Being a fan of a band must be difficult. Well, it has the potential to be difficult. Unless you're talking about being a fan of the iconic While She Sleeps because I've been listening to the band routinely for about 13 years and never once had any doubt in my mind about their sheer brilliance and musical talent. I was able to see the band for the first time back in 2019 when they opened for Architects alongside Thy Art is Murder, and ever since then, I was counting the days until I got to experience While She Sleeps again. Thankfully that time came as the band came to Dallas, TX along with Bury Tomorrow and Vended and the night was everything I wanted and more!
Vended... God, where do I even begin about this band? They've been on my radar ever since their formation and have been a constant on my music rotation ever since. I must have seen the band at least 3 or 4 times now and each time has been better than the previous time. Vended truly embodies what heavy music can be with their raw talent, in-your-face lyrics, and their nonstop killer breakdowns. You tell me how many vocalists can command a crowd like Griffin Taylor with that level of poise? Go ahead, I'm waiting. While they were the opening band on this tour, it would be safe to say that this is a band that is surely on their way to becoming headliners of their own in no time.
Bury Tomorrow, the British metalcore band that formed back in 2006, took the stage next to a roar of applause. While this was my first time getting to experience the band live, I've been listening to the band extensively since about 2014 when Runes was released. 2018's Black Flame truly ensured that I made the right choice when dedicating all those hours listening to the band and seeing Bury Tomorrow live in Dallas, TX continued to solidify that decision. Each breakdown, each chug, each blast beat, and each lyric just screamed talent and reminded the city of Dallas just how amazing it was to be in the presence of the band. I've also never seen a band so joyous and appreciative of every fan in attendance at a show before. Hell, even after they finished their set, it seemed as though each member of the band spent hours by the merch table taking time to talk with fans, take photos, and enjoy the company of everyone at the venue. Talk about something that doesn't go unnoticed!
After many hours of moshing and partying, it was finally time for the almighty While She Sleeps to take the stage. Before I go into the amazing performance of the band, I just want to take a moment to give a special thank you to vocalist Lawrence "Loz" Taylor. I don't think I've ever had such a meaningful conversation with an artist before and seeing how he interacted with other fans that traveled several hours and hundreds of miles reminded me how thankful I know about this band and consider myself a fan.
While She Sleeps embody D.I.Y. and show that no matter how big your band is, you're never too big to do things yourself and seeing how massive the band has grown is a sight to behold. As the band took to the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause and gave a deafening level of screams that could only signify how excited they were to see the While She Sleeps boys perform. The band's set had it all from crowd surfers to roped off mosh pits to Loz joining the crowd for part of a song. I found myself with a smile on my face the entire time the band was on stage.
Fueled by a desire to show fans a good time while providing a safe space for fans of every background, While She Sleeps continued to give the performance of a lifetime in Dallas and I couldn't be happier that I was present to experience it. While this current tour is winding down and coming to a close soon, I hope that While She Sleeps will return in no time to deliver fans exactly what they want.
