Blog — Page 5 of 273

It’s been said before, probably by me, that ROME is one of the hardest working musical projects out there. In the last year alone Jerome Reuter (the main driving force of the band) has released two full lengths, a live album and gone on at least two European tours. How does he find the time? It’s a question for the ages, that’s for sure and one that is not easily answered judging by how much this one person takes on.

This current tour (dates can be found here), takes in several stops within the mainland and is a genuine delight to behold. Upon entering the venue, it becomes clear that this is not an ordinary ROME performance. Having seen the band both as a solo endeavour and a full band set-up, it is curious to see that two percussion stands and a centred microphone is all that adorns the stage. Having not seen the band live for a number of years it is not obvious to me how long this constellation has been in use, however, it soon becomes a wondrous thing to witness as Reuter and his fellow musician, Jan, bring us completely into the fold with a musical relationship that plays off the other and allows the band to open up songs to new interpretations. 

Billed with only ROME playing, there is the expectation that this will be quite a long set which for the few gathered here tonight, is hardly a negative. Any show by this band is something to be taken aback by as Reuter’s voice and acoustic guitar takes us on a voyage through the past, present and future and speaks of protest and uplifting of the people who are wronged. There is much in the show tonight that can be seen as timely with many songs referring to the war in Ukraine and dictators trying to take back what they think is rightfully theirs, and the crowd is taking in every word and action. Our recent interview with the man behind the band can be read here and gives more insight as to why he is invested in the people and the war happening in Ukraine.

The set tonight takes in many "newer" tracks with the occasional older favourite thrown in. For many who have been fans for a long time, there's always an unusual contradiction at play whereby you're just so happy to be watching this band live and hearing so many excellent songs but you are constantly waiting for your most loved ones to make an appearance. With such an extensive back catalogue it is not possible to do this and so the setlist tonight leans towards the latter albums. 

There is plenty to enjoy no matter how long you've been a fan with some truly bombastic moments coming courtesy of the percussion and when Reuter joins on the second set (ahhh, so that's what it's there for), for "Sons of Aeeth" there is hardly a body standing still in the room. It's not particularly full tonight which could be seen as a disappointment, yet there is room to move around in your own personal space without bashing into your neighbour and for several active attendees this is the perfect scenario. "No Second Troy" gives more opportunity for dancing within the crowd and "The Brightest Sun" the first big moment of reflection for those who hang on every world. There is an emotion in the song that is palpable and felt by every person watching as Jerome Reuter speaks of Ukraine and its beauty and willingness of its people to stand up to oppression. It's an impactful choice and one that resonates deeply throughout the audience. 

"Der Wolfsmantel" is then the perfect followup and one of the older tracks on the setlist tonight, its martial beat adding a dynamic thread that connects it to its predecessor and the sonorous "Hearts Mend." One of the highlights of a ROME performance, or indeed their records, is the voice behind the songs. Jerome Reuter's vocal is rich and deep and soars where needed. It is understated in its beauty and hearing it live is a joy to experience. The chrous on "Hearts Mend" ascends to the heavens, "Going Back to Kyiv" is a glorious ballad that steps back the instrumentation to showcase the voice and "One Lion's  Roar" gives the audience the chance to expend their own energy into the air through accompanying the band with words.

As the song comes to an end it seems that ROME are finished for the evening. We all know this cannot possibly be the case because only an hour has passed and yet the thought of it being over is almost too hard to bear. Luckily, our calls for more are heard and Jerome comes back for a short solo performance before Jan joins again for the finale of "One Fire" and ROME classic "Swords to Rust - Hearts to Dust." The former is radiant with an advancing drumbeat that calls to the martial, neo-folk industrial past of the band while the latter is likely one of the first songs I ever heard from the band and one which drew me in immediately. Hearing it tonight is one of the many highlights and the song itself speaks of protest and the overthrowing of those who take power through underhanded means. ROME use these motifs in many of their songs and it seems as though that will always be the case. Struggle is something that we can all experience, some more than others, and ROME uses their music to work through both historical and modern power imbalances, and the people's place within them. It is a potent topic and one that those who are here tonight will go away thinking about more deeply. 

What can I say, I like to make playlists. The latest Search/Play/Repeat keeps my theme of music that Scene Point Blank has covered -- some recently, some long ago, mostly my own work because I've listened to that material the most.

So below enjoy a half-hour of curated music below. If you like what you hear, search the site to read our words about it and then seek out the bands to support them too.

It finally happened. Better Lovers, the mash-up of ex-Every Time I Die and Greg Puciato from Dillinger Escape Plan and Killer Be Killed, have made their way to Southern California. In a room no bigger than a Starbucks, hoards of people filed in to thrash and have a good time. Every Time I Die and Dillinger always had a reputation for violent and crazy shows, so naturally, the expectations were high.

Opening the show was Entry from LA. I was introduced to them just a week prior when they opened for Converge. The vibe and crowd reaction was already different from the moment they kicked off their set. Moshers made themselves known as they slam-danced in the center of the floor.

Moments after Entry's set, some of those moshers took to the stage to set up. Enter Roman Candle. The screamo band hailing from Las Vegas stood up on the stage as Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas" blared through the house speakers until they kicked off the first song. Frontwoman, Piper Ferrari, commanded the stage and audience with her howls. This was my first time hearing Roman Candle and I was blown away. I look forward to seeing this band grow and develop.

It was finally time for Better Lovers. The lights went out and a montage of song clips with "love" in the lyrics began to play. The intro cycled through blips of tracks from "All You Need is Love" and "Love in an Elevator" to American Nightmare's "Love American" and even Adam Sandler's rendition of "Love Stinks" from The Wedding Singer. The intro ended with the opening of Queen's "Somebody to Love." Greg Puciato looked to the crowd, where a young girl sat upon her father's shoulders. He asked for assurance that her ear muffs were on tight and if she was ready to go. She threw a thumbs up and the band blasted into "Become So Small." The crowd exploded! Bodies began to fly to and from the stage.

The band continued to play through their 4-song debut EP, God Made Me an Animal, but four songs aren't exactly enough to fill a headlining spot. Fortunately, they came prepared with new tracks to fill the extra time. On top of their original material, they also threw in a cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage." All parties involved delivered on the ferocity one would hope to witness seeing these artists perform. Will Putney and Steve Micciche never stopped whipping their hair back and forth while Buckley threw himself into the crowd. Puciato opted to jump feet first.

Better Lovers is the spiritual successor that fans of Every Time I Die and Dillinger Escape Plan will find easy to gravitate to. They're providing the energy that fans have been aching to release and it showed. Every ounce of intensity Better Lovers threw at the crowd, was given right back. That band has already made a name for itself and they're well on their way to forging their own path. Let's hope the road ahead is long. The ride will be a wild one.

Converge just got done with a run of shows down the West Coast. The hardcore legends were joined by King Yosef, Deaf Club, and Entry for most of the tour. Cult Leader filled in for the last few dates in So-Cal. The tour made its way through Pomona, and there was no way I was gonna miss it. Due to some van troubles, Deaf Club were unable to make it to this final show of the tour. Frontwoman, Sara G. stomped around the stage as the Hardcore-Punk act blasted through their set while Cult Leader mixed a little doom and gloom into their brand of Grindcore. With Deaf Club having to miss the show, Converge went on earlier than originally expected. The quartet chose to focus primarily on 2009's Axe to Fall, while throwing in tracks from All We Love We Leave Behind and The Dusk in Us, while also throwing in a few tracks from their classics Jane Doe and You Fail Me. The band was firing on all cylinders and are still one of the best to do it. Check out the gallery below.

Worriers, Kali Masa

The Garage

Burnsville, MN

October 5, 2023

I hadn’t been to The Garage in probably 10 years, a youth center turned all ages venue in suburban Minneapolis. In the past it was more of a stage in the corner, but it’s grown into a real venue with two stages, proper sound systems, and an n/a bar for refreshments. In short, it’s a nice looking space and it feels personal, with a young staff where you can feel the energy instead of people going through the motions for a paycheck.

But this isn’t about the venue, other than to set the tone. This was a small and intimate show. I was surprised at the lower turnout, but not shocked this it was also a relocated show and those tend to have some publicity issues. But the setting affects the spirit of the show. Openers Kali Masa later remarked how it was nice to see a crowd responding to a quieter song without talking over it. That statement is probably half about alcohol (and its effects), but it’s also entirely accurate. Every set of eyes in The Garage was tuned to the stage through a two band lineup.

I was unfamiliar with Chicago’s Kali Masi going into the show. Live it was fun, energetic, and layered. At heart they’re a punk band, but with loaded pedalboards, rainbow guitar straps and sweaters. Live, I’d call their sound melodic post-hardcore. Listening on Bandcamp as I write this, I’m going to keep that description but with a little more emphasis on the vocals and a little more oomph. If you like your punk a little more complex and a little more groove-driven (but in different time signatures), check them out. Live it was a powerful, joyful set. The music may be complex but its delivered with a smile and a good back-and-forth between band members and audience.

While I’ve followed Lauren Denitzio’s career for the better part of 15 years, I’ve only seen Worriers once or twice. As they noted, the band hadn’t played Minneapolis (region) in a long time. Besides that, Denitzio relocated to the West Coast and the lineup has shifted in response. While the words are undoubtedly Denetzio’s and their voice sets the worldweary tone, seeing Worriers proves that it’s a full band and not a solo project. There is a lot of energy between members and it feels [i]full[/i]. In many ways the song structures are designed to emphasize a personal intimacy (there’s that word again), but they were never meant to be the singer-songwriter thing. There’s more punch and volume to it, which fits the boisterous energy that underlies some of the pain and reflection.

This set leaned heavy on the new Trust Your Gut, pulling from Warm Blanket released earlier this year, and some deep cuts too – mostly from the Survival Pop and beyond era. There was time at the end for a solo encore and audience requests, adding to the small room vibe. Sure, the venue is a drive from most of the city’s hubs, but once inside the room none of that matters. The room was warm, intimate, and a world to itself. It was perfect for the band’s vibe.