There is nothing more exciting than to be a part of a sold out crowd, especially for the second semester of the Metalcore Dropouts Tour. I mean, who would not want to see four of the best metalcore bands on the planet? And quite possibly one of the best shows of your lifetime! If you were lucky enough to score tickets for the show at The Ritz Raleigh, then you were in for the biggest metalcore memory anyone that could not get a ticket would only dream of! Jealousy is envy! So, grab a beer and find a good place to stand because ITS PARTYTIME!!
Avoid
The first “wow factor” of the night came from the band Avoid. Exploding out of Seattle Washington, the band consists of vocalist Benny Scholl, guitarists Nick Olson and Brandon Parker, bassist Jason Daggett, and drummer David Dusseault. Joining the band on stage was a huge inflatable beaver sitting just off to the side of the stage. Interesting to see, yet far from distraction as the band hit the stage. Opening the show with their song Whatever, stemming from their latest EP Cult Mentality, the energy this group brought was vigorous and electrifying.
Their stage presence was off the Richter scale! I mean these guys could not stand in one spot for more than three seconds during their 30-minute set. Amazing crowd interaction. Scholl even jumped into the crowd. Fans were fully engaged in the mesmerizing sights and sounds of the early 2000s style era of metalcore. The sound was as crisp and clear as any sound system can be. The lighting was colorful and vibrant. Pleasantly loud, highs, mids and lows hit like
perfection. The band also played songs such as Cowabunga, Split (Kill It) and Flashbang! Closing the set was Song About James. Lots of moshing and crowd surfing can be seen during their performance. Man, these guys absolutely KICKASS!!!
Counterparts
If you were tired out from all that moshing from the first band, then you NEED to snap the hell out of it, wake up, grab another beer (or two, or three) and get your ass ready for the second band of the evening, Counterparts. Blasting the south with their Canadian melodic hardcore/hardcore punk, punch you in the throat music, Counterparts hit the stage like a bomb exploded from under your feet. Are you awake now??
The group consists of vocalist Brendan Murphy, guitarists Tyler Williams and Jesse Doreen, and drummer Kyle Brownlee. They started their set with the banger Love Me, from their album Nothing Left to Love. The band wasted no time getting the crowd hyped up again. Another group that could not stand still on stage. Their stage presence was awesome! The sound was superior, the lighting was bright and colorful, and the atmosphere was insane! The crowd was
moshing and crowd surfing during the entire show.
During their more than 30-minute set, the band played songs such as Bound to the Burn, Wings of Nightmares, and Paradise and Plague. The magnitude of energy that Counterparts delivers will leave anyone with an everlasting imprint of true musicianship, integrity, loyalty, and devotion. The band closed out their set with the song Whispers of Your Death. This should be another must see band on your bucket list! These guys ROCKED!
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If you are not ready for more, then this might not be the genre for you. Hold onto your beers and grab your Queens or Kings and get ready to feel like royalty with Fit For A King. These metalcore all-stars hailing from Tyler Texas, brought some high energy, kick ass anthems that will leave you breathless. The band comprises guitarists Bobby Lynge and Daniel Gailey, vocalist Ryan Kirby, bassist Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary, and drummer Trey Celaya. Opening their show with the song End (The Other Side) off their album The Hell We Create, fans gathered as close as they could to the front row. Balcony dwellers rose to their feet. You can feel the body heat fill the venue. Moisture filled the air with sweat. On a beer-soaked sweat-soaked venue floor, fans’ expectations have been fulfilled. The band’s energy was astounding. The sound and lighting were superb. The group’s crowd interactions exceeded expectations as always. More moshing and crowd surfing can be seen throughout their full set. Smiles from fans lit up the venue, brighter than the stage lighting. The crowd can be heard chanting the lyrics to every song.
Their set included songs like Falling Through the Sky, The End’s Beginning, Backbreaker, Reaper, Keeping Secrets and Vendetta. Captivating a packed sold-out show. Their performance was top tier. Wowing fans and leaving them in a hypnotic state of shock and awe. Closing out the show with their song God of Fire, the band ended their set with what can only be described by a fan as a “once in a lifetime experience to see 4 awesome groups under one roof.”
The Devil Wears Prada
Finally, a band that truly defines what metalcore is all about. A band who is such an inspiration to many of its fans. Closing out the night is The Devil Wears Prada. These rockers from Dayton Ohio and consisting of vocalist Mike Hranica, vocalist/guitarist Jeremy DePoyster, guitarist Kyle Sipress, bassist Mason Nagy, keyboardist Jonathan Gering, and drummer Giuseppe Capolupo, shut down the house in true metalcore fashion. Fans packed in together to see the most anticipated band of the night.
The band opened their set with the song Exhibition, coming off their album Color Decay. The metalcore dropouts played for over an hour. Delivering crunchy guitar riffs, pounding bass, passionate vocals, and soul crushing keys, TDWP is anything short of amazing. Playing songs like Watchtower, Salt, Broken, and Outnumbered. Special guest Emma Boster of the band Dying Wish took to the stage and sang a snippet of the TDWP song Dez Moines, headbanging and even throwing a kick during her short but amazing appearance. The crowd response was loud and astounding. The lighting was colorful and bright. The sound was full-throated. Tons of
moshing and crowd surfing. Most fans were dripping sweat from the heat and excitement of seeing their favorite band perform live on stage.
The Devil Wears Prada hit the road for their first semester of the Metalcore Dropouts Tour back on September 15th, 2023, in Anaheim California. The tour ended on October 19th, 2023, in Las Vegas Nevada. In a statement to Blabbermouth.net, Jeremy DePoyster said, “When the ‘Metalcore Dropouts’ tour started out with such a bang, we knew we had to keep the party going for all of the cities that we missed along the way.” “The shows have been absolutely psychotic, and the hangs have been even better, and we are thrilled to be able to bring our buddies in AVOID along this time. These have been the best THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA shows of
our career, and the energy is pure chaos, insanity, and fun. The ‘Second Semester’ will be nonstop mayhem across North America — do NOT miss this tour!”
Their new studio album Color Decay” hit store shelves on September 16, 2023, and was produced by Jonathan Gering. Just in time for the first and second semester of the Metalcore Dropouts Tour. Packed with bangers you will hear live during their time on the road. More info on tour dates can be seen here: ttps://www.thedevilwearspradatour.com
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