AUGUST BURNS RED AT FREEDOM HALL IN LANCASTER
It was nearing the end of December - another end to a year, as well as the end of a decade. What better way to end all of that than with the 1st Christmas Burns Red Festival! The line-up was intense; Knocked Loose, Miss May I, Like Moths To Flames, Currents, Hawk and Wither Away were all a part of making this show simply perfect. The festival took place at Freedom Hall (inside Lancaster County Convention Center) in the beautiful town of Lancaster, PA. The brains and creators behind this festival were Lancaster’s very own August Burns Red. This has been a project in the making.
I was lucky enough to be staying at the Marriott within the Convention Center. As I made my way downstairs from my room to Freedom Hall, the crowd was already massive and ready to let loose. The family and friends that helped put this show together, as well as working the doors and checking the guest lists and VIP tickets, all deserved kudos for their awesome attitudes. Showing up to an event and having a staff/team that is respectful, friendly and helpful truly makes the experience that much better.
To be in a convention center, with all staging, lighting, and especially sound being brought in and setup that day - holy hell was it amazing. The first few opening acts played remarkable sets with some basic stage lighting, but that did not stop them from rocking out hard and giving the crowd and fans what they wanted! Knocked Loose was announced a few weeks prior the show as the very special guest ABR was teasing fans about. A little more lighting was added to their set, and they killed it as well.
It was now time for ABR to take the stage. JB Brubaker (lead guitar), Brent Rambler (rhythm guitar), Matt Greiner (drums), Dustin Davidson (bass, vocals), and Jake Luhrs (lead vocals) made their way to their stage starting points and the place exploded! I made a comment to a fellow photographer who was friends with ABR, wondering if there was going to be much more lighting and effects. She smiled and said, “Oh just wait.” The lighting, lasers, CO2 blasters, and staging setup was incredible. The energy that each member was giving added to the craziness within the crowd. The crowd literally turned into an escalator and bodies just starting piling over the barricades from all the crowd surfers.
These musicians absolutely stunned me. Each one of the members in ABR are simply geniuses with what they do. From playing the songs that their fans love, to these amazing solos they are incredible. Being a drummer, I was even more glued to that stage when Matt started rocking his drum solo. What would a Christmas festival be without some holiday tunes? Don’t worry, ABR has you covered! From jamming songs from their 2009 full studio album Constellations, and rocking other hits, they gave us that holiday cheer by playing songs from their 1st instrumental and holiday album, Sleddin’ Hill. Adding an even more elaborate lighting experience while they played these songs was the perfect way to bring this show to an end.
There are not enough positive words to describe this festival. It was an honor to both be a fan in attendance, as well as be able to capture this show through my lenses. I conversed with many fans after the show, all new faces to me. There was nothing but great things to say about this band and their music. This is one night I will never forget. Until next time, keep rocking!