Friday, November 21, 2008
For fans of The Almost and Underoath
For those who have a liking with side "emo bands" projects, or the hard core beats and melodies of Underoath have a surprise in store for them this comming Tuesday, the 24th of November. Aaron Gillespie’s pet project The Almost's new ep No Gift to Bring comes out. According to the new Tooth and Nail Pod cast, Gillespie sound on this new record is a bit more striped down. On that same pod cast there is even a taste of their forthcoming record. Along with new songs by Copeland, Chis Crowder and And Then there Were None, The Almost has an remake of “The Little Drummer Boy“; it is there for ones listing pleasure.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Underoath, Saosin concert
November 12th 2008, at the grand regency was a night that I will not forget any time soon, at least my body not forget at least for a couple more hours. Last night, the hard core scream-o act, Underoath headlined a show with the support of some very notable bands which included: Famine, The Devil Wears Prauda, and Saosin. Going back to july 20th (when I bought the tickets), I found out that these bands where supporting the heading act I purchased the ticket right away( actually and half hour after they went on sale). So my expectations were pretty high, and I knew or thought that it was going be a sold out show. Well it was an almost sold out show. It was just shy about an hundred. Anyways, both Underoath and Saosin have put out some great albums and Devil Wears Prauda is a respectable band so I hoped the night would not be filled with filler, like that of Sunday’s Hawthorne Heights show in which the only decent band was Emery. Moreover, I was most excited to see the how Underoath’s new material stood up to the rest of their set. Because I saw them open for Tacking Back Sunday so I hoped to get or see something more from them.
The first to take the stage was the Famine. After an brief delay, due to a technically, the band came on. The front man, of which I don’t recall is name, told the crowd to “come in and leave the merch stuff alone, you can buy it latter”. From what I can remember the band had an unique energy. The sound was great. Even though some of today hardcore acts can be some times be cookie cutter and bland. The Famine was not. There music had a grove to it, unlike most metal bands. However, it was not as groovy as Disturbed, (which is a good thing). It was groovy and that separated them from the rest. Moreover, they were tight, and their fist pumping music entertained the crowd, at least the some of the people I saw. I think the emo girls who waited all day to be up front were not so pleased. However, I think this is evidence of how Underoath is perceiving their own change in style of music. They took on and are playing with bands more suited to thier new heavy direction. Don’t get me wrong, Underoath has always been an heavy hard-hitting band, but they were playing with more punk and poppy bands in the past. So the Famine was a very well suited band for Underoath. I think they will gain some ground by being on tour with them. Fans of Devil Wears Prauda will like them too.
The next band that came on the stage was the Devil Wears Prauda. Another hard core- metal band. They came on the stage and were very entertaining. The crowd received them very well. This is evident by the fact that the crowd was singing along to extensive parts to some of their songs. I have never seen them or listen to more than one of there songs, but I think they had a great stage presence. They had control threw all the synchronized head banging and body slamming. It was almost choreographed and was partly amuszing (the “back street boy of metal” hahah jk.) Moreover, they showed a connective ness with the crowd. Near the end of the set the key board player, launched himself from the stage to the barricades, where I was standing, and embraced the crowd. The band left the stage with the crowd ceahring “one more song”, but sadly they did not come back for an encore. They definitely made an impression and made a fan out of me. I due plan on getting their new album, which has been recommend to me by a friend.
The third band supporting Underoath was Saosin. The odd band out on the tour I have to say. They were the lightest sounding band. Meaning that they were not metal or hard core. However, they have flavors of both styles of music. They were entertainning but, the singing was barely hearable. At least, from where I was standing the sound was off balance and the voices were overcome by the guitars and drums. Along with the ingoing people around me it was not as pleasant as it could be. So I got out and made my way to the back, where I could hear “the voices“;(no pun attended) better than I could in the crowd, but still not great. The set was pretty good. They played threw the songs on their one album, which took three years to create, and Anthony Green fronted ep. They played and keep to themselves . No head banning and the lead singer, with his new found dreads all out had a swagger to presence. Unlike the other bands front men he never reached out to the crowd. They seemed content to just play their music, I guess it is not a bad thing just felt odd. The set ended with an oldie, one of there first ep in which Circa Survive’s Anthony Green sung on, Seven Years. It was a solid way to end the set. It is great song, not a very well know song to radio but, the ones who came out for the band new it and that’s who they were pleasing; their fans.
Finally after a moderate deal of setting up the stage, Underoath came on. Now, I have seen the band before, when they were supporting Tacking Back Sunday when they didn’t have much time to play. However, this was not the case this time around. The band came on to a hysterical crowd. This time their set up change drastically. This time they had a projector screen in which they played a short movie clip. It seemed to be a horror movie with some kind of message, of which I did not grasp, and then they came on. They open with one of there new songs of there new album, “the lost in the sound of separation”. I’m pretty sure it was “Breathing in a New Mentality”, which was the first track of the new recording. So it was a good starting off point if I have nothing else to say. However, the sound was still crap so it was still hard to hear because I got pushed back up front. (haha people with out jobs who waited in line for hours for a good view) Then they worked threw the new material and evenly dispersing the older material like “a boy blushed red and blue” and “Its Dangerous Business Walking out Your Front Door”. They played for about an hour then they came on to do a three song encore. Which was really cool because they already played for a long time and they looked like they were having fun so it makes it more fun for the audience. They ended on there lead single, “Writing on the Walls”, form there 2006 album “Define the Great Line”.
It is a good thing that these guys stay true to who they are. They work hard, don’t bow down the any body and focus on the music. It truly shows, and tonight was evidence of that. Because they put on a memorable show, mines the horrible sound, it will be night that I will lest forget.
The first to take the stage was the Famine. After an brief delay, due to a technically, the band came on. The front man, of which I don’t recall is name, told the crowd to “come in and leave the merch stuff alone, you can buy it latter”. From what I can remember the band had an unique energy. The sound was great. Even though some of today hardcore acts can be some times be cookie cutter and bland. The Famine was not. There music had a grove to it, unlike most metal bands. However, it was not as groovy as Disturbed, (which is a good thing). It was groovy and that separated them from the rest. Moreover, they were tight, and their fist pumping music entertained the crowd, at least the some of the people I saw. I think the emo girls who waited all day to be up front were not so pleased. However, I think this is evidence of how Underoath is perceiving their own change in style of music. They took on and are playing with bands more suited to thier new heavy direction. Don’t get me wrong, Underoath has always been an heavy hard-hitting band, but they were playing with more punk and poppy bands in the past. So the Famine was a very well suited band for Underoath. I think they will gain some ground by being on tour with them. Fans of Devil Wears Prauda will like them too.
The next band that came on the stage was the Devil Wears Prauda. Another hard core- metal band. They came on the stage and were very entertaining. The crowd received them very well. This is evident by the fact that the crowd was singing along to extensive parts to some of their songs. I have never seen them or listen to more than one of there songs, but I think they had a great stage presence. They had control threw all the synchronized head banging and body slamming. It was almost choreographed and was partly amuszing (the “back street boy of metal” hahah jk.) Moreover, they showed a connective ness with the crowd. Near the end of the set the key board player, launched himself from the stage to the barricades, where I was standing, and embraced the crowd. The band left the stage with the crowd ceahring “one more song”, but sadly they did not come back for an encore. They definitely made an impression and made a fan out of me. I due plan on getting their new album, which has been recommend to me by a friend.
The third band supporting Underoath was Saosin. The odd band out on the tour I have to say. They were the lightest sounding band. Meaning that they were not metal or hard core. However, they have flavors of both styles of music. They were entertainning but, the singing was barely hearable. At least, from where I was standing the sound was off balance and the voices were overcome by the guitars and drums. Along with the ingoing people around me it was not as pleasant as it could be. So I got out and made my way to the back, where I could hear “the voices“;(no pun attended) better than I could in the crowd, but still not great. The set was pretty good. They played threw the songs on their one album, which took three years to create, and Anthony Green fronted ep. They played and keep to themselves . No head banning and the lead singer, with his new found dreads all out had a swagger to presence. Unlike the other bands front men he never reached out to the crowd. They seemed content to just play their music, I guess it is not a bad thing just felt odd. The set ended with an oldie, one of there first ep in which Circa Survive’s Anthony Green sung on, Seven Years. It was a solid way to end the set. It is great song, not a very well know song to radio but, the ones who came out for the band new it and that’s who they were pleasing; their fans.
Finally after a moderate deal of setting up the stage, Underoath came on. Now, I have seen the band before, when they were supporting Tacking Back Sunday when they didn’t have much time to play. However, this was not the case this time around. The band came on to a hysterical crowd. This time their set up change drastically. This time they had a projector screen in which they played a short movie clip. It seemed to be a horror movie with some kind of message, of which I did not grasp, and then they came on. They open with one of there new songs of there new album, “the lost in the sound of separation”. I’m pretty sure it was “Breathing in a New Mentality”, which was the first track of the new recording. So it was a good starting off point if I have nothing else to say. However, the sound was still crap so it was still hard to hear because I got pushed back up front. (haha people with out jobs who waited in line for hours for a good view) Then they worked threw the new material and evenly dispersing the older material like “a boy blushed red and blue” and “Its Dangerous Business Walking out Your Front Door”. They played for about an hour then they came on to do a three song encore. Which was really cool because they already played for a long time and they looked like they were having fun so it makes it more fun for the audience. They ended on there lead single, “Writing on the Walls”, form there 2006 album “Define the Great Line”.
It is a good thing that these guys stay true to who they are. They work hard, don’t bow down the any body and focus on the music. It truly shows, and tonight was evidence of that. Because they put on a memorable show, mines the horrible sound, it will be night that I will lest forget.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)