Dopapod just wrapped up their Fall Tour with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, performing more than 30 shows across the eastern half of the U.S. The guys sat down with NYS Music publisher Pete Mason prior to their Putnam Den show on October 26 to discuss collaborative sets with Turkuaz and The Werks, performing at Red Rocks and the return of Neal ‘Fro’ Evans to the lineup.
Category: Media
-
Cole Swindell Brings the Sold Out Down Home Tour to the House of Blues Boston
Cole Swindell brought his Down Home Tour to the sold out House of Blues in Boston December 10 for what promised to be an exciting night of up and coming country talent. Swindell, who is no stranger to selling out the nation’s largest House of Blues, was also able to do so the last time he played the venue. This time he brought along Cole Taylor and Travis Denning as his tour support.
First to take the stage was Travis Denning. The Georgia-native has been working to make a name for himself since his move to Nashville less than two years ago. In that time, he has worked both as an artist and a song writer to create a career for himself in music, a dream he has fostered since he was young. Denning did a great job catching the crowd’s interest with his own songs, including “Red, White, and Blue,” which he introduced by speaking not only about those over seas fighting for the country but also all of the people who protect the nation here at home, like police, EMT’s and firefighters. This truly seemed to resonate strongly with the sold out crowd. He carried on into the sing along portion of his set, where he played a song that he penned, “Everyone We Know Does,” which was recorded by Chase Rice. The crowd’s energy peaked during this song as everyone was happily able to sing along word for word. He closed out his set with “Southern Rock,” a song that he explained was very important to him as southern rock is what he grew up on and what inspired his love for music and guitar.
Cole Taylor was up next and he kicked things off with a fan favorite, “Drop Top,” off his self titled EP, which immediately had the crowd off their feet and singing along. Taylor took the stage with an energy and command of the crowd that one would have expected from a seasoned performer. He demonstrated a great deal of potential when he kept the energy in the room alive during songs the crowd was not necessarily as familiar with as they’d been with “Droptop.”
A noteworthy song from Taylor’s set was one off of his self titled EP called Boom. The catchy, up tempo song captivated those who knew it already as well as those who were hearing it for the first time. The highlight of his set came when he played a song that he penned for Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild. The popular “Home Alone Tonight” had the entire crowd singing along word for word. He carried the energy from that song into his closing song, “Cold Beer,” which has been gaining popularity recently. Taylor did a wonderful job amping up the crowd for Cole Swindell and showed a great deal of potential for his career going forward.
Swindell took the stage with a great deal of energy and command of the stage with “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” the second single from his self titled full length release that went platinum and helped create the loyal fan base Swindell has today. He continued on with “Wildlife,” a song from Swindell’s Down Home Series which was released Fall of 2016 and “Brought to you By Beer,” from his self titled release. Other noteworthy songs that Swindell played from his self-titled release included “Chillin’ It” and “The Back Roads and the Back Row.” “Chillin’ It” was the single that helped catapult Swindell onto the map with country radio as it garnered a #1 spot on the US Hot country chart and a #2 slot on Country Airplay, in addition to going RIAA platinum. Its extreme popularity was certainly recognizable among the sold out crowd who all seemed to be singing along verbatim with Swindell.
Swindell took a few minutes before a performance of “Flatliner” to introduce it as a song he was very excited to have created with the help of Dierks Bentley and even more excited to get to play next spring when he tours in support of Bentley, a tour which should bring much success to both artists. From there he went into a string of songs he penned for some of the most popular artists in country right now, including “Get Me Some of That,” which was recorded by Thomas Rhett and “Roller Coaster,” which was recorded by Luke Bryan. Swindell also took some time to reflect on the origins of his musical journey. Prior to having his own successful career as a country artist, he sold merchandise for Luke Bryan, so later penning a song for Bryan was a career milestone for him.
Another noteworthy moment of the set came with the last two fan-favorite songs Swindell played: “No Can Left Behind” from his latest full length release You Should be Here and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” from his self-titled release. Swindell returned to play two of his own songs, “You Should be Here,” the somber yet catchy lead single and title track from his recent release, and “Let Me See Ya Girl,” the last single from his self titled release. His rendition of “Let Me See Ya Girl” was a treat for fans as it was intertwined with a cover of the ever popular “Closer” which was recorded by the Chainsmokers and Halsey.
With the Down Home Tour winding down fans should be looking forward to the next run of tours for these three talented young men. Each took the stage with great energy and charisma and demonstrated why they are making a name for themselves within the genre as writers and musicians.
-
Video Premiere: Space Carnival “Moon Boots”
An exclusive to NYS Music, Space Carnival has released the video for “Moon Boots.” Filmed by Front Row Dave at Damn Sam’s Harvest Festival in Laurens, NY on October 8, 2016 and edited by Shane O’Sullivan, the song debuted as a single off the group’s recent debut album Drawn in By the Sun.
-
The Wizards of Winter Kick Off “Magic of Winter” Tour in Syracuse
The Wizards of Winter kicked off their 2016 “Magic of Winter” tour at the Crouse Hinds Theater in Syracuse, NY November 23. The performance was the night before Thanksgiving and while I can think of no better way to get into the holiday spirit than by listening to some rocking Christmas music, the crowd was very light. I guess people were busy prepping turkeys, welcoming out of town guests or traveling to their holiday destinations. It is a shame though because they missed an amazing show.
The Wizards of Winter is a massive ensemble that started as a Trans-Siberian Orchestra tribute band in 2009. The band quickly gained popularity and decided to write their own music and have since released two albums. The twelve-member band is made up of Scott Kelly, the musical director and amazing keyboardist, Scott’s wife Sharon Kelly on flute and vocals, Greg Smith from Ted Nugent on the bass, Fred Gorhau on lead guitar, Steve Ratchen on the bass, TW Durfy on guitar, Mary McIntyre, vocals and keyboard, Shawna Marie, vocals, Vinny Jiovino, vocals, Jenn Hamilton rocking the electric violin and former members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Tony Gaynor as the narrator, Guy LeMonnier, vocals and Tommy Ference on the drums. The massive sound that this talented collaborative produces is extraordinary.
My five year old son had the pleasure of joining my husband and I for this performance and he loved it. He was on the edge of his seat the entire time and despite it being way past his bedtime, he refused to leave early. He loved the narrator, Tony Gaynor, who took the stage in between songs to tell a quick tale about where the audience was traveling to next. He loved the epic guitar solos, Mrs. Claus popping through the crowd and gifting him a candy cane and of course the flying beach balls toward the end of the set. Despite a few opening night technical difficulties, the band smiled and kept playing. The vocals were powerful and awe inspiring, the violin and flute melded flawlessly, the guitars were fierce and the drums held everything together in perfect rhythm. This is Christmas music with backbone and I loved it.
Notable favorites of the almost three-hour set included: “Flight of the Snow Angels,” “Special Feeling,” “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Savatage cover),” “March of the Metal Soldiers” and “Gales of December.” Thank you to the band who took the time to meet the fans and sign a poster for my son after the show. Thank you Fred Gorhau for giving my son his first guitar pick. The Wizards of Winter created a memory that will last a lifetime for my family and especially for our son.
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”245″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_pro_slideshow” image_crop=”0″ image_pan=”1″ show_playback_controls=”1″ show_captions=”0″ caption_class=”caption_overlay_bottom” caption_height=”70″ aspect_ratio=”1.5″ width=”100″ width_unit=”%” transition=”fade” transition_speed=”1″ slideshow_speed=”5″ border_size=”0″ border_color=”#ffffff” ngg_triggers_display=”always” order_by=”pid” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]
-
K. Phillips Interview on Recess with Spinelli
Mr. K Phillips opened up for Rob Thomas and the Counting Crows at SPAC in Saratoga Springs, so naturally, we had to speak with this young up-and-coming ranch-raised Texan about his passion for story-telling.
Listen to interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve-EK4DeG9M Listen to the abridged feature/interview
Recess with Spinelli: How’s the trip going, any highlight so far?
K. Phillips: Everything is a highlight. This is a highlight; we’re in Saratoga Springs there’s 24,000 seats in this venue. It’s like I died and went to heaven, I’m just glad to be here.
RWS: It sounds like this tour is largly outdoor amphitheatres?
KP: Yes. I loved it. It’s a little harder for us because the band rehearsed so much and and we’re so good at playing a club setting but nothing can prepare you for playing on a gigantic stage; it’s made out of aluminum and the sound shoots everywhere and it bounces off the back of the hill and comes back to you and it was very challenging, first to learn how to hear each other to play on the stage. I’ve been touring the United States for about seven years but that’s usually in front of you know, 15 people a night.
RWS: When that transition initially happened, from going from playing in front of 15 people to playing in front of thousands or 20,000 what was your initial mindset change?
KP: It’s actually actually easier because when there’s 5000 people watching you who haven’t seen you seen you, some of them are listening and so maybe like 2500 people are actually watching you attentively. It’s actually easier because you feel like you’re doing something. Sometimes when you play for 15 people, 2 of those people are listening. We’ve been ready to do this but nothing can prepare you for it.
RWS: The way we heard about you was through interviewing Adam Duritz of Counting Crows; Adam spoke very fondly of you and told us to check you out, How long have you actually known Mr. Duritz.
KP: In 2012…he sponsors a blog that finds new music and he listens to all of it. He doesn’t have to do that but he still does. I mean, I think that’s what makes him great, is that he loves music and he’s always filling the well. It was so funny when we started to play and he used to come to my shows and it would be 12 people, but then 1 of the 12 people would be Adam Duritz. It was almost embarressing, you know like “you like me, but I don’t have any fans yet.” I mean he’s like one of the greatest writers of our time and one of the greatest literate writers. it’s a very special thing for me. And Rob too, I didn’t know Rob before this tour; they’re 2 of the nicest guys I’ve ever met and they don’t have to be, they’re super successful, they watch every show of mine and then they going to put on a show on the kill and after that we hang out; it’s amazing. I never want it to end
RWS: Have you noticed any doors open or any opportunities come your way because of this?
KP: D’Angelico, the great New York guitar company gave me a guitar. They sent me to their showroom and I just pick out a guitar to play for this tour and that was so nice. Being somebody that they think is worthy of an endorsement, that’s kind of neat to me. Right before this tour I had a guitar in pawn which I lost because I couldn’t afford get out of pawn. And then D’Angelico gives me this way better guitar than I had in pawn. It’s just funny how your life changes so quickly when people help you
RWS: Now with Mr. Duritz, I believe that you’ve done some work with him in the past, I think I saw that he covered “Kat’s Song” and I think I heard that he worked with you on the new albums?
KP: Yeah, he let us record some stuff at his house, so one of the new songs on this was recorded at his house and actually, a guitar that we used, we found out later was the guitar from the “Mr. Jones” video, which is funny. I was like “this guitar sounds so Counting Crows. So we recorded at his house and he sang on it and he added this four-part harmony like it was nothing. A few years ago I was watching the Counting Crows. We were at the Bowery Electric and the Crows were playing a cigartette show and my friend Nekia was playing a song with them and he’s like “Dude, you gotta video tape me doin’ this song” and I’m like “Man I gotta go, I have my own show” and he said “This is gonna blow your mind.” They go into this song and I’m like “That’s funny, I have a song that sounds alot like that.” and then Adam Duritz sings “I took that young thing to dinner,” which is my line to a song I wrote called “Kat’s Song” and I realize at that moment that they’re not doing a song that sounds like my song, they’re doing my song. I started weeping, it was like a lifetime achievement award. The Counting Crows have too many good songs.
RWS: As a songwriter, would you say you have a certain duty or responsibility either to yourself or to the listener to write an honest song?
KP: My duty is to connect people and to write things which connect the song with the listener, and the only way you can do that is to have an honest narrator. When you do that, it doesn’t matter what the story is, it’s going to connect, it’s gonna help people through whatever the situation is.
RWS: How do you know whether or not you are being honest?
KP: I know because, there’s a poem by Robert Graves, which I always go back to. It’s actually what our LLC is named after. It’s called “Love without Hope” and in four lines, Robert Graves tells the story of this bird catcher in industrial England, he spends his day in this park, everyday his job is to put larks in his hat, take them to a baker, baker gives him a piece of bread, maybe a piece of coal and that night he goes with food in his stomache and he doesn’t go cold; that’s all he has to do, just grab the birds before it gets dark. On this particular day, he’s leaving the park, he’s got his birds and he sees this beautiful white carriage drawn by two white horses and inside is this beautiful squire’s daughter and here, this lowly birdcatcher, sees this girl and he looks at her and shee looks at him and he tips his cap; the birds fly out, the larks fly to the heavens and she watches them go to the heavens and he’s made this impression on this girl he’d never have a chance with. Now he goes home and he’s cold and he’s hungry, but he’s made an impression on this girl. I’ve never been a birdcatcher, bu I know from that story, I can relate and I think about that story all the time and if I wonder if my narrator is being honest, I just compare it to that, “Love without Hope.”
RWS: Was it a relief when you were finally able to put your thoughts on paper in a cohesive manor that could be understood?
KP: Yeah, but I can’t do that every time. After each song you write after every record you write, you’re just starting over. You’d think that you would get better, but the only thing that gets better is your expectations, I’ve definitely gotten better at finishing songs, I’ve gotten better at writing with people. This last record was writted to be a breakup record. That was fun for me to go like “How does this fit in?” or “There’s a song called 18 year old girls,” an 18 year old girl who like looks like a grown-up but she’s totally not. It’s funny the idea of this character who’s come out of a relationship and he’s gonna bring this 18 year old girl around to his friends and they’ll be like “What are you doing, dude?” So I am looking for more perspective than I am looking for the next what I can’t have. What gets me off about songwriting is finding different angles and funny scenarios.”
Recess with Spinelli can be heard every Wednesday 8pm-10pm EDT on WSPN in Saratoga Springs, NY on 91.1FM and on Hoxton FM in London, England every Wednesday 11pm-1am GMT 6pm-8pm EDT
Follow Recess with Spinelli: Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube Soundcloud Mixcloud Tumblr and online at longbowmedia.us
-
Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
With the penchant for stage theatrics, laser beams, pyrotechnics, huge LCD screens, risers and rock opera music and story telling, Trans-Siberian Orchestra mesmerized fans, young and old alike, in Wilkes-Barre, PA this past Black Friday during the first of two sold out shows at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. TSO put on an enchanting and powerful Christmas performance as I caught them at their first of the two “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” shows at 3 p.m. in the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The famous rock opera is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary and continues to grow each year with its performance, stage show, and more importantly, its fans who continue to return year after year bringing new generations of followers along for the yearly magical experience. The audience cheered in anticipation as the intro began with storyteller Bryan Hicks orating his tale describing “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve.” 10-piece chorus accompanied his narration as images flashed across the five massive LCD screens showing clips from the 1999 television movie of the same name along with famous historical figures, the solar system and enchanting yet uplifting messages. The multi-colored light and laser show kicked off the intro in true rock opera Christmas fashion.
The audience was treated to Christmas favorites such as “O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night,” “This Christmas Day,” and “Christmas Canon Rock” as the spectacular production continued in sync with the music as the enormous five panel screens displayed the choreographed images. The laser spectacular, “digital” snowflakes, three platform risers along with a rising catwalk, and let’s not forget the explosive and stunning pyrotechnics that erupted from the entire arena from front to back all added to the excitment. Legendary conceptual composer, producer, lyricist and songwriter Paul O’Neill continues to make his grand vision of the TSO production a masterpiece for all that experience it from the intro to its dramatic conclusion. This ever-evolving group continues to weave, like tapestry, its lyrics, songwriting, music, storytelling and production into a timeless magical and enchanting journey filled with wonder and amazement.
With super guitarists Chris Caffery and Joel Hoekstra flanking each side of the stage along with violinist Roddy Chong, bassist David Z, Mee Eun Kim on keys and drummer Jeff Plate on his throne, the audience not only experienced the amazing visuals of a TSO show, but an astonishing and stunning musical experience as well. At the beginning of the performance, Caffery, Chong and Hoekstra stood on separate risers that lifted them a good twenty feet above the crowd as they traded chops and riffed along in sync to the classic TSO hits keeping the rock show experience alive with their stage presence, dynamics and moves. TSO showcases different vocalists throughout the program lending to their unique rock/opera sound which included a special performance by Kayla Reeves and Paul O’Neill himself following the first set of traditional Christmas favorites.
TSO opened with the intro, “Who Am I” then went right into “March of the Kings,” “The Lost Christmas Eve,” which featured Hoekstra on masterful acoustic guitar, followed by “O Come All Ye Faithful/ O Holy Night.” Also on the set for the show were “Good King Joy,” “Christmas Dreams,” and the mega popular hit which included the performers high above the audience on a catwalk playing “Christmas Eve (Sarejevo 12/24)” as fire and laser beams erupted from both the front and the back of the arena.
TSO kicked it up a notch during their second, more rock and roll infused set, as they performed songs from their albums Night Castle, Beethoven’s Last Night, and Letters From The Labryinth going all the way back to the Savatage sounding days of yore. They did however slow things down a bit when the played “Music Box Blues,” “Find Our Way Home” and the cool number featuring O’Neill and Reeves, “Not The Same.” The super group/orchestra capped off the show as they crushed a rocking Beethoven’s “Requiem (The Fifth),” and a reprise of “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24).” Fireworks and more pyrotechnics ended the show leaving a powerful impression as both Caffery and Chong made their way through the aisles of fans. Included, was the recent addition of the pyramid at the rear of the crowd which opened up and shot flames high into the arena at the end of the set.
The TSO experience now in its 20th year has grown in leaps and bounds since 1996. Having started out as a small production with a few cargo vans and some rock stars from previous bands such as Savatage with Jon Olivia, Al Pitrelli and Paul O’Neill at the helm, now boasts over 10 million concert ticket sales and over 10 million album sales.They are well known for their extensive charity work. At the beginning of the first performance, it was announced that over $13,000 from ticket sales would go directly to Candy’s Place – A Center for Cancer Wellness in Forty Fort, PA.
TSO has both an East and West coast group with dozens of performers and have grown from hauling the show in a few vans to literally over a dozen semi tractor trailer rigs and multiple tour buses. This was my first TSO experience and was literally blown away with the size of the production, the amazing talent of the performers and musicians, the theatrics and show. It was like no other I had seen. A TSO show is a very family friendly experience with a very gracious and generous attitude that always gives 110% in every aspect of their show as if it were their first.
As I recently heard from Al Pitrelli on social media he states “I’ve been playing with some of these people for thirty years now, the chemistry is amazing when this band gets together we get to the first rehearsal well, its like playing the first show, but we’ll do it 30 or 40 times so when we do blow up the building for the first time, it seems like the hundredth show. Everybody in that audience, it’s their first show, whether its our 10th, 100th, 2000th, it doesn’t matter, everybody in that audience deserves the perfect first show.” TSO continue both their east and west coast tours through out the remainder of the year at times playing two shows a day.
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”240″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_pro_slideshow” image_crop=”0″ image_pan=”1″ show_playback_controls=”1″ show_captions=”0″ caption_class=”caption_overlay_bottom” caption_height=”70″ aspect_ratio=”1.5″ width=”100″ width_unit=”%” transition=”fade” transition_speed=”1″ slideshow_speed=”5″ border_size=”0″ border_color=”#ffffff” ngg_triggers_display=”always” order_by=”pid” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]
-
Nitro Fest, featuring Beats Antique, Ignites Longmont, CO
In retrospect, I am a bit surprised there was no carnival barker in candy cane-striped pants with a handlebar mustache shouting, “Step Right Up, Ladies and Gentlemen!” There was the obvious, the circus tent. And the carnie stilt walkers, acrobats and aerialists. But it wasn’t a circus. It was a beer festival. Or was it?
Last week, local Colorado brewers, Left Hand Brewing Company, sponsored their annual Nitro Beer festival on the lawn of an open park in Longmont. There were long lines of people holding shot glasses of nitrogen infused craft beers from several craft brewers around the country. But that is where the resemblance to typical beer fests ended. Left Hand instead threw a vaudevillesque party in which every participant was in formal masquerade/steampunk attire. There were fire performers, jugglers, hoopers, and acrobats hanging from fabric attached to the high tent ceiling. And there was Beats Antique. Their unique blend of Old World gypsy electronica, along with the dizzying visuals from fire and acrobat performances by Lunar Fire and Fractal Tribe, transformed a beer promotional event into a bewitching evening of stylish costumes, art and music.
Beats Antique closed out the evening on an intimately-sized stage while celebrating the birthday of their percussionist, Tommy Cappel.
Punctuated with a belly dancing stage show and throbbing gypsy beats, the stage shuddered with gale-force energy from inspired performers and rabid fans, jumping and clawing at the stage. Needless to say, I didn’t spend much time in beer lines for refills. The circus was in town, and I sure didn’t want to miss any of the razzle and dazzle. The Nitro Fest last week was the greatest show on earth of beer festivals.
-
Photo Gallery: Dopapod w/ Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY played host to Dopapod and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Saturday, November 19. Check out some of the the action below.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Setlist: Walk Outside, Stay, Too Long, Lightning, Poseidon, >Horizon->Eyes of the world->Horizon, King Kong, Fortress, Time to RideDopapod Setlist: My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant, Flipped, FABA, November, Nuggy Jawson, Foxy Lady*, Nude^, Vol. 3 #86, The happy song->Trickery, Braindead
Encore: Blast, You Oughta Know”
*Jimi Hendrix Cover
^Radiohead Cover
“Alanis Morrisette Cover -
Asking Alexandria has Clifton Park stand up and scream
Old school fans of Asking Alexandria cannot miss the 10 Years in the Black Tour. On November 15, Asking Alexandria alongside Born of Osiris, I See Stars, After The Burial, Upon A Burning Body and Bad Omens, brought the tour to Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park to showcase not only the best of the Sumerian Records, but the best of each band as well.
Asking Alexandria, headliners for Sumerian Records’ 10 year anniversary tour, have a surprise waiting for fans coming out this month. For any new fans of Asking Alexandria who expected to see songs from their latest release, The Black, performed on this year’s tour, you are surely mistaken.
Bad Omens opened the show with clean, intense, harsh vocals by vocalist Nicholas Ryan. They were the best way to start the night, especially impressive being the drumming by drummer Nick Folio. Their set allowed for the crowd surfers to come out early, and were just what the audience needed before watching Upon A Burning Body.
Texas natives, Upon A Burning Body, woke up the crowd to the fullest during, “Texas Blood Money.” A fan favorite by Upon A Burning Body, this was the first song of the night that really got everyone in the venue up and moving. At the end of the song, a couple in the crowd starting ballroom dancing to the Mexican interlude that followed the song.
Encouraging the crowd to be active, frontman Danny Leal invited fans to come up to him and give him a high five. “Don’t be afraid, every single one of you get the f-ck over here,” said frontman Leal.
Although this show was not a sell out and not everyone had arrived at the venue yet, during Upon A Burning Body’s set, there was a reminder of what a concert should really be like. A smaller number of fans were all working to get everyone off of their feet that wanted to crowd surf, and making sure they would get safely to the front of the venue.
Following Upon A Burning Body were metal group After The Burial. The excitement from Upon A Burning Body carried over into After The Burial’s set, with frontman Anthony Notarmaso encouraging shaking people around in the audience.
“If you came here with a friend start shaking this mother f-cker side to side. I promise if you do it, they will smile,” said Notarmaso before performing, “Collapse.”
Before performing their last song, the crowd was so upset about their set being over, fans started yelling profanities from the crowd towards the stage encouraging them to stay longer.
I See Stars, who released a their new album, Treehouse, over the summer, has gone from playing The Vans Warped Tour to being a part of this ten year celebration with Sumerian Records.
With their unique style of blending electronic and metal together, I See Stars were one of the most entertaining and energetic performances from the tour. Frontman Devin Oliver left no area of the venue untouched, whether by jumping on top of stereos to reach out to fans, or going up against the audience themselves.
“I want you to sing louder, I want you to jump higher,” said Oliver.
Although performing a majority of their set to promote Treehouse, there are some fans who were hoping for earlier I See Stars songs to appear on the setlist, like their 2012 song featuring Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria, “Endless Sky.”
All of the energy given off from Oliver was given back to him by the reactions from fans during their entire set.
Heavy metal quintet, Born Of Osiris, were the heaviest band on the tour, and fans knew it immediately. Although it can seem odd going from the upbeat style of I See Stars to the heavy style of Born Of Osiris, the shift was not as strange as fans may think.
Playing songs like, “Follow The Signs,” were exactly what they crowd needed to be ready for headliners Asking Alexandria.
Despite being named the, 10 Years in the Black Tour, fans of Asking Alexandria may find themselves pleasantly surprised about the content played by Asking Alexandria. This tour not only surprises original fans with old content, but they actually go through their evolution as a band.
Asking Alexandria, who reunited with original vocalist Worsnop and parted ways with vocalist Denis Stoff soon before the tour began, gave, according to Worsnop, “a whopping five days before the tour started,” to prepare for the tour.
With a lack of preparation and the confusion from fans, Asking Alexandria are using the 10 Years in the Black Tour to perform the stages of Asking Alexandria, starting with performing from Reckless & Relentless, followed by From Death To Destiny, and ending with songs from Stand Up and Scream.
According to Worsnop, bringing himself back into the mix makes the band feel they are back to how they were, “When it was five guys in a beat up RV in a Walmart parking lot in New Jersey.”
The chemistry between every member of the band surpasses any expectation. Despite being, in general, well-rounded musicians, the energy and connection between the members of Asking Alexandria is enjoyable for everyone to watch.
Every member of the band, whether it’s guitarist Ben Bruce, or guitarist Cameron Liddell, make sure to get up on speakers and get as close to fans as possible.
Worsnop, who has had vocal issues in the past, surprised the audience with the way his live performance has improved. His vocals, especially on songs like, “The Final Episode,” and “A Single Moment of Sincerity,” sound remarkably like the original recordings from 2009.
As well as going through the evolution of Asking Alexandria, the band also paused between songs to share stories and give background on some of the songs and the albums themselves.
“I’m not addicted to drugs anymore, that’s cool,” said Worsnop to introduce the middle of the show where they started performing songs off of From Death To Destiny.
The performance by every member of Asking Alexandria is not only incredibly impressive, but you get a sense that these five guys who started the band together, missed their time performing together. Any fan of Asking Alexandria looking to see old school Asking Alexandria songs performed, cannot miss out on the 10 Years in the Black Tour.
-
STS9 Rewinds Time at Terminal 5
Picture your mind and body being taken on an intergalactic journey through time and space where imagination is limitless. On November 12, Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) truly made every soul in Terminal 5 rock their bodies to the charm of sweet sound waves. This galactic adventure transported and tickled the tummies of many with tasteful sounds and groovy jam produced by this very unique tribe.
STS9 has the power to elevate sensations of happiness and fulfillment. This group brings instrumental electronic rock music to the next level – incorporating a bit of jazz, funk, hip hop, drum and some badass bass. Fans at Terminal 5 were truly astounded at the immense rhythm that filled the atmosphere. Many were ecstatic to hear songs from their latest album, The Universe Inside, recently released in September. They kicked off the night with one of their newest tracks “World Go Round”, and played various brand new songs including “Worry No More,” “Light Years,” and threw it back with a classic called “When the Dust Settles” released in 2011.Not to mention the light show was fantastic, which ultimately brought a sense of cosmic waves shooting through the air and lifted everyone’s spirits. The crowd gave thanks to this dynamic group. Hunter Brown expressed himself on guitar/keys, Jeffree Lerner gave into the groove on percussion, David Phipps smiled to the punch of his keyboard, Zach Velmer went crazy on drums, and Alana Rocklin simply rocked the bass to the max.
Reflecting the stardust of the universe and everything within it, this band knows how to become one with its audience and its surroundings. Being at a show like this makes you reflect on living in the moment and how everything circles in a glorious manner. Their tunes wrap around you with warmth and a comfort that is lacking in this world. STS9 is an identity of the planet and beyond, reaching and rewinding a sense of timeless nature.