World War III with We Came As Romans, Asking Alexandria, & Hollywood Undead
Once again Chicago’s curfew caused for a really early concert start time and not giving me a chance to see bands, Borgore and D.R.U.G.S with a 4:30 start time. Make sure if you’re going to this show to get there early. The Rivera venue was once an old movie theater located in the area Al Capone used to hang out; the Green Mill being right across the street. Having converted to a concert/dance hall, it has seen better days.
First up was We Came as Romans, who I saw at this year’s Warped Tour and was impressed with their show; was glad to have a chance to see them once again. With two singers - one being Kyle Pavone, providing clean vocals while David Stephans provides the heavy dirty vocals. Once again they impressed me with great songs and great energy that had the crowd jumping up and down and singing along. Just for this band, it’s worth coming early to see them play and I hope to see them headline one day. With a brief set change, they brought a DJ with his dancers, which I was not expecting but put on a great set. Mixing in metal/rock with the new craze Dubstep, he turned what was a rock concert into a night club. While I thought his set was a little too long, no one complained as his dancers climbed their stripper poles.
With the DJ off stage, it was time to get back to what we all came for, a little mayhem - what better band to get everyone back into the show than, Asking Alexandria. Opening up with Dear Insanity, off their latest album, “Reckless and Relentless,” they wasted no time getting the crowd into it as the mosh pits opened up and bodies floated over heads into security. Singer, Danny Worsnop’s vocals range from guttural screams, clean vocals, and deep growls and singing. As plume of white smoke shot in the air, guitarists Ben Bruce & Cameron Liddel tore into their guitar’s as they wailed away. Sam Bettley on Bass and James Cassells on drums provided the deep rumbling bass to make the ground move.
Asking Alexandria got the kids in the crowd pumped up when they asked them to separate to do the wall of death. Playing songs like, A Lesson Never Learned, Breathless, and the last song, The Final Episode.
I have to give it to Hollywood Undead for putting on this tour, because you have such a variety of music in one show. Putting a band like Asking Alexandria before you is a tough act to follow but to their credit, they did. Opening up, right out the gates with Undead got the crowd right into it and a smart move on their part to keep the crowd into it which they followed up with Tendencies and Been to Hell. After the 3rd song, the guys all took off their masks and played, Lights Out. HU has always been one of those groups that combine several genres of music and roll them into one. While some bands have crashed and burned trying to maintain this style of music ; HU seems to be able to walk that fine line and thrive on it. Going into the hip-hop sound of California, they got the crowd throwing their arms in the air as they bounced and moved and swayed to the bouncing beats and rap lyrics.
With a 15 song set list that included their harder songs, City and Mother Murder before going into the party club banger of Comin’ In Hot. Playing, Paradise Lost, you can feel all the pain and angst in the lyrics as they connected with the crowd over what many kids in the crowd maybe feeling and allowing them an outlet to release their emotions; this was the same when they played Young. They ended the night with Everywhere I Go and Hear Me Now.
You can catch this tour if you missed it – Chicago, on December 4th at the Rave in Milwaukee, WI and both Asking Alexandria and Hollywood Undead will be opening for Avenged Sevenfold, Buried Alive Tour in Madison,WI and Green Bay, WI.
All Photos Provided by Peter Lizano
