Someone had to stimulate the anxious crowd, and who could get the crowd started better than the duo EDM DJ act, ‘Drama Club’? Judging by the wardrobe of the two energetic lads, known as Andromeda and Zero, they seem to live by the words in their hit song ‘Halloween 365’ where they proclaim that ‘every day is Halloween’. They each wear an ivory-white mask; one mask has cracks on it that make it look like the face of a broken, porcelain doll. The other’s mask has the words ‘NO H8’ on the cheek, a nod towards the ‘No H8 campaign’ for human equality, no matter their sexuality. They had a rather unique set up with television screens all over stage and on the front of a rectangular box, behind which they appeared to be controlling their musical renditions of rock songs. They invited the crowd of cheering fans to get their feet off the floor and dance with them to their remixes of rock-hits such as ‘If You Can’t Hang’ by Sleeping With Sirens. After their first song, a woman’s voice echoed in a bohemian-style, as she wordlessly sang them into their next EDM rock mix, ‘They Don’t Need To Understand,’ sung by Andy Black, better known as Andy Biersack, lead singer of headliners Black Veil Brides. The talented performers ended their time in the spotlight with their most popular song, ‘Halloween 365’ that boasts dubstep vibes from the EDM scene that they’ve broken off from slightly in their successful attempt at remixing pop rock into a new genre of music: Electro Shock Pop.
“Be human with us and show us your true duality,” pop-punk band Set It Off proclaims in light of their new album ‘Duality’ released 2014. On the Black Mass Tour, the band hailing from Florida mixed it up with a number of their newly released songs ‘The Haunting’ and ‘N.M.E.’ among others, while still pleasing devoted fans with a few of their older hits, namely, ‘Nightmare’ and ‘Dream Catcher.’ The crowd shook in a frenzied approval of the band’s originals mildly tantamount to popular bands Fall Out Boy and All Time Low. They bowed out after their catchy up-beat song, with a music video that debuted October of 2014, ‘Why Worry.’ Set It Off boasts a taste of symphonic rock mixed into their pop-punk beat, creating a unique vibe that kept those who were new to their music on their toes with open ears.
Falling In Reverse, a popular band with over 2 million fans, took the stage next as fans screamed ‘Ronnie,’ the name of the lead singer who was previously in another well-known band known as Escape the Fate. The post-core ensemble played a number of songs from their 2013 album ‘Fashionably Late’ including ‘Rolling Stone,’ ‘Fashionably Late,’ and ‘Bad Girls Club.’ Their often humorous lyrics kept listeners hooked as well-versed fans sang along to every song. Halfway through their set, lead singer Ronnie Radke asked if any concert-goers were fans of Escape The Fate- and yelled ‘F--- you!’ to the cheers he got in response. But then he smiled as Falling In Reverse covered a song from the singer’s past, with much of the band lending Ronnie their voices to accompany his as they performed ‘ Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliché.’ At the end of their set, the band invited a few fans to play basketball with them, challenging them to throw a soft blow-up basketball into one of the two basketball hoops on stage, in exchange for a t-shirt. As the band ended their set, and their unexpected ball game, the whole room was drowned in streamers that fell from the ceiling onto the mob of fans, beautifully accompanied by the backdrop of smoke that filled the stage.
With a full set list of 17 songs, new and old, Black Veil Brides took over the House of Blues’ stage and waited for the curtains to open so they could begin their headlining act. ‘Coffin,’ a song never before played on tour, was one of the first few songs to be played to the animated crowd by the self-proclaimed rebels. Black Veil Brides is well-known for their many of their older songs, most notably ‘Knives and Pens,’ ‘Rebel Love Song,’ and ‘Fallen Angels,’ all of which were played that Thursday night. Many fans have proclaimed that their songs, such as hit ‘Knives and Pens,’ helped them through depression. Courtnie (age 23), confided in me that, “Black Veil Brides is the reason [she is] still here today.” When the band got to their song, ‘Shadows Die,’ guitarist Jinxx walked on stage with a violin in tow. The violin added so much to the song that it changed the playing field drastically; the rock and roll sound was slightly diluted by the hauntingly beautiful voice of his violin. After Jinxx switched back to his guitar, the band continued on with their impressive show full of guitar riffs, gothic undertones, and an extremely impressive drum solo by the drummer known as CC. If the crowd wasn’t already on their feet, CC would have been greeted with a standing ovation at the end of his impressively quick yet stylized drum solo. Black Veil Brides released a new album, Black Veil Brides IV, in 2014. They were excited to show off their new rock masterpieces, including ‘Last Rites’ and concert-goer Lindsay’s (age 21) favorite song from the new album, ‘Devil In The Mirror.’ After their sixteenth song, ‘Fallen Angels,’ Black Veil Brides waved goodbye to their fans and left the stage, but not for long. Amidst the crowd’s chants begging for an encore, the band stepped back onto the stage to officially end the concert with their final song, appropriately titled ‘In The End.’ The band’s members formed a line and bowed out for the final time, threw t-shirts into the jubilant crowd, and left the stage.
The Black Mass Tour proved to be an amazing showcase of four well-known bands from all over the nation. House of Blues, and every other venue on the tour, should be proud to have hosted such an amazing performance on their stage.
Review by Hannah Hodge
Photos by Roxy Faith Alexandria
for MovementMagazine.com
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