LIVE REVIEW: Scream It Like You Mean It (8/20/11)

August 26th, 2011

Grant Trimboli

Tour: Scream It Like You Mean It
Bands: Breathe Carolina, Chiodos, I See Stars, And More
Date: 8-20-11

Arriving to The Majestic on a humid Saturday night at the Scream It Like You Mean It Tour, I braced myself for the onslaught of breakdowns I would be experiencing in the coming hours. There was honestly too many neon colors and wild hair for my eyes to take, but I’m starting to think that thought is just a side effect of getting older. I met with photographer Melanie Hodgins (@UTGMelanie) and waited a good 45 minutes to simply get through the doors. *YAWN*. It paid off though because once inside we were able to actually get Mel to a place she could shoot solid photos (Michigan venues aren’t exactly built for such things, sometimes crowds can ruin shoots).

First up was Rise Records newcomers The Air I Breathe. They brought the show to a steady boil with their catchy blend of hardcore and metal, which isn’t exactly the newest idea under the sun, but one they manage to pull off quite well. They played a bunch of recent songs off of their album Great Faith In Fools and showed the crowd why they deserved to play this tour. Catchy breakdowns and shredding between the two guitarists was in full effect, definitely worth your time.

Next up was UTG favorite MOD SUN who came to the stage ready to party. He brought out Manager/DJ Pat Brown (Good Problems) as well as BRolla from The Baha Men. Yes you read that correctly, “Who Let The Dogs Out?” The 7 song set went off without any problems and the crowd enjoyed his high energy and hyperactive presence. be sure to pick up his latest mixtape, Blazed By The Bell, when it arrives in September.

The Color Morale came to the stage with a lingering intensity that let you know the came to bring it. They played a typical heavy-hitting performance, with songs from both Rise Records releases. Great bunch of guys with a true passion for what they do, every single night.

Following TCM, I See Stars came on, with a warm hometown crowd welcome waiting for them. It was a set of many technical errors (not all by the band), but ended up being the same upbeat display of breakdowns and slightly auto-tuned vocals fans of ISS have come to expect. The End Of The World Party was in heavy rotation, with the title track and 4 other songs being played throughout the performance. They tried to make things a bit more epic with the inclusion of a fog machine, but in all honesty it felt a bit cheesy.

Chiodos was unfortunately the most questionable band of the night. When lead singer Brandon Bolmer wasn’t trying to pick fights with random haters in the crowd, he was showcasing his vocal range to group obviously harshened by the aforementioned vocal lashings. Even during the set’s best received track, “The Undertakers Thirst For Revenge,” people were just standing and waiting for Breathe Carolina to finally take their place. Can you say, “AWKWARD”?

There wishes were shortly grant-ed (see what I did there) when the one and only Breathe Carolina finally took the stage. A huge roar from the crowd and dimming lights meant the fog machine and club lighting was about to go wild. Kids immediately started squealing, kicking and pushing to get to the front of the stage. Melanie wasn’t too happy about this part, but tis the life of a miniature sized photographer.

Aside from the bumps and bruises BC became the instant favorite of the night. New songs “Blackout,” “Edge Of Heaven” and “Wooly” were played, off of Hell Is What You Make It, as well as fan favorites from Hello Fascination. Fans were hanging on every word and stage diving like there was no tomorrow.

I know I had a good time at the show and can’t wait to see some of these acts when they hit Detroit again! Cheers!

Written by: Grant Trimboli (@UTGgrant)