On February 8th, 2013, Crossroads Music Hall in downtown Huntsville hosted the Some Kind of Perfect Tour, featuring Surrender the Fall and Almost Kings. Hometown rockers Shallow Side were added to the bill as the opening act for this particular show.
According to the band's page on bandcamp.com, "Shallow Side as a band is fueled by raw powerful vocals, soul pounding drums, dark sexual energy and four magnetically infectious personalities. While their songs represent the sound that is the modern rock, the recipe of internal struggles mixed with relationship problems and life’s let downs in general are mixed with hope and...faith." Shallow Side took the stage first, and this "dark" energy was immediately apparent. The stage lights were kept low and the activity on the stage was kept to a minimum. The band's energy was a more repressed emotion that radiated outward, rather than being displayed by ceaseless motion on the stage. Still, the performance was hypnotizing. Then, it was time for Memphis-based Surrender the Fall.
This tour was put together to promote Surrender the Fall's latest single, "Some Kind of Perfect," and their sophomore release, Burn in the Spotlight. The band had a tireless energy and encouraged crowd participation. Vocalist Jared Cole is reminiscent of Papa Roach front man Jacoby Shaddix in appearance, sound, and charisma, but that's where the band's similarity to Papa Roach ended. Surrender the Fall is heavier and more raw, savage and dirty, making an audience feel the music down to their very bones. In addition to asking the audience to sing along, Jared announced that it was bassist Devin Hightower's birthday and instructed the audience to wish him a "happy birthday." The audience did so, very loudly, and then band and audience alike shared a celebratory toast. It was a beautiful moment.
Finally, Atlanta-based Almost Kings, who were the band that most of the audience was there for, came onto the stage to ecstatic cheering. Almost Kings are a truly entertaining band, both on and off the stage. The members are energetic, hyperactive, and bouncy. Their songs, an interesting and successful mix of funk, rock, and rap, have choruses that are easy to learn and sing along with, which vocalist Bryan Bozeman encourages wholeheartedly. Drummer Kevin Compton describes the band's sound as "Rage Against the Machine meets the Beastie Boys, with Eminem as a singer." The band's performance is a constant barrage of energy with no pauses, working hard to bring a good time to any and all. Their set consisted mostly of originals, including "On Like That," "Bounce," and a few new tracks to whet the appetite of those eagerly awaiting the new album, but there were also covers of Far East Movement's "Like a G6" and Eminem's "Lose Yourself," an anthem by which Almost Kings seems to live.
Overall, this was a great combination of acts. The show was wonderful and entertaining, and every single person leaving the venue that night left with a huge smile.
Comments