Snapcase / Boy Sets Fire / Atreyu / Vaux

Vaux opened up for the Victory (or former) trio, but the line was so slow I only caught their last two songs. Vaux (sounds like "vox") sounded like Refused's vocals with a rock tinge and none of the sonic experimentation. If people had known who they were, they might have gotten into it and really rocked out. Since the stage was cut off by a ridiculous barrier, no fans could get close to the band. Vaux had a lot of intensity but not a lot of energy, except for one of the bassists (I think there were two, this was a huge band with two or three guitars and one or two basses). This bassist had huge hair and was banging out his own concert with his fro flying all around.

Atreyu quickly took the stage and I can honestly say the intervals between bands was one of the fastest I have ever experienced and there were no tech problems. I don't think too many people were familiar with Atreyu but once they got a few songs in and the lead singer repeatedly bridged from stage to barrier, the crowd was synchonized and ready for more. Atreyu belted out a sound incredibly similar to their album, the sound being near perfect in the old theater. Watching them, the band looks like a bunch of best friends having the best time of their life. At one point the guitarists and the bassist all stood on the edge of the stage, instruments pointed at the ceiling, jamming out while the drummer/backup singer went at it and the lead singer hung out patiently. They never slowed down and the crowd probably bought all of their cd afterwards or at least tried to steal the stickers.

Boy Sets Fire took over and did their thing, which is really awesome, if you like Boy Sets Fire. I am a big fan, but I think the crowd was 50/50. There were a lot of big label-autograph-seeking-types who would crowd them after the show, and there were some interested in what the band had to say about politics, capitalism, and being in a band, and there were some who stood there with a blank look wondering what was going on. The band was incredible, the songs varied from the last EP and two albums. They thankfully closed with Rookie, their best song. The lead singer spits more than anyone I have ever seen, spitting into the crowd, on the stage, himself, you name it, and it was really frothy, white shit. It must have been every five seconds. I guess singing makes him salivate. I find it dries me up but I don't do it for a living....

Snapcase raised their banner and took the stage in a steamy light show (not sure whose idea that was). They opened up with Caboose, which sounded unlike any version I have every heard, more in the sound of "End Transmission," but really cool since it was different at least. The rest of the show seemed to be themed by album. Their indie-scream latest songs had their own feel, Progression's songs had their own super-intense pissed-off go-for-it feel, and they even threw in an oldie, Incarnation, for the fuck of it, which was great. Again, the barrier fucked up the whole vibe, but they dealt with it and jumped back and forth. The best part was Jon Salemi and Daryl kneeling on the edge of the stage. Because of the gap, everyone could see them, in the light show, in the pleasure-pain of the scream. The band closed with some more from their new album, which the crowd didn't really get into yet, so they called them out for one more. They said they weren't going to do encores on this tour, but they gave us She Suffocates from Progression, and it was an awesome closing to a incredible lineup. One of the tightest, fastest shows I have ever seen.