Though it’s been a bitingly cold winter, the Minneapolis/St. Paul area is experiencing a season with less than half the average snowfall (thank you to Boston for taking all of it). Regardless, the
SnoCore Tour featuring
Flyleaf and
Adelitas Way is on the road this winter, providing a reason to get out of the cold, beat the winter blues, and experience an evening of live rock n’ roll.
With less competition for your entertainment dollar because of fewer bands touring in Jan/Feb, and a great bang-for-your-concert-buck (less than $20 for five bands over almost five hours), the
SnoCore Tour brought out a healthy-sized midweek crowd out, to POV’s in suburban Spring Lake Park, MN.
Arson River, a new-ish local band, opened the evening with a short set full of driving aggro-rock and songs culled from its 2014 self-released debut,
Any Given Day. Songs like ‘Chemicals and ‘Wrong’ would fit nicely in a playlist alongside tracks from
Seether, Breaking Benjamin, and
Nonpoint.
Jacksonville, FL up-and-comers
Fit for Rivals played next, showcasing songs from their 2009 debut, along with previewing those from their upcoming
Freak Machine (Big 3 Records), including the title track and ‘Hit Me’. Vocalist Renee Phoenix is small but has a powerfully large voice and the band’s sound is hard rock based, with touches of punk-pop.
Framing Hanley
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Nashville’s
Framing Hanley followed, promoting last year’s third full-length,
The Sum of Who We Are (Imagen Records) and a sound similar to some of their previous touring mates,
Sick Puppies and
Saving Abel.
Vocalist Kenneth Nixon endeared himself to the crowd of young girls near the front barriers, wearing a plain hoodie, often standing on the speakers and singing/shouting a la
Linkin Park’s
Chester Bennington. They were grateful both to local rock radio for playing single, ‘Collide’ as well as to the fervent fans that turned up early to see them.
Adelitas Way
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Las Vegas band
Adelitas Way was one that many in the crowd were highly anticipating to see. The four-piece roared on stage with intro song, ‘The Collapse’ and raging ‘Dog on a Leash’ that had many in the crowd jumping in place with devil-horn hands raised. The band has just released a new EP,
Deserve This (CMG), which was available in part digitally, via download cards at the merch booth, with full tracks due out March 7
th.
Last year’s full-length
Stuck (produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who has helmed countless hard rock albums) was a breakthrough for the band, with its classic-based aggressive sound, that has found a home on rock radio. Singer Rick DeJesus connected well with the audience, who moved and swayed as one, especially to late in the set songs, ‘Criticize’ and ‘Sick’, both of which topped the Active Rock charts. The band mentioned they’d likely be back in June for anyone wanting to see them headline.
Texas band
Flyleaf closed the evening and is in the midst of re-inventing itself as a new, but veteran and seasoned group. Original vocalist Lacey Sturm decided to leave in 2012, choosing family and faith over the rigors of a touring band, and the group wisely recruited Blue Springs, MO native Kristen May (of KC band
Vedera) as her replacement.
May’s soaring vocals prove the band has not lost a step in terms of intensity and range, as evidenced on their newest album,
Between the Stars (Loud & Proud Records), and more so, in concert.
Flyleaf
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VIP ticket holders were granted early access into the venue, which included a short acoustic set (complete w/
Smashing Pumpkins cover song), and meet and greet/ photo op. In another bit of inspired marketing, anyone buying a
Flyleaf scarf at the merch booth was allowed on stage for a couple songs mid-set, to show them off and dance with their favorite band.
The new album was well represented, with eight of its twelve tracks getting the live treatment, including opener, ‘Set Me on Fire. Bassist Pat Seals was a restless beast on stage, often jumping on front speakers and playing within easy reach of the loyal crowd.
Guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya mostly stayed contently in his corner, but grabbed the spotlight with an impressive violin bow solo during their cover of ‘Oceans’, an upbeat anthem that stays true to the band’s Christian roots.
Fans predictably responded more to radio hits like ‘Fully Alive’ but were also moved on songs like ‘Great Love’ that found May leaving the stage to sing the song filing through the crowd, giving hugs and high-fives.
No separate encore was done, with the band staying out for the two last songs, the new ‘Sober Serenade’ and biggest song to-date, ‘I’m So Sick’, which prompted a brief mosh-pit in the center of the crowd.
Five hours with five bands for a few five dollar bills? – what’s not to love?! The
SnoCore Tour bravely soldiers on, though sleet and snow, to continue to fly the hard rock flag, until warmer weather pushes the cold winter temps away.
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