Tour Review: Bayside Holiday Show 12/28/13

                The entire Keep Calm and Carry On team got together at the Starland Ballroom on December 28^th to celebrate 2013’s holiday season with Bayside and friends.  One of many holiday shows this year at Starland, this was something quite special as it was the first show Bayside ever headlined at the popular venue.  Even with that, the band had no trouble filling the place with excited and energetic fans.

                Modern Baseball was all smiles as they kicked off the show, playing songs mostly from the year-old LP Sports as well as their new song “Your Graduation,” the first single off their upcoming album You’re Gonna Miss it All.  Full of good vibes and energy, their set contained all the aspects of watching your best friend’s band play in a basement without the cramped space and bad acoustics.  Sounding great while looking like they were genuinely having the time of their lives, Modern Baseball got the fans going, an entertaining and energetic start to the evening.

                 Up next, A Loss For Words picked up where Modern Baseball left off, absolutely exploding with energy and that holiday spirit.  Most notably, however, were the nice words from vocalist Matt Arsenault about a good friend and marine who recently passed away while deployed.  Following a moment of silence to pay respect, the crowd began chanting “USA” after honoring all of those who couldn’t make it home for the holidays while serving our country.  From there, AL4W jumped right back into the music, playing new and old favorites which made fans of all ages bang their heads.

                Man Overboard opened with a slowed down holiday song before breaking into their set list.  Their pop-punk defenders appeared in full-force, spending the entire set surfing up the barrier for the chance to high-five whichever vocalist they could get close enough to. Personally, I am not a fan of Man Overboard’s recorded material and did not find their live sound impressive either.  Although I will probably never understand their appeal, I can’t dispute that they are a New Jersey fan favorite as kids seem to completely lose it during their set.

                Every time I see Bayside play, I get more and more confident in saying they are one of the best live bands out there.  It is almost effortless in the way each member commands attention without overpowering the other.  2014 marks ten years since Bayside’s release of their first full-length Sirens and Condolences, but these guys still have the energy and the stage presence of the young up-and-comers in the genre.  Yet, in these ten years, Bayside has mastered showmanship and live performance that has kids in high school and adults in their forties alike flocking to venues to see these legends do what they do best.  At one point, vocalist Anthony Raneri joked about the audience getting old, suggesting just how long these guys have been at it while maintaining the ability to keep fans excited about their music for a decade.  As a fan that has been around for 8 years now (it’s actually scary to think about), it really does seem like Bayside hasn’t aged a bit while continuing to build their discography.  After playing a lengthy set with the energy just as high at the end as it was in the beginning, I’m convinced these guys have more stamina than most twenty-year olds.  Standing in front of guitarist Jack O’Shea, I spent half the show in awe over his ability to make every flawless solo look incredibly easy.  While the holiday shows may be over, don’t be discouraged, reader!  Bayside will be headlining an American tour beginning in March as well as opening for Alkaline Trio’s European tour that starts in April so no matter where in the world you might be, be sure to catch these guys in the upcoming months.  You won’t regret it.

 

Warped Tour 2012, through Donald's eyes

Warped Tour has taken its lumps over the last five years. Hopping on the newest scene hype trains across the country, the tour seemed to have lost its luster in the scene. Nevertheless, it's still the cheapest way to see almost every one of your favorite bands in the summer, and the experience of being around so many people who have (somewhat) similar tastes in music as you is worth the price of admission alone. So here I am, at 21 years old, writing to tell you that for the fourth straight year, and fifth year out of the last six, I made the trek to wherever Warped was being held in the great state of New Jersey (this year, it was at PNC Bank Arts Center).

This year, however, there was a bit of a different experience for me at Warped Tour. Sure, I packed my bag for the day like I always do, but it was what was in that bag that was different. I caught as many sets as I could, but missed a few. But it wasn't due to the schedule of when the bands played, it was the busy schedule I had to keep up with. The schedule that has produced the three videos you'll see below, and one of the most important things to happen to this show. They are interviews with Yellowcard, The Used, and Of Mice and Men, but they carry more weight than that. They carry a certain sense of accomplishment, for me at least. But it isn't the fact that I was able to go to the box office and get a press wristband. The true joy of this was to be able to post these for all of you to listen to.

I can tell you all about every band I saw. I can say things like Bayside continues to be the best-sounding live band out there, or that Transit's emotional blend of pop-punk and emo sounds as good on an acoustic set as it does during their energetic full-band sets. I can tell you that the crowds surrounding the Main Stage for Of Mice & Men, New Found Glory, and Yellowcard need to be seen in order for you to believe it. I can tell you that Fireworks played like a band who's bound to be the next big band with a cult-like following. I can tell you that Buddy Neilson of Senses Fail is reason enough to see the band in concert, or that Matty Arsenault of A Loss for Words is poised to be the scene's next great frontman. Whoops, I guess I just said all of that. So, there you go. Now you know what Warped was like for me outside of the Press Room. Now, let's get to the good stuff. My interviews with Jeph and Dan from The Used,  Ryan Key of Yellowcard, and Austin and Tino from Of Mice & Men can be listened to below.

The Used:

Yellowcard:

Of Mice & Men:

A big thank you to Jeph and Dan of The Used, Ryan of Yellowcard, and Austin and Tino of Of Mice & Men for taking the time out of their schedules for the interviews. And to those who are reading, I hope you enjoyed them. If you have the opportunity to head to Warped Tour this year, do it. There's no better concert experience this summer, or any other time of the year. 

How to "Carry On": Glamour Kills Tour/Warped Tour 2012 Special

Keep Calm and Carry On began last fall with the most humble of intentions: simply, to play the best emo music around every week. But along the way, something really, really special started to happen. All of a sudden, Craig and I stood in front of the Theater of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, PA, to interview A Loss for Words and Transit about the "Tour of the Year" for 2012. Seriously, no matter what happens, this was the tour of the year. Nothing's going to top it, and I'm not sure if any tour in the summer/fall/winter will even come close. What's even better, we were also able to do a sit-down with Evan Weiss, also known as Into It. Over It., just a few days before! The last two semesters have brought about great changes in Keep Calm and Carry On inside and outside of the DJ booth, and this week was intended to thank you, our beloved listeners, by playing ALL THREE interviews to recap the Glamour Kills Tour 2012. If you missed them when they aired, you can check them out below:

Interview with Evan Weiss of Into It. Over It.

Interview with Marc Dangora and Mike Adams of A Loss for Words

Interview with Tim Landers of Transit

I have to admit, the fact that any of these interviews actually happened is unbelievable, and the fact that they all came out so well is such a blessing. Look for more good stuff like this in the future, and let us know who we should interview next in the comments!

In addition to wrapping up our coverage of the Glamour Kills Tour, we had to do some sort of celebration about last night being the last show until next fall. So, what better way to send you into the summer than by previewing the biggest Summer gathering of emo kids, the Vans Warped Tour, right? To get you all set for punk-rock summer camp, we played a ton of songs from bands you need to be checking out this summer. At every Warped Tour, there seems to be a non-Main Stage band who draws enormous crowds, and catapults to the main stage the next year. Last year's culprits were metalcore stars Of Mice & Men (playing Main Stage all tour this summer), and if I had to guess who this summer's big winners of Warped will be, I'd go with the young, talented, and fearless Sleeping With Sirens. Their bland of pop-emo and metalcore will have as many kids moshing as they are trying to touch rockstar frontman Kellin Quinn, and when you combine sex appeal with the type of jams SWS are capable of, a powerhouse is born. Check out their new video for "Do It Now Remember It Later" below:

From the bottom of our collective hearts, thanks for listening, reading, following, and supporting Keep Calm and Carry On. It's been a blast, and I can't help but feel the best is yet to come. Be sure to check back here often for more album reviews, Bands/Songs of the Week, and a whole bunch more good stuff! Have a safe and happy summer, everyone.

Keep Calm and Carry On,

Donald Wagenblast

How to "Carry On": Spring Tour 2012

After a brief one-week break, Keep Calm and Carry On returned Friday with the "Spring Tour 2012" special, which highlighted the best tours that will be going across the US in the next few months. Among the tours highlighted were the Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows headlining tour with Hit the Lights, Like Moths to Flames, and Sparks the Rescue, headlining tours from I am the Avalance, The Dangerous Summer, and Man Overboard, along with the second North American run for The Devil Wears Prada's Dead Throne Tour, and a brief preview of the bands that have been announced for The Bamboozle Festival thus far.

However, the main focus of this tour was the tour that was highlighted at the top of the 9:00 hour of the show, highlighting the Glamour Kills 2012 tour. Headlined by The Wonder Years, who will be headlining their first full US tour since exploding onto the pop-punk map with 2010's The Upsides, followed up by 2011's even more spectacular Suburbia: I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing. Supporting The Wonder Years will be Polar Bear Club, Transit, and The Story So Far, with A Loss for Words and Into It. Over It. splitting the opening act spot on the first and second halves of the tour, respectively.

As if the list of bands sharing the stage on the Glamour Kills tour weren't enough, the bands have now done something rarely (if ever) seen for a tour-- a split that features a song from each band, and the bands on the tour covering those songs on the b-side of the vinyl. The vinyl was featured for a ticket pre-order, with many packages selling out in mere minutes. The presence of the vinyl can only add to what will likely be more surprises on what has emerged as the front-runner for the tour of the year in 2012. Check out the dates, ticket prices, and tour routing here, and make sure to get them soon, because dates are beginning to sell out!

We'll see you next week for Keep Calm and Carry On on 91.3FM WTSR or on www.wtsr.org on Friday from 9-11PM!