The Band Bloggers

BY RACHEL UNGOS

I attended the show on June 18, 2015 at the Ottobar in Baltimore, Md. In order to be in the front row, I arrived at the venue at 10 a.m. and there were still about six people in front of
me already waiting. 

The wait was long and boring, but the show itself definitely made it worthwhile. Nick Santino (former frontman from A Rocket to the Moon) kicked off the concert with a few of his own acoustic songs. Santino was a very humble performer and made a point to describe what each of his songs were about before playing them. This definitely made him see more amicable and easy to relate to. 

Next, The Summer Set came onstage and played a handful of songs. Their set was entirely acoustic as well but still managed to incorporate the fun, upbeat energy that many of their songs possess. Lead singer Brian Dales encouraged the audience to sing, clap, and dance along to the music.

Finally, Sleeping with Sirens took the stage and the crowd went wild. The group played a mix of new and old songs, including the popular "If You Can't Hang," which is not a typically acoustic (or "quiet") song. They also played covers of "Santeria" by Sublime and "Iris"by the Goo Goo Dolls. The entire band played most of the songs, though there were a few moments where singer Kellin Quinn was accompanied only by guitarist Nick Martin.

One of the big themes for the night seemed to be jokes and banter. Between songs the guys were talking with each other and cracking jokes left and right. One that seemed to stick through the night was drummer Gabe Barham getting the audience to shout his name. 

However, there were a couple of very serious moments during the show. The first one was when Quinn stopped in the middle of a song when he noticed that a girl in the audience had passed out. He called for security to help her our of the crowd, then proceeded to lecture the audience on the importance of drinking water when attending a show. Then, their crew brought out several bottles of water and started passing them around the audience to whoever needed them. 

The next serious moment of the show was Quinn's speech about suicide before playing their song, "Better Off Dead." He expressed concerns about hearing of suicide and depression so often in the music scene's fanbase. Yet, he preached the importance of everyone acknowledging their own role in recovering from depression and suicidal thoughts, rather than crediting a band or singer for "saving" them. 

Overall, the show was a great experience. The vibe was more intimate and personal, and even though it was entirely acoustic, the energy level was at an all time high. Sleeping With Sirens proved that although the music may be quiet, the energy can still be loud.

By Marielou Obdeijn

Sleeping With Sirens

The music video for Sleeping With Sirens' song "The Strays" has recently been released. The song is taken from the band’s fifth album "Madness" that came out March 17, 2015, from Epitaph Records.
In the video, lead singer Kellin Quinn leads a bunch of teens, who represent the strays Quinn sings about in the song. This song has always been one of my favorites of the album, hell, it’s one of my favorites of their whole discography. It has an unique sound to it, slow for the band whose main genre is post-hardcore, and soft, although it builds to a rock ballad at the end.

And will The World Tour go on?

by Marielou Obdeijn

Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce The Veil

The last band to join the Vans Warped Tour has been announced, and to the delight of many, it is none other than Pierce The Veil.

This band certainly has a background with the Vans Warped Tour, having played it for the first time in 2008, then in 2010 and 2012, and now, in 2015. Now, many of Pierce The Veil’s fans are asking themselves is: What will happen with The World Tour?

With Sleeping With Sirens announcing a new headlining acoustic tour, and Pierce the Veil joining the Warped lineup, many are questioning if the tour will go on.

Now both bands have toured the USA, the UK and a part of Europe together, and although their travels are extensive, they don't add up to the promised World Tour. Nothing has been said about the matter yet, but we'll update this article as the story progresses.

Of course Pierce the Veil isn’t the only band playing Warped this summer. Some other bands you can catch there include Asking Alexandria, Atilla, August Burns Red, Black Veil Brides, Memphis May Fire, As It Is, The Wonder Years, Neck Deep, PVRIS, and many more. Check out the Vans Warped Tour artist page for a full list.

Jarrod Alonge

In addition to Pierce the Veil, there’s also a new YouTuber added to the lineup. Alongside BryanStars, Damon Fizzy, Austin Jones, Johnnie Guilbert and Jordan Sweeto, you can now also see Jarrod Alonge on the tour as Fearless Records' pit reporter.

You can buy tickets for The Vans Warped Tour here.

Pierce The Veil @ Trix, Antwerp