Live Report – Escape The Fate – This War is Ours Tour!

2-28-09
Crofoot
Pontiac, MI

 

*Photo Credit: David Stafford*

If you’ve listened to our interview with Wil Francis, you should know our night in Pontiac was one for the memory bank. Not only did Escape the Fate bring a near capacity crowd out into the Michigan winter, but they, along with most of the other acts, left us drooling for more due to the inability to pick our jaws off the floor.

How the night unraveled:

Attack Attack! : These Rise Records youngsters kicked things off in high gear with their tasty blend of hardcore and techno key work. The set featured all the memorable songs from their debut album and got the crowd amped, but overly strong use of Vocoder in the singing vocalist’s mic really took away from the live feel. Everyone has trouble singing in pitch live, so why do you get to cheat? You guys are suppose to be brutal, not “we rely on machines to be cool” hardcore. Pick a side, but note that your fans will too.

William Control:  I don’t think I can praise Wil Francis enough. He took a huge risk bringing electronica on a metal tour, but it paid off. Being accompanied by only a bass player and an Ipod, Wil stormed the stage with his dark toned electrorock and took the crowd by storm. They even bum rushed the stage to join him in dancing for the closing number. This whole time, Wil is dressed like a turn of the Century artist and never loses his posture or breaks character of the refined, yet sinister William Control. He was perfect. 

Black Tide: Remember at the beginning I mentioned how it was an almost perfect night? This is where the almost comes into play. I don’t know what grimy bar Black Tide was pulled out of before starting this tour, but they can feel free to return at any time. The group has a sound obviously ripped from 80’s heavy metal. In fact, they borrow the sound so much their 45min. set included two or three cover songs! If you’re direct support, DON’T COVER 80’s HEAVY METAL. 

Escape The Fate: The Most Hated Band In The World came to kill and take names [in that order]. Blazing through a pretty much 50/50 split between the two albums [including both “Guillotine” tracks]. Craig, the new vocalist, defines the term frontman. He was all over the place and hitting every note along the way. The girls clung to him from the crowd and the boys wished they could be him for a single minute. There was no light trickery or pyro or fog, this was just heavy scene rock that never let up. The band oozes the over indulgent style of 80’s hair metal bands and the kids lick every bit up. I don’t think I’ve been this wowed by a band in the  “scene” in literally months. It was stunning.

Go To This Tour.

*Written By: James Shotwell*

James Shotwell
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