This year marked the last Cross Country Vans Warped Tour, and you already know that The Saw was there in the middle of the madness. I got to see some of my favorite bands – Wage War, Chelsea Grin, and Kublai Khan. Although it rained the majority of the time, it didn’t stop us from moshing and crowd surfing to our favorite bands. There were people on their friend’s shoulders chicken fighting and another guy with a blow up guitar in the middle of the pit acting like he was playing the song (literally every band gave him a shout out because of this).
I got to meet Chelsea Grin and Kublai Khan after their sets and both bands are so sweet. The singer for Kublai Khan, Matt, wore a local Greensboro hardcore band (MESS) shirt during their set. It was super cool to see a big name, respected band give support to local acts.
Since this was the last Warped Tour, I thought it would be fun to write about my favorite Warped Tour memory of all-time. Let’s throw it back to Vans Warped Tour in 2015 when I went by myself. This was the first show that I was going to alone, and my first ever Warped Tour. I wanted to go because one of my favorite bands, Miss May I, was playing and I’ve never seen them before. I just got my license, and this would be the first road trip to Charlotte, alone. None of my friends liked metal and my parents didn’t want to go, so I only had one option: to go alone. Luckily for me, I have been to plenty of shows with my parents, brothers, and cousins to know what to expect at shows. I was nervous, but I knew that this was the only one that I could see Miss May I.
When I got to the PNC Pavilion, I wasn’t really nervous, I was more excited than anything else to be going to Warped Tour. It was great being by myself because I didn’t have to meet up with anyone, I could go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted, and I could see the bands that I wanted to see. I loved the independence of it, and I think this is one of the main reasons why I am very independent today. I really wanted to try and meet Miss May I, so I went to their merch tent and found out when they were doing signings. I was actually going to meet one of my favorite bands. When I met them, they were really sweet, and I enjoyed talking to them (they signed my ticket and they put hearts near their names. Now they are my husbands). I was in the front for their set and I sang every song with them. Levi (the lead singer), pointed at me and gave me a hug during their set when they played “Hey Mister.” I met Levi again after their set and he said he remembered me and thanked me for jamming out.
I also heard a new metalcore band, that is now one of my favorites, at the Warped Tour of 2016: Wage War. I never heard of Wage War until I went to Warped Tour. They were playing their first song when I walked by the stage, and I ended up jamming out to their set. I also got to meet them after their set and they were such sweethearts. Since seeing them at Warped Tour, I have seen Wage War every chance I get when they come through North Carolina.
Because of Warped Tour, I have matured so much. It helped me become more independent and rely on myself. Now, I’m not afraid to go to shows by myself because I know I will make friends along the way. Every Warped Tour I’ve been to since then, I went by myself. The majority of the shows I go to now, I go alone.
Although Warped Tour might be coming to an end, it has given me memories and lessons that I will remember for a lifetime. Thank you, Warped Tour for the great memories.
I know, this is not a metal show. BUT I brought metal to the Post Malone show. My best friend loves Post Malone and so her and I had a girl’s night out and went to the show! This tour was supporting Post Malone’s new album, Beerbongs & Bentleys, which is really good. It is one of my favorite non-metal albums of the year. He brought 21 Savage with him to open up for him because their song, Rockstar, is really popular (trust me, you have heard it at one point or another).
For those of you who are not as familiar with Post Malone, he is a 22 year old singer/rapper from Texas. He hit the spotlight with his song White Iverson and he then went on tour to open up for Justin Bieber. He then dropped his first record, Stoney, in 2016 and realeased his second album, Beerbongs & Bentleys, in April of 2018. Some of his most popular songs are: Déjà vu, I Fall Apart, Congratulations, Better Now, Rockstar, and Psycho.
Post Malone is also a metalhead!!! He used to be in a metalcore band when he was in high school, and there are videos of him with some metal bands! There is a video of Post Malone with Knocked Loose singer, Bryan Garris jamming out on a tour bus. He also has big fans within the metal community such as: Levi Benton from Miss May I, Chris Fronzak from Attila, Myke Terry from Volumes, and Seth Blake from Wage War (Seth is such a big fan, he dressed up as Post Malone for Halloween).
I enjoy Post Malone’s music, and I support fellow metalheads, so I was super excited to hang out with my best friend and see Posty! But we all know that I will bring The Saw’s Butcher Shop to any show that I go to. You see, your Master Butcher has different types of aprons that I wear to shows. I have one specifically for rap shows. But the story about my different aprons is for another time. With that being said, I looked the part as a heavy metal kid. No, I didn’t wear an extremely offensive band shirt or corpse paint (even though that would’ve been really funny), I wore the attire that is in every metalhead’s closet (besides band shirts), leather. And let me tell you, I stuck out like a sore thumb.
My best friend and I
Literally every girl there looked the same. All of them wore high waisted shorts, a tank top, and black converses (you can see two pairs of black converses in the picture above). So, it’s easy to say that I was really easy to spot.
And oh my god, there were so many teenagers there!!! Like they all looked like they were sophomores/juniors in high school and they were all in huge groups of people. I swear, I would turn around and there would be a group of like 15 girls screaming and jumping on each other when they would see one another. C’mon now… I know y’all saw each other literally 3 hours ago at school. I could easily spot the older people (and by older, I mean people in their twenty’s and in college) because there would be a group of two or three people glaring at the group of 15 girls (me and my friend are included in this older group).
A DJ came on first and got the crowd hyped up! He kinda made me mad because he wouldn’t play full songs and would cut the song off RIGHT WHEN THE GOOD PART WAS ABOUT TO COME ON! It’s like he was personally trolling us. During the DJ, some guy threw a full beer can in the air and homeboy beside me caught it, drank it, and then threw the empty can in the air. We all started hollering, “WOOOOO!!!!!” and hyping him up during this. It is safe to say that nothing beats crazy rednecks no matter what the setting is.
21 Savage was next and of course, it started pouring down rain. But that didn’t stop us from jamming out!! We were all dancing in the rain, getting soaked but it just made the night more fun! My friend and I made some friends and we were dancing with them and rapping along with 21. He commented on how many people were in the lawn (aka us) and said we were crazy. For this show, I didn’t try to get close seats to the stage (because those are $$$$) and lawn is wayyyy more fun! There is no point in getting close while in lawn so, we were just having a blast singing and dancing in the back! 21 Savage played some of his most well-known songs such as Bank Account, Mad High, Dip Dip, and Bartier Cardi.
21 Savage
And now, what we have all been waiting for: POST MALONE!!! While we were waiting for Posty, people were literally crowd surfing in the lawn. I would see all these people going up and since this isn’t a show that would usually have crowd surfers (like a metal show), the majority of the people were dropped. I have no idea where the crowd surfers thought they were going because you literally can’t go anywhere in the lawn section, but hey, A+ for effort! This one girl was in a lawn chair, and crowd surfed while sitting in the lawn chair. That girl is my spirit animal.
Post Malone opened up with Too Young and everyone was vibing with the music, jumping around, and singing every word. On his records, Post Malone’s songs are really chill, but live, they still had the chill aspect but were more hyped so people could sing and dance. He also played some of my favorite songs such as Better Now, Candy Paint, No Option, Stay, and Go Flex. When he sang I Fall Apart, everyone was singing along with him way louder than any other song. He dedicated that song to “the bitch that broke his heart” and we all started chanting “F*** that bitch.” He ended the show by playing one of his most well-known songs: Congratulations. I swear no one was still during this show. Post Malone also commented on how many people were in the lawn and said we were some crazy mother*******.
Post Malone
The Post Malone show was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed myself! It was way different than a metal show, but it was a great experience! If you are thinking about listening to Post Malone, DO IT!! He has some really great music! I hate that someone broke his heart, but damn, some great music came out of it. I would also suggest watching videos of him, he is a real funny guy.
Overall, the show was a success and I wouldn’t mind seeing Post Malone again!
Another Carolina Rebellion in the books for this year! And what a year this Rebellion was! No matter what the lineup is like, I always have a great time every year. This was my 5thRebellion and I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t feeling the lineup this year. I was only there for a handful of bands: Parkway Drive, Bullet For My Valentine, Stone Sour, Alice in Chains, Emmure, Hatebreed, Trivium, Breaking Benjamin, Godsmack, Cane Hill, Code Orange, and Incubus. But I ended up seeing some bands that I didn’t plan on seeing, and WOW!!! All the bands that I saw really impressed me.
I reunited with some of my homies at the Carolina Rebellion that I go to other shows with, and I also made some new friends (like always). A big shout out to my boys from Havelock, NC and Greenville, SC for jamming out with me. I hoped that the people that attended the festival followed my tips and tricks. I also saw every person on my list of people you’d see at a metal festival. I got tons of stories to share and bruises to explain after this past weekend. Were you at the Carolina Rebellion? Did you see me in the pit or crowdsurfing? Who was your favorite band from that weekend?
Did you see me at the Rebellion?
Man, these sunglasses I wore to the Carolina Rebellion are the real MVP’s. They survived multiple mosh pits and tons of crowdsurfing. I didn’t lose my sunglasses and they didn’t break. 10/10 would recommend.
Friday, day 1:
I arrived at the Carolina Rebellion around 1:40. The first band I wanted to catch, Pop Evil, came on at 2:50. I had enough time to plan out my day and walk around before I started moshing and crowd surfing. I ended up buying a bandana because the mosh pits that weekend turned out being dirt pits. So, I tied a bandana around my nose and mouth. I looked pretty cool if I do say so myself.
I was behind the pit when Pop Evil started, they were one of the first rock/metal bands that I got into in my young, teen years. Like always, they put on a great show. This father had his son on his shoulders and the crowd “Woo’d” them as they went to the front. The lead singer for Pop Evil let the little boy yell “Rock n’ Roll” in the mic and said that they are the next generation of this great music. I ended up crowd surfing out to the song Trenches.
After crowd surfing, I waited at the stage for one of my favorite bands to come on: Parkway Drive. I saw them at the Rebellion two years ago and I also saw them when they played in Charlotte with Miss May I and Thy Art Is Murder. I ran into one of my good friends while waiting for Parkway Drive to come on. To entertain ourselves, we were hitting inflatable balls around the crowd. You’d be surprised how easily entertained a group of metalheads are. Parkway Drive came out to Wishing Wells, which is a song that is off their new record, Reverence, and the crowd exploded. People were jumping around, moshing, crowdsurfing, and singing. Their set was live on Sirius Octane and man, did the crowd get rowdy. There was this one guy, (and his name is supposedly Pat), and he crowdsurfed to them in a giant rubber duck float. 10/10 for creativity. Parkway Drive is a great band to see live because their presence is so entertaining. They played some of their other popular songs such as Crushed and Bottom Feeder. I got a pretty gnarly brusie on the side of my thigh during their mosh pit. But hey, battle wounds are the best. My philosophy is that if you don’t come back sore and covered in bruises, you didn’t go hard enough. I crowdsurfed durung Bottom Feeder and I ended up meeting Jeff and Luke from Parkway Drive after their set. They are really cool guys, and they said that they really liked my sunglasses (I got that compliment a lot this past weekend).
As the day went on, I also saw Bullet For my Valentine, Stone Temple Pilots, and Stone Sour. All of these bands put on a great show. I don’t know what it is, but music always sounds better live and I realized that people at the Carolina Rebellion will literally mosh to anything. The last band that I saw that night was Alice in Chains. I have been looking forward to seeing them for years! Everyone was jamming out when they came on. People were crowdsurfing, singing, and dancing to every single one of their songs. I told all my friends that I would crowdsurf to Rooster, and GUESS WHO DID IT, YALL?! That’s right, The Saw did. My life was complete after crowdsurfing to that song.
Alice in Chains
Crowdsurf count: 4
Bruise count: 3
Saturday, day 2:
The second day of the Carolina Rebellion was easily my favorite day. There were so many bands that I wanted to see and I was planning on getting my crowdsurf count up and dying in the Hatebreed mosh pit. The first band I saw was Palisades and they put on a really good set. I only knew one song, Through Hell, and they played that song first. They are a smaller metalcore band and I enjoyed their set. I was jamming out beside a dude that was dressed up like a Viking. I also saw a dude dressed up like a penis. He was very popular when it came to taking pictures. I then saw some of Bad Wolves set, and boy did the crowd really like them.
Palisades
I then left to get a drink and I thought I was in line to get a Monster Energy Drink but come to find out I was actually in line to meet Asking Alexandria. They were pretty cool, and they all complimented my sunglasses. I had to throw it back to my middle school days and go see Asking Alexandria once again. But I left their set early because I was looking forward to seeing Trivium. I was 4 rows of people back for Trivium and I was already prepared to get pushed around in their mosh pit. I met up with some friends and once Trivium hit the stage, the entire crowd was a mosh pit. The lead singer said that we were the craziest crowd that he has seen on tour. They played my favorite song, In Waves, and I ended up crowdsurfing to that song as well.
Now, the next band I saw was… Black Veil Brides (BVB). I’m not a big fan but I wanted to see their live show. I made friends with a group of Marines that I hung out with and they were really cool. One of them was a big Asking Alexandria fan and this was his first Carolina Rebellion. So, I gave him my signed Asking Alexandria poster. He was so happy when I gave it to him. It was the least I could do. BVB’s set was really good, they put on a great live show! There was a baby pit for them and tons of crowdsurfers. I kept laughing because there was this guy beside me who kept commenting every time a crowdsurfer came by. He would say things like “Oh my god here comes another one,” “TIMBER!!!!!,” or my favorite “I have literally been eating ass all day.”
Black Veil Brides
I saw In This Moment again and if you haven’t seen them live, you are really missing out. They put on a great live show as well! And the singer’s voice live is amazing! I saw a girl in a wheelchair crowdsurfing and another girl with a sign that that said, “stop assaulting female crowdsurfers. I came to rock, not to get grouped.” I then went and saw a little bit of Emmure’s set and they are another band that is really good live. I heard them play my favorite song, Flag of the Beast, and then I went to get a spot for Breaking Benjamin. They played Darth Vader’s theme song and the inner nerd in my freaked out. They played some of their most popular songs such as Failure and Diary of Jane. I was on a guy’s shoudlers for Diary of Jane and I had a great view of the mosh pit and the band.
In This Moment
Breaking Benjamin
I ran over to the Gold Stage to see my boys in Hatebreed. There was a huge crowd, so I hauled ass and made my way to the pit. Yeah… the pit for Hatebreed was INSANE!!! Everyone was getting pushed around, there were crowdsurfers, and people on their friend’s shoulders. I’ve never seen a more rowdy crowd. The last time I saw Hatebreed was when they played with Cannibal Corpse years ago. I absolutely loved their stage show and how they interacted with the crowd. Everyone literally went crazy for them. I was bummed that they didn’t play Destroy Everything, but they did play one of my other favorite songs, Looking Down the Barrell of Today, and I moshed so hard. I then crowdsurfed out to catch Five Finger Death Punch.
I was in the way back for Five Finger Death Punch, and somehow, pushed my way to the barricade. The mosh pits for them were crazy, like always, and he talked about how much he loves America and the American Flag. That got A LOT of cheers from the crowd. The lead singer then brought a little girl with cancer on stage and sang to her. It was the most heartwarming thing I saw all weekend. I hauled ass out of the front to catch one of my favorite childhood bands: Godsmack. The first time I saw Godsmack was at the Carolina Rebellion a few years ago, and I was excited to see them again. I was dancing and singing the entire time and I made everyone around me dance with me as well. I got on one of my buddies shoulders for Something Different because Sully told us to. He played some of my favorite songs such as Keep Away, Whatever, and I Stand Alone. I crowdsurfed the entire time during I Stand Alone. It was awesome.
Five Finger Death Punch
Godsmack
Crowdsurf count: 6
Bruise count: 4
Sunday, day 3
The final day of the Carolina Rebellion is upon us and it is a very sad day. I saw some very interesting things on the last day. For example, there was a slip n’ slide where they used a tarp and soaked it with soap and water and then guys would slide into a girl’s butt. It was quiet entertaining to watch. And I am a strong supporter that rednecks are awesome and I want to spend every waking moment with them.
The first band that I saw was Cane Hill even though the mosh pit wasn’t as crazy, the band still put on a killer set. I made some friends that are from Greenville, SC during their set and I ended up hanging out with them for the rest of the day. They were some really cool guys and I enjoyed hanging out with them on the last day. The only other bands that I really wanted to see on the last day besides Cane Hill was Code Orange and Incubus. I just walked around and looked at all the tents that were set up while I waited.
I met back up with my homies that I met during Cane Hill and we saw the rapper Jelly Roll. He was interesting to see, even though I wasn’t a big fan, the crowd seemed to love him. I went with my friends to see Greta Van Fleet and they impressed me. They remind me of Led Zepplin and the pipes on the lead singer are impressive! I was also shocked to find out that everyone in the band are family and they are all around my age. See! There is hope for my generation! During their set, I got asked to get on my friend’s shoulders and pose with a Yoda doll. So I did it, it was pretty cool.
Then We all went to the Black Stage to see Code Orange and I became the hardcore kid of my dreams. Code Orange was my favorite of the day and their pit brought the heat! I ran inside the pit here, at one point I got on my friend’s shoulders and we ran around in the mosh pit. But for the most part, I mainly crowdsurfed. This is where I crowdsurfed a total of 9 times. My friends just kept throwing me up and there I would go, flipping and rolling around in the air. We started running around in the pit and then I would run to my friends and I would jump as they threw me in the air to crowdsurf. It was the most hardcore kid thing I have ever done and it was a GREAT time. I had a guy come up to me after their set and said that my hair is like a mop and that my hair brushed his sunglasses and then he lost his sunglasses.
We then went and saw The Fever 333 and wow, they put on a great show!!!! Their stage show was crazy and the pit was insane. I just kept getting pushed up against people the entire time but hey, we’re all family! It’s all good in the pit ya feel me? Their guitarists ended up getting in the mosh pit with us and it was one of the coolest things that I have seen.
Incubus was the last band that I saw at the Carolina Rebellion and it was another impressive set! Again, the people at the Rebellion will literally mosh to anything so there was a pit for them as well. There were tons of crowdsurfers too. I was on my friend’s shoulders and I swear it was like I was a magnet for crowdsurfers. They all came out of nowhere, but shoutout to my boys catching all the bodies for me and made sure I didn’t fall off my friend’s shoulders. I crowdsurfed myself and I got a really bad handprint bruise that is very visible on my inner thigh. But hey, go hard or go home right? Incubus ended their set with their cover of Pony and I was shook to the max. The mosh pit turned into a grind train and everyone was dancing and grinding on each other showing off their best stripper moves. It was a great time. This guy in front of me was just throwing his ass in a circle on me and he had rhythm so it wasn’t too bad. After their set, I left with my friend’s and went back to the camp grounds to chill out and eat. I was exhausted from getting pretty beat up from crowd surfing and moshing.
Incubus
Crowdsurf count: 10
Bruise count: 8
Carolina Rebellion 2018 was a complete success. I have a great time each year no matter what the lineup is. The people you meet, the things you see, and what you experience is what makes the festival great. I am truly the happiest when I am at the Carolina Rebellion and it is always the highlight of my year. I saw a bunch of blown up sex dolls, people dressed up as penis’, Stormtroopers, bananas, and a piece of bacon. Saw a lot of girls (and guys) flash their boobs and met some great people. Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Carolina Rebellion one for the books. I will miss you all.
I almost didn’t go to this show because I had some traumatic events happen earlier that day; I had to put my dog down only a few hours before the show and that really took a toll on my mood. But, the music has helped me through some tough times so now it was time to see if the music could help me again during this tough time.
It was a warm, sunny day in Greensboro and I showed up an hour or so before doors opened. When I got inside, I said hey to my friend Josh who is the bass player for the band Constellation Atlas. They are a local band that opened up for this sold out show! I saw them a few weeks ago when they opened up for Traitors in Fayetteville. Like always, they crushed it again!! Their energy on stage was insane and they were very entertaining to watch. You could tell how happy and excited they were to be playing. I love seeing that in bands; true excitement and joy. If you haven’t listened to them, you totally should. And if you want to see them live, they will be opening up for Volumes and Upon A Burning Body in Virginia Beach, VA on May 25th. They will also be playing with Traitors and Black Tongue at the Drunk Horse Pub in Fayetteville, NC on June 21st. The Saw approves 10/10.
Tempting Fate was up next, and I didn’t get any pictures of them because I was confused during their set. I think the singer and the guitarist are twin brothers and I kept trying to figure out which one was older. They were very interactive with the crowd, but unfortunately, the crowd was not reciprocating their energy. The lead singer kept telling us to make a circle pit, but no one would do it. I think it’s because the band would play really REALLY heavy and you could mosh to it, but then they would ease up and start playing lighter music. I think that is what messed people up and therefore, no one started a circle pit. I enjoyed their performance, they kinda remind me of Attila in a way. They played a song called Questions and all they said was “Oh my God, what is going on?” I literally kept asking myself “Oh my God… what IS going on?” Throughout the entire show.
Currents was up next, and they were the reason I wanted to come to the show in the first place. I saw Currents when they went on tour with Miss May I and Upon A Burning Body. I instantly became a fan after seeing them live and I also got to meet the entire band after that show back in June!
The crowd instantly became a moshpit when they came on. They get better each time I see them!! How they interacted with the crowd was insane and how they would all headbang simultaneously satisfied my OCD. I was jamming out to them, moving along to the beat and singing the words to their songs. They played some of my favorites including Night Terrors, Apnea, and Withered. When they played their last song, during the break down, their lead singer did a deep pig squeal… and when I tell that I was shook, I was SHOOK!!!! It sounded so good and I was so impressed. I want him to do that on more songs.
Oceans Ate Alaska came on and this was my second time seeing them. I saw them for the first time when they toured with Wage War back in December. Again, I was really impressed by their performance. I have never been a big Oceans Ate Alaska fan, but after seeing them a couple of times, I might have to give them another chance. Seeing them live is so great and the crowd went rowdy when they came on. They were always in the crowds’ face trying to get closer to us and keep us engaged. If you haven’t seen them live, you really need to. They played some of their best-known songs such as Benzaiten, Covert, and Escapist.
The Plot In You was the second to last band and I don’t listen to them much but again, I was really impressed! They would start off calm and mellow, and then break out into a breakdown. The crowd went nuts for the breakdowns and everyone was in there singing along. I felt a very personal and intimate vibe throughout their entire set, which I enjoyed. I was still upset about my dog, so I wasn’t 100% at this show. But this band gave me a feeling during their set that made me happy. I think it was the lyrics of their songs that gave me this feeling. I can’t really explain the feeling other than that I knew that everything was going to be okay. They played some of their best-known songs such as Not Just Breathing, Time Changes Everything, and Feel Nothing.
And finally, the headlining band, We Came As Romans. I used to listen to them all the time a few years ago, so it was pretty cool to finally see them live and have a bit of a throwback show. Like all the other bands, I was really impressed by We Came As Romans as well! The light show matched with their stage presence, and the crowd was absolutely insane. Everyone was jumping around, singing, dancing, and pushing each other around in the moshpit. The energy of the crowd was unforgettable. Although I could not reciprocate the same energy, it made me happy to see everyone around me having a good time. The energy of the crowd and all the bands that played lifted my mood for that given time. What really got me was when We Came As Romans dedicated their song, Foreign Fire, to their loved ones. That really hit me hard, but it helped me heal in a way. They also played their most popular songs such as Vultures With Clipped Wings, Ghosts, and Hope. During their song Tracing Back Roots, a guy proposed to his girlfriend inside the moshpit. If that isn’t pure metal, I don’t know what is.
Overall, I enjoyed the show. Given that I wasn’t my usual self, the show really did help me heal from the loss of my dog. It help me learn that everything will be okay and that I will be as happy as the people at the show again. Music and time heals everything. Keep listening to music, I promise you that it will help with anything.
I bought tickets to this show on a whim. It was the day before Spring Break and I had two tests. But it was a few days before my birthday, and I really wanted to see Knocked Loose. No surprise, here, that I bought tickets and decided to go to the show anyway. This was Knocked Loose’s first headlining tour and I was super excited to be a part of it.
So, all the bands that played at this show are hardcore bands. Hardcore is another genre of metal that has a different type of fan. I am more of a metalcore/deathcore fan, but at this show I wanted to become the hardcore kid of my dreams. The attire at these shows is completely different. Instead of combat boots, you wear vans. Instead of ripped jeans, you wear clean, solid jeans (and you roll them up at the bottom). You can wear a band shirt, but one must pair it with either a flannel, a hoodie or a windbreaker. Then to finish it all off, you have to have a dad hat. The dad hat is the most important part of being hardcore.
I got to the venue a couple hours before the show and I met the owner of The Blind Tiger. We talked for a bit and he let me inside the venue early! I hung out with some friends that I know, who work for Crank It Loud, until the show started.
The opening band was a local NC band called Dwells. They were pretty good. The crowd didn’t really get into them, or the band Stone. There were some Crowd Killers that were jamming (swinging their arms around) the entire time. The crowd at this show was funny, no one was piled up at the front of the stage like they do at other shows that I have been to. They left the entire area open for the Crowd Killers. There were some people in the front (like myself) that jammed out, and then occasionally had to fend off Crowd Killers who like to hit random people around the perimeter.
Once Jesus Piece hit the stage, the crowd went off!! There were Crowd Killers everywhere and everyone in the building was jamming! I was really impressed with the band and how they worked the crowd. They were running and jumping around and yelling at the crowd the entire time. They were very entertaining to watch! They played songs such as: Oppressor, Conjure Life, and Deny Reality. During this band, I got into the habit of jamming out, and then when there was a break down, I would turn around and defend myself against all the Crowd Killers that were just kicking and swinging around.
The next band to go on was Terror, and man… they put on a great show. I thought the crowd went crazy for Jesus Piece, they were insane for Terror. They went so crazy that I had to leave the front. Everyone was jumping around and going on stage to stage dive and yell into the mic. I have a handprint bruise on my shoulder from where people were using me as leverage to get onto the stage. I had a guy literally on my shoulders, a crowd surfer landed on my back, and a stage diver landed on my head. I had three people on top of me during Terror’s set. Once I left the front and stood on the perimeter of the pit, I had a good time! I was jamming out and pushing people in the pit. Some of the songs that Terror played were: Keep Your Mouth Shut, Spit My Rage, and Always the Hard Way.
And finally, the band that I have been waiting for: Knocked Loose. I got back into the front for Knocked Loose and boy did they put on a show!! Bryan (the lead singer) came out doing hardcore dance moves and yelling into the mic at us. He is such a great front man. There were more people trying to get into the front, now, so I had a buffer between me and the mosh pit. I was yelling all the lyrics to every song and Bryan let me yell into the microphone. The crowd got even more rowdy once they started playing Oblivion’s Peak. There were more stage diver and crowd surfers. Thankfully, no one landed on me this time. They played some of their most well-known songs such as: Separate, Counting Worms, and Deadringer. Knocked Loose put on a killer show and I would love to see them again soon!
I bought tickets for this show completely out of the blue. I was telling my dad about the band Traitors and we were listening to their music (seriously, this band goes hard! Look up the song, Nu Hate). So while we were listening to them my dad says, “You do know they are going to be in Fayetteville on Tuesday, right?” I went online and bought tickets real quick. I also knew some of the local bands that were playing at this show (like VALLEYS, those guys are awesome).
All local bands put on a killer show! Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t get involved until VALLEYS hit the stage. The first local band was Constellation Atlas, and they freaking jammed. Some guy fell out during their show (don’t worry, homeboy got up and continued to crowd kill [borderline moshpit but insteading of pushing people, one intentionally tries to hit, punch, or kick someone else] after a few minutes). The next local band was HEFT, and like the first band, there was only some crowd involvement. The next band Live For What Lasts had the same thing occurring with the crowd but I was really excited to see them because they are from my hometown!! It was cool to see some locals hit up the stage! I didn’t get to meet them but you already know when I see them around I’m going to tell them that I saw them live!
VALLEYS was next and I was really excited to see them! They were another reason why I went to the show because I saw them perform last year when I saw After The Burial and Emmure (pictured below). I met the guitarist and drummer during that show. Now the crowd got into this band and there was a lot of crowd killing. I love the stage presence of these guys, they are always interacting with the crowd and incorporating them within their show. After their set, I went outside and I ran into the band. I was wearing my WKNC Media Pass and one of the members came up to me and asked me if I was a DJ. They also recognized me from the After The Burial and Emmure show last year. I talked to them for a couple of minutes and they are all such nice guys. They are in the studio now so be on the look out!! I play them during The Saw’s Butcher Shop in my “Local Butchers” segment. Maybe The Saw will be talking to them soon?
MESS, another local band from NC, played after VALLEYS, and I was really impressed by them. They had the entire venue rocking!! So many crowd killers and mosh pits occurred during their set. This was my first time listening and noticing this band, and I’m sure glad I did. They are a really good band! I talked to their lead singer (who is also the drummer) after their set and he is such a sweetheart (pictured below). I told him that I am a DJ for WKNC and that I would love to interview them and play their song during my set!
Seriously, go check out these local bands, they are really good. The Saw approves.
The next band to take the stage was Signs of the Swarm. Oh my god… these guys are REALLY good. If you like heavy breakdowns, blast beats, gutturals, and pig squeals then this band is for you. The singer was in the crowd’s face the entire time. His voice is insane!!! How he transitioned to growling, screaming, to gutturals, and then to pig squeals was awesome (it is difficult to do these transitions live on stage). One of the best singers I have seen/heard. He was literally hovering over the crowd while singing. I was really impressed with them. I never heard of them until that night and I am glad that I have discovered them. They are easily becoming one of my favorite deathcore bands. There was an insane pit for these guys and the crowd absolutely loved them. I don’t think there was a single person in that room standing still. They played some of their well-known songs such as Cesspool of Ignorance and The Failed Breed. I met the singer and the drummer after their set. They are some of the sweetest and coolest guys I have met (pictured below). Me and the singer have matching Medusa tattoos so we bonded over that. I talked to them for about 10 minutes and then headed back inside to see the next band.
The band I have been waiting for: Traitors. These guys sound the exact same live as they do on record. I met the lead singer (pictured below) at their merch booth before the show and he looks like a young Corpsegrinder (seriously, if I didn’t know I was seeing Traitors, I would have thought Corpsegrinder was at the show). The singer has a great stage presence and he really gets the crowd rowdy. There was a lot of crowd killing and some actual fights broke out here and there. But overall, their set was pretty fun! They played two of my favorite songs: Nu Hate and Short Fused. They just released their new record, Anger Issues, go check it out!
The last band to perform was Lorna Shore. I have heard of these guys before and I was excited to see them live for the first time! Most of the people left after Traitors which is pretty disappointing. But that didn’t stop Lorna Shore from putting on a killer show!! This band is also another deathcore band and they are touring with Signs of the Swarm. When the band came out, the crowd killing began (not surprised). But, something weird happen in the mosh pit during their set… a dance off began. There was a handful of guys doing the “Souja Boy,” whipping, twerking, nae nae, some weird slow-motion dance, spinning on the floor, and some vicious dabbing. Seriously, homeboy was dabbing so intensely… it was so hardcore. What got me was that some guy busted out the worm and everyone went insane. I have never seen a dance party happen during a show before. We all started a huge pit of the Macarena, it was the best mosh pit I have ever been into. They were doing these dances to Lorna Shore and it was just funny to see these dances to metal music (and the dancing was off-beat I may add). I gotta be honest, no one was watching the band at this point… everyone was watching us dance in the mosh pit and throwing in our best dance moves. The lead singer from Signs of the Swarm came on stage and played a song with the band for his birthday. Some of the songs that they played were Life of Fear and FVNERAL MOON.
To sum up last night, it was something I have never experienced before. This show was at a small pub and there was around a hundred or so people that showed up. Although the crowd killing got annoying, my overall experience at the show was great! I got to run into some friends, meet some awesome bands, and witness a dance party!! I enjoyed my time at the Drunk Horse Pub. It was my first time there and I really liked the atmosphere. It was a very laid back environment. They have pool tables, a bar, and a seating area. You could walk in and out of the venue and hang out and meet all of the bands if you wanted to. The stage was small and so was the standing area in front of the stage, but this made for a intimate show. I would go back to this venue to see a band anytime! If you get the chance to see any of these bands, please do. They are all so talented and I promise it will be worth it.
This was my first metalcore show of 2018, and it didn’t disappoint me at all! The last time I saw August Burns Red was at the Carolina Rebellion two years ago! When I saw that they were coming back to North Carolina, I didn’t hesitate to get my ticket! This tour supported the release of their new record, Phantom Anthem, that came out in October of 2017.
I got to Arizona Pete’s around 4 o’clock for the meet and greet that occurred around 5. The meet and greet and VIP experience with August Burns Red (ABR) was pretty cool. This was my sixth time getting VIP tickets. Individually, we got to meet the band and they all signed a poster for each of us. I small talked with the band during this time and I told them that I saw them at the Carolina Rebellion and that I am a metal college radio DJ for NC State’s radio station WKNC (if you aren’t listening to The Saw’s Butcher Shop on Friday nights from 10pm-midnight… you’re missing out). Every band that I have told that I am a DJ gets really excited and ABR was no different. They were really grateful and humbled that I play them on the radio and their singer said, “that’s so awesome, you’re literally the only person that will play us on the radio.” After the signing session, I got back in line and then we got a picture with the band (see pic above). When I showed up they all said, “look, it’s our favorite DJ!”
After the VIP experience, we were free to look at band merch and hang out before the show (you get to go in 30 minutes before doors open). I decided to stand right in front of the stage and wait for the bands to come on. My friend Savannah met up with me there and we jammed out in the front during the bands.
The first band to come on was Ocean Grove from Australia. Of course, when they said they were from Australia, we started a “USA” chant. Personally, I wanted to know if they knew the bands Parkway Drive, In Hearts Wake, and Thy Art is Murder (they too, are from Australia). The crowd didn’t really get into this band. The majority of the people just stood there. Savannah and I were dancing and moving to the beat every once in a while. They played Beers, Intimate Alien, and Thunderdome. They also got one of their friends to dress up like a Hooters girl and prance around on stage… that is an image I will never forget. He had the outfit, fake boobs, and a wig.
The second band was Erra. The crowd got into them a little bit more, but nothing major. There were some mosh pits here and there and of course, I was in the front jamming out, like always. They played some of their hits such as Drift, Seven, and Skyline.
Up next were my boys in Born of Osiris (BOO). I have seen them a handful of times and they never disappoint me. When they came out, the entire venue exploded! There were multiple mosh pits, tons of crowd surfers and stage divers, and everyone was yelling the lyrics back to the band. BOO is very interactive with the crowd when they perform. The singer is always in your face and literally a part of the crowd. He was grabbing people’s hands (aka mine), letting people yell into the mic, and getting the crowd as involved as he can. The guitarists and bass were very interactive too. They were always in the front and putting on a good stage show. Their keyboardist was running around, yelling into the mic, singing, and in the crowd’s face the entire time. They are really entertaining to watch and they put on an incredible show. I met the singer (again), the guitarist, and the drummer after the show. They are all really nice guys and they all thanked me for playing their songs on the radio. Ronnie (the singer) remembered me from the Charlotte date that they played and it was good to catch up. They played some of their bangers such as Bow Down (MY FAVORITE SONG), Empires Erased, and Machine.
And now it was time for the headlining band, August Burns Red. Right when they came on stage the entire crowd went rowdy. I was all up against the stage, getting elbowed in the back, my hair was pulled, and I have bruises everywhere (it’s not a good show if you don’t come back with bruises). Everyone was singing along and the entire band was interactive. They were always coming up to the edge of the stage and smiling at people and acknowledging everyone singing and jamming out with them. There was a huge pit and wall of death during the set. The guitarist smiled and waved at me on stage and mouthed the words, “my favorite DJ” to me. The singer was always in front of me jamming out and a lot of his sweat landed on me (this is what happens when you’re in the front). He would grab my hand and sing and just have a good time on stage! I was headbanging the entire time even though it was kinda difficult with everyone around me; and I hit my head against the stage, but it’s fine. I’m fine. Before their last song the singer said that he wanted to see more crowd surfers and stage divers. But he told them to watch out and not hit the “pretty girl up in the front.” I looked around and all I saw were guys around me… so I’m assuming he was talking about me. Everyone was getting on stage and they were careful, no one hit me. Then during the breakdown the singer puts down the mic, looks at me, opens his arms and says, “get on stage.” I was SHOOK, and he literally pulled me up on stage. He handed me their setlist and said something to me but I didn’t hear what he said because I was too busy looking at all the people at the show (it was PACKED) and I was thinking about if anyone was gonna catch me when I have to jump off the stage. Welp, I jumped off the stage and I was carried all around the crowd and was put down safely by the mosh pit. Anyway, ABR played some of their most well-known songs such as King of Sorrow, Hero of the Half Truth, and White Washed.
This was an amazing show, and a great way to kick off 2018!
My ears are still ringing. The waitress from Waffle House just asked me if I was ready to order and the two guys behind the counter are dancing to Daft Punk. After I order my patty melt, I look at my two best friends as they are still buzzing with energy and bright with smiles. We just spent the last hour and forty-five minutes screaming, jumping, and singing to the sounds of Brockhampton.
I’ve been to a lot of concerts in my short lifetime and only 4 of those were rap concerts. I’ve seen Logic (twice), Chance the Rapper, and Drake & Future, all of whom I have been very big fans of for a while now and have passed the “fanboy” phase for those artists. Brockhampton, however, is a different story. I started listening to BH in August and have since then consumed all three of there Saturation albums multiple times. I know all 14 members, the words to most of their songs, and a lot of facts and trivia only a music nerd like me would know. It’s safe to say I am a BH fanboy (BH fans are usually dubbed “dumbasses”) and my fanboy-dom only increased my hype for this concert. Needless to say I was not disappointed at all.
The energy was already in the building as soon as I walked in. Standing in the crowd for an hour waiting for the show to start, I overheard so many conversations about how excited people were. Everywhere I looked, people were smiling and laughing with their friends, just like I was. One of my friends, Henry, went to go buy me and my other friend, Amanda, some merch while we held his spot in the crowd (Nick Holiday was running the merch line which was pretty cool). As more people packed in, Amanda and I became more aware that Henry might not get his spot back. People around us were frantically checking their phones every 2 minutes waiting for 9pm to hit. They actually started around 9:15, which definitely created a lot of suspense. But we were ready. As soon as the lights went down, the crowd went nuts. I can’t even tell you what happened between the lights going down and the beginning of “BOOGIE” (mostly because I rushed out of the crowd for fear of being swallowed and never to be seen again). The next thing I knew, I was jumping up and down, singing the words to “BOOGIE” asking “what were the rules for breakfast today?” I was already running out of breath from jumping and it felt like a sauna inside the Ritz, but it didn’t stop me from belting out every word of every song.
And the energy just kept on going.
This held true even as I continued to rap every single word to Dom McLennon’s verse on “STAR”. Even when I thought I was out of breath, I would look over to other BH fans who were also rapping the verses, and their energy alone helped me continue on. I looked up to see that the Ritz had the ceiling fans on full blast, but the venue staff was still running around trying to get free water to all of the concert goers. Brockhampton was just delivering too much heat (pun intended).
The concert took you just about everywhere. One minute they’re performing “GUMMY” and “SWEET” and it feels like a rap concert. The next, their playing “BUMP” and “QUEER” and it feels like a head banging rock concert. When they played “SISTER” it felt like a heavy-EDM rave party. And when Bearface came out to perform his solo songs “SUMMER” and “EVANIE”, it felt like I was at Coachella with a flower crown on my head. Brockhampton was able to do all of this in under 2 hours and it felt like an exhilarating roller coaster ride that you wanna ride over and over again
I never knew what it meant to burn the house down until I went to this concert. It felt like a raging fire was all around me the entire night. Watching people put their hands to their knees to catch their breath for 2 seconds and continue jumping and down proved that nothing could stop the energy that Brockhampton brought to the crowd. Not even Kevin Abstract’s cold could stop him from performing. And that’s the highlight of the whole concert: the energy. As mentioned before, I’ve listened to all three SATURATION albums more than enough times, but watching the songs I loved performed live brought a whole new energy to them. Much against my personal judgements of living in the moment, I took a few videos while BH performed in hopes that I could capture that energy and save it for later. But it was impossible. I’ve even tried closing my eyes while listening to their songs again to bring myself back to the night of January 29th, 2018, but it still wasn’t good enough. What Brockhampton did in Raleigh, and probably all of their other shows on the Love Your Parents Tour, was incredibly energetic and an experience I have never felt before in my life. And just as the tour name states, I realized how much I love my parents for bringing me into this world so I could witness this amazing event. And just like the members of Brockhampton, experiencing the concert with my two best friends made it so much better.
¡Me llamo Carlitos y Brockhampton es la mejor banda de chicos en el mundo!
So, I didn’t think I was going to go to this show because I had a Psychology exam the next day. But, I have no self-control and I caved in and went to the show anyway. I do not regret going to the show at all, and I also made an A on my Psychology exam. It’s safe to say that I am living my best life. This show was at the Blind Tiger in Greensboro, and I really like this venue. I saw Suicide Silence here (and if you scroll down, you can see that show review as well). Yeah, we broke the barricade at the Suicide Silence show so there was no barricade at all during Wage War’s show. RIP my knees, I had so many bruises because I was in the front and I kept getting slammed into the speakers. But it was a great time 10/10 would do it again. I reunited with some homies that I hung out with at previous shows and we had a grand time.
The first band to go on was Loathe. I have heard of them but never really listened to them before. They were good, they kinda give me a Knocked Loose vibe. The singer has some killer dance moves. He was breaking it down on stage. Some of the songs they played were The Cold Sun, It’s Yours, and Dance on My Skin.
Next up was Varials. I really like this band; they play some bangers. This was my second time seeing Varials and they never disappoint me. The crowd was getting into the music at this point and there were tons of people singing along with the songs and really engaging with the band. I talked to the singer after the show and bought a hoodie from their merch booth. It’s now one of my favorite hoodies because it’s black and says, “Pain Again” (the name of their new record) on the front in a small font. They also played some bangers such as The New Damnation, Anything To Numb, and Empire of Dirt.
My boys in Gideon were the third band to play and WOW, THE CROWD FREAKING WENT INSANE!!!!! Everyone was jumping up and down, crowd surfing, and moshing. No one was standing still during their entire set. This was my fifth time seeing Gideon and they always put on a good show. The singer always interacts with the crowd and he really got everyone fired up. The band seemed like they were having a great time hanging with us North Carolinians. Some of the hitters that they played were Pulling Teeth, Survive, and Calloused.
The second to last band to perform was Oceans Ate Alaska. I have never really listened to this band before, but they put on a great show. The singer is very energetic and he was jumping up and down the entire time on stage. They are a very metalcore band, but there were some parts where I could sense that they could easily become deathcore. The crowd was going crazy for them as well, jumping up and down, moshing, and they were singing their little metal buts off to these guys. They played their version of Drunk in Love by the queen herself, Beyoncé. It was a really cool version and everyone was singing and dancing. I hung out and talked to the guitarist outside of the venue while me and my friends were waiting to get inside. He was a really nice guy, he let me have some of his coffee because I was freezing while waiting outside. Some of the songs that they played were Covert, Blood Brothers, and Escapist.
The moment I have been waiting for – finally, Wage War was up next. And when I say that this crowd was rowdy, I’m telling the truth. This crowd went insane for Wage War. The whole entire crowd was a mosh pit. The only part that wasn’t a pit were the people in the front (aka me and I almost died from the beatings I was getting from the pit), but hey, if you don’t come back with a couple of bruises you didn’t have a good time. This was a sold out show so you know everyone was going hard. I was looking at videos of the crowd and wow, they were crazy. The pits were crazy, crowd surfers everywhere and everyone is head banging. It was one of the best crowds I have seen. This was also my fifth time seeing Wage War and I could never get tired of seeing them play. While they were playing Youngblood, the light show went out and everyone in the crowd took out their phones and used the flashlight to make our own light show. It was honestly one of the coolest things I have ever seen and been a part of. The song is a very personal song, and having the whole venue be in complete darkness except for our flashlights really set the mood. Who needs a light show when you got us, am I right?
Wage War was jamming-out the entire time. They put on a great live show. I love everything about this band. They also played some of my favorite songs like The River, Alive, Gravity, Johnny Cash, and Stitch.
I am so happy that I decided to go. It was one of the best shows that I have been to. I also got to meet Seth Blake and Cody Quistad (again) – the two guitarists – after the show. Cody actually remembered me from the last time that I met him and the band at Warped Tour.
