Amped Up Aperture » Amping up your concert experience with live photos and reviews!

 

Dangerkids

I was pretty excited to hear these guys were on the bill for the Take Action tour, I have heard a lot about them but haven’t had the opportunity to check them out. Formed in 2012 these guys are just getting started.  Releasing their debut album on Rise Records in 2013, Dangerkids have already solidified a slot on Vans Warped Tour for the summer of 2014.  Right off the bat these guys ran up to their drum kit, had a little pep talk, and they were off. Lead vocalists, Andy Bane and Tyler Smyth had great chemistry on stage, they easily bounced off one another, no one outshined the other. Sometimes with multiple vocalists, the stage can get crowded and one vocalist will be more prominent than the other. This really wasn’t the case for these guys, they were very comfortable on stage and sounded great. I am eager to see how they preform this summer on Vans Warped Tour.

 

I Killed the Prom Queen

This was my first time seeing Australian rockers, I Killed the Prom Queen, I had no idea how they would be able to stand up to powerhouse metalcore bands, The Devil Wears Prada and The Ghost Inside, but as soon as frontman, Jamie Hope ran out to the front of the stage and attacked the crowd head on, I had no doubts they would be able to hold their own. Hope has spot on roaring growls that could demand anyone’s attention and he had no problem jumping off the stage to get in your face. Guitarists, Jona Weinhofen and Kevin Cameron  followed Hope’s lead and just destroyed the stage. Everyone in the venue was on their feet moving around whether it be in the mosh pit or just rocking out, I am excited to see more of them in the near future.

 

The Ghost Inside

Keeping with the theme, this was yet another band I had yet to see live. I have always heard good things about their live show and they definitely sparked my interest. They didn’t start out quite as strong as the opening bands, taking a moment to fall into their groove. But once they were warmed up, they were fantastic. Bassist Jim Riley was the first to grab my attention, he was all over the stage, shouting lyrics back at the people in the first couple of rows and making a genuine connection with their fans.  Frontman, Jonathan Vigil had so much energy he was all over the stage falling into these stances as he screamed in your face. Towards the middle of their set a massive circle pit broke out that occupied a large portion of the venue.

 

The Devil Wears Prada

 

I have always really loved seeing The Devil Wears Prada, they are a heavy christian, metalcore band and every time I have seen them, they were better than the last. This show was no exception. Before the lights go on and the opening music is still playing over the venue speakers, Mike Hranica comes out, stomps around the stage a couple times, as soon as he looks up the stages lights up and he lets out this loud throaty scream and moves into their first song, “Sailor’s Prayer.” Hranica always reminds me of a wind – up doll, he is never in the same place for more than a couple of seconds before he is stomping and thrashing around the stage. Guitarist and backing vocalist, Jeremy DePoyster presents a clean contrast to Hranica’s raw screams, they bounce off of each other flawlessly.

 

Dangerkids

I Killed the Prom Queen

The Ghost Inside

The Devil Wears Prada

This line up is a fan’s dream, Crown the Empire, Born of Osiris, We Came as Romans, August Burns Red and Asking Alexandria, under one roof.  I couldn’t be more excited to cover this show.  These are all heavy bands that have a massive following, in part because of their touring history on Vans Warped tour. Warped Tour is a great opportunity for bands to get exposure and meet other bands that down the road they can tour with. The outcome is incredible, a sold out crowd on a Wednesday night.

 

Crown the Empire

These guys are fairly new to scene but quickly gaining momentum. Dallas rockers Crown the Empire signed with Rise records in early 2012 and by the summer of 2013, they earned a coveted slot on Vans Warped Tour. They have since made their way back into the studio to work on their sophomore album which will be released sometime late in 2014. This was a band coming into the show I knew nothing about but the lineup was pretty solid so I had an idea of what to expect. Watching them on stage, I would have had no idea these guys were still such a young band, they had great chemistry moving around on stage and bouncing off the crowd and one another. They definitely have room to grow and improve, but for a first impression, they killed it.

 

Born of Osiris

 

This was my first time seeing Born of Osiris as well, once again trusting judgment on the bill for the evening I was all about checking them out. The most exciting thing about the band was their bassist, David Darocha, he was throwing his dreads all over the place, leaning off the side of the stage singing into the crowd’s face. Everyone else just fell short for me. I don’t expect artists to constantly be running and jumping around, but basic stuff, like stopping to have any sort of dialogue with the crowd and making yourself accessible to them is so important, when you go through a routine it shows.

We Came as Romans

 

Now this is a band I know and love seeing live, they have this constant energy that is just infectious. This is a six piece band featuring a clean vocalist  and an unclean vocalist, from the second the music starts, they’re off. “Unclean Vocalist” David Stephens is usually the first to jump in and gets right in the crowds face, closely followed by clean vocalist, Kyle Pavone who spent the first song kind of in the middle of the stage bouncing around. Once they transitioned into their second song, Kyle jumped off the stage and into the crowd and preformed the whole song down there. I love the accessibility of this band, they look like they genuinely love what they do and it comes across in their shows.

August Burns Red

 

I have always really liked seeing August Burns Red, their in your face thrashing style keeps their shows fun and interesting for fans. Jake Luhrs is a huge force in the band, his roaring vocals and powerful stances demand your attention. Guitarist, JB Brubaker and bassist, Dustin Davidson really bounce off one another’s energy, they both like to run around the stage and from time to time pent up on the monitors at the top of the stage. The band’s dynamic along is enough to draw your attention. Everyone in the crowd was moving around, moshing and shouting every word back to Luhrs. They put on a great show and really got everyone amped up.

Asking Alexandria

Their stage set up was pretty large, they had their drum kit on a raised platform with their signature banner as a backdrop. As the Fillmore went pitch black a couple lights at the top of the riser illuminated James Cassells standing behind his drum kit then one by one, the rest of the band jumped in.  I have always loved photographing this band, they’re fun, they run around and shred on their guitars and they are incredibly accessible.  Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell usually pent up at the top of the stage and shred back to back. It makes for a pretty epic stance when you have someone in the band who plays left handed. They sounded great, but really the weakest link in the band is vocalist, Danny Worsnop. He seems so disconnected from the rest of the band and the fans and he wasn’t as vocally sound as he used to be. He sounded a little off, but the show went on and between the light show and the energy from the rest of the band, everyone really seemed to have a killer time.

Crown the Empire

Born of Osiris

We Came As Romans 

August Burns Red

Asking Alexandria 

This tour immediately caught my attention, everyone knows Scott Ian as the infamous guitarist for Anthrax but a speaking words tour? What exactly is that? It definitely sparked my curiosity. Going in the room was very simple with a computer set up and projector screen. When Scott came out he had jokingly started telling an excerpt from Anthony Kiedis’s autobiography, “Scar Tissue” Then stopping to admit that wasn’t his story, he was too much of a straight edge.  Then he started talking about his life and the making of Anthrax. Throughout the night he told stories about his various experiences touring and building relationships with fellow artists from there he continued talking about all their crazy experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

 

I am really glad I went, Scott was so open to talking to people, answering questions about himself or the band. The whole event was surprisingly personable and Scott is a surprisingly funny guy. It was a cool change of pace and really gave fans an opportunity to see get to know one of their favorite rockstars.

 

 

 

Industrial rockers Nine inch Nails and grunge heavyweights, Soundgarden have announced a summer co-headlining tour, featuring support from Death Grips on all dates. The bands both in the wake of releasing new albums (NIN Hesitation Marks, 2013) and (Soundgarden King Animal, 2012.) Tickets go on sale March 21st.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary release of both NIN’s The Downward Spiral and Soundgarden’s Superunknown these albums both helped fuel their success. This collaboration is a must for 90’s music fans.

Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, and Death Grips:

07-19 Las Vegas, NV – Planet Hollywood
07-21 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Ampitheatre
07-24 Tinley Park, IL – First Midwest Bank Ampitheatre
07-26 Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
07-27 Toronto, Ontario – Molson Canadian Ampitheatre
07-29 Mansfield, MA – XFINITY Center
07-3o Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
08-01 Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre
08-02 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
08-04 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
08-05 Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
08-07 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavillion
08-08 Atlanta, GA – Aaron’s Ampitheater at Lakewood
08-10 West Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Ampitheatre
08-11 Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Ampitheatre
08-14 Austin, TX – Austin360 Ampitheater
08-16 Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
08-17 Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavillion
08-19 Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Ampitheater
08-21 Chula Vista, CA – Sleep Train Ampitheatre
08-22 Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre
08-24 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Ampitheater
08-25 Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl

Two of the most infamous bands in Rock N Roll, Kiss and Def Leppard team up on a 42 city co-headlining tour this summer that will span North America. Tickets go on sale friday and will kick off June 23rd in Utah.

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott says he and Gene Simmons first discussed the idea of the two bands touring together when he and the Kiss bassist played some South American dates two years ago as part of a rock-and-roll all-stars tour. “It’s finally happened, which is fantastic,” Elliott says.

It’ll be the first time the two bands have shared a bill, though Stanley says, “We’ve run into each other at festivals. It just seemed to be a natural fit.” Stanley also noted that one of guitarist Phil Collen’s pre-Def Leppard bands, Girl, opened for Kiss in the U.K. during the early ’80s.

Kiss released its first albums, Kiss and Hotter Than Hell, 40 years ago, and the band will commemorate the anniversary with a slew of archival releases, including a 34-LP vinyl box set and a two-CD compilation called Kiss 40. The group will be inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame April 10.

Def Leppard has been writing music for the group’s next album. “We all camped out at my house last month and wrote songs, which you will hear none of this summer,” Elliott says. Collen says he expects that album to come out in 2015.

Simmons says a dollar from each ticket sold on the tour will go to to the Wounded Warrior Project and other military non-profits. Those charitable partners include the USO, Hire a Hero, Project Resiliency/The Raven Drum Foundatio, and The Augusta Warrior Project. “Politicians fart through their mouth,” Simmons says. “Only the military makes freedom possible.”

Stanley adds that the group also plans to hire vets for its crew. “We try to find a couple of vets who want to go out and be part of the team,” he says. “This is a chance for somebody to travel and be part of the Kiss Army.”

Elliot says he doesn’t see any rivalry developing between the groups while they’re on tour. “It’s two great bands that are going to be playing for the same amount of time,” he says. “It’s joint forces. I don’t see it as competitive at all.”

Tour dates follow:

June
23 – USANA Amphitheater, West Valley City, Utah
25 – Pepsi Center, Denver, Colo.
27 – Sleep Country Amphitheater, Ridgefield, Wash.
29 – White River Amphitheatre, Auburn, Wash.
July
2 – Concord Pavilion, Concord, Calif.
3 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Wheatland, Calif.
5 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Irvine, Calif.
6 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, Calif.
8 – The Forum, Los Angeles, Calif.
9 – Ak-Chin Pavilion, Phoenix, Ariz.
12 – Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin, Texas (on sale March 22)
13 – Gexa Energy Pavilion, Dallas, Texas
15 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
16 – Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
18 – Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta, Ga. (on sale March 22)
19 – PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, N.C.
20 – Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, N.C.
22 – Cruzan Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Fla.
23 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, Fla.
25 – Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Va.
26 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J. (on sale March 22)
August
1 – Xfinity Center, Mansfield, Mass.
2 – Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, N.J.
3 – Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, N.J.
5 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (on sale March 22)
6 – Nikon At Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, N.Y. (on sale March 22)
8 – Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, Va. (on sale March 22)
9 – Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, Penn.
10 – Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, Conn.
12 – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto, On.
13 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien, N.Y. (on sale March 22)
15 – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisc.
16 – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, Ill.
17 – Target Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
20 – Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
22 – Klipsch Music Center, Noblesville, Ind.
23 – DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich. (on sale March 22)
24 – First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown, Penn. (on sale March 22)
26 – Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
28 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Maryland Heights, Mo. (on sale March 22)
29 – BOK Center, Tulsa, Okla.
31 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Woodlands, Texas

 

Monster Truck

A friend of mine told me that these guys were great live and I would really like their music, so needless to say I was pretty excited to see them. As soon as they started playing I fell in love. They have a very old school AC/DC / bluesy sound with heavy guitar riffs and loud screaming vocals. They were a little more subdue on stage then the other acts of the evening but they had a great presence that is only going to improve with time.  I think the biggest draw back was that they were so drastically different from the other bands on the bill. Had Airbourne been there it may have been a different story since they seem to fall in a similar rock genera, but I noticed a lack of reaction from the crowd. They are quite the contrast from Buckcherry’s loud, fast style and unfortunately they just didn’t translate well for some of the people in the crowd. Though I think they are a killer band, I am looking forward to watching them mature and do big things in the future.

 

 

Buckcherry 

The first time I had seen Buckcherry was last summer at Carolina Rebellion, Josh Todd was fighting a cold and it was raining. I have a lot of respect for them to come out and playing when they had so many components clearly fighting against them. I was excited to get the opportunity to see them play again and this time, in a little more controlled setting.  Off the bat the first thing I noticed was their energy, everyone came running out and it was madness. Josh was in the middle dancing and jumping all over the stage, while Keith Nelson and Stevie D. shredded on guitar on either side of the stage. They were exactly what I had expected and understandably a lot more active then the previous time I had seen them in Carolina. One of my biggest issues with this band though is it feels like they  have lost the passion, while they are jumping around and slinging guitars around their backs, but there was nothing behind it. It felt like they were just going through the motions. Unfortunately it happens, I have seen this problem with numerous bands and between constant touring and everything being so regimented it is easy to get a little lost. Stevie D. was the one who felt the most personable to me, he was very aware of the crowd and was able to make a connection with them, even something as simple as making a face at a fan or smiling at them can make their night. Overall I enjoy these guys, I dig their music, but I am interested to see where they take their set in another year or two.

Monster Truck

Buckcherry

 

“SHEPHERD OF FIRE TOUR” KICKS OFF APRIL 12^TH IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

February 18^th, 2014 – Burbank, CA – Chart-topping hard-rock act Avenged Sevenfold will hit the road in North America for the “Shepherd of Fire Tour,” based on the band’s single of the same name, which hit No. 1 on both the Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts. “Shepherd of Fire,” from A7X’s current album Hail To The King, is the second single to reach No. 1, in addition to the title track.

 The “Shepherd of Fire Tour,” which kicks off on April 12^th in British Columbia, will hit arenas in the United States and Canada. The band will also headline the U.S.’s biggest rock festivals, Carolina Rebellion, Rise Above Fest, and Rock on The Range.

 Avenged Sevenfold will be joined by Hellyeahon the Shepherd of Fire Tour as support.

Hail To The King topped the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart upon its release in August, making it A7X’s second consecutive No. 1 debut. The album also went to No. 1 in Brazil, Canada, Finland, Ireland, and the U.K. The Huntington Beach, Calif., band has become known for its spectacular live shows, routinely selling out arenas worldwide and headlining some of the most prestigious music festivals. They are scheduled to perform five shows at the Soundwave Festival in Australia starting February 22nd, and will spend the summer headlining Europe’s biggest rock festivals, including Rock Im Park, Rock Am Ring in Germany, the PinkPop Festival in Holland, and the U.K.’s biggest rock festival, Download at Donington Park. After that they will headline the Mountain Stage for two nights at Summersonic in Japan.

Avenged Sevenfold’s upcoming tour dates are as follows:

04/12  Dawson Creek, BC              EnCana Events Centre

04/13  Prince George, BC              CN Centre

04/16  Moose Jaw, SK                    Mosaic Place

04/17  Edmonton, AB                     Shaw Conference Centre

04/19  Winnipeg, MB                     MTS Center

04/21  Minneapolis, MN                Target Center

04/23  Huntsville, AL                      Von Braun Center

04/25  Tampa, FL                             St. Pete Times Forum

04/26  Jacksonville, FL                   Welcome to Rockville

04/28  Lafayette, LA                        Cajundome

04/30  Hollywood, FL                      Hard Rock Live

05/02  Virginia Beach, VA               Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach

05/03  Charlotte, NC                        Carolina Rebellion

05/06  Knoxville, TN                       Knoxville Civic Coliseum

05/08  Hershey, PA                         Giant Center

05/10  Bangor, ME                           Rise Above Fest

05/12  Quebec City, QC                  Colisee Pepsi Arena

05/13  Montreal, QC                       Bell Centre

05/15  Syracuse, NY                       Oncenter Complex

05/17  Columbus, OH                     Rock on the Range

After 33 years of sex drugs and Rock N Roll Motley Crue announces plans for one final world tour. “All bad things must come to an end”  They confirmed the tour this afternoon at their press conference in LA. This tour is going to be one for the record books, make sure to reserve your seat as soon as possible, Crue is trying to make this tour as accessible as possible, starting ticket prices at only $15.00.

TOUR DATES

THE FINAL TOUR: ALL BAD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

• Jul 02 GRAND RAPIDS, MI Van Andel Arena
  
• Jul 04 MILWAUKEE, WI Summerfest
  
• Jul 05 NOBLESVILLE, IN Klipsch Music Center
  
• Jul 06 CINCINNATI, OH Riverbend Music Center
  
• Jul 08 COLUMBUS, OH Schottenstein Center
  
• Jul 09 MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
  
• Jul 11 DES MOINES, IA Wells Fargo Arena
  
• Jul 12 WICHITA, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
  
• Jul 13 TULSA, OK BOK Center
  
• Jul 15 CEDAR PARK, TX Cedar Park Center
  
• Jul 16 DALLAS, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
  
• Jul 18 ALBUQUERQUE, NM Isleta Amphitheater
  
• Jul 19 PHOENIX, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
  
• Jul 21 LOS ANGELES, CA Hollywood Bowl
  
• Jul 22 IRVINE, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
• Jul 23 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA Shoreline Amphitheater
• Jul 25 RENO, NV Reno Events Center
  
• Jul 26 RIDGEFIELD, WA Sleep Country Amphitheater
  
• Jul 27 AUBURN, WA White River Amphitheater
• Jul 29 WHEATLAND, CA Sleep Train Amphitheater
• Jul 30 CHULA VISTA, CA Sleep Train Amphitheater
• Aug 01 SALT LAKE CITY, UT USANA Amphitheater
• Aug 02 DENVER, CO Pepsi Center
  
• Aug 03 KANSAS CITY, MO Sprint Center
  
• Aug 05 STURGIS, SD Sturgis Buffalo Chip
  
• Aug 06 SIOUX CITY, IA Tyson Events Center
  
• Aug 08 TINLEY PARK, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
• Aug 09 CLARKSTON, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
  
• Aug 10 TORONTO, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheater
• Aug 12 CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH Blossom Music Center
  
• Aug 13 BURGETTSTOWN, PA First Niagara Pavilion
  
• Aug 15 PELHAM, AL Oak Mountain Amphitheater
• Aug 16 ALPHARETTA, GA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
  
• Aug 17 TAMPA, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
• Aug 19 CHARLOTTE, NC PNC Music Pavilion
  
• Aug 20 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
  
• Aug 22 BRISTOW, VA Jiffy Lube Live
  
• Aug 23 CAMDEN, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
  
• Aug 24 MANSFIELD, MA Xfinity Center
  
• Aug 26 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
  
• Aug 27 ALLENTOWN, PA Great Allentown Fair
  
• Aug 29 WANTAGH, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
  
• Aug 30 HOLMDEL, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
  
• Aug 31 DARIEN CENTER, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
  
• Oct 10 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK Chesapeake Arena
  
• Oct 11 THE WOODLANDS, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
  
• Oct 12 BOSSIER CITY, LA CenturyLink Center
  
• Oct 14 LOUISEVILLE, KY KFC Yum! Center
  
• Oct 15 NASHVILLE, TN Bridgestone Arena
  
• Oct 17 HOLLYWOOD, FL Seminole Hard Rock
  
• Oct 19 JACKSONVILLE, FL Veterans Memorial Arena
  
• Oct 21 GREENVILLE, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
  
• Oct 22 GREENSBORO, NC Greensboro Coliseum
  
• Oct 25 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Borgata Events Center
• Oct 26 UNCASVILLE, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
  
• Oct 29 SYRACUSE, NY The OnCenter
  
• Nov 05 BILOXI, MS Mississippi Coast Coliseum
  
• Nov 06 SOUTHAVEN, MS Landers Center
  
• Nov 09 MOLINE, IL iWireless Center
  
• Nov 11 GREEN BAY, WI Resch Center
  
• Nov 12 MADISON, WI Alliant Energy Center
  
• Nov 13 OMAHA, NE CenturyLink Center
  
• Nov 15 ST. PAUL, MN Xcel Energy Center
  
• Nov 16 FARGO, ND FargoDome
  
• Nov 18 EDMONTON, AB Rexall Place
  
• Nov 19 CALGARY, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
  
• Nov 21 VANCOUVER, BC Rogers Arena