Sunday, October 27th, Asking Alexandria brought along their buddies in Memphis May Fire and The Word Alive to the House of Blues for their “All My Friends” tour. This was actually my first time seeing ALL of these bands, despite being a fan of them all since high school. Lucky for me and the rest of the packed house, NOBODY disappointed and EVERYONE delivered stellar performances.
The Word Alive
These guys are nuts live. I was blown away with how tight and beefy they sounded right out of the gate. The four-piece, post-hardcore group was the perfect addition to these already STACKED lineup.
Telle Smith’s vocals were in top form as he delivered a performance for the ages, using his iconic stage presence and charm to get the audience completely immersed in the show. I think these guys had more crowd surfers than the headliners!
The Word Alive is no stranger to the stage, as they have been touring since their debut release in 2009. I’m super pumped that I was finally able to see them!
Memphis May Fire
Possibly the most versatile band on this lineup. Memphis May Fire is a post-hardcore band that has absolutely dominated the scene for years. The intricacy of their instrumentals and vocals, combined with the intellectual depth of Matty Mullins’ lyrics create an extremely dynamic piece of work.
Their music translates extremely well to the live stage, and their power is undeniable. Opening with one of their heavy new singles, ‘Necessary Evil,’ the band sounded PHENOMENAL. Mullins’ screams were impeccable, and you could almost feel them ripping through you. Crowd members let loose in some of the craziest pits I’ve seen all year, as the band led them on an energetic journey through their discography over the years.
For me, these guys delivered the performance of the night. Memphis May Fire is also no stranger to touring of course, beginning in 2009 and evidently working hard ever since to perfect their live performances. 10/10 and I hope they’re back here in Vegas soon!
Asking Alexandria
WOW. With everything this band has been through over the years, they continue to persevere and deliver strong performances for their fans. This night was no exception, as they came out to their classic, ‘Dear Insanity,’ and the audience went absolutely wild for it.
Over the years, Asking Alexandria has gotten a bit experimental with their sound, making for a diversified setlist that at times took a stylistic departure from the hardcore vibe of the rest of the show. These moments, however, really gave us a taste of just how incredible of a vocalist Danny Worsnop is. In songs such as ‘I Don’t Need You,’ the range and grit of his clean vocals sounded amazing and had the crowd totally hooked on every line. The rest of the band, (consisting of Cameron Liddell on guitar, Sam Bettley on Bass, and James Cassells on drums) was incredibly tight, nailing every syncopation and breakdown. Asking Alexandria “closed” with their iconic track ‘The Final Episode,’ and returned for a two-song encore consisting of ‘Don’t Pray for Me’ and ‘Alone in a Room.’
These guys, of course, have also been touring since 2009 and have put tons of effort in their live production. Lighting Design of the night goes to these guys, hands down. Beautiful colors, and incredible choices in the lighting direction combined with the music to create the ultimate experience.
Asking Alexandria is set to finish up the ‘All My Friends’ tour on 11/2 before heading on a UK run with Falling in Reverse. After leaving the show, I thought to myself, “I hope they come back to Vegas in the near future.” Two days later they announced that they will be on the lineup for When We Were Young Festival 2025! So get your wallets ready, cause I promise you won’t want to miss an Asking Alexandria set!
PHOTO CREDIT: Live photos by Addison Egelhoff for ZrockR Magazine – (c) 2024 – All Rights Reserved.