As unfortunate as the weather may have been on Monday, the music was far from it. The Nokia theater was hit with more than just some rain and fog- it was hit with some of the most anticipated bands on the rise. It was one of the last stop on the Bone Palace Ballet Tour. Each of the bands brings their own flair to the stage this created variation in the style of their performances, but all the sounds are married by their unique underlying alternative-rock foundation. There was nearly something for everyone who loves rock music.
The Bone Palace Ballet Tour had more talented acts than fans could know what to do with. As much of a tragedy as this is, kids are often hard pressed to find a tour that has more than one band that they love…this one did. Scary Kids jumped on board with the likes of The Devil Wears Prada, Emery, and Chiodos (headliner) to form one of the craziest, most talent packed tours of 2007. There’s more noise, more talent, more merch, and more antics.
Almost every band on the tour was promoting a new release and showcasing their new songs. Each set was musically moving and powerfully energetic grabbing the crowd and running with each song they played. Usually you go to a tour like this to see one or two of the bands playing, but for this show you go wanting to see all. There was not a band on the bill that didn't make you wanna dance and scream.
The excitement outside the venue started around 2 pm when loving fans started to line the sidewalks…keep in mind; doors were at 6:30. As I walked by the groups of kids forming outside the venue, I could see and feel in the inaudible displays of excitement. I will never tire of seeing those little pre-show twitches- the ever present ear to ear smile, the perfectly parted and sometimes gelled hair, the rolling of the feet (which are often being stowed away in Chucks), the precision eyeliner, and the point and shoot cameras, and the excitement emanating from every breath they took. You could hear the screams as the venue doors opened as fans prayed for a glimpse.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
It was my first time seeing The Devil Wears Prada and my expectations were high; I am fan of their latest album Plagues and had hoped that they would be able to translate the hypnotizing metal core sound into a reality on the stage. They exceeded my expectations. Mike grabbed the mic and within seconds was expelling a power house of vocals. Not only is he only about 19 years old, he is probably one of the most consistently talented "screamers" in the biz...his singing isn't horrible either. The melodic riffs and thumping harmonies that accompany the vocals are nothing to look past. One thing I loved about the performance was every bit of energy that Mike expelled to the crowd, the crowd reciprocated.
While this band may be criticized for being just another metal core band, I think they need to take another listen. They may be following the metal core lead, but they have their own unique touch that in my eyes lends itself to longevity and exploration of the genre that others may never have the guts to venture into. They are all still very young guys, two of them just graduated high school for goodness sake, they still have much to experience, for experience is what often takes talented group of musicians and turns them into a solid successful band. If this is where they are today…
SCARY KIDS SCARING KIDS
Enter Scary Kids Scaring Kids. I have seen them more times than I can count, well, it's more like I lost count. What can I say? This band never ceases to amaze me with their consistent jaw dropping performance. SKSK was my first interview EVER, and whenever they are around I try and make it out to their show to give some support. Having to go to a lot of shows is the name of the game with music journalism, the bands that truly stick out in my mind at the end of the day are not necessarily bands that produced an amazing album, but they are more often than not bands that blew me away with a live performance. For me, Scary Kids is one of those bands.
Scary Kids has the ability to take alternative rock to the next level and leave you with a high of music that is indescribable. Between the ever maturing vocals of Tyson and the catchy, catchy tunes bellowing from Pouyan's keys you can not help but get drawn in. The guitar riffs are always dead on, and even with rockin' a new drummer, they never skip a beat. They performed many new songs, such as Degenerates, The Deep End, and Faces along with older tunes like The City Sleeps in Flames. Scary Kids performance in NYC really impressed me, the way that the performed (dead on) and the way that they interact with the crowd and draw them in is truly something cool to watch. They are a band that really gives the crowd something to scream over. Their performance is always filled with elements that draw in the crowd; there was never a dull moment.
It is one thing to be able to pull of a performance and leave your fans wanting more, it is another to play EVERY performance and leave everyone wanting more. Even though there has been some speculation that the sound departure from their last album to their current release was premature and something that their fans might not be ready to greet with open arms, I beg to differ. Open your arms wide because their sound and talent played and displayed on this album is larger than you could ever get your arms around, so start wrapping your ears around it folks, be part of this stream towards the very top. There new sound is fitting to their musical progression and drive to always be creating the best music they can, but more so, creating something that they are proud of and will be proud of 40 years from now.
EMERY
Emery is another band that I have experienced either hit or miss success as far as their albums and recorded songs go, I think that with their songwriting they either hit the nail on the head as far as a consumable sound that their fans will dig, or they just slightly miss, however, they are a band that is always great live. Each charismatic member brings something entertaining to the performance and always leaves you with a smile. While their album may not grab you their performance will leave you a fan. At first thought their music is not necessarily the perfect match for this style tour, but after hearing their new stuff and watching their live act, there is not doubt that they are certainly a great band to have in the line up and an incredible talent. They have been around for a little longer than some of the other bands, their experience shows. They know what their fans love, and they certainly give it to them. I enjoyed seeing Emery perform again, and would never pass up another opportunity to see them.
CHIODOS
CHIODOS! (chee-O-dose) I have been corrected many a time. Boys and girls, it is pronounced CHEE-O-DOSE. The show got kicked off with the spotlight on Craig, he opened the show with a light acoustic song that grabbed everyone’s attention, and then immediately following the rest of the band hit the stage- entangled the crowd in rock euphoria. Craig's ability to do vocal gymnastics and make his voice soar to reach hair raising notes and send chills down your spine is undeniable. The unique way in which Craig's vocals and dynamic lyrics compliment the insane instrumentals is a testament to the overall connection between band members. The dynamic guitar riff’s and heart pounding bass lines generate alternative rock bliss. The intensity and concentration that each band member brings to the stage makes watching their performance more than just a live concert, it makes it an entire musical experience. The way that the band incorporated orchestral schemes gave their harder rock sound a soft edge. When Craig looks out into the crowd his eyes undoubtedly meet your and the music and message becomes personal. Making a connection with the crowd is one of the most challenging tasks a band of this nature has to conquer, and they have. During the band’s set they performed older tunes along with newer songs such as “Is it Progression If a Cannibal Uses a Fork?” and “Lexington (Joey Pea Pot with a Monkey Face)”.
While their new album Bone Palace Ballet is incredibly complex and multi-layered (kinda like an onion) the band can perform it, they wrote an album that is certainly a little out there, but it is musically advanced and conveys each member’s talent and creativity- their performance is nothing less than that.
BY AMANDA who is jealous Robert has the Sigur DVD...i want it. and yes, I took ALL the pictures featured in this article.
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