Atreyu's 20th Anniversary Tour made its stop at Toad's Place in New Haven Connecticut this past Sunday (11/03/2019) for an incredible night packed with awesome music! Accompanying Atreyu on the tour were Santa Cruz, Tempting Fate, He Is Legend, and last, but most certainly not least, death-core powerhouse - Whitechapel.
I knew the night was going to be a special one simply for the fact that bands as big as Atreyu and Whitechapel were playing an intimate venue such as Toad's Place. I've seen both Atreyu and Whitechapel before, but it was always in outdoor festivals or amphitheaters. The up-close and personal atmosphere of Toad's Place brought the performances of these awesome bands to another level entirely. I'm a sucker for smaller venues. One of the best feelings in the world is being able to get right in the face of your favorite artist and scream their songs with them. Toad's Place delivers exactly that and the fact that awesome bands like Atreyu and Whitechapel were playing made it even better. If you're ever in New Haven and can catch a show of this caliber at Toad's Place (and assuming you're okay with crowds), do not hesitate to go; it'll definitely be a memorable experience.
Turning to the openers, I have to admit that I wasn't too familiar with them. Nevertheless they all provided great performances and I think they are definitely worth checking out as they each provide a unique spin on heavier music.
First up was heavy metal band Santa Cruz from Helsinki, Finland. Right out of the gate the band had a ton of energy and provided a great show. With an 80’s hair metal aesthetic and ripping guitars, Santa Cruz was an all around fun experience to watch live. I really enjoyed their particular brand of hair/power metal with added chugging breakdowns which gave their sound a bit of a metal-core flare, which I greatly appreciated.
Next up was Tempting Fate from Los Angeles, CA. I really enjoyed watching them perform. The band was able to take the formula of heavy grooving verses and melodic catchy choruses and really make it their own. From start to finish, Tempting Fate kept the energy up and kept the crowd on their feet. I am definitely going to be on the lookout for the next time Tempting Fate comes through town!
He Is Legend came on next. He Is Legend did a really great job of combining hard rock vocal elements with metal/metal-core instrumentals. Like the other openers, He Is Legend put on a great show and I had an awesome time bopping my head along to their set. My favorite part about the He Is Legend set was the performance of vocalist, Schuylar Croom. His particular vocal stylings were extremely captivating, and I can’t wait to dig further into the band’s discography!
Direct support on this tour was the one and only Whitechapel. Whitechapel has been one of my favorite bands since I first listened to Possession and This is Exile while in high school. I recently caught Whitechapel for the first time at the Self Help Fest this past summer, and I really enjoyed the band in that type of setting (i.e. larger outdoor venue). The intimate setting of Toad’s Place amplified everything I love about the band. From the no-nonsense and stone cold brutal demeanor of vocalist Phil Bozeman to the complex and technical instrumentals, everything that makes Whitechapel awesome was on full display during their set. I really enjoyed their performance of “When a Demon Defiles a Witch” as this song is so dynamic and translates incredibly well to a live performance!
Finally, Atreyu took to the stage and ended the night with a bang! I last saw Atreyu at this past summer’s Rockstar Disrupt Fest. Atreyu obviously had an amazing set, its Atreyu! It was a ton of fun catching Atreyu at Toad’s Place. Being right up to the band led to some great crowd interactions and the band fed right into it! What I really love about Atreyu is their mix of personality and raw talent. From their performance I can tell the band genuinely loves interacting with the crowd which led to such a fun environment, and I cannot wait to see them again next time they come to the area!
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