Royal Blood is “Out of the Black”

By: Emma

Emerging from “Out of the Black” shadows of rock music, Royal Blood did not hold back their passion and intense rock sound, while playing to the innocent ears of both the young and the old during their US tour. Hard rock duo, Mike Kerr, singer and bassist, and Ben Thatcher, drummer, brought their head banging British style to Marquee Theatre on Sept. 28 in Tempe.

Formed in 2013 in Brighton, England, Royal Blood shook up the rock community with their bluesy, hard rock sound showcased on their self-titled album. In October of 2015, they finished their debut album tour, traveling all over from Europe to Brazil and finally, the US. Their popularity, success and fan base grew from the start, making their debut a very impressive one.

Their album alone is a great compilation of distortion, dominant drum beats and clever lyrics. But as a live performance, Royal Blood is an entirely different animal. Kerr and Thatcher claimed the stage as their own and inspired the fans to reciprocate their hard rock sound with mosh pits. Throughout the concert, fans split up into groups, pushing and laughing with Royal Blood’s songs in drunken feelings of euphoria and literal alcohol. It was surprising to see how diverse the crowd really was and how everyone rejoiced for the same reason of great music. From high school students to 50 year-olds, all were bouncing and created a frenzy during the performance.

Kerr beating on Thatcher’s drums while performing a cover of “Iron Man” showed how connected they are as performers.

Royal Blood performed all of their 10 songs from their debut album, while performing a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” hyping up the fans even more. While it was truly an exciting experience, their most memorable songs performed live were, “Out of the Black,” “Come On Over,” “Figure it Out,” “Little Monster” and “Better Strangers.”

Throughout the concert, Thatcher’s drums hit like a punch in the chest, and Kerr’s skilled riffs and smooth, but heavy lyrics rang in fans’ ears hours after the concert ended. It is refreshing to see raw music at its finest and expect Royal Blood to rise to the top of rock in the near future.

∆’s “This is it”

By: Emma

Lead singer, Joe Newman, performs their song, “Breezeblocks” while playing riffs on his guitar.

Creatively known as Alt-J, band members Joe Newman (vocalist and guitarist), Thom Green (drummer), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboardist) and Cameron Knight (bassist), lit up Comerica Theatre in Phoenix on Oct. 14.

The name Alt-J is derived from clicking the “Alt” key and the “J” key on an Apple computer creating a triangle or ∆. Having such a different band name really shows their alternative music roots and sets them apart from other musicians within the genre. With such unique instruments and vocals, a mesmerizing light show and a wide fan base, Alt-J provides a second glance toward the alternative genre that would otherwise be hidden under pop and rap artists today.

Comerica Theatre can hold approximately 5,000 people at a packed concert. Surprisingly, my friend and I made it front row with only arriving 15 minutes before doors opened. This is probably because we had pit tickets while the majority of the venue holds seat tickets on the floor and balconies. It was also a Wednesday, in the middle of the week, when people may have not been able to spend hours waiting in line to watch the performance. Either way, it was really exciting to be that close to their electric show.

Once Alt-J started their first song, the crazy light show had already begun. There were mini screens projecting different patterns, and even flying birds at one point, which moved up and down above the stage. While the screens moved, flashing lights pointed on the musicians and on the crowd. The light production was definitely interesting, and could have been a show in itself. However, it was distracting toward their music performance and almost conflicted with their live show. I even had to look away from the stage throughout the concert because of the harsh strobe lighting. Even though the light show seemed hazardous, Alt-J still played well, sounding crisp and like their recorded versions on their albums.

Keyboardist and supporting vocalist, Gus-Unger Hamilton, communicated with the fans by making them clap their hands together during their songs.

Alt-J mostly performed and promoted their second album, “This Is It,” but also sprinkled in a few songs from their first album, “An Awesome Wave.” What really makes Alt-J stand apart from the rest is Newman, because of his deep and almost robotic voice. Even though the lyrics are in English, they seem foreign as it is hard to even understand what Newman is singing about in some of his songs, but this makes them unique and still catchy. At the concert, this seemed relevant because not many fans sang along, but just enjoyed the instruments and lyrics themselves.

The most memorable songs performed were “Left Hand Free” for its garage rock sound, “Hunger of the Pine” for its anticipation build up and hypnotic instruments and lyrics and “Tessellate” for Unger-Hamilton’s keyboard and clever lyrics. Their last song during an encore, “Breezeblocks” ended the night with Newman’s mellow voice and the band’s flowing rhythm.

Alt-J was a slower concert as the fans seemed calm about the experience and enjoyed the psychedelic, soft, alternative music they provided. Their complex light show was a bit over the top and suggests almost a lack of confidence in their live performance.

Alt-J does not need the special effects to put on a good show – – just a passion for the interesting music they create.

 

British Invasion: George Ezra’s “Wanted On Voyage”

George Ezra strummed his guitar while singing his lyrics along with the crowd.

By: Emma

To promote his new album, “Wanted On Voyage,” UK singer/songwriter George Ezra and his band performed in the small, but packed venue at Marquee Theatre in Tempe on Aug. 15. Some really dedicated fans waited hours in the 114 degree weather in hopes to be front row at his concert. However, my friends and I decided against waiting in the heat and only stood in line for 30 minutes before the doors opened, at 6:30 p.m.

Once we got inside, to our surprise, we waited another hour before the opening act, Dylan LeBlanc, even came on stage. Having to wait for so long is a little boring, but it all pays off when you are able to hold your close spot to the stage.

LeBlanc sang solo and played slow, acoustic songs with his guitar, accompanied by a violinist and cellist. Together the trio performed soothing melodies, but were in the wrong atmosphere – – a concert. If LeBlanc had a few more upbeat songs to get people excited for the headliner, the crowd would have enjoyed their set more and not have seemed so anxious for the next act.

After taking a “selfie” with the crowd, LeBlanc exited the stage and the crowd prepared for George Ezra. The fans mainly consisted of high schoolers and college students, but there were also older fans scattered amongst the crowd.

Once Ezra appeared, the audience became very energetic and were prepared to sing along. The crowd really did make the concert lively and bright. Everyone seemed like they were having a great time and enjoying themselves, even Ezra.

After almost every lyric, Ezra stepped back from the microphone and played his guitar while swaying and closing his eyes to the beat. He was feeling and showcasing the music and not just the lyrics, and the fans soaked that up. What is very unique about Ezra, is the fact that his voice is so incredibly deep for a 22-year old. His lyrics make him seem much more mature than his age. I also loved the fact that he drank tea in between songs, expressing his British roots on stage.

Based on the fans’ screams, applause and rowdiness his most noted songs were, “Barcelona,” “Budapest,” “Listen to the Man,” “Song 6” and “Stand by your Gun.” Which are coincidentally his most popular songs recorded to date.

George Ezra cracked jokes on stage by explaining his music video for “Blame it on Me.”

I went to the concert knowing barely any lyrics or how Ezra is as an artist, but seeing him perform on stage proved to me his songs are so much better live. You could tell that he enjoyed his songs and performing them to the point where it did not matter if he had already played them a 1,000 times, he loved expressing them, and that is a quality a great musician should have. Some of his songs did sound a little similar to one another, but I believe as Ezra grows as a musician, he will become even more unique by just using his deep range of vocals, energetic vibes and his clever lyrics.

The Marquee Theatre was his last tour date this year, and it was disappointing to see he did not meet his fans outside the venue for autographs or pictures. However, remembering his live performance made up for it.

Made Violent is who they say they are

By: Emma

Made Violent’s EP debut cover featuring from left to right, Rob Romano, (vocals and guitar) Joe White (vocals and bass) and Justin Acee (drums).

Musicians from around the world usually come up with band names that mean something specific to their band, and that is exactly what Made Violent has done with theirs. From Buffalo, New York, Made Violent’s self-titled EP really describes who they are as a band and showcases their rebellious garage-rock style and rhythm. This five song EP is truly raw rock music at its finest.

Made Violent’s trio includes, Joe White, vocals and bass, Justin Acee, drums, and Rob Romano, vocals and guitar. They really made their first EP with an appetite for head banging, and a thirst for hard rock n’ roll. The EP includes, “Two Tone Hair,” “On My Own,” “Dirty,” “Inside Out” and “Wasted Days,” which all capture their brutal sound with a sharp guitar and powerful drums.

“Two Tone Hair” starts the album with an immediate guitar solo and hard drums, and a creative description of the girl White’s crazy for who has two-toned hair. This song can be equally chaotic and melodic, and really sets the rest of the EP up for its youthful toughness. The next song, “On My Own,” almost blends perfectly to “Two Tone Hair” and sets a theme for their original rhythm. “On My Own” really showcases White’s strong vocals and passion for his lyrics, while an electric guitar creates a memorable rhythm. The third song, “Dirty,” really describes the typical teen boy sex stage of wanting and needing to be with a girl, even one walking down the street, and showcases the talent of drummer Acee especially. It is a crazy, hormonal song with a lot of intensity. “Inside Out,” one of their more popular songs, includes a long, but great riff to complement the “misbehaving” of his lyrics and the band’s punk personality. The final song, “Wasted Days,” is a very catchy and relatable song for having great lyrics like, “talking to myself when no one’s ever listening,” and is almost like a great jam session really.

All in all, Made Violent’s debut EP is definitely worth investing in. It is a great start to what is more to come, and I believe releasing an EP as a debut rather than an album was a smart choice because fans will want more of the little taste the band gave them to begin with. Fans will definitely want more of their pure garage rock sound because it is recognizable yet original, and really makes them who they are. Thank you Made Violent for bringing back and showcasing hard rock; it will be exciting to hear more of your violent tendencies.

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