Every Time I Die Makes Sold-Out Roxy Crowd Go Insane

By Andrew Bansal

December 3rd 2013, The Roxy, West Hollywood CA: Purveyors of metallic hardcore since 1998, New York-based band Every Time I Die six studio albums and done numerous tours over the years, and have earned the reputation of being one of the most energetic, entertaining live bands going around. Currently, they are on a North American headline tour with support acts LetLive and Code Orange Kids, bringing their mayhem to club venues across the continent for one final time before they head into the studio to work on the follow-up to their 2012 release ‘Ex-Lives’. With the Roxy closing down for renovation soon, this was going to be one of the last events at the venue. It was a sold-out show, and this largely young crowd was in anticipation of a great evening filled with heavy extreme music. 

Doors opened at 7, the fans flocked in and it was clear that this was going to be one of those shows where I felt like an old man at the age of 28. Code Orange Kids from Pittsburgh PA started off the show at 8 PM with an impressive 20-minute set. This is a female-fronted band but the drummer did most of the vocals. Their set started out as typical hardcore but then branched out as it included some pleasantly surprising variations like clean female vocals and super-slow, doom-laden riffs. One thing that’s never an issue with hardcore bands and their crowds is the energy level, and Code Orange Kids certainly gave it their all with some intense head-banging on stage which transferred into the crowd as well. They provided the fitting start to a potentially incredible show, and for explorers of the hardcore sub-genre, this is a band worth checking out.

Visit Code Orange Kids on the web:
CodeOrangeKids.BandCamp.com
facebook.com/CodeOrangeKids
twitter.com/CodeOrangeKids 

The intensity levels inside the Roxy were about to rise tenfold, as hometown band LetLive brought their high-octane performance to the stage. Their vocalist Jason Butler was going absolutely nuts up there, putting on an extremely entertaining show as he ran and jumped around the stage with full fervor, dived into the crowd on several occasions, whirled his microphone cable around, and even threw down some of the guitar amp cabinets placed on stage, all while immaculately singing his parts. For the first half of the set, LetLive was hardcore punk at its quintessential best, and made every single person in attendance take notice. But then Jason went into preaching life lessons and the band went on to play a ballad-like song, which killed the momentum of the set to a large extent. If you know me at all, you know that I’m completely in favor of bands adding variety to a live set, but on this occasion it was the fast, crazy stuff that thrilled the crowd and it would have been best if the band stuck to doing that. For them, a shorter, all-out intense set would be better. But nonetheless, their first few songs were sufficient to deem their performance an overall success.

Visit LetLive on the web:
ThisIsLetLive.com
facebook.com/TheLetLive
twitter.com/ThisIsLetLive

Promptly at 9:45, the lights went out and the curtains were raised as Every Time I Die stepped on to the stage amidst loud cheers from this jam-packed Roxy crowd. To put it mildly, the band and their fans absolutely annihilated this stage. Their blend of metal and hardcore was undeniably hard-hitting and was brought forth with its full strength by the five members. I’ve seen them open for all kinds of bands in the past, and having never witnessed a ETID headline show prior to this, based on last night I can now safely say their own shows are infinitely better. They’re the kind of band that comes across as ‘too hardcore’ when opening for metal bands, and vice versa. But when they’re playing to a crowd that’s entirely their own, madness ensues and they get the response their live musicianship truly deserves.

Vocalist Keith Buckley was in his element, both with his vocals and on-stage persona, while his brother Jordan Buckley was laying down some crushing riffs on that guitar of his, and banged his head as if this was his last show on earth. The band’s collective energy level was copious and highly infectious, spreading into the crowd very rapidly, starting a flurry of stage divers that didn’t end until the band departed the stage. In my experience of 650-plus shows, I have never seen a crowd as crazy as the one that accompanied and enhanced Every Time I Die’s performance last night. But aside from the craziness, the most amazing thing was, none of the stage divers got hurt and everyone took care of each other in a manner that’s very untypical of rock/metal shows. Some fans were stage-diving repeatedly, and one particular tall skinny light-haired girl stands out in memory because she must have done it at least 30 times. MMA/pro-wrestling star Josh Barnett was seen rocking out side-stage, and at one point he got so into it that he lifted a guy over his shoulders and threw him into the crowd. The other incredible aspect of all this insanity was the fact that the Roxy staff did not interfere whatsoever.

Musically, they have more depth in their tunes than people give them credit for. It’s about time some of the so-called metalheads opened up their eyes, minds and ears to the clearly discernible metal element in Every Time I Die’s music. Amongst the hardcore segments, there’s plenty in the band’s tunes that can be classified as thrash and death metal, so even as a devout metalhead I’ve always found myself enjoying this band, and last night was better than ever before because it was their own show. If you love heavy music and like to be thrilled and entertained, Every Time I Die is one band that gives you your money’s worth and then some more. Catch them on this tour, if you can.

Visit Every Time I Die on the web:
EveryTimeIDie.net
facebook.com/EveryTimeIDie
twitter.com/EveryTimeIDie

Remaining tour dates:
12/05 Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
12/06 La Jolla, CA – Che Cafe
12/07 Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock
12/09 Lubbock, TX – Jakes Sports Cafe
12/10 Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory
12/11 Springfield, MO – Outland Ballroom
12/12 St Louis, MO – Firebird
12/13 Indianapolis, IN – Emerson Theatre
12/14 Huntington, WV – V Club Live
12/15 Lancaster, PA – Lancaster County Convention Center
12/16 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
12/17 Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
12/18 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
12/19 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street
12/20 Buffalo, NY – Waiting Room
12/21 Buffalo, NY – Waiting Room

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