The show's opener was the band “Stand Atlantic”. The band started the show off with a bang. As people were coming in, they instantly had smiles on their faces. The floor during this robust set was filled with people screaming lyrics, jumping, crowd surfing, and creating the first mosh pit of the night. The crowd was not holding back. My first impression of “Stand Atlantic” is one that will go in the books. They had stage presence and understood the assignment of opening the show. They did not disappoint.
“Fit For a King” was next on the line-up. Their presence was IMMEDIATE. I was standing in the midst of the chaos and it was surreal. They played banger after banger. People around me screamed their lungs out, moshing behind me, crowd surfing, head banging, fist-pumping, and more. Especially when they played their song “When Everything Means Nothing”. Before they played their most popular song, the lead singer Ryan Kirby, shared some compassionate words on the band's behalf. Sharing their excitement in performing again, seeing our faces, and overall sharing their gratitude for the energy we as the audience had. Once the drums were struck after their kind words, the crowd went FERAL. The band's newest album “The Hell We Create” dropped that day. They played a couple of songs from the album. My favorite being “Falling Through the Sky”, everyone including me was just in pure awe. Kirby’s vocals were crisp, clean, heavy, and effortless. Their performance had me in a trance. I felt like I was on cloud 9 their whole set.
Third in the line-up was “Pierce the Veil”. I’ve been a fan of theirs for many years like most people in the crowd. However, I’ve never seen them live in concert before. The band began their set with the Vicente Fernandez song “El Rey” as they walked on stage, already creating the most suspense and hype I’ve seen. They took the momentum “Fit For A King” created and RAN with it. The band played their most popular songs as well as their latest single “Pass the Nirvana”. Everyone in the venue was loving the mix of nostalgia from their classic emo days and their new-age punk-rock vibe. I was eating it up, and couldn’t seem to get enough. The night as each band came onstage progressed into what felt like a fever dream.
“I Prevail” headlined the show immaculately. The band shared statements during their set talking about their personal hardships through the past couple of years, along with hardships the band faced overall. They encouraged us to channel our emotions, sing along if we knew the words, and LET IT ALL OUT. Which I did. I started out vibing and swaying to the slower-tempo songs or portions. Then I did a complete 180 consisting of headbanging, jumping, and screaming until my vocal cords no longer had the capacity to. My absolute favorite part of their set was when their drummer, Gabe Helguera, did his drum solo. I was drooling. He had my jaw ON. THE. FLOOR.
Overall, all four bands truly put the power in the title “True Power Tour”. I was left feeling purely blown away. My ears rang, my neck was sore, and my voice gone. My favorite performances of the night were “Fit For A King” and “Pierce The Veil”. The two back-to-back within the line-up peaked, as the crowd was most energetic and I felt the most euphoric. They created the ultimate punk rock and metal scene. Truly a mesmerizing experience. 10/10.
Picture Credit - Ian Urquhart