their music as much as some other people I know. I think seeing them last night may have changed my mind on that, though. The crowd went absolutely nuts during their set. If you’re looking forward to their new material, trust me - it’s sounding sick. So sick, in fact, that after they were finished playing the new song, the fire alarms went off and everyone had to evacuate the venue. Obviously this pissed everyone off, bands included, because it was freezing cold outside and IWABO weren’t finished playing. But once everything was settled, they finished their set like champs.

I was kind of hesitant about seeing Dance Gavin Dance with everything going on with Jonny Craig. Although I’m more of a Kurt Travis-era DGD fan, I enjoyed Downtown Battle Mountain II enough to agree to go to the show. Aside from the lame Macbook jokes going on in the crowd, it was pretty obvious everyone was there to see them. It’s not too often that a band returns to its original lineup (unless you’re Taking Back Sunday because, let’s be honest, no one really cares about Of Mice & Men doing it) and you get to see them perform that way. Last night was my first time seeing them live altogether so I really didn’t know what to expect. I’ve seen Jonny Craig perform both solo and with Emarosa within the last year, though, so I had a fraction of an idea…I just wasn’t prepared for it. If you’ve yet to see this show or are hesitant about going, I urge you to go. If you’re wondering how much of the old album they played, I can’t really help you out too much there since their set was cut short because of the evacuation. However, of the songs they did play, only three of them were new. They opened with “Lemon Meringue Tie” and played “Untitled/Times New Roman” as an encore. All of the songs were strictly off DBM I or DBM II. Aside from having the stinkface he almost always has, Jonny seems to be in better spirits than he used to be, and Jon Mess is one of the most down to earth band members I’ve met. Will Swan will probably love you if you bring him some weed, too.

In all, it was a great show and I have nothing negative to say about it at all. This was a solid tour lineup and provided a wide range of genres. If you’re even a minor fan of Dance Gavin Dance, they put on a show worth seeing and I can’t wait to see them at Warped this year. I guess that means I’m going. If you’re not too deterred by most of the shitty bands, don’t miss DGD. I’m probably leaving a lot out, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Posted by why dont u guys make out As well:)??? 29 March 6 Permalink