A night of mayhem and new experiences drew a large crowd to Pub Rock on February 11. Fans of multiple genres were brought out to the sold out double debut show. Paranova, A Step Ahead, Phoenix Down, Blackthrone, and Emerald Isle came out to put on a great show. While this show proved to be rocky for some, others prevailed tremendously.
TPForce was outside interviewing Blackthrone during Paranova's set, so we do not have any details to review for their show. Check out the teaser for their single 'Black Crow' released Fall 2015—debut EP Exordium.
YouTube | Black Crow – Paranova (Teaser)
A Step Ahead played with enthusiasm, but their sound could use some improvement. The songs were catchy and lyrics carefully crafted,but they just need stronger vocals behind them. While they were not technically the best performers, the band displayed great energy. They jumped around, joked with the crowd, and looked like they were having a blast. With some tightening up, A Step Ahead could be successful.
Phoenix Down switched it up. The NuMetal group stunned the audience with its harsh lyrics and backing beats. The tag team vocals of Eddie Wellz and Adam Ramey were dangerously intriguing.The crowd responded to their music in the best way. They were riled up and heavily interacted with the band. Being the most unique group of the night worked wonders for them. Phoenix Down left the stage acquiring many new fans. There are not many people in the scene that are doing what Phoenix Down is doing, which gives them an edge. They are an unexpected, but greatly appreciated force in local music.
Blackthrone gave the performance of a lifetime and were undisputedly the best band of the night. Each member comes from a long history of music and experience. That experience and passion for music jam packed into one band has the opportunity to change the scene. Lead vocalist Wolf can scream with the best of them, while simultaneously having beautiful clean vocals. Blackthrone got the crowd moving. The moshing was crazy. The band and the audience knew how to throwdown. It was the band’s debut show, and if it is only up from here, these guys will be legendary not just in the local music scene, but also nationwide.
Emerald Isle closed the show and gave a performance no one was expecting. The usually hyped up band’s performance fell flat. The songs and instrumentation were as good as ever, but the crowd and the band lacked their usual level of passion and excitement. The air was heavy and a vibe of disinterest was noticeable. Despite their best efforts, the audience did not interact with the band; moshing was limited. The band seemed bummed about it, and it affected their performance. Every band has rough performances; no one is immune to them. Emerald Isle will continue to be a staple in the Arizona local music scene; they just have to get back into the swing of things. They have played better shows, and will continue to do so in the future.
Even with many ups and downs at the show, the Phoenix local scene has some true contenders in the music industry. As the scene expands, many more gems will reach the surface. Supporting the local scene will not only make the bands get better, but it will also be an eye opening experience. Great music can be found in your backyard, not just on the radio top 4!