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PHOENIX — Alicia Keys brought the house down at Arizona Financial Theatre with her mighty chest voice, riveting talent on piano, and smooth, confident moves in an approximately two-hour performance. The “Alicia + Keys World Tour” is her first since her “Set the World on Fire Tour” in 2013, and it celebrates the releases Alicia (2020) and double album Keys (2021). Beginning in June 2022, the two-legged tour had 19 stops in Europe, and will be wrapping up in late September after 31 stops in North America – totaling 52 shows for the mega-talented Keys. This Phoenix stop was opened by Philadelphia-born singer/songwriter Pink Sweat$, whose debut album Pink Planet was released in 2021 after COVID-responsible delay.
When the lights went down for the “Princess of Soul”, a solar video crescendoed on the screen behind the stage and quickly immersed the audience in Keys’ “world”. After a keyhole appeared on screen, a curtain raised and the commanding and womanly silhouette of Keys was revealed.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Donning a plum taffeta trench coat over a blinged-out bodysuit, she took a slinky stroll toward the front of the stage – her glittery costume but a fraction of the shine of her charismatic presence upon her arrival. Keys said, “the vibe is amazing in here”, as she expressed appreciation to offer an “intimate” show to her fans, adding, “this energy is just what I wanted.” She kicked off her 34-song set with “Nat King Cole” from Keys, entrancingly playing her mobile grand piano while crooning and belting soulful lyrics.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Keys moved into a mashup of the Kanye West-produced “You Don’t Know My Name” and “Will You Ever Know It?” followed by a reggae-inspired version of “Wasted Energy” also from the Keys album. Soon after, she played a powerful, key-pounding version of “New Day” from 2012’s Girl on Fire.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. ( Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Following was a sultry execution of her 2005 Grammy-winning song with Usher, “My Boo”, then she put her spin on “Nobody” by DJ Khaled. Her band, which included a standing bass, guitar, back-up vocalists, and two additional keyboard players showcased their talents in an interlude of Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” while Keys briefly left the stage.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Video clips of Harlem appeared on the screen behind Keys, who was now sporting a silk white and black jacket emblazoned with her name. Up next was an astounding version of her and Jay-Z’s hit “Empire State of Mind”.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Later, Keys exuberantly played DJ while surrounded by three keyboards, offering up alternate versions of three of her hits: “Skydive”, “It Is Insane”, and “Only You”. Her new 2-disc album Keys offers original versions on the first disc, “unlocked” versions on the second one, and on the deluxe edition – Keys II (2022) – some additional songs and alternate mixes. She made a game of the alternating versions, playing samples of each, bringing up the house lights, and having the crowd vote between versions with cheering.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
After Keys descended the stairs and showed a little love by briefly walking into the screaming crowd, she returned to the piano for a heartfelt version of “Girl on Fire”, followed by her homage to self-love: “Superwoman” from As I Am (2007). Fans were asked to turn on their phone lights before joining her in singing “Fallin’”, and the room lit up both visually and in spirit for the beloved hit song that became a massive hit after she wrote and produced it herself in 2001.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
She treated fans to her dancing skills and self-assured voguing during “In Common” (Black Coffee Remix), which brought an infectious buzz to the atmosphere. The screams of her fans well-represented her idol status.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
After a bountiful hour and forty-five minutes, the pre-encore ritual began before her band started up with a slick instrumental version of Prince’s “Purple Rain” featuring a mean solo on a Gretsch by her guitarist. When Keys returned to the stage, she proclaimed, “this thing is special that we did tonight.” She was not wrong. Her library is full of songs about growth and loving yourself. She added, “the energy is beautiful; the energy is perfect”. What is more, Keys encouraged the audience to “make every moment count”, to push past fears, to live and love in an unpredictable world, “because what else even matters?” Her encore included “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” and “If I Ain’t Got You”.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Keys’ performance was beyond outstanding – all the while exuding a heart of gold and exhibiting a warm, beautiful smile with a lovable, joyful presence – demonstrating what made and sustains her superstar status. On the same night, Kendrick Lamar as well as Alice in Chains with Breaking Benjamin and Bush were also performing in Phoenix at Footprint Center and Ak-Chin Pavilion. Of the many tours to choose from to spend your hard-earned dollars on this year, the “Alicia + Keys World Tour” was most certainly a worthy, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Alicia Keys performs onstage at The Greek Theatre on September 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK)
Featured photo (top) by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AK
PHOENIX — Ak-Chin Pavilion wrapped up its summer concert series with Incubus, Sublime with Rome, and The Aquadolls as part of their “Summer 2022” tour. The three California bands brought a reggae-meets-alternative end-of-summer party to Phoenix, and a party it was! The kick-ass girl band The Aquadolls, plus 90’s and beyond radio favorites Sublime with Rome and Incubus brought a “chill” to the desert and a whole lot of fun for a Monday night in Arizona.
The Aquadolls emerged as Abba’s “Dancing Queen” ushered them onto the stage. Singer and lead guitarist Melissa Brooks shouted, “Who’s ready to party?” and jumped into the 2013 song “Mine” from their album Stoked on You, followed by “Our Love Will Always Remain” from the same album.
The all-girl band of “perma-teenage mermaids” from the Orange County area were founded in 2012 by lead singer and writer Brooks, who recorded demos in her bedroom before signing with indie label Burger Records. Their current lineup includes Jacqueline Proctor on drums and Keilah Nina on bass. Their tongue-in-cheek lyrics paired with an upbeat pop sound served as a great fit for this summer tour. A psychedelic, tie-dye screen with floating palm trees and the Aquadolls logo were the perfect scene-setting backdrop for their high-energy pop-alternative music.
Their seven-song setlist continued with their new single “Beachy,” which is scheduled for release on August 26th on Enci Records, and a high-energy cover of the Go-Go’s classic hit “Vacation.” Brooks gave a shout out to their crew and tour headliners: “Who’s ready for freaking Sublime? Who’s ready for freaking Incubus?!” while the exuberant crowd cheered. Next up, a catchy and fun song about obsession, “Sneaky,” followed by “Take Me Away.” Finishing out the set was a song Brooks said was about tripping out, called “Wander.” The Aquadolls made sure to take time for fans at the merch booth after their set.
With flashing red and blue police lights and images of riots projected behind them, stoner-music favorites Sublime with Rome kicked off their set with “April 26, 1992”. As if on cue, the arena filled with the smell of weed, with Rome Ramirez asking, “Where my stoners at?!” before sliding into the weed-friendly anthem “Smoke Two Joints.” Eric Wilson’s deep guttural basslines hit hard during “Doin’ Time” while images of lowriders were projected on the screen and the crowd sang along to the chorus, “most definitely”. Drummer Carlos Verdugo didn’t miss a beat with his huge beaming grin, and his unique bent-elbows-held-high style of drumming.
The band played more reggae-inspired hits next with “The Wrong Way” and “Badfish”. They also made time to pay homage to “our brothers in Katastro”. The Phoenix reggae-rock band Katastro lost their lead singer, 32-year-old Andy Chaves to a deadly car crash on May 12th on the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Sublime is no stranger to loss, and have rebuilt the band following the death of original singer Bradley Nowell to a heroin overdose in 1996. With the house lights up, a dalmatian dog joined the band onstage, in honor of “Lou Dog,” the Sublime mascot who shared the stage with the band in the 90’s.
Ramirez started “What I Got” while fans danced with their flashlights on. Their set ended with the popular “Santeria”. Sublime brought their mega-talent and chill vibe for a fun, end-of-summer show.
Incubus
“I want my, I want my MTV…” from “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits played over the P.A. as the walk-out song for Incubus, the third California-based band of the tour. On came the lights, and frontman Brandon Boyd sang a powerful version of “Nice To Know You” to kick off a nearly two-hour set covering three decades of songs from the alternative band. Boyd spent the entire set on a chair, stating he hurt himself without elaborating how, but amused by the spinnable chair.
With his shoulder-length hair and white pants, Boyd said he remembered playing Ak-Chin Pavilion years before, after traveling from California in a van when Incubus toured with Dirty Heads in the 90’s. Currently, he is touring with bandmates Mike Eiziger on guitar, Chris Kilmore on turntable, José Pasillas on drums, and Ben Kenney on bass guitar on a 27-date U.S. tour that began July 24th and wraps up September 3rd.
Next up was “Circles,” matching the track sequence from Morning View. Afterward, the house lights came on and Boyd asked for the crowd’s help as the band performed “Wish You Were Here”. A powerful version of “Anna Molly” blew the crowd away, followed by an amazing, extended version of “Just a Phase” with a little of The Doors “Riders on the Storm” injected into the middle.
Their 16-song set was full of both radio hits and deep cuts from their 30-year history, like Make Yourself’s “Stellar” and “Pardon Me”, “Sick Sad Little World” from A Crow Left of the Murder, 2020’s apropos “Karma, Come Back” from Trust Fall (Side B), “Vitamin” (barely placating S.C.I.E.N.C.E. fans) and more. During “Mexico” the injured Boyd placed his arm around guitarist Eiziger’s shoulder in a sort of seated side-hug and sang the “ooo”s of the song’s bridge in a beautiful bromance moment.
When Incubus said goodnight, fans naturally were not having it. With cell phone flashlights beaming, the fans cheered for more, and the band returned to the stage. They closed out the night with “Warning” and “Drive.” What a way to end the summer – three hella chill bands bringing Cali-style fun and cool vibes to the desert!
Psyko Steve Presents (PSP) and Downtown Phoenix, Inc (DPI) are excited to reveal details for the inaugural ZONA Music Festival—a new two-day boutique music festival taking place December 3 & 4 in Downtown Phoenix at Margaret T. Hance Park. The event will feature a diverse range of national and local alternative, indie, pop and rock artists in addition to highlighting several nearby businesses and vendors. Headlining acts include Beach House, Portugal. The Man, and Bleachers with Tegan and Sara and Japanese Breakfast. The event was formally announced earlier this morning at a press conference in Downtown Phoenix with remarks from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Congressman Greg Stanton along with a special acoustic performance from Phoenix-based alternative/indie group Breakup Shoes who are featured on the festival.
In addition to the above headlining acts, the 2022 ZONA Music Festival lineup is rounded out by (in alphabetical order): Bartees Strange, Beach Goons, Black Carl, Breakup Shoes, Chicano Batman, Chloe Lilac, Destroy Boys, Diva Bleach, flor, The Front Bottoms, The Garden, Glixen, The Happy Fits, Jeff Rosenstock, July Talk, Lucius, Lucy Dacus, Miniature Tigers, The National Parks, Pariah Pete, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Playboy Manbaby, Pom Pom Squad, The Red Pears, The Regrettes, SALES, SASAMI, Sitting On Stacy, Sub Urban, Sydney Sprague, Turnover, TV Girl, UPSAHL, Waxahatchee and Kevin Morby.
“We are beyond thrilled to be among this incredible lineup and return to one of our favourite cities in the United States,” says headlining act Tegan and Sara. “It’s been a long three years, and we are very much looking forward to getting on stage and strutting our stuff at ZONA in December!”
“So excited to come back to Phoenix for ZONA Festival!!!,” exclaims the Northern California-based punk trio Destroy Boys. “So many killers bands are playing, plus this is one of our favorite cities. See you there!”
Event producer Psyko Steve Presents has been promoting concerts in the Phoenix area since 2000. Founder Stephen Chilton has always placed an emphasis on developing local talent and incorporating Arizona-based artists into the company’s events. That approach rings true for ZONA Music Festival; some of Arizona’s finest artists are included throughout the festival’s lineup, including UPSAHL, who will be coming off her first headlining tour, Black Carl, who are reuniting for the occasion, and Sydney Sprague, who has had a busy couple years since the pandemic opening for tours with Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional, and The Front Bottoms. Other local artists featured on the bill include Miniature Tigers, Breakup Shoes, Playboy Manbaby, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Glixen, Diva Bleach and Pariah Pete.
ZONA Music Festival general admission and VIP weekend tickets will go on sale to the public this Friday, August 26 at 10:00 A.M. PST via ZONA’s Official Website and See Tickets. Single day GA and VIP tickets will be available closer to the event.
PHOENIX — All in attendance at this rock & roll revival – Halestorm’s mega Summer 2022 tour – were there to bear witness to a concert fronted by some of the top women in rock music today! It was definitely ladies’ night on stage, co-commandeered by Lzzy Hale (with her flagship rock & roll machine known as Halestorm) and Taylor Momsen (with her nuclear destroyer blitzkrieg known as The Pretty Reckless).
Photography: Mark Greenawalt
But wait, there’s more! These two co-headliners brought an additional bevy of ladies to the shed with supporting acts Lilith Czar and The Warning. This entourage began this Summer Tour 2022 in Detroit in July and will wrap up the twenty-one stops in Portsmouth in August. This night’s “sermon” was held at Arizona Financial Theatre for the Phoenicians. And it was good… Correction – It was great!
Lilith Czar had a short set and half empty arena to deliver it to. Despite that, she and her band played their asses off and established their reason for being on this stellar bill. Fans know her to be the artist formerly known as Juliet Simms, who CeeLo Green coached to the finals in the 2011 season of The Voice. In 2021 she re-tooled her look and her sound and changed her moniker to Lilith Czar, and this was the night her new persona touched down in Phoenix (note that in March ‘22 she played Mesa Amphitheater with Black Veil Brides).
Her hair was raven black with bangs like Bettie Page. She was dressed in red leather short-shorts and a red lace shirt to match. Accessories included hoop earrings, a black leather choker, and a black leather vest that came off early in the show – a very evocative look. Her set began with “Feed My Chaos” and “100 Little Deaths,” a song carried over from her Juliet Simms days. Her voice is the same as when it won us over singing “Oh! Darling” by the Beatles on The Voice blind auditions, but the music has gotten much heavier. Between songs she armed herself with an Epiphone Les Paul Gold Top guitar and later an acoustic guitar.
Despite the low energy of the early crowd, her band put on a stellar performance and special shout out to drummer Lindsey Martin, who truly seemed thrilled to be behind the drum set. Crowd participation peaked when the band did a cover of “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks and then rolled out the songs from her current music video suite for “Lola,” “King,” and “Anarchy.” Lilith Czar has developed a unique sound and a unique look and her loyal fanbase is coming around. We’re looking forward to seeing and hearing her future offerings.
The convergence of these four particular acts may never happen again and it was a thrill to experience the “dark horse” performance of The Warning. I expected to be blown away by Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless, but The Warning was such a pleasant surprise of an up-and-coming act…that has arrived! Their story is documented in countless YouTube videos about these three sisters from the city of Monterrey, Mexico. They were just children when they did a video of themselves covering Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” It went viral. The youngest, bassist Alejandra, is still just 17 and the oldest sister, guitarist Daniela, is just 22. The middle sister of the Villarreal family is drummer Paulina (age 20).
Most of their original songs were from their third studio album, Error, however they did take a moment to show how much their musicianship has blossomed by doing a new cover of “Enter Sandman,” and it was very impressive. All three sisters sing and their stage presence is invigorating to watch. Although they may have been new to many attendees, there were quite a few die-hard fans singing along to every song.
Their YouTube reach has continued to grow with more seasoned music videos for songs “Choke” and “Disciple.” These videos show that those cute little children have grown into beautiful women, not to mention they have evolved as songwriters too. Their heavy sound has traces of the bands that have influenced them, but their musical style is uniquely their own. Crowd favorites tended to be their current single “Money” (which reverberated echoes of “Seven Nation Army”-meets-“Balls To The Wall”) and the closing song “Evolve,” which has prog rock elements. Keep your eyes peeled. We haven’t seen the last of this power trio from Mexico!
In 2020, Taylor Momsen was ready to hit the road in support of Death By Rock & Roll. The title track had been pre-released and shot up to number 1, then the pandemic hit. The album release date kept getting pushed back until it finally was released in February of 2021, but touring was still not in the cards. Finally, 2022 is proving to be the year for The Pretty Reckless (TPR) to reconnect with that tangible live experience. The press for this show implied a dual headline of Halestorm and TPR, but it was soon clear that TPR were relegated to being an opening act with a fraction of the full stage, less lights, and about half as many songs. They handled it with grace and thanked Halestorm for bringing them on the tour, but it seems they may have been somewhat short changed for a band that sports 7 number one songs (one more than the headliner).
The set opened with a cover of Soundgarden’s “Loud Love,” a song The Pretty Reckless recently recorded for Sirius XM with Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil on guitar and Matt Cameron on drums. Momsen has cited Soundgarden as a huge influence and she again recruited Thayil and Cameron to play a track on the new album, “Only Love Can Save Me Now.” This song, another number 1, also made it into the short set. The Pretty Reckless were on a career high when they had the pleasure of being the opening act for Soundgarden until the tour tragically ended with the passing of Chris Cornell.
There was a mix of new songs like “Witches Burn,” a rocker with a nostalgic AC/DC feel, and back to their first single “Make Me Wanna Die.” You know it’s real live music when there is a bass malfunction and guitarist Ben Phillips stops the show and says, “Hold up. Stop. I don’t wanna play the song without bass.” The problem was fixed right away and Phillips continued, “Let me decide where we’re going to pick up. This is how live rock and roll could work. I can count this out where ever the fuck I want it to start.” He chose to start back at the first verse, the crowd cheered in agreement and just like that, they were back in the swing of things. No tracks to sync up to, just live music. Much appreciated.
Momsen looked beautiful with the smoky eyes and glittering eye shadow and wore her platform biker boots and black silk camisole like a superhero costume. There was no doubt that she had reinvented herself when she started this band and left Cindy Lou Who and Gossip Girl behind in search of her own identity. It’s working. She exuded sexiness with a devil-may-care attitude and you could tell that her primary goal wasn’t to turn you on with her womanly wiles, but to draw you in with her voice, to deeply experience her music. Her voice was in top form as she emoted smoky smooth low notes in “Going To Hell” and then launched into raunchy, gravelly high notes in “Heaven Knows.”
So many good songs had to be left on the cutting room floor like “Follow Me Down,” “25”, and “And So It Went”, but they did save a really good one for their final number. Momsen thanked the opening acts and Halestorm for bringing them on this tour. “I don’t know about everyone here, but all I wanna do with my life is fucking rock, and fucking roll, and play fucking music,” she said, “And thanks to all of you, I get to do that and that’s absolutely incredible. So thank you from the bottom of my heart, from all of us. We love you so much.”
The song “Take Me Down” is an amalgamation of all the greatest hits of classic rock mixed with that signature sound of The Pretty Reckless. It’s a song about selling your soul for rock & roll. Momsen donned an electric six-string as the band played from their souls and she sang from her heart. Great show!
Halestorm is no stranger to Phoenix. In fact, they were here in November 2021 with Evanescence in this same venue. Hale and company are back this time with a fresh set of monster tracks from Back From The Dead, just released in May. Last year’s show introduced the title track “Back From The Dead,” which was riding high at number 1 on the charts at the time. Tonight’s show took a deeper dive with half of their 16-song set being new material. Two of the new songs were more familiar due to radio airplay including “Wicked Ways” and the number 1 song that capped off the night, “The Steeple.”
The opening acts had the audience primed and ready for the Halestorm experience, which began as a black veil that dropped, revealing the band 8’ above the stage on platform risers leading to the drum cage. Two colors popped out of the scene under the blistering white lights: the cardinal red of Lizzy’s signature Gibson Explorerbird (with matching lips and sexy boots) and the neon green glow of drummer Arejay Hale’s hair, drumset, and modern-day zoot suit! Poised for attack, they left no doubt that their intention was to thoroughly entertain!
Praise be to Lzzy Hale, first for her songwriting prowess on every Halestorm song (including six number 1’s, by the way), second for her mastery of the guitar which earned her a coveted sponsorship last year from Gibson Guitars as the first female brand ambassador, and third…good Lord almighty, that voice! How she reaches those notes with such a growl and perfect intonation, night after night for months on end is truly one of the natural wonders of the world. Steve Whiteman (Kix) may have given her some tips to the secret sauce of belting, but there is something about her vocal anatomy that makes her a celebrated freak of nature.
The rasp was on full display on songs like “I Am The Fire,” “Psycho Crazy,” and “I Miss The Misery,” but she proved that her voice is much more than controlled screaming when the show entered the proverbial eye of the hurricane for the ballad “Break In.” All the lights went down except for the spotlight on the piano at center stage. Oh yeah, did I mention that she’s also accomplished on piano? She played solo and had the audience in the palm of her hand during the new acoustic anthem “Raise Your Horns.” Janis Jopplin had to be looking down and smiling for this song. Touching.
Although she is undoubtedly the focal point for most, the band is rock solid at every position. Brother Arejay Hale is a phenomenon to watch on the drums. He is technically precise, but exudes fun and antics while delivering a clinic on professional drum techniques. He did a drum solo which included some interesting oversized drumsticks (still smaller than the broom sticks he used when Halestorm played the Arizona State Fair in 2017). Although cool, the drum solo was unnecessary in the sense that his playing was so incredible throughout the show that there was nothing left to prove! Guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith seemed to keep their nose to the grindstone and play to the masses while the brother/sister act basked in the spotlight. But make no mistake…they didn’t (make any mistakes, that is). The band was tight and obviously rehearsed after years on the road.
It’s a shame when really good songs have to be cut from the setlist to make way for the new, but ones that remain are the ones that bring the crowd to their feet. In the bottom of the ninth, it was time to bring out the closers: “I Miss The Misery,” “Freak Like Me,” and a personal favorite from the debut album, “I Get Off.” What a climax! And then an encore of thank yous, “Here’s To Us” and finally, America’s (dare I say the world’s) new rock anthem, “The Steeple.”
Lzzy Hale closed the night with a song reminding everyone that this was her church and these were her people: A healthy mix of genders, races, and ages with a common passion for great music.
Tempe, AZ – Co-headliners Less Than Jake and Bowling For Soup stopped at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe for the second to last show before a break in their “Back From The Attack” tour, which will resume on September 2nd in San Diego. This tour was a long time coming: Less Than Jake and Bowling For Soup had briefly toured together in 2019, and have appeared at multiple festivals together, but they had never jointly embarked on a major, cross-country tour. According to Bowling for Soup lead vocalist Jaret Reddick, there were discussions of a tour before the world shut down for COVID-19, but it did not solidify until after society began to open up again. Joining the two long-time, legendary punk bands on this stop were CLIFFDIVER, a Tulsa, Oklahoma band who have dubbed their own sub-genre: elevator emo pop. Rounding out the bill was Doll Skin, a punk-rock band from Phoenix, Arizona.
As the doors to the Marquee opened, relieving fans from the sweltering mid-summer heat, they were greeted by a table operated by staff from Punk Rock Saves Lives. Reddick is the chairman of the advisory committee, and is a major advocate of mental health. The group helps connect people who need mental health services to the right resources. They also help sign up potential bone marrow donors as well. Mental health was a bit of a theme throughout the night.
Doll Skin
Doll Skin took the stage at 7 p.m. and opened with the chords of “Don’t Cross My Path,” from their 2019 album Love Is Dead and We Killed Her. If you heard the first few notes, you would be excused for thinking that this was a bit of a slow song, showcasing the smooth voice of lead vocalist Sydney Dolezal. The song, however, builds up and then explodes in the second verse, immediately electrifying the atmosphere and waking up even the sleepiest member of the audience.
During a break between songs – while drummer Scoot and guitarist Tori switched places, giving bassist Tay a bit of a break as well – Dolezal introduced themself to the crowd, saying that they had come to their first show at the Marquee when they were 12. After finishing a cover of Fugazi’s “Waiting Room,” Dolezal thanked the crowd for their participation, stating there would be more, but they wanted to say something before the show moved on:
“This state, my home state, has a fucking governor who’s a douche. *chuckles* Duceeyyyyy. I think my existence as a trans person, and a queer person, should not be inherently political and inherently divisive. I’m going to be fucking mad about it until I can exist, and the younger, queer people that are coming out to me and came before me can exist and live their lives.”
They finished by expressing their love for the community and dedicated “Eat Shit” to the people who prevent others from living their lives. The set was short – only 7 songs – but every aspect was memorable, from the impassioned speech Dolezal gave, to Dolezal jumping off stage during “Control Freak” and joining the mosh pit, while singing the entire time. As the band left the stage, Dolezal led the enthusiastic crowd in chants of “Doll Skin!” before wishing everyone goodnight.
This year has marked a lot of firsts for CLIFFDIVER. One is their debut album, Exercise Your Demons and another was experiencing the ridiculous heat that comes with an Arizona summer. Conversely, this is the first time that Arizona has been exposed to this lively emo band. The band is made up of co-lead vocalists Briana Wright and Joey Duffy, bassist Tyler Rogers, saxophonist Dony Nickles, guitarist/back-up vocalists Matt Ehler and Gilbert Erickson, and drummer Eliot Cooper.
While their song titles may catch your attention first – “Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost but Can Anyone Help Me Get Out of This IKEA?” seemed to be one of the crowd favorites – the sheer amount of talent these 7 possess should hold your focus. Wright and Duffy combined for a jaw dropping cover of Creed’s “Arms Wide Open” and “Higher” mid-set, much to the delight of those witnessing.
The music of CLIFFDIVER is a beautiful mix of open, honest, and devastating lyrics, set to music that makes you want to dance and yet make you think that you should call your therapist tomorrow morning. Between songs, the pair spoke about various topics, with Duffy discussing his bi-polar disorder and his sobriety, which recently reached 14 months. As the band and the crowd fed off each other’s energy, it was quite apparent that CLIFFDIVER was an experience, and that everyone involved would leave the Marquee just a bit better for having been there.
Less Than Jake started life as a band 30 years ago, and hasn’t slowed down since. Starting the show off with 1996’s “Automatic,” Less Than Jake made it very clear that they were in town to give everyone one hell of a show. Indefatigable frontman and guitarist Chris DeMakes is a fast-talking, fun-loving ska-punk legend who – along with the rest of the band – has a single-minded desire to make sure you leave the building feeling like you had one of the best nights of your life. The band is rounded out by co-lead vocalist and bassist Roger Lima, trombonist Buddy Schaub, saxophonist JR Wasilewski, and drummer Matt Yonker.
There was a sort of controlled chaos that erupted from the stage, where DeMakes and Lima – with the rest of the band joining in at various points – interacted with the crowd between songs, bantering with the crowd and with each other. DeMakes gleefully reminded everyone who was over 35 that it would indeed hurt in the morning, an observation that resulted in knowing nods from those who have long since left that milestone behind, and cheers from those who were much closer to that age and likely did not realize what lay ahead for them. Less Than Jake made sure that there would be plenty of opportunities to feel it in the morning, mixing up the old with the new, even pulling an older, lesser played song out – 1996’s “Rock-N-Roll Pizzeria” from their album Losing Streak – and throwing it into the mix with “Lie To Me,” from their newest album Silver Linings. There was a bit of something for everyone, and for every age as well.
At one point, DeMakes pulled two younger kids onto the stage as well as one of the fans who was fanning herself, because as he said “you’re using more energy fanning yourself,” and asked Nick – their roadie – to fan her. Nick did so for the start of “History of a Boring Town,” which DeMakes dedicated to Flagstaff, which is a fair assessment of said town. Another new song was “The High Cost of Low Living,” a song DeMakes promised would be a banger. It is indeed, and it featured the return – albeit short lived – of their 90s mascot Skullman, who disappeared as quickly as he showed up. It’s never easy saying goodbye to a band like Less Than Jake, but there is no doubt they will return soon, as they expressed their love for Tempe and their fans.
Bowling For Soup set is a bit unorthodox: They played 11 songs, and they spoke to the audience for about the same amount of time as they sang. Where Less Than Jake has mastered controlling the flow of energy in the building with their in between songs chats, Bowling For Soup has mastered the art of turning a set into equal parts comedy and music. Both methods work, and work well, but expecting Bowling For Soup to follow the stereotypical punk-rock structure would be to ignore most of their body of work. After all, Reddick is far more than just the lead vocalist; he is the voice of Chuck E Cheese, the chairman of the advisory committee for Punk Rock Saves Lives, and a country music artist. Is it not punk to defy expectations, even if those expectations are that the show – and the band – will be closer to what one considers traditional punk?
Nothing about the band and the music they play – brilliantly – is within the conventional norms, and that makes their show all that much more fun. Reddick is joined onstage by guitarist Chris Burney, drummer Gary Wiseman, and Rob Felicetti on bass – all three performing back-up vocal duties as well. Favorites like “Punk Rock 101” and “1985” were played between a dad joke contest – won by Wiseman with “There were two windmills on a windmill farm, and on this particular day there was no wind. One windmill, trying to start a conversation, asked the other what kind of music they listened to. The second windmill replied ‘You know what? I’m a huge metal fan.’” – and a magic show where Reddick made a “bird” (read: his middle finger) appear from Burney’s kilt.
In addition, there was a rain of guitar picks from both Reddick and Burney, so much so that their roadie had to make multiple trips just to refill the microphone stand holding their picks. A few of those picks were even flicked at the photographers in the pit, who Reddick jokingly called the paparazzi.
Bowling For Soup released a new album this year called Pop Drunk Snot Bread, which was reportedly first intended to be a recording session to make a few singles, but in the end the band decided to make it an album to spend even more time together. Unsurprisingly, the songs off this new album are fantastic, and the band treated the crowd to one: “I Wanna Be Brad Pitt,” a song about, and this may be a bit surprising, Brad Pitt. The music video is predictably hilarious, and watching it live is a treat unto itself. Reddick discussed mental health as well, sharing a bit about his own struggles over the years and what Punk Rock Saves Lives means to him and what it does for the community.
Punk is often thought of as a music genre, when in reality it is, or has become, a culture and community with some really good music that comes along for the ride. The flier handed out at the table had a quote on it from Joe Strummer: “Punk Rock means exemplary manners to your fellow human beings.” This, without a doubt, is a statement that all four of the bands lived up to on this night, and during every show.
Finnish symphonic power metal band Everfrost shares brand new single “Flyers” taken from Frostbites, an EP of anime opening song covers coming out November 2022.
The band adds about the track: “‘Flyers’ by the band BRADIO became a big hit in the Japanese anime scene when it was used as the opening for cult classic show Death Parade. It’s a song we’ve wanted to cover for a long time because of its infectious groove and anthemic chorus, perfect for EVERFROST!
On this song we had the privilege of working with featuring vocalist Rob Lundgren, well-known for his bands Mentalist and Reveal, and vocal work on Youtube. His fun, energetic style was perfect for the track and he gave a great performance!
Aside from arranging the song into a heavier genre, main songwriter Benji wanted to elevate the chorus specifically with a huge vocal sound. This lead to us having the pleasure to work with a group of excellent singers in Finland to provide the large group sound heard on the track. This group consisted of Yannis Papadopoulos (Beast In Black), Bini Silvennoinen (Blame Me!), Mikael Salo(ex-EVERFROST, Thy Row, Dyecrest) and Sara Strömmer (Shereign, ex-Fear of Domination).”
“It’s time to crank ‘Flyers’, put your hands up and have a blast this summer!”
Everfrost is a Finnish symphonic power metal band known for incorporating Japanese anime and manga influences into their music, visuals and storytelling.
Metal fans and anime enthusiasts alike have described Everfrost numerous times as the band they were always looking for as the music is created from a passionate desire to energize you, make you happy and take you away from the struggles of everyday life.
The familiar influences of classic and modern Finnish heavy metal (Nightwish, Beast in Black, Sonata Arctica, Wintersun etc) are present in the Everfrost sound, however the band’s trademark wintery style combined with elements from non-metal genres such as eurobeat, dance pop and anime music bring a unique freshness to the mix. The result is an addictive cocktail that has proven to find its way into a wide variety of playlists, DJ sets, parties and live events.
Another big reason people fall in love with Everfrost is because of how immersive the band’s universe is. Each album features ongoing stories of a group of characters living in a cursed city, sealed off from the world. The concept is inspired by the ‘secret cities’ experiments established during the Cold War.
The band’s latest full length album Winterider was in particular quite a unique release in the metal world, being a concept album featuring this world and characters in a fully coherent manga comic, following the story and working in tandem with the songs. It received critical acclaim and high scores from multiple well-known metal media outlets such as Kaaoszine, Powerplay Magazine, Bravewords Magazine and Tuonela Magazine. “9/10 The next great power metal band.” –BRAVEWORDS
The album also made it to Disk UNION Japan’s top 10 charts for two weeks, charting at number 1 for the first week. The band also won Tuonela Magazine’s ‘best new discovery’ award for 2019.
While the music may sound energetic and cheery, the lyrical themes are usually dark, melancholic and vulnerable, dealing often with escapism through fantasy and entertainment, death and loss, social isolation and hardship. These feelings and ideas are manifested in the stories and characters, however the core inspiration stems from how cruel and cold the real world can be at times. This combination of happy music with sad lyrics empowers listeners in whatever stage they are going through or have been through in their lives.
The band features keyboardist and songwriter Benji Klint-Connelly, guitarists Samuli Heiskanen and Joose Ylianttila, bassist Roi Partanen and drummer Jope ‘James’ Salminen. Past members have included vocalists Hew Wagner and Mikael Salo (Thy Row, Dyecrest). The band has also featured and worked with many other esteemed musicians such as Rob Lundgren (Mentalist, Reveal), Yannis Papadopoulos (Beast in Black), Asim Searah (Damnation Plan, ex-Wintersun), Sara Strömmer (Shereign, ex-Fear of Domination) and Bini Silvennoinen (Blame Me!).
So Cal all-female rock trio The Aquadolls will be on the road with Incubus and Sublime With Rome from July 24 through September 3rd. See dates below.
Watch for new music coming soon. In the meantime, the band’s latest single titled “Help (I’m Falling 4U and I Can’t Get Up)” is out now.
Stream the single here, and stream the video here.
Frontwoman Melissa Brooks says, “This song tells the story of falling for someone and starting to obsess over them. It’s about imagining all of the things we could do together, both romantic and twisted, showing the darker sides of having a crush and longing for more to come from it.
Produced by Fat Mike of NOFX and Jon Graber, this song is a sultry slow jam compiled of surfy guitar with a heavy kick drum, hitting our heart strings with every chord.”
“Help (I’m Falling 4U and I Can’t Get Up)” follows on the heels of the trio’s recently national co-headline tour with Republic Records’ Sitting On Stacy, and their recent appearance at Ventura, CA’s Surf Rodeo.
Already a festival favorite, having performed for the masses at Lollapalooza, Ohana Fest, and Beachlife Festival, The Aquadolls will again grace the stage at Austin City Limits Festival this October.
The 3-piece has just finished recording a new LP that is scheduled to be released soon on Enci Records.
Incubus / Sublime With Rome / The Aquadolls Tour Dates
Sunday, July 24 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Tuesday, July 26 Jacksonville, FL Daily’s Place
Wednesday, July 27 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
Friday, July 29 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
Saturday, July 30 Doswell, VA AfterHours Concerts at The Meadow Event Park
Sunday, July 31 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Tuesday, Aug 02 Syracuse, NY St. Joseph’s Heath Amphitheater at Lakeview
Wednesday, Aug 03 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
Friday, Aug 05 Camden, NJ Waterfront Music Pavilion
Saturday, Aug 06 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sunday, Aug 07 Bangor, ME Maine Savings Amphitheater
Tuesday, Aug 09 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
Wednesday, Aug 10 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
Friday, Aug 12 Bonner Springs, KS Azura Amphitheater
Saturday, Aug 13 Maryland Heights, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis
Sunday, Aug 14 Tinley Park, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago
Tuesday, Aug 16 Rogers, AR Walmart AMP
Wednesday, Aug 17 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
Friday, Aug 19 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Saturday, Aug 20 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Monday, Aug 22 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
Wednesday, Aug 24 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Friday, Aug 26 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Saturday, Aug 27 Irvine, CA FivePoint Amphitheatre
Sunday Aug 28 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tuesday, Aug 30 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort and Casino (Grand Theatre)
Thursday, Sept 01 Ridgefield, WA RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
Saturday, Sept 03 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
About The Aquadolls
The Aquadolls was formed in La Mirada, CA in January 2012 by lead singer and songwriter Melissa Brooks, who began recording bedroom demos of her songs. She eventually released the album We Are Free in early 2013, followed by the LP Stoked on You in December 2014. After a brief break from releases, the stars aligned in July 2018, and the new era of The Aquadolls commenced with Jacqueline Proctor on drums and Keilah Nina on bass. The band grew as a powerful threesome leading up to the release of The Aquadolls’ highly anticipated second album, The Dream and the Deception, recorded and self-produced by Brooks and self-released October 28, 2018, on Aqua Babe Records.
Following their sophomore album, the trio self-released the single “Suck on This” in summer 2019, followed by their 2020 viral cover of Lash’s “Take Me Away” (a track made famous via its inclusion in the 2003 Lindsay Lohan-starring Disney film ‘Freaky Friday’).
After signing with Enci Records and releasing a trio of singles (including the track “Cry Baby” which hit the top 10 Alternative Specialty Charts), The Aquadolls, whose sound mixes indie, punk, surf rock, and vintage bubblegum girl-group swagger, went on to garner praise from the likes of Spin, Paste, Alternative Press, New Noise Magazine and many more.
The Aquadolls Acclaim
“Coming from the suburbs of Los Angeles, the Aquadolls are punk pioneers in the broadest sense. They ooze eclecticism, stacking elements of indie– and surf-rock on top of a distinctly pop-punk foundation. While their sound might not exist at a comfortable spot for genre purists, fans of sonic experimentation will surely find their versatility entrancing.”- Alternative Press
“… exudes an undeniable attitude…”-New Noise Magazine
“The Aquadolls exude a positively energetic, and powerfully confident vibe. A mix of influences and life experiences between this trio, makes for their inspiringly eclectic, powerful punk rock n roll music.”-Wall Of Sound
“If there was a missing link between 60s girl groups, California surf-pop, 90s skater rock and Taylor Swift’s assertive pop-sassiness it might be this lo-fi band helmed by singer-guitarist Melissa Brooks from Southern California.”– New Zealand Herald
“In line with other historical all-female bands such as Bikini Kill.”-The BC Heights
“If you were looking for a new mood-booster, this is it.”– Riff Magazine
“The Aquadolls are a So-Cal trio primed to blast off. Featuring surf-rock vibes alongside pop-punk vocals, these witty women excel at blending genres and garnering attention they rightfully deserve.”– Idobi Radio
“…fuzzy surf-psych-grunge pop from Southern California with an ebullient sing-a-long vibe.things are on the up-and-up for this cool crew.”– *Oh My Rockness*
“The Southern California band effortlessly pours out infectious shoegazey bops, earnest headbangers, cosmic surf-punk ballads, and electrified power-pop anthems. Despite the sheer range of styles and genres reflected in their music, there’s a real cohesion to The Aquadolls’ addicting combination of sharp edges and even keel. No matter what vibe a given song has, it’s clear The Aquadolls are putting everything they have into the music they’re making.”– Hard Noise
“This is a rock band composed of womxn unafraid to unhinge their music from easy listening, a powerfulness laced with irony and sarcasm and sweltering feeling in all of their songs.”– Lithium Magazine
“The group has continued to push themselves creatively in new directions with each release.”– All The Alt Things
“The Aquadolls have managed to piece together an anthem-in-waiting. Powered by woozy chords and a hazy soundscape set atop delicate but resonating vocals, ‘Disappearing Girl’ feels as though it’s been delivered to us fresh from (a) distant dream. Fingers crossed that world domination is part of their plan.”– Blunt Mag
“A shimmering piece of indie rock, “Disappearing Girl” is built on fizzling layers of percussions as The Aquadolls toy with the raw elements garage and chest-swelling air of dream rock.”– Aupium
“A punk rock power ballad doesn’t sound like it could be possible, but The Aquadolls somehow pull off the impossible.”– If It’s Too Loud
“…energetic and infectious. They’re better than caffeine.”– Illinois Entertainer
Today, TERMINA hasreturned with a new slab of modern metal, in the form of standalone single,“Translucent” – featuring guitarist Nik Nocturnal (who also handled other instrumentals), vocalist Andy Cizek(Monuments, Makari, WVNDER), and drummer Chris Turner (Oceans Ate Alaska). Mixed and mastered byZakk Cervini (Bring Me The Horizon, Motionless In White, Coheed And Cambria, etc), “Translucent” is streaming now on Spotify, with the mind-bending, AI-generated video available for viewing here:
Nocturnal comments: “‘Translucent’ is the start of a brand new era for TERMINA. We took everything that we and our fans loved about our first album, ‘Dysphoria‘, and used that as the foundation for this new song – but, we cranked it up to an 11 for this release: we decided to enlist a real drummer, Chris Turner (Oceans Ate Alaska), and get a professional mix/master from Zakk Cervini. The resulting single is pure insanity, plus catchier and heavier than ever before. There’s no question we’ve built the ultimate Modern Metal team for this one.”
Regarding the song’s theme, Cizekadds: “‘Translucent’ is about being at war with yourself, feeling stuck in time, paralyzed by your own mind.”
TERMINA are re-defining modern metal. In the (very) recent past, the catchall genre has managed to catch the dregs of all of metal’s worst stereotypes for a homogenous sound less modern and more meh. In the hands of Nocturnal, Cizek and Turner, the tenets of metal’s newest subgenres become redefined. Metalcore, djent and deathcore are the true triumvirate of modernity, and combining them in fresh ways with a solid pop sensibility keeps it fresh, invigorating and truly progressive.
Stay tuned for more news about TERMINA coming soon!
PHOENIX — Jonny Hawkins’ vocal acrobatics were absolutely mesmerizing. It’s hard to believe the Nothing More frontman wasn’t even singing at age 21 as he sat just beyond the limelight as the band’s drummer. His voice evolved from gravel enriched screams as they opened with “Turn It Up”, to technically precise softness in the opening verse of “Go To War”. And, oh yes, he made his presence known early in the show as he rose up to ride The Scorpion Tail that not only looks dangerous but also contributes to the sound as Hawkins jammed the throttles that processed the guitar like a whammy bar.
The audience were the loyal followers in response to the shouts in “Christ Copyright” and the musicians were Hawkins’ disciples like in the last supper painting. Mark Vollelunga (guitar, vocals), Daniel Oliver (bass, vocals), and Ben Anderson (drums) were all superstars in their own right, but the focus seemed to always come back to center stage where the charismatic singer, with the muscle tone of an MMA fighter, held court.
For this show, Hawkins’ ever-morphing body paint design for the evening resembled a red sash on a field of black that faded out asymmetrically across his torso. What it symbolized remained a mystery along with the question of how the paint stayed on all night through the sweat and stage antics.
The 13-song setlist included a balanced mix of selections from 2017’s Grammy nominated The Stories We Tell Ourselves and the previous release from 2013, simply entitled Nothing More. Fans were treated to two new songs from 2022, the opener “Turn It Up Like (Stand In Fire)” and the brilliant lyrical voyage of “Tired of Winning” with an embedded speech from Alan Watts on the eternal now.
Phoenix was one of the last stops on this 27-gig tour before they head back to San Antonio where their origin story began and there was no sign of fatigue or phoned-in performances. The energy was at full tilt all night long. Even when the heavy sounds took a respite, heavy emotional lyrics filled in on “Fade In / Fade Out”, the perfect soundtrack for Father’s Day weekend.
The sound was a little ‘boomy’ in the venue, but you could still tell that the orchestration was stellar. There were tracks that they played along to, but they seemed incidental to provide storyboarding for intros and to provide expansive soundscapes. Vollelunga’s contribution to the sound of Nothing More is a key to their originality. His showmanship was on full display, but not as a showy shredder, more as a song smith with attitude sporting a drop-tuned Aristide guitar through Marshall cabinets.
As the lights went down for the final song, a techno ambiance resonated as if from the rafters above. A haunting melody was being voiced with vocoder harmonies and the fans came alive knowing the lyrics to “This Is The Time”. The momentum was building as recollections of Hawkins carrying the stone in the music video came to mind and then the room exploded with excitement as the band kicked into high gear. Hands raised, the minions were jumping in time and responding with shouts when the mic was aimed their way. Eventually Hawkins mounted The Scorpion Tail as a bookend to the show and left the crowd wanting more when the house lights capped the performance.
Labelmates at Better Noise Records, Eva Under Fire, opened up the night with a little sliver of the front of the stage. They brought the classic sound and lineup that brought arena rock to the forefront: dueling guitars (Rob Ryberg and Chris Slapnik) mixed with a thumping bass (Edward Joseph) and pounding drums (Corey Newsom) in support of a charismatic singer.
Eva (aka Amanda Lyberg) delivered the vocal goods with perfect intonation and high energy from start to finish. Their set included original grooves that felt instantly familiar.
It will be interesting to see where their trajectory leads them with their formulaic songwriting that sounds like mainstream rock hits. This tour is giving them a platform to show the world that they are more than a bar band. Standout songs were “Heroin(e)” that Eva wrote about her father’s drug overdose and their latest release, “Unstoppable”, that has all the swagger of a Carrie Underwood hit in a metal multiverse.
Eva, with her blue mane, led the audience in synchronous bouncing to the infectious beat of “Blow” that they recorded with Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills. They wrapped their 8-song stint on stage with a cover of Journey’s “Separate Ways”…BTW, their recording and video of this song is good, but it was fantastic live, sans keyboards and vocal harmonies. The band treated fans to a meet-and-greet after the show at the merch table.
Atreyu
Next up, Atreyu visited the valley again after the “day gig” in April at UFest. It was cool to see the lights in the speaker stacks this time that couldn’t be seen in daylight at Ak-Chin Pavilion. Story has it that their bus had caught fire earlier in the day and although nobody was injured, they did lose some material possessions up in smoke. That sure didn’t appear to dampen their spirits during the show. From the first note, the audience was in the palms of their hands.
Atreyu balances a heavy in-your-face metal aesthetic with a fun party atmosphere. Brandon Saller, another former drummer turned lead vocalist, is a class act entertainer and when he asked us to raise our fists, we obeyed. At one point he came off stage to mingle with fans and sing on top of the bar.
When asked, many of the attendees indicated that they were first timers, but when the catchy chorus rang out it seemed like everybody was a longtime fan as they screamed along with the lyrics. Speaking of screaming, Atreyu has another vocal secret weapon on the band with bassist Marc “Porter” McKnight who has mastered the art of unclean vocals! Long hair is typical in heavy metal, but McKnight’s long hair sprouts from his chin instead of his bald head and it suits him well.
There was a scattering of harmony vocals throughout the set, but during a break in the song “Save Us”, Atreyu again raised the bar with some impressive three-part vocal harmonies, and then guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel carried forth the torch ignited by Hall of Fame inductees Judas Priest with harmony guitar solos too.
It is difficult to define the musical style of Atreyu as they weave through fast heavy hitters like opener “Baptize” (the title track of their latest album release), to the anthemic “Warrior” that trudges forward, and then to the fun shuffle of the song “Falling Down” from 2008’s Lead Sails Paper Anchor.
Before ending the night, Saller had a Freddie Mercury “Ay-oh” moment with the crowd that started with simple melodies and ended up bringing smiles to faces as he sang Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and Salt-N-Peppa’s “Push It”.
There’s nothing better than a little cowbell to end a great set and Atreyu pulled another fun one from the archive with “Blow” that originally featured Josh Todd (Buckcherry). Saller had some sentimental last words: “We are more than just a band, we’re a family.” And with that we were welcomed into the family as they took their last bows.
