Images: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Material, Eversay, Circle of Sand, Tonight We Fight August 16, 2013 at Hard Rock Live

Last Friday night, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus came to southern Nevada for the first time since 2009, playing the Hard Rock Live (previously the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip) with support from The Material, Eversay, and Vegas locals Circle of Sand and Tonight We Fight.

I’ve had the honor of witnessing local pop-punk band Tonight We Fight quickly build momentum in the local scene, and based on performances like this, it’s easy to see how they’ve gained their foothold so easily. They played a range of songs from their Table for Two EP as well as some new material that they’ve been working on. Next up was Vegas’ Circle of Sand who definitely brought it all together to rock the earlybird crowd. I look forward to seeing them play again soon.

The crowd was starting to fill the floor by the time the female-fronted EverSay hit the stage. I actually didn’t realize it until going through the pictures, but EverSay and Red Jumpsuit share more than just the hometown of Middleburg, Florida. Ronnie Winters (lead vocalist of Red Jumpsuit) was also the man behind EverSay’s drum kit for the night. The songs were full of powerful guitar riffs, hooky melodies, and amazing vocals by the young Blake Dawson. Their set was full of songs from their self-titled EP, including my personal favorite, “This Time.”

Fronted by amazing vocalist Colleen D’Agostino, L.A. rock/alternative band The Material filled the room with a lot of great energy, and based on hearing their single “Life Vest” for the first time, I firmly believe that they could blow up big at any time.

Then it was finally the moment everyone had been waiting for. The room went black and the red house lights came on as Ronnie Winters and the rest of the band took to the stage. Vegas had been waiting too long for a Red Jumpsuit Apparatus show and the entire room went crazy with cheering. They played hits from the record that started it all, Don’t You Fake It which gave me happy flashbacks to my Sophomore year of high school. When it came time to play “Your Guardian Angel,” green house lights came on and it was only Ronnie on stage with his guitar, resulting in a really great intimate moment with the entire crowd singing along. The band closed with undoubtedly their most popular song, “Face Down” and everyone was off their feet and singing as Red Jumpsuit Apparatus left every last bit of energy they had on the stage.

-Tylor Thuirer | https://www.flickr.com/photos/thuirermedia/