This Means War attacks the Aggie Theatre–Feb. 2

Jenn Cohen | March 1, 2012 | 0 Comments

by Katie Schmoker and Max Giffin

Photo Credit: Max Giffin

A young, diverse crowd packed the Aggie Thursday, February 2, for Attack Attack!’s This Means War Tour. The show was filled with variations of post-hardcore style, featuring Attack Attack!, The Ghost Inside, Sleeping with Sirens, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, and Dream on, Dreamer.

The crowd stirred as Dream on, Dreamer played a set that combined antagonistic roaring vocals with smooth, harmonic melodies, steady rhythms, and elaborate guitar riffs. Like most of the bands that night, they featured an electronica influence embedded in their post-hardcore sound. With over 50,000 likes on Facebook, the Australian band is gaining a presence in America, and will likely tour with fellow Rise Record bands. In between songs, people nodded approval and whispered anticipation for the headliners.

Chunk! No, Caption Chunk! appealed to the younger audience with a high-energy, pop-punk version of hardcore. Originally from France, the band toured for the first time in America this summer, and has been on the road ever since with artists such as Vanna, Blessthefall, the Word Alive, and more. The heavy accents of the band members make it apparent that their time in America has been short. Regardless, their American fans were glad to have them there, as proven with waves of enthusiasm. Their catchy sound had the audience bouncing in unison, and they were particularly pleased with the band’s cover of “We R Who We R” by pop artist Ke$ha; supporters eagerly sang along while clapping hands.

The girls in the room made their way to the front for Sleeping with Sirens, a band that has been described as “alternative music’s Justin Bieber,” partially due to the sweet face of vocalist Kellin Quinn, and the frenzy of female fans that the band attracts. The band is best known for Quinn’s vocal range and his ability to hit the high notes. His vocals build up into an emotional tension that is resolved with soaring clean guitars, poignant screams, and a fast tempo. Sleeping with Sirens also incorporated soft, subtle electronic tracks, filling the sound rather than dominating it.

SWS plan to play their first Warped Tour this summer, and were one of the first five bands announced, gaining them a lot of attention. In recent months, the band has gone from being an adored opening act to the sweetheart of the alternative genre, and will be back in Colorado in April on their first headlining tour. Of all the bands playing that night, none raised as many arms as Sleeping With Sirens, as fans fought their way to graze Kellin’s hand when he reached out across the crowd.

The Ghost Inside played the heaviest set of the night, bringing in a crowd of mosh enthusiasts who came only to see them. The bottom level of the Aggie became a desperate frenzy of bodies slamming into each other as they thundered through a fast, intense, metal set. The band focused on strong driving drums and heavy base, with crunchy guitars and low, deep vocals. Look for a new album later this year under Epitaph Records.

Attack Attack! wrapped up the night with a blend of hardcore and electronica that incorporated all the best elements from the opening bands. Throaty growls combined with catchy melodies had the audience singing along while head banging and jumping on top of each other. The distortion from the guitars and the vocals fought each other for attention. Eventually, they dissolved into breakdowns with electronic fill and powerful drums that advanced the songs forward and captivated the audience. Attack Attack! played songs from their January-released album, This Means War, and older crowd favorites. Popular songs like “Stick Stickly” and “Sunday Came Suddenly” received rousing cheers from the audience. The band’s new album has received rave reviews, to the surprise of drummer Andrew Wetzel who thought their innovative self-produced record was “signing their death certificate.” This isn’t to say he isn’t pleased with their new music, but they wanted to challenge the norm and push the limits with the CD, making it as creative and unique as they wanted. Going out on a limb paid off when the band reached number 11 on the Billboard 200, and peaked at number 1 on iTunes Top Rock Albums. They will be passing through Denver at the Summit Music Hall with Escape The Fate on April 14^th.

The heat from the energy inside the Aggie kept most people unaware of the inches of snow piling up outside. Despite the prospect of driving home in severe weather, conversations of those leaving the venue continued to revolve around reliving the concert and anticipation of when the bands would be back to play again.