Show Review

It was a tour of headliners. Anyone of the four bands on the bill has already earned or at least proven the right that they belong in the spotlight. The opening band, The Verdict, is the most unknown on the tour, but the way they are making such quality music that stands out while remaining completely accessible is a good hint that it won’t be long before their name works its way to the top of tour bills. Melee and Rocket Summer were the two bands in the middle and I was surprised; both are bands that have headlined and sold out numerous shows, proving that they are both capable of handling the front status. But it was The Early November hosted this tour, and as always, proved why.

The Verdict came out strong. The vocals sounded great and the band was tight as ever. The time between each song usually consisted of Chandler warming up the audience, something many opening bands have trouble doing but it seemed to come to Chandler with ease. Of course, by the end of the set, nearly everyone in the venue was inside the concert hall and watching The Verdict in a way I remember watching bands like Something Corporate and Brand New back in the day. I am not comparing music styles; I am simply comparing the band’s ability to bring a larger than life presence to the stage.

Speaking of larger than life, the vocals of Melee are certainly that. Chris Cron has such a powerful voice; the band was having trouble keeping up. It looked as though he was not even trying, and yet this pop-star voice was just flying from his lips. The music Melee plays feels like it could fit within a number of eras; I believe this is a strength as well as a minor flaw. I know a catch-22 is no fun, but in this case it is entirely true. They make music that sounds great now and would have sounded great five, ten, even fifteen years ago and it is an impressive feat, but it also makes them blend in with others in the piano rock category. Sometimes Chris sounds like Elton John, sometimes like Billy Joel and then sometimes like Chris Martin of Coldplay and Isaac Slade of The Fray. However, the positive aspects of this band far outweigh the negative and I would have to say they probably put on the best show of the night and I highly recommend trying to see them if at all possible.

The Rocket Summer does not garner the same accolades. I was disappointed with their live set and felt it was weak and cheesy. The vocals sounded pretty bad and the band did nothing special to compensate. There appears to be combination of Sesame Street and Rock n’ Roll every time I see this band live, but I have seen the kids get into and I can’t ignore that. Unfortunately for Bryce Avary, Charlotte did not appear impressed this time around.

Finally, closing things out, The Early November got on stage and established why they were the headliners. It was not the best show I have ever seen of theirs, but they were succinct and to the point every song. Watching TEN perform is something I done many times and can say without hesitation that the members are absolutely professional and never emotionally vacant. It is always a treat to see a band with such talent really relate to the audience.

Hopefully this tour has not passed you by because it was certainly a fun time. The music is all upbeat and spring friendly. Say goodbye to winter with this tour.

review by Kevin Condon