Images: August Burns Red, Silverstein, Texas In July, I the Breather February 1, 2012 at the House of Blues

Opening with your “whoa” song is a bold move, and when August Burns Red started their set with “Empire,” from the 2011 album Leveler, the pit turned into a sing-along shove-fest. To further light a fire under the already-active crowd, singer Jake Luhrs ordered a chicken fight. Not wanting to disappoint, audience members mounted each other’s shoulders and went at it in the pit. No injuries were reported. Lots of fun was had. All shenanigans aside, the band sounded amazing.

At one point, ABR drummer Matt Greiner was joined by Texas In July drummer Adam Gray for an impressive 10-minute percussion jam, and the encore of “Carpe Diem” and “Composure” featured the ABR guitar tech on bass and a 3 guitar assault. They absolutely rocked it, and it was great getting to hear many of their newer songs live.

Acting as immediate support to ABR was Silverstein, which is an incredibly popular band in the valley thanks to their repeated stops and frequent fan meetings. They came out to “Sacrifice,” saying hello with all of their Canadian power. Playing “The Artist” and “Smashed into Pieces,” Silverstein effectively thanked their fans with a set of the very best songs they had to offer. This even included a quick cover of “Good Intentions” by Gorilla Biscuits. In my opinion, a large part of Silverstein’s popularity is due to how fun their stage show is. They play aggressively and you can tell that they’re emotionally attached to each chord, chorus and verse.

Texas In July was a real treat and a surprise. The 5-piece from Ephrata, PA, aggressively introduced Vegas to their brand of hardcore metal. To catch a supporting band of this intensity was truly exciting. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling issue, I was unable to catch I the Breather’s set, but I look forward to seeing them the next time they come through town. Thankfully, Tyler Newton was on hand to snap some photos of them, and all the other bands, in action.

-Mike Law

Photos by  Tyler Newton | http://500px.com/spottedlens