“The Audition” no longer just makes you a nervous wreck…
On January 16, 2008, Victory Records band The Audition headlined the first show of the Pac Sun tour PacTour with supporting bands Another Day Late, Danger Radio, and Envy on the Coast. Although the Alternative/Emo scene is not normally where you would find me, I had a great time at this show!
The first band to hit the stage was Southern California Alternative band, Another Day Late. Typically, this style of music would not be one I would really be listening to or experiencing in concert form, but I was pretty impressed by the show they put on. Despite being crammed onto a small stage, this five-piece proceeded to get the show started displaying great showmanship and musicianship. After their set, I had a chance to speak to 4 of the members and was pleasantly surprised to see how awesome these guys really are!
The next band to take the stage was Washington state band, Danger Radio. This six-piece band was quite a sight to experience. Their innovative mix of Alternative and Funk style provided great tunes that were easy for the crowd to dance too. This band is definitely a good hype band. On top of easy-to-dance-to music, their energy was felt throughout the venue as the crowd began to really get settled into the show. Unfortunately, I was unable to communicate with any of the members, but this band is quite an experience to witness.
The third and next to last band to work the crowd was Long Island band, Envy on the Coast. Being another band I had not heard previous to this show, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this five-piece, but I was quickly impressed by the musicianship and talent presented during their set. The energy and feeling exerted through their music was felt by all who were in attendance, and they received a, much deserved, great response from the crowd on their first night back on the road in quite some time. Unfortunately, I was not able to converse with members from this band either, but I was fulfilled with them just by seeing them perform live.
Finally, the time that everyone was waiting for came after Envy on the Coast had cleared the stage and everything was set. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Alternative band The Audition took the stage with massive amounts of energy! The practically packed Brewery erupted with cheers as the band went into their first song of the set, “Edinboro”. Playing through a set consisting of 11 songs (including titles such as “Smoke & Mirrors”, “Shady Business”, and “Don’t Be So Hard”), The Audition had the crowd rolling the whole time. Even I was enjoying the Alternative style while snapping pictures left and right. Not having heard much of this band’s music prior to the show put me in a situation where I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Ultimately, I was impressed with every aspect this five-piece put on display. I was able to catch up with 3 members of the band after the show and I got to have a short interview with lead singer Danny Stevens. In the interview I found out that the new record was influenced by Country, R&B, and Southern Soul. Putting these influences together with their Alternative style, The Audition’s new album “Champion” is a great album!
Overall, this first show of PacTour was a great show and I’m glad I got experience it. Try to catch these bands on tour if they come near your city, it will be an experience you won’t forget!
