Thawing out after nearly two months of below freezing temperatures and a show drought to match, the 70-degree weather set a great tone for my road trip back to the Fillmore to photograph the all-star line up that was the Metalcore Dropouts tour.
The last night of a tour can go many different ways. Sometimes you can tell that bands are road worn and tired, ready to go home to rest and see their families. Other times it’s a big party and celebration, where artists say goodbye to the brothers they made in the other bands on the bill and the fans that supported them along the way. This occasion was definitely the latter.
From the crowd to the stage, the Metalcore Dropouts tour was a party. Each of the bands brought something different to the table, but they all brought a really carefree vibe that set the tone that one would hope for to cap off an over 50 city tour. The room was packed to the gills with an energetic crowd ranging from old school metalcore kids to the newer generation. You could feel the excitement in the room and even spot a number of people dressed up for the event. In particular, you’d have had a hard time missing 3 guys dressed as bananas who had a ton of personal interaction with the artists throughout the evening.
Avoid kicked the night off right. I was pleasantly surprised by the only act on the bill I was a first timer for. While you could tell Benny (Vocalist) had some rasp on his voice, they didn’t let it slow them down one bit. They not only brought great energy to the stage but also brought top tier crowd interaction throughout their entire set. There was almost a lighthearted and childlike energy about them that I really thought shined through even in their heaviest moments.
Next, Counterparts kept the fire coming. With harsh vocals, emotional content, and an attitude to match they had a slightly different feel than the rest of the tour but served just enough variety to round out the bill.
I’ve always thought Fit For a King deserved more credit than they’ve received. I remember working for an agency that booked them in a 150 cap room years ago back in the creation/destruction era. It’s been a pleasure to watch them evolve and flourish over time. The first thing that caught my attention was Ryan’s vocals. The strength and intensity of his live performance was astounding, his vocals held up to the album recordings better than most acts I've seen in my time. The entire band brought an athletic performance but anyone who is familiar with this band knows Bobby Lynge (bassist) takes things to the next level with his unmatched ability for guitar spins and jumps.
At the end of the set, The Devil Wears Prada took the stage with FFAK and took over their instruments to perform their final song. This was really where the night started to feel like a party. One of my favorite things about concerts is when you can tell how much fun an artist is having on stage. They all felt like they forgot about the responsibility of performing and just started living in the moment and enjoying it. There were stage drives, ass slaps, and an overwhelming amount of love pouring from the stage from that moment onward.
Last but not least The Devil Wears Prada did what they do best, put on a show. I’ve seen them 4 or 5 times over the years, and in all these years later they still haven’t slowed down one bit. It’s always great to see a band grow and mature without sacrificing what makes them who they are. While there’s a little less crab-core happening on stage these days, their live show and sound continues to change and progress in an impressive direction. The energy and tone you would expect from TDWP are ever present, but they continue to provide something fresh to keep you coming back for more.
In my opinion this was one of the best metalcore line-ups in a long time and it was well-deserving of a second leg. The Metalcore Dropouts tour was healthy mix of fresh blood and nostalgia to keep all different generations of fans on their feet. The bands delivered and the crowd reciprocated their energy. It’s safe to say these dropouts all graduated ended up with a passing grade!
