UNDEROATH AT STARLAND BALLROOM IN SAYREVILLE
This past Sunday, 3/20/2022, Underoath took the stage at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. They are currently wrapping up their last few shows from the North American 2022 “The Voyeurist Tour” in support of their latest studio album Voyeurist (released January 14, 2022). Underoath was joined by Spiritbox, Bad Omens, and Stray From The Path for tour support – and because they all simply kick ***. This SOLD-OUT show had amazing performances from all the bands, was a band’s first time performing in NJ (finally…) and even had a surprise appearance from a native New Jersey vocalist to help etch this night as one of the best.
If you have been lucky enough to see a show at Starland Ballroom, you know both the lighting and sound is never an issue. For an inside venue, this venue does their part in giving the fans a great show. Bring acts like these 4 to the stage to do what they do and you are in for an unforgettable show, from start to finish. Doors opened and fan started to pour in. As show advertisements displayed, fans in attendance would patiently wait for Bad Omens to soon hit the stage. They would keep themselves entertained while waiting for the famous iHop logo to appear; engaging the crowd to applaud and yell in excitement. Next, the venue went dark, the crowd erupted, and the sound went to level 10 as Bad Omens took the stage. Their set opened with “The Death of Peace of Mind”, getting the crowd wound up and ready to contribute. With Noah Sebastian’s unique style and vocals, and the band’s energy ever so high, their performance was spot on and what the crowd needed to keep the vibes rocking. “Like A Villain”, “Never Know” and closing with ”Dethrone” were a few more favorites performed during their time on stage. High energy, great set.
Next to hit the stage before the headlining act would be some heavy metal from Victoria, British Columbia. Spiritbox has been jumping to new levels of success over the past 2 years now. They recently released their 3rd studio album, Eternal Blue, which entered the US Billboard 200 within the top 15. Many of us fans were beyond excited for Limp Bizkit’s return with both new music and a full North America tour. We were even more thrilled to learn that Spiritbox would be opening for them. With NJ as one of their stops, I can remember the excitement as Spiritbox just finished a rehearsal as many of us could hear and see from the boardwalk. Then, that excitement would be taken from us within minutes as we learned the show was cancelled due to someone testing positive for C-19 within the tour crew. This would make their appearance at Starland Ballroom even more extraordinary. The band hit the stage, with Courtney LaPlante following shortly after. The crowd, especially fans of Spiritbox, made sure the band could hear them and express just how much they were missed. I could feel the energy from the crowd as I stood in front of the stage - it was intense. “Rule of Nines”, “Circle With Me”, and then “Blessed Be” (my favorite) would be the powerful trio the band would deliver to the crowd at Starland. It is not an easy task to try and figure out the specific type of metal genre that Spiritbox is. Their unique individual talents and passion produce something so special. LaPlante’s vocal sound alone is beautifully calming and draws your attention to her. Her dynamic range and powerful heavy chords are simply unique. The powerful combination of herself and husband, lead guitarist Mike Stringer, with the additions of Bill Crook on bass and Zev Rose on the drums - simply put, this band is one group you truly need to not only see, but fully hear in person. With a band that has been on the rise since forming in 2017, knowing how great of a performance this was, how do you make the performance surreal and give you the “night to remember” feeling? How about inviting Lorna Shore vocalist Will Ramos on stage to sing “Holy Roller”. Yes. That happened. And to witness it all gave us the “night to remember” feeling we love, and we had yet to be graced with the Florida natives that make up the headlining act Underoath.
The stage was now fully unveiled. Percussions instruments on both sides of the stage, drums and electronics set up one each stage side in the bank, and plenty of guitars being walked on and off stage as sound check was in the works. The venue finally cut the background music and went dark. Prior to UO taking the stage, they had a visual and audio art demonstration to get their fans primed and ready for the final act. Underoath finally took the stage and this is why I love shooting concerts. This was my first time seeing and shooting Underoath. It was almost as if these guys were told to put on one hell of a performance, because they did just that and more! “Damn Excuses”, “Breathing in a New Mentality”, “On My Teeth” and the energy in this place was at its peak, and yet still rising with the energy from both the band and the crowd. At one point while shooting, I took a turn to see what looked like an escalator of people just coming over the barricade into security’s catchers. Seeing these guys perform and the amount of hype you could feel from them rocking out and doing what they love was priceless. Excellent shows have some great lighting setups and in sync deliverances, and with this venue I can personally vouch for the amazing quality of sound. Every single band member on that stage gave it 110% plus. Running all over the stage or their set area, head banging to the fullest, jumping and spinning as much as they possibly could - pure awesomeness. To have openers such as this tour does, and for the headlining act to be a band that has gone through so many changes, yet still kept a loyal and massive fan base (sold out show again), Underoath truly did their part in giving the fans what they have waited for and what they needed after some pretty intense years we have all witnessed and were a part of. I was happy to be out from the photo pit and out in the crowd as vocalist Spencer Chamberlain announced their single “Hallelujah” was next. The performance was perfectly matched to what I expected it to be. As I walked through the crowd, stopping to watch the band, it never failed when I saw the difference in age range at this metal show. The crowd was literally having a blast rocking out to each song and partying solo or with the friends they came with. The engagement with the crowd was well observed as they didn’t miss a mark when cued from Spencer and the band, just massive amounts of arms in the air with devils horns raised high! From band splits, members leaving the band and bringing in new, and announced reunions, this is a band that has been faced with many tests and challenges. Underoath has proven through the power of music, passion, and loyalty of fans that anything is possible. If you are not in the area of the remaining shows for this tour ending March 27th, make sure you keep an eye out for the band’s next run. Underoath is a band you will surely be thankful you were able to see perform live in concert!