LIVE – MONSTER ENERGY OUTBREAK TOUR – Royal Oak, MI – December 3, 2012

Featuring Asking Alexandria

Special Guests: As I Lay Dying, Memphis May Fire, I See Stars, and Attila

Venue: Royal Oak Music Theatre

City: Royal Oak, Michigan, US

Date: December 3, 2012

When my buddy Steve asked if I was interested in the Monster Energy Outbreak tour and its stop in Detroit, the real question was whether I was going to be ready for a show so soon after returning from vacation.  After witnessing this show, I am so glad I reached out and asked if the offer still stood.

PHOTOS OF ASKING ALEXANDRIA FROM THE SHOW

Headliners Asking Alexandria did not disappoint.  The packed house went absolute crazy when the lights dimmed and the stage filled with the five musicians that make up Asking Alexandria.  From first note until the last guitar chord of the encore, these guys gave this Royal Oak crowd all they had.  The energy displayed by the band was unmatched this evening.  As guitar players Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell, bassist Sam Bettley, and lead vocalist Danny Worsnop made the stage theirs for the evening, running all over the place, you could tell the only thing holding drummer James Cassells back was the need to sit down to play the drums.  Danny fed every females desire that night as he ditched his shirt after the second song.  After listening and watching, there was no question as to why these guys were picked to be the headliner on this tour – they certainly demonstrated an energy breakout of monster proportions.  The band was very tight and seemed to feed well off of each other on stage.

As I Lay Dying brought aggressive to a new peak this evening with their playing and show.  Having no real previous knowledge of what to expect, I was impressed at the talent of the band and the way they took command of the stage, stalking around like they were the headliners.  There was no doubt in their mind, the crowd this evening was there to see them.  As noted by the number of crowd surfers, heads banging, and fist pumping, the crowd was loving every minute of the show.  The band never let up.  They tore through several songs, that I later discovered, were fan favorites.  This show was about the band giving back to the fans; seemingly thanking them for everything and allowing the band to do what they love.

Memphis May Fire was another band of which I had no previous knowledge.  They were a really good metalcore band.  I have had my share of experiences with this genre, and they were better than a lot of the bands out there. I am not a huge fan of the genre, but you could see the bands dedication to the show, the fans, and the songs.  There is nothing worse than a band hitting the stage with no commitment to what they are doing.  That would not be the case tonight.  Memphis May Fire wowed the crowd and warmed them up for what was to come after them.  I am betting they even made a fan or two along the way.

Category: Live Reviews