Of Beauty and Rage Tour
Red/Islander/3 Years Hollow - The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA 3/15
By Leslie Elder Rogers
Walking into The Masquerade tonight, my excitement to see these bands was tremendous. Red has had such an amazing career already and as a fan, it’s great to see that they are in no way ready to stop. The new album, “Of Beauty and Rage” showcases their talent by blending their power and faith into music and lyrics that dig even further into the soul than their previous work. Accompanying them on tour are Islander and 3 Years Hollow. They are quickly proving that they are forces to be reckoned with. The opening band, “Our Way Out”, is a local alternative band from Acworth, GA. Their set was short; just enough to get the crowd’s enthusiasm going while waiting for the headliner, but they put on a good show nonetheless.
3 Year Hollow hit the stage with their opening song “The Devil’s Slave” and everyone was immediately at attention, thrusting their hands in the air and screaming almost painfully as each song ended and the next one began. This band has been around for quite a while but has only recently, in the past couple of years, started to gain the notoriety they deserve. I hope to see many good things come from 3YH over the next few decades. They rocked hard as they played “For Life”, minus Clint Lowery and even so, it’s such an awesome song that it didn’t suffer. Their closing song, “Chemical Ride” came all too soon. The fans didn’t seem quite ready for their set to end.
Islander have quickly become one of my favorite new bands. JR Bareis hid a blue and purple, spiked dragon tail under his hoodie as they prepped the stage. I was quite amused once the hoodie was taken off and the tail was exposed. Clearly the band was going to have fun putting on the show for us tonight. We were all feeling them right from the start. JR’s tail wailed back and forth as he paraded across the stage giving some comedic tone to the scene. The facial expressions between the members of the band were a tell-tale sign that their music meant something to them; that they feel the lyrics on one way or another. The faster the music played and the louder the vocals crept up, the more amped the crowd got. There was no taming this band as they belted out songs from their current album “Violence and Destruction”. Between the guitar riffs and the vocal ability that meshed together so well, the band surely did not fail to impress. Mikey Carvajal is a very intense vocalist when he sings. He enjoyed some up close and personal fan time as he walked his way into the crowd. There’s nothing like a little personal touch, literally. Some of the songs included in their set tonight were “The Sadness of Graves” and their current hit “New Wave”, which is continuing to climb the charts. “Counteract” and “Criminals” definitely have a “Rage Against the Machine” and “Deftones” vibe. Their final song, “Coconut Dracula”, obviously a fan favorite, caused a sudden eruption in the crowd, as if it was the very moment and song they’d been waiting for. Clearly “Islander” is capable of creating some kick ass music that people want to hear. Kudos goes to these guys. I’ll wait impatiently for what’s next.
As the stage was set up for Red, the photographers in the pit clustered together in an attempt to get in position for that perfect “first” shot. Smoke filled the stage floor and quickly rose to about four feet high. The red lighting showed through the smoke ever so slightly. Even so, you couldn’t make out your hand in front of your face. This was the perfect dramatic entrance for the band. Even though the bands preceding them tonight all put on great shows, this was the moment I was here for tonight. Being a fan of Red but never seeing a live show, I was excited and eager for their entrance; however, I already knew that I would not be able to physically see the band as they arrived on stage due to the smoke. Suddenly all lights went out and the room was completely dark. Waiting seemed like an eternity. The anticipation was almost agonizing. All I could do was inhale the smoke filled air that had engulfed me as I waited for the sound of activity on the stage. Finally, shadows appeared on stage, the music started, and the crowd went wild. It was a very fitting entrance for band to showcase their new album release “Of Beauty and Rage”. We knew we were in for an awesome show. I was hoping to see them wearing the Plague Doctor masks as they came out, but heck, we can’t get everything we want. The excitement in the room was overwhelming as the first note of “What You Keep Alive” was sung. Michael leapt back and forth across the stage as the lights flickered from red to blue. Maintaining the notes with vigor and steadiness was not an issue for him as he continued with “Fight to Forget”, also from the new album and “Death of Me”, off of “Innocence and Instinct”. As each song progressed, the crowd got more involved with the show, clapping their hands violently to the thump of each bass drum beat. The fans were like an untrained church choir, singing aimlessly and without shame to every word as loudly as they possibly could. As Michael would lean into the crowd holding his mic out to them to capture their version of the lyrics, the fans excited him. From his expressions, seeing their love and loyalty for the band made him pull even more fight and feeling out of each song he proceeded to. The set list took us on their journey with them, through all of their album history and showcasing their recent album release. They performed nine of the songs from the new album, they included “Imposter”, “Falling Sky” and “Take Me Over” which heavily invoked the crowds’ participation. In fact, much of tonight’s concert was all about the crowd involvement. Michael and the band seem to really appreciate their fans and making sure they are having a good time and enjoying themselves because they are enjoying the music they’re listening to. If the crowd seemed to be mellowing, Michael brought more life to the stage with his dramatic and energetic antics, jumping, screaming, pumping up the crowd with great intensity; all the while not missing a beat on the song that was being played. It is with great enthusiasm that I say this, Red puts on a hell of a show. They have the ability to make the fans feel what they feel and relate to the songs they write. The lyrics are so truthful and bold. The lights flickering red to blue throughout the night created a theatrical scene was engaging to watch. There was a pause in the music as Michael asked the crowd to support the #CLEANWATERFORALL movement. Witnessing his concern for those in need while in mid-concert was overwhelming for many fans as they immediately made the testimony to support the cause. The song “Yours Again” followed this request. It is about opening our eyes to God’s love in our lives. It was placed in the set list at the perfect moment in my opinion after just hearing what Michael had to say about the need above. When you hear a story that touches you and then a song that has such meaning follows, even the hardest and coldest at heart can soften and warm. With fists in the air, the captivated crowd plead for more as each song ended. The band also played “Already Over” off of their album “End of Silence” and “Feed the Machine”, off of “Until We Have Faces”. I was ecstatic to see and hear it because it’s my favorite older song by Red. Seeing it performed live made it all the better. During “Shadow and Soul”, from “Of Beauty and Rage”, there was an eeriness, almost a haunting feeling that seemed to fill the room as everyone simply felt the power of the song. It was one of the distinguishing moments of the night for me; a moment that I saw how vulnerable the band was as they played the melody and sang the lyrics. My attention during this song was drawn to the blank wall beside me where I saw the shadow of Michael and the band members and for some reason, I was fixated on the wall. I hadn’t noticed the shadows being so predominant during any other song. I saw such emotion in the movements, of the shadows; the kind of emotions you have to comprehend when you watch a silent movie. I found myself unable to turn my focus back to the stage for several verses. Today was a special day as Michael celebrated his birthday with the fans in Atlanta. It’s not every day that you get to sing “Happy Birthday” to the lead singer of a band you are watching. It’s not every day that the lead singer shares his birthday cake…or in his case…cookie with the fans. We saw the normal side of the band, the side that lives like the rest of us instead of that famous “rock star” title that always makes them seem untouchable. The entirety of the concert was absolutely outstanding. The crowd tonight responded so positively to the message that Red communicated with each song. The musical talent of Anthony, Randy and Dan, and their ability to play the songs with such sentiment and emotion was astounding. The band has a wonderful chemistry on stage. They work in sync with one another and it is obvious that they are a well-oiled machine. Several of my favorite songs were played tonight. The band played “Part That’s Holding On” off of “Of Beauty and Rage”, thanked the fans and exited the stage. We all know that is not ok. Everyone is still waiting for more when a set ends. The stomping, clapping, screaming and chanting began right away. I was shocked to see that some of the fans did not wait to see if an encore would be granted. I guess maybe first time concert goers don’t understand this process. Waiting is part of the game. The band wants to hear how loud you can get, they want you to beg and give them reason to come back out and give you more. Bands have this planned from the start and I’ve only been to one concert where the band did not respond with another song or two. Red totally came through, proving once more just how remarkable they are. The night could not end without hearing their current hit of off “Of Beauty and Rage”. I think “Darkest Part” is by far one of their best songs on the new album. Anthony had previously told me the background behind the song and why it is such an important part of the album during our interview. The song packs a punch because so many people truly have that dark place inside that is trying to keep them down, a place they want to hide from, that keeps coming back over and over. This song touches on that and this new album which is the center piece for the tour is an amazing instrument for people who need to hold on to faith beyond everything else because surviving those dark places is possible. The last song of the night was a crowd favorite by far. As they performed “Breathe Into Me” from the album “End of Silence”, everyone had their hands in the air clapping to the beat aggressively, instigating the band to play harder and louder. This song was the perfect last song of the night. They played and sang with pure power and passion and with such controlled strength. “Of Beauty and Rage” as an album, made a huge impact on the fans tonight. If they hadn’t heard the new album before tonight, they walked away true fans of it afterward. It is certainly an album worthy of becoming part of everyone’s music collection. Red rocked The Masquerade in a big way tonight. They did not disappoint. If you have not seen them live in concert, you are missing the complete package. Stop depriving yourself. Find the closest venue of their tour and get those tickets. You will kick yourself if you don’t.
Official Red website @ http://www.redmusiconline.com/
Follow Red on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/redmusiconline
Follow Red on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/redmusiconline
Follow Red on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/redmusiconline
Download “Of Beauty and Rage” on iTunes @ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/of-beauty-and-rage/id961259509
Red/Islander/3 Years Hollow - The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA 3/15
By Leslie Elder Rogers
Walking into The Masquerade tonight, my excitement to see these bands was tremendous. Red has had such an amazing career already and as a fan, it’s great to see that they are in no way ready to stop. The new album, “Of Beauty and Rage” showcases their talent by blending their power and faith into music and lyrics that dig even further into the soul than their previous work. Accompanying them on tour are Islander and 3 Years Hollow. They are quickly proving that they are forces to be reckoned with. The opening band, “Our Way Out”, is a local alternative band from Acworth, GA. Their set was short; just enough to get the crowd’s enthusiasm going while waiting for the headliner, but they put on a good show nonetheless.
3 Year Hollow hit the stage with their opening song “The Devil’s Slave” and everyone was immediately at attention, thrusting their hands in the air and screaming almost painfully as each song ended and the next one began. This band has been around for quite a while but has only recently, in the past couple of years, started to gain the notoriety they deserve. I hope to see many good things come from 3YH over the next few decades. They rocked hard as they played “For Life”, minus Clint Lowery and even so, it’s such an awesome song that it didn’t suffer. Their closing song, “Chemical Ride” came all too soon. The fans didn’t seem quite ready for their set to end.
Islander have quickly become one of my favorite new bands. JR Bareis hid a blue and purple, spiked dragon tail under his hoodie as they prepped the stage. I was quite amused once the hoodie was taken off and the tail was exposed. Clearly the band was going to have fun putting on the show for us tonight. We were all feeling them right from the start. JR’s tail wailed back and forth as he paraded across the stage giving some comedic tone to the scene. The facial expressions between the members of the band were a tell-tale sign that their music meant something to them; that they feel the lyrics on one way or another. The faster the music played and the louder the vocals crept up, the more amped the crowd got. There was no taming this band as they belted out songs from their current album “Violence and Destruction”. Between the guitar riffs and the vocal ability that meshed together so well, the band surely did not fail to impress. Mikey Carvajal is a very intense vocalist when he sings. He enjoyed some up close and personal fan time as he walked his way into the crowd. There’s nothing like a little personal touch, literally. Some of the songs included in their set tonight were “The Sadness of Graves” and their current hit “New Wave”, which is continuing to climb the charts. “Counteract” and “Criminals” definitely have a “Rage Against the Machine” and “Deftones” vibe. Their final song, “Coconut Dracula”, obviously a fan favorite, caused a sudden eruption in the crowd, as if it was the very moment and song they’d been waiting for. Clearly “Islander” is capable of creating some kick ass music that people want to hear. Kudos goes to these guys. I’ll wait impatiently for what’s next.
As the stage was set up for Red, the photographers in the pit clustered together in an attempt to get in position for that perfect “first” shot. Smoke filled the stage floor and quickly rose to about four feet high. The red lighting showed through the smoke ever so slightly. Even so, you couldn’t make out your hand in front of your face. This was the perfect dramatic entrance for the band. Even though the bands preceding them tonight all put on great shows, this was the moment I was here for tonight. Being a fan of Red but never seeing a live show, I was excited and eager for their entrance; however, I already knew that I would not be able to physically see the band as they arrived on stage due to the smoke. Suddenly all lights went out and the room was completely dark. Waiting seemed like an eternity. The anticipation was almost agonizing. All I could do was inhale the smoke filled air that had engulfed me as I waited for the sound of activity on the stage. Finally, shadows appeared on stage, the music started, and the crowd went wild. It was a very fitting entrance for band to showcase their new album release “Of Beauty and Rage”. We knew we were in for an awesome show. I was hoping to see them wearing the Plague Doctor masks as they came out, but heck, we can’t get everything we want. The excitement in the room was overwhelming as the first note of “What You Keep Alive” was sung. Michael leapt back and forth across the stage as the lights flickered from red to blue. Maintaining the notes with vigor and steadiness was not an issue for him as he continued with “Fight to Forget”, also from the new album and “Death of Me”, off of “Innocence and Instinct”. As each song progressed, the crowd got more involved with the show, clapping their hands violently to the thump of each bass drum beat. The fans were like an untrained church choir, singing aimlessly and without shame to every word as loudly as they possibly could. As Michael would lean into the crowd holding his mic out to them to capture their version of the lyrics, the fans excited him. From his expressions, seeing their love and loyalty for the band made him pull even more fight and feeling out of each song he proceeded to. The set list took us on their journey with them, through all of their album history and showcasing their recent album release. They performed nine of the songs from the new album, they included “Imposter”, “Falling Sky” and “Take Me Over” which heavily invoked the crowds’ participation. In fact, much of tonight’s concert was all about the crowd involvement. Michael and the band seem to really appreciate their fans and making sure they are having a good time and enjoying themselves because they are enjoying the music they’re listening to. If the crowd seemed to be mellowing, Michael brought more life to the stage with his dramatic and energetic antics, jumping, screaming, pumping up the crowd with great intensity; all the while not missing a beat on the song that was being played. It is with great enthusiasm that I say this, Red puts on a hell of a show. They have the ability to make the fans feel what they feel and relate to the songs they write. The lyrics are so truthful and bold. The lights flickering red to blue throughout the night created a theatrical scene was engaging to watch. There was a pause in the music as Michael asked the crowd to support the #CLEANWATERFORALL movement. Witnessing his concern for those in need while in mid-concert was overwhelming for many fans as they immediately made the testimony to support the cause. The song “Yours Again” followed this request. It is about opening our eyes to God’s love in our lives. It was placed in the set list at the perfect moment in my opinion after just hearing what Michael had to say about the need above. When you hear a story that touches you and then a song that has such meaning follows, even the hardest and coldest at heart can soften and warm. With fists in the air, the captivated crowd plead for more as each song ended. The band also played “Already Over” off of their album “End of Silence” and “Feed the Machine”, off of “Until We Have Faces”. I was ecstatic to see and hear it because it’s my favorite older song by Red. Seeing it performed live made it all the better. During “Shadow and Soul”, from “Of Beauty and Rage”, there was an eeriness, almost a haunting feeling that seemed to fill the room as everyone simply felt the power of the song. It was one of the distinguishing moments of the night for me; a moment that I saw how vulnerable the band was as they played the melody and sang the lyrics. My attention during this song was drawn to the blank wall beside me where I saw the shadow of Michael and the band members and for some reason, I was fixated on the wall. I hadn’t noticed the shadows being so predominant during any other song. I saw such emotion in the movements, of the shadows; the kind of emotions you have to comprehend when you watch a silent movie. I found myself unable to turn my focus back to the stage for several verses. Today was a special day as Michael celebrated his birthday with the fans in Atlanta. It’s not every day that you get to sing “Happy Birthday” to the lead singer of a band you are watching. It’s not every day that the lead singer shares his birthday cake…or in his case…cookie with the fans. We saw the normal side of the band, the side that lives like the rest of us instead of that famous “rock star” title that always makes them seem untouchable. The entirety of the concert was absolutely outstanding. The crowd tonight responded so positively to the message that Red communicated with each song. The musical talent of Anthony, Randy and Dan, and their ability to play the songs with such sentiment and emotion was astounding. The band has a wonderful chemistry on stage. They work in sync with one another and it is obvious that they are a well-oiled machine. Several of my favorite songs were played tonight. The band played “Part That’s Holding On” off of “Of Beauty and Rage”, thanked the fans and exited the stage. We all know that is not ok. Everyone is still waiting for more when a set ends. The stomping, clapping, screaming and chanting began right away. I was shocked to see that some of the fans did not wait to see if an encore would be granted. I guess maybe first time concert goers don’t understand this process. Waiting is part of the game. The band wants to hear how loud you can get, they want you to beg and give them reason to come back out and give you more. Bands have this planned from the start and I’ve only been to one concert where the band did not respond with another song or two. Red totally came through, proving once more just how remarkable they are. The night could not end without hearing their current hit of off “Of Beauty and Rage”. I think “Darkest Part” is by far one of their best songs on the new album. Anthony had previously told me the background behind the song and why it is such an important part of the album during our interview. The song packs a punch because so many people truly have that dark place inside that is trying to keep them down, a place they want to hide from, that keeps coming back over and over. This song touches on that and this new album which is the center piece for the tour is an amazing instrument for people who need to hold on to faith beyond everything else because surviving those dark places is possible. The last song of the night was a crowd favorite by far. As they performed “Breathe Into Me” from the album “End of Silence”, everyone had their hands in the air clapping to the beat aggressively, instigating the band to play harder and louder. This song was the perfect last song of the night. They played and sang with pure power and passion and with such controlled strength. “Of Beauty and Rage” as an album, made a huge impact on the fans tonight. If they hadn’t heard the new album before tonight, they walked away true fans of it afterward. It is certainly an album worthy of becoming part of everyone’s music collection. Red rocked The Masquerade in a big way tonight. They did not disappoint. If you have not seen them live in concert, you are missing the complete package. Stop depriving yourself. Find the closest venue of their tour and get those tickets. You will kick yourself if you don’t.
Official Red website @ http://www.redmusiconline.com/
Follow Red on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/redmusiconline
Follow Red on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/redmusiconline
Follow Red on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/redmusiconline
Download “Of Beauty and Rage” on iTunes @ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/of-beauty-and-rage/id961259509
