Too enthused to wait until the 7:30pm show time, Endless Hallway began their set a few minutes early. They came on stage and delivered a consistently high energy set from the first to the last song. The drum beatings, guitar rhythms and intense vocals that were heard from outside the Rialto lured stragglers and onlookers into the theater where they purchased last minute tickets.

Inside the theater, the floor was filled with young fans accompanied by their parental chaperones. Age difference aside, there was united excitement and shared enjoyment.

Escape the Fate then came on stage and gave a performance that stole the night. They were a step-up from the last time I saw them at KFMA day last spring. Possibly due to the intimate nature of the Rialto Theatre versus the massive audience from the outdoor event, Escape the Fate were personable, funny, and they dominated the stage with apparent zeal. At times, when lead singer Craig Mabbitt would head bang with such force, I was afraid he would suffer some whiplash.  It was good to see a band onstage having a good time and rocking out despite however many times they have heard and performed their own songs.

At approximately 9:25pm, Atreyu came on stage and were greeted by the loud chanting from an awaiting audience. The band started off performing songs from their new album Congregation of the Damned, and gave some background on favorite songs such as “Gallows” while practicing in rehearsal. If you haven’t heard of Atreyu, their music can be described as screamo/metal. Atreyu live sounds like incomprehensible vocals coupled with quick beats, their strong point was that they were consistently powerful throughout each song, but their performance did not allow for listeners to notice a distinction from one song to the next. After half an hour of listening to songs with only slight noticeable differences, they performed their new radio favorite song “Falling Down” from Lead Sails Paper Anchors.  This song is not just drastically different from the other songs performed so far, but it sounds like it belongs in a Weird Al Yankovic album.  After “Falling Down” they returned to performing predominantly screamo style songs.

The spotlight to the night’s show definitely belonged to Escape the Fate rather than the Headliners Atreyu. Each band performed well, but Escape the Fate truly knew how to deliver their music to show the uniqueness of each song.

Concert photos by Mike Leland | www.mikeleland.com

1234►

Related posts:

1. RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival 2010 Concert Photos and Review! The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival rolled into town last...
2. Korn and Rob Zombie Top Bill on Third Annual RockStar Energry Drink Mayhem Festival KORN AND ROB ZOMBIE TOP BILL ON THIRD ANNUAL ROCKSTAR...

There is no better way to enjoy a sunny Saturday afternoon than with a full line-up of in-your-face rock music.  Beginning the day with the local band We Draw the Tide, high energy music and performances on stage got the audience prepared for the next 10 hours of hard core listening.

The Kindled, whom immediately won the crowd over with T-shirts flung into the audience, personalized the stage with their monkey mascot. Playing music from their new album “Restore” this band was a mix of classical rock with heavier new rock.

KFMA day was not only the beginning of one bands tour, but also marked the last performance of PH8. Explaining to audiences that sometimes its time to move on and find real jobs in this economy, they ended their career with an amazing performance.  Stopping the show at one point to reprimand concert goers for throwing bottles at people, they resumed with fierce power.  Keeping the audience alive and showing their commitment to their fans, at the end of their set, the lead singer took a picture of the audience from on stage.

As the winds picked up and the sun begins to lose its strength, the Grammy-nominated band Red hits the stage, with impressive synchronized head banging by the front men.  Performing from past albums, they ended with the much anticipated song “Death of Me” from their new album Innocence and Instinct.

Crowds began to find their ways near the stage and the ballpark began to fill.  Escape The Fate takes audience participation into the next level as they organize the first of many massive mosh pits of the night and played their hit song “Something.”

Keeping the with a high energy performance from beginning to end Anberlin plays as the evening begins to cool down.  One of the better performances of the night, the band got a strong response, and showed off their on stage personas.  Presenting the song “Feel Good Drag” from New Surrender, the audience immediately engaged with the band.

The second to last performance of the evening was the upcoming band Hollywood Undead, a modern day boy band, as described by KFMA listeners on the board, this band started off with a heart-pounding drum solo.  On stage with their signature masks, they are not your typical boy band.  The band delivered a great performance with the most audience participation up to this point.   They played their set mostly from their album Swan songs with “City” and “Young.”

And now to the last band of the evening.  The unveiling of Korn’s silver microphone stand is the signal that the band is about to perform.  The 14 song set brought 70 minutes of crowd thrashing excitement.  One of the great points to having a well known band is the audience response.  The crowd was deafening as they sang along to each of the songs, and took over during “Freak on a Leash.” Interjecting their song “Coming Undone” with “We Will Rock You” by Queen, the crowd turned wild as they pushed their way through and eventually broke the fence separating the audience from the stage (quickly repaired of course).  Jonathan Davis was nothing less then bagpipe playing, kilt wearing Nu Rock.  An explosive performance by Korn, they fed the audience a great beginning to their “Escape the Studio” tour.

KFMA day 2009 was an awesome event with a whole day of hard rock and sunny skies.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday in Tucson.

Photo: Daniel Gallegos

12►

Related posts:

1. Infected Mushroom Concert Review and Photos! I go to a lot of shows, but there seems...
2. Benefit show this Thursday at the Clubhouse! Tons of Special Guests! To purchase tickets visit: www.TheAttitudeOnline.com...
3. Atreyu @ The Rialto Theater Concert Review and Photos! A Tuesday night at the Rialto Theater usually means that...

VANS WARPED TOUR^® 2009

JUNE 30

The Vans Warped Tour^® Presented by AT&T; the annual punk rock extravaganza celebrates its 15^th anniversary this year, and organizers are promising the most memorable jaunt yet for North America’s longest-running touring festival. The 46-date tour commences June 26 in Pomona, CA and will once again make a stop in Phoenix for a full day of fun at Cricket Wireless Pavilion on Tuesday, June 30. The festivities will begin at 12NOON.

The 2009 incarnation of the VANS Warped Tour–affectionately known as “punk rock summer camp”–will host a distinct and diverse lineup of the hottest artists on the scene, as well as a full concourse of lifestyle attractions and vendors. Even better, it all comes at a traditionally affordable ticket price.

Five stages located both inside and outside of the Pavilion on the east side of the venue, will find a plethora of artists performing throughout the day. Fans can enjoy music from artists including 3OH!3, A Day to Remember, A Skylit Drive, Aiden, Alexisonfire, Anti-Flag, Attack Attack!, Bad Religion, Bayside, Big D and the Kids Table, Black Tide, Breathe Carolina, Breathe Electric, Brokencyde, Dance Gavin Dance, Escape the Fate, Gallows, I Set My Friends on Fire, In This Moment, Innerpartysystem, Ivy League, Jeffree Star, Less Than Jake, Lights, Longway, Madina Lake, Meg & Dia, Millionaires, NOFX, Outernational, Red Car Wire, Saosin, Senses Fail, Shad, Shooter Jennings, Streetlight Manifesto, TAT, The Architects, The Ataris, The Devil Wears Prada, The Exploited, The Maine, The White Tie Affair, There For Tomorrow, TSOL, TV/TV, Underoath, VersaEmerge

There’s another change to the tour’s landscape this year–the tour will feature one main stage instead of two. This tour evolution will allow artists to give fans a full 40-minute set as opposed to 30-minutes in past years. Ten bands will rock the main stage at each date, and set changes will run like clockwork at only 20 minutes, encouraging fans to check out side stages as well.

Tour founder and producer Kevin Lyman comments, “We went to one main stage for a couple reasons.  Many of these bands have been around for a long time and have lots of songs to choose from, so this year, instead of limiting them to five or six songs, they will have 40 minutes to play all your favorite songs from the past and a couple of new ones. This year’s lineup is a great mix of the old and the new and continues our attempt to keep the lineup as diverse as possible. Since times are tough, it was also important to me to figure out how to keep the ticket price low this year. This way we can accomplish that AND still put on an awesome show.”

Plus, Keeping our environment in mind, the WARPED ECO INITIATIVES (WEI) continue to be a big part of the tour in 2009. Facets of WEI range from biodiesel fuel for touring trucks and buses to environmentally friendly catering for bands and crew courtesy of Tada Catering. There’s even a solar-powered sound system on the Kevin Says Stage. WARPED will again collaborate with Philippe Cousteau’s environmental organization Earth Echo International to cultivate environmentally-friendly programs that encourage awareness through action, and to bring these initiatives to into the collective fan consciousness. Furthering WEI’s online presence, the WARPED website (WWW.WARPEDTOUR.COM) showcases pages for each tour date, including public transportation options and carpool message boards as well as eco contests and initiatives. WARPED TOUR and EarthEcho International will again organize a volunteer watershed cleanup at NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Monterey, CA.

In addition, the VANS WARPED TOUR has partnered with the TJ Martell Foundation once more. For each tour date, the TJ Martell Foundation will auction pair of tickets and the opportunity for fans to watch their favorite band from the side of the stage. Plus, the second annual Vans Warped Tour/TJ Martell bowling event has been scheduled for June 29 in Phoenix, AZ. Bands will square off in a rock n’ roll bowling competition of epic proportions. Working in conjunction with KEDJ (The Edge), WARPED will auction off a spot on every band bowling team, allowing lucky fans to roll alongside their favorite rockers.

It will no doubt be another year to remember for this summer tradition. See what the press has said about past installments of the tour:

“Best Tour/Festival Of The Year”

–Alternative Press, February 2009

“Trends pass. Rock festivals come and go. But the Warped Tour marches on.  Warped hasn’t just survived–it continues to thrive: Fourteen years after quietly premiering as a celebration of the teenage skate-surf-punk culture, one decade after expanding to a massive multi-stage event, the traveling music party remains one of the summer’s perennial draws…”

–Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, July 17, 2009

“…the ultimate sampler platter for what’s hot and rising from the underground or has already arrived…”

–Darryl Morden, Hollywood Reporter/Reuters, June 22, 2008

“The festival isn’t just a bunch of bands playing music, it’s about the shared experience between everyone, whether you’re a band member, roadie, vendor or ultimate fan.”

–Kellie Hwang and Nicki Escudero/AZCentral.com/Arizona Republic, June 26, 2008

“…the Warped Tour has managed to stay relevant and vital while the music industry withers away into the broadband ether. The touring festival stays alive by reacting to the fickle tastes of its suburban teen fan base–it’s flexible.”

–Ryan Dombal, Blender.com, July 28, 2008

Related posts:

1. The Bamboozle Roadshow is coming to Phoenix THE BAMBOOZLE ROADSHOW June 2 – Doors at 12Noon Cricket...

When one door closes, another one opens.  This couldn’t be more true for former 18 Visions singer/songwriter James Hart.  When the Orange County, CA band broke up in 2007 after almost a decade together, that didn’t dissuade Hart and his pursuit to be a
frontman once again.  He’s ready to get back to it with his new band, Burn Halo, who will be releasing their charismatic self-titled debut March 10 on Rawkhead Records (through Warner Music Group’s Independent Label Group).

The album’s first single, “Dirty Little Girl,” which features a guest appearance by Avenged Sevenfold’s Synyster Gates, is already getting spins on radio stations around the country, and is in regular rotation on Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s “Octane” station.  A video for the track was recently shot in at the Slide Bar in Orange County, CA with Nate Weaver (Against Me!, Taking Back Sunday) at the director’s helm, and will hit the TV and Internet airwaves within the coming weeks.

Anyone who was watching the Dallas Cowboys/Baltimore Ravens football game on the NFL Network on Saturday, December 20 might have heard another song from the album, “Our House,” during the broadcast.  The track will also be heard during a recap of the college football season for “College Football Now” on the NFL Network, which will air this week and weekend, and will be streamed simultaneously on the station’s website.  Fans should check local listings for details.

Never losing momentum after the break-up, Hart landed a label deal with Island/Def Jam and began working almost immediately with songwriter Zac Maloy on what would eventually become Burn Halo’s debut album.  Between May and October of 2007, Hart made week-long treks to Tulsa, OK to write and demo with Maloy. “I knew that I wanted a clear-cut rock ‘n’ roll band, which is something I had not had in the past,” Hart says of the music.  “My vision and my brand of rock ‘n’ roll without having to compromise on any of the songs or any of the material.  I wanted to make a very straightforward rock album, something that had  commercial appeal, but also something that had a classic, vintage mid-’80s throwback vibe to it.”

Hart recorded the album from October to November of 2007 with Maloy as producer, laying down the tracks with an army of skilled studio musicians, including Nickelback drummer Daniel Adair, former Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, guitarist Neil Tiemann (who now tours with “American Idol” winner David Cook), and Avenged Sevenfold’s Synyster Gates (who appears on the “Dirty Little Girl” and “Anejo”).

In the studio, Maloy was particularly helpful in getting the best possible vocal performance out of Hart.  As he explains, “I really
felt like he was able to grasp what I wanted to do and where I wanted to take this.  From a producer standpoint I feel like he really
knocked it out of the park. As a vocalist he was able to bring a lot out of me instead of having me go through the motions and just get the part right, emoting a little more than I have in the past.  He was really able to pull a lot of character out of my voice.”

“I think this is a real statement album for me,” Hart continues. “Anyone who is familiar with me and my past is going to be able to get this record.  They’re going to understand why I made this record and that this is the record I’ve been wanting to make.”

After the album was completed in early 2008, Island/Def Jam elected not to release it, leaving Hart with the tough job of finding a new home for his project. Nothing felt quite right, though, so Burn Halo’s manager Bret Bair formed his own label Rawkhead Records and partnered with Warner Music Group to release the record.  Hart spent much of 2008 finalizing the line-up of his touring band–which he hopes will help write and record Burn Halo’s next albums–with Aaron Boheler on bass, Joey Sin on lead guitar, Allen Wheeler on rhythm guitar, and Ryan Folden on drums.

Burn Halo’s new ensemble has already been racking up tour dates with bands such as Avenged Sevenfold (others?), and their next jaunt will be with Escape The Fate and Black Tide starting February 5 in Pomona, CA.  A summer tour is already in the works and should be announced in the coming weeks.

www.myspace.com/burnhalo

Photo Source: Rawkhead Records/Warner Music Group

Here are the current Burn Halo tour dates including Escape The Fate and Black Tide:

Thu 2/5 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

Fri 2/6 – Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee

Sat 2/7 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre

Sun 2/8 – El Paso, TX @ Chic’s Billiards

Tue 2/10 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre

Wed 2/11 – San Antonio, TX @ The White Rabbit

Thu 2/12  – Houston, TX @ Meridian

Fri 2/13 -  Metairie, LA @ High Ground

Sun 2/15  – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

Mon 2/16 – Orlando, FL @ Firestone

Tue 2/17 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

Wed 2/18 – Charlotte, NC @ Amo’s Southend

Thu 2/19 – Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre

Fri 2/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church

No related posts.