Atreyu, Whitechapel, He is Legend, Tempting Fate and Santa Cruz
November 19, 2019 @ The Belasco Theater, Los Ángeles CA
Santa Cruz is a Finnish hard rock band formed in 2007 in Helsinki by Archie Cruz and Johnny Parkkonen. This band has four talented musicians: vocalist, rhythm and lead guitarist Arttu “Archie Cruz” Kuosmanen; lead guitarist Joe Perez; bassist Eemi “Ero Cruz” Lamberg; and drummer Tuomas “Toxy Cruz” Lehtonen. This band was first on the stage to kick off the show. The whole entire performance they gave out such an 80s rock n’ roll vibe. So if you enjoy classic kickass, high energy bands with long hair, tight jeans, fast guitar solos and denim jackets, then this is the band for you. If you haven’t heard of Santa Cruz, do yourself a favor and stream some of their music, or catch one of their shows. I know I will look forward to seeing them again.
Tempting Fate is a post hardcore band that formed in October 2009, led by vocalist Cory Beecher, guitar/keyboardist Shane Beecher, bassist Matt Campbell, and drummer Austin SinClaire. Where do I begin? When you can be a band that can interact with the crowd as soon as you go on stage, it’s no wonder why mosh pits break out. With all the action going on every which way of the stage, you just didn’t know where to look. For instance, Shane Beecher jumped off stage to get close and personal with fans, shredding on his guitar against the barricade. However, he was not the only one — Cory Beecher took it to another level as well. He jumped off stage to come over the barricade and mosh with fans while still performing. This band was definitely the type of energy for fans to get pumped up for the next acts.
He is Legend is an American rock band from Wilmington, North Carolina that formed in 2003. These guys — vocalist Schuylar Croom, guitarist Adam Tanbouz, bassist Matt Williams, and drummer Jesse Shelley — were a different change of pace. However, it was in the best way possible. The whole room began dancing and just grooving to the music. These guys were very entertaining to watch live. If you ever catch these guys in your town get ready for one hell of a show.
Whitechapel — another amazing very well known deathcore band. The band is named after the Whitechapel district in East London, England, referencing the series of murders committed by Jack the Ripper. The band consists of vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade, and Zach Householder, bassist Gabe Crisp, and drummer Alex Rudinger. I’ve heard so much talk about this band so I couldn’t wait to see them perform. Singer Phil Bozeman was an absolute powerhouse and joy to watch on stage. The whole room exploded into fans breaking out into mosh pits. I’ve heard so many good things about Whitechapel, and now I understand why people recommend seeing them.
Last, the headlining act, Atreyu, a metalcore band from Yorba Linda, California, formed in 1998. This band involves vocalist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc “Porter” McKnight, and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller. I’ve been a fan since the early 2000s. Getting this view for the 20th anniversary show is more than I could have ever hoped for. When they came on they rushed to the stage playing one of my favorites, “The Time is Now”. The band kept a high level of energy throughout their entire performance, and fans were just loving every second of it. All in all this tour was a spectacular metal experience. Here’s to another 20.
