Falling In Reverse’s Episode III tour stopped in Sayreville, NJ on 5/3/19 for a sold-out show at Starland Ballroom. Starland is a great venue, reminiscent of Irving Plaza in NYC. It’s big enough to pack in 2,000 people but small enough where you’ll never be so far from the stage that you can’t see. Making it the perfect venue for mosh pits and general concert shenanigans.
A bad crowd can ruin a show. And in some cases, even be dangerous. This one had its ups and downs. Though the atmosphere was electric, and the performances were top-notch, security guards had to throw drunken morons out on several occasions for starting fights. At one point the police arrived and had to arrest a few of those previously mentioned drunken morons. Sadly, this is a frequent occurrence at metal shows, but it was starting to get obnoxious and it was clear that it was affecting everyone’s good time. Luckily, every instance interference was necessary, venue security was on it right away. Starland Ballroom’s security team made sure every situation was handled as quickly and quietly as possible, but those situations should never happen as often as they did. Remember; though metal shows appear aggressive and chaotic on the surface, you should never, ever be in it to start fights and hurt people.
Despite the general obnoxiousness of the angry, drunken concertgoers, all four bands went out there and left it all on the stage. There wasn’t a single weak performance during the entire night, and each band had a distinct vibe to their set. If you’re the type of person who enjoys the type of show that is more or less fight club with a soundtrack. Or someone who just wants to let loose and enjoy the music in harmony with a couple of thousand other like-minded people. This show had something for you.
New Years Day:
For those who don’t know, New Years Day is a Metalcore band from Anaheim, CA fronted by Ash Costello, who has been featured on tracks by the likes of Set It Off, and even did the vocals for WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley’s entrance music. Though they’re a lesser-known band than INK and FIR, you would have never guessed it by crowd reaction. Despite being the opening act, the venue quickly came alive. NYD has a great stage presence and did an excellent job of setting the tone for the night. Everywhere you looked people were singing along and moving to the music. And the second Costello let a scream rip, Sayreville shook. Their sound can go from melodic and sweet, to straight up kick-ass metal in an instant, and the crowd reacted accordingly.
From Ashes to New:
From Ashes to New is a Nu-Metalcore band that raps as well as sings. Rapping in rock music has a rocky past with very few bands able to pull it off successfully. Fortunately, Matt Brandyberry has a solid flow, and never came off as corny, or overly aggressive like Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst is often accused of. Unfortunately, the mixing during their set wasn’t great. It was hard to understand what Brandyberry was saying throughout the whole set and at times you couldn’t hear him at all. Despite this, the crowd was definitely enjoying the music, even though they calmed down quite a bit. There were very few crowd surfers and no mosh pits during the set. It was a much more “dancy†vibe than New Years Day.
Ice Nine Kills:
This is where things got rowdy. Remember kids, rule number one of moshing: always, always cover your head. Even in the friendliest of pits, accidents happen. When you take a dozen or so amped up metalheads and let them slam into each other, people can take some rough shots. Halfway through the set, some poor schmuck got knocked out cold and had to be carried out by security. That being said; INK is friggin’ amazing live. The pit was gigantic, and there were crowd surfers everywhere. It was mayhem in the best way possible. The crowd was non-stop high energy from beginning to end. It’s only a matter of time before Ice Nine Kills announces a headlining tour, and rest assured, it will be a show to remember.
Falling in Reverse:
Love him or hate him, Ronnie Radke has a legion of dedicated fans, and for good reason. Every time he gets up on stage he puts on an excellent performance and this one was no different. The highlight of the night was him calling for the crowd to split for a wall of death and then punking everyone by covering Smash Mouth’s All Star. The crowd was much less aggressive for this set than for Ice Nine Kills but there were still plenty of crowd surfers and the whole house was moving. They’re a great band to see if pits aren’t your thing but you still like to cut loose and feel the ebb and flow of a crowd during your concerts. Radke happens to be the former lead singer of Escape the Fate, and naturally, they closed the show with one of ETF’s most popular songs, Situations. Even though the track came out nearly thirteen years ago, old school metalcore fans will always pop for it. And this time was no different. The moment fans recognized the distinctive opening line, the place went absolutely bonkers. It was the perfect way to end the show and send everyone home happy.
The Good:
Consistent performances: All four bands put their heart and soul into their performances. Live music is like no other experience, and this concert was a perfect example of just how cathartic a good show can be.
Top-notch security: Starland Ballroom’s security team was on top of everything. The moment they were needed they were there, and as soon as the problem was dealt with, they disappeared.
The Bad:
Drunken, rowdy crowd:
A select few members of the crowd did these dedicated, incredibly hard-working bands an extreme disservice by starting fights, and generally being a nuisance.
KO’d in the pit: It’s scary to watch someone hit the floor in an unconscious heap at the best of times, but when it’s in the chaotic environment of a mosh pit you genuinely fear for that person’s safety. Luckily, the poor guy was confirmed to be okay at the end of the night.
Final Thoughts:
If you get the chance to catch this tour, do it. Just be careful not to get your head knocked off, and for the love of god, don’t be one of those drunk dudes.
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