September 30, 2011
An interview with Nate Young, drummer of Anberlin, is now up! Check out what he had to say about the state of the music industry, new music, and their tour with Switchfoot.
September 29, 2011
This past Monday (9.26) Anberlin and Switchfoot played an incredible sold out show at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, PA. Opening for the bands were Atomic Tom. While I had only heard of Atomic Tom in passing before this show, I was impressed with what I saw. The band was a little heavier than I would have expected for a tour like this but for what they are, they were still good. They had great energy that certainly had the crowd excited for the rest of the night.
By the time Switchfoot came on stage the Troc was clearly at its full capacity and you could most definitely feel it. I've come to believe that the venue does not have any sort of air-conditioning system and they must not really believe in using their fans. Even in the stifling heat, the crowd went wild when the band finally walked on stage. The crowd itself was fairly diverse in age range, yet clearly all in the space shared the same love of the band. Switchfoot put on an incredible performance. They played some crowd favorites, including 'Dare You To Move' and 'Meant To Live', as well as some material off of their latest release Vice Verses. At one point during the show, singer Jon Foreman climbed from the stage up into the balcony and remained on the edge of it for a good song or two before making his way down the stairs and through the crowd. The passion behind Switchfoot's performance was exhilarating and demonstrated just how much the band loves performing together.
By the time Anberlin came on stage, the parts of the crowd that had been there for Switchfoot had already left, making it a bit easier to move about. Every time I see Anberlin, they seem to get better and better. While their lighting was a sight for sore eyes, you could barely make them out half of the time, the band put on an absolutely stellar performance. Needless to say, they blew me away. I cannot say enough good things about this band and their stage presence. Their energy is purely contagious and the crowd was definitely feeling it. Taking a break from their full band songs, Anberlin even broke into some acoustic jams, leaving me absolutely breathless. Their live rendition of 'Breaking' was beautifully done, vocal harmonies and all. They performed a decent mix of songs off of all of their albums and left the stage leaving the crowd happy.
If you have a chance to catch this tour when it comes through your city, I would highly suggest taking it. All of the bands on this tour are comprised of great musicians and put on fantastic performances. Be sure to check out some photos of Atomic Tom, Switchfoot, and Anberlin from the show!
By the time Switchfoot came on stage the Troc was clearly at its full capacity and you could most definitely feel it. I've come to believe that the venue does not have any sort of air-conditioning system and they must not really believe in using their fans. Even in the stifling heat, the crowd went wild when the band finally walked on stage. The crowd itself was fairly diverse in age range, yet clearly all in the space shared the same love of the band. Switchfoot put on an incredible performance. They played some crowd favorites, including 'Dare You To Move' and 'Meant To Live', as well as some material off of their latest release Vice Verses. At one point during the show, singer Jon Foreman climbed from the stage up into the balcony and remained on the edge of it for a good song or two before making his way down the stairs and through the crowd. The passion behind Switchfoot's performance was exhilarating and demonstrated just how much the band loves performing together.
By the time Anberlin came on stage, the parts of the crowd that had been there for Switchfoot had already left, making it a bit easier to move about. Every time I see Anberlin, they seem to get better and better. While their lighting was a sight for sore eyes, you could barely make them out half of the time, the band put on an absolutely stellar performance. Needless to say, they blew me away. I cannot say enough good things about this band and their stage presence. Their energy is purely contagious and the crowd was definitely feeling it. Taking a break from their full band songs, Anberlin even broke into some acoustic jams, leaving me absolutely breathless. Their live rendition of 'Breaking' was beautifully done, vocal harmonies and all. They performed a decent mix of songs off of all of their albums and left the stage leaving the crowd happy.
If you have a chance to catch this tour when it comes through your city, I would highly suggest taking it. All of the bands on this tour are comprised of great musicians and put on fantastic performances. Be sure to check out some photos of Atomic Tom, Switchfoot, and Anberlin from the show!
September 28, 2011
Yesterday was a great day to defend pop-punk. New Jersey natives Man Overboard released their much anticipated album, Man Overboard. Check out what staff writer, Jen Windland, had to say about this fantastic record here. Also be sure to tune in to Drexel's radio station, WKDU at 9pm for their radio takeover with fellow pop-punkers and Drexel alumni The Wonder Years.
September 27, 2011
Next month Koo Koo Kanga Roo sets out on a stint with the Yo Gabba Gabba Live! tour. This hyperactive duo are sure to warm the crowd up and get them moving. Check out our interview with one half of the duo, Neil, and try to make it out to a show near you for a good time.
September 26, 2011
Last Friday night, the fireball of energy that is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals took Philadelphia by a storm. Opening for Grace Potter was Sam Roberts Band. If you have not heard of them yet, you should most definitely check them out. Led by Sam Roberts, this group of Canadians sure know how to rock. The musicianship that every member of this band demonstrates is absolutely incredible. They were definitely a good fit as support for Grace Potter.
By the time Grace Potter and the Nocturnals came on stage the crowd was restless, and for good reason. In a crazy blur of blond hair, Grace Potter had the crowds attention from the moment she walked on stage. The band itself was absolutely incredible and had the type of showmanship that most bands strive for. If you ever get the chance to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, you should do so. Words can not describe just how great a performance they put on.
Check out some photos of Sam Roberts Band and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals from the show.
By the time Grace Potter and the Nocturnals came on stage the crowd was restless, and for good reason. In a crazy blur of blond hair, Grace Potter had the crowds attention from the moment she walked on stage. The band itself was absolutely incredible and had the type of showmanship that most bands strive for. If you ever get the chance to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, you should do so. Words can not describe just how great a performance they put on.
Check out some photos of Sam Roberts Band and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals from the show.
September 21, 2011
Audio Arsenal had the honor of attending the Honda Civic Tour for a second time when it came through Camden, NJ. Check out our photos of Matt and Kim, My Chemical Romance, and Blink-182!
September 20, 2011
This past weekend Motion City Soundtrack's Four Albums, Two Nights, Seven Cities Tour came through Philadelphia, PA. Much as the name of the tour suggests, the band literally played all four of their albums front to back over the course of two nights. To say that both nights were absolutely incredible would be an understatement. While we only photographed the first night, Audio Arsenal was at the show for both nights because obviously it would have been a huge mistake to miss this great of a tour.
This first night, A Great Big Pile of Leaves opened with a short 30 minute set. While it would have been nice to see them longer, their set was still amazing. A Great Big Pile of Leaves have such a unique sound and is compiled of such great musicians that I would be surprised if anyone in the crowd did not like them.
Of course when Motion City came on stage, the crowd exploded. While I was surprised that there were not really all that many people in the crowd, the energy in the space was still that of a crowd of a thousand. Everyone was screaming along to all the songs that they know and love. I just wish that the band would have come out for an encore to play 'Always Running Out of Time', but there was only so much time that they could play and they were obviously exhausted by the end of the night.
Check out our photos of A Great Big Pile of Leaves and Motion City Soundtrack and if you are in one of the last two cites of the tour, make sure to go to at least on of the shows.
This first night, A Great Big Pile of Leaves opened with a short 30 minute set. While it would have been nice to see them longer, their set was still amazing. A Great Big Pile of Leaves have such a unique sound and is compiled of such great musicians that I would be surprised if anyone in the crowd did not like them.
Of course when Motion City came on stage, the crowd exploded. While I was surprised that there were not really all that many people in the crowd, the energy in the space was still that of a crowd of a thousand. Everyone was screaming along to all the songs that they know and love. I just wish that the band would have come out for an encore to play 'Always Running Out of Time', but there was only so much time that they could play and they were obviously exhausted by the end of the night.
Check out our photos of A Great Big Pile of Leaves and Motion City Soundtrack and if you are in one of the last two cites of the tour, make sure to go to at least on of the shows.
September 19, 2011
It's no secret that we here at Audio Arsenal have a huge soft spot for good causes. Recently we had the opportunity to speak with Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love On Her Arms. To those that are unfamiliar, TWLOHA is a non-profit organization that provides support and hope for people suffering with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts.
TWLOHA encourages people to talk openly about these issues so that they don't continue to be taboo topics, and to unite as a community of support. Their aim is to connect people with treatment centers, support groups, hotlines, websites, and other resources to help them through their struggles. TWLOHA has hosted and participated in many events to spread their message, many of them being music events such as Vans Warped Tour.
Check out our interview here and then take a moment to check out To Write Love On Her Arms if you haven't already. It's a great cause worth checking out.
TWLOHA encourages people to talk openly about these issues so that they don't continue to be taboo topics, and to unite as a community of support. Their aim is to connect people with treatment centers, support groups, hotlines, websites, and other resources to help them through their struggles. TWLOHA has hosted and participated in many events to spread their message, many of them being music events such as Vans Warped Tour.
Check out our interview here and then take a moment to check out To Write Love On Her Arms if you haven't already. It's a great cause worth checking out.
September 15, 2011
We sat down with Alex DeLeon of The Cab earlier this week and discussed their latest album, Symphony Soldier, and how the process for this album went. Check out what Alex had to say here.
September 14, 2011
A review of Madina Lake's latest album World War III is now up here! Check out what Audio Arsenal has to say about the final installment of the disappearance of Adalie concept that Madina Lake has created.
September 5, 2011
A review of Polar Bear Club's much anticipated third full length, Clash Battle Guilt Pride, is now up in the reviews section of the site. Check out what Audio Arsenal has to say about it and then get the album for yourself when it comes out on September 13th.
