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Made to Destroy Tour Wreaks Havoc!


The Made to Destroy Tour made itself known when it stopped at The Marquee in Tempe, AZ. If the excruciatingly long line wrapped around the venue was any indication, fans were more than stoked to see I Prevail, Neck Deep, and Pierce the Veil perform. A night consisting of angsty Pop Punk and troubling Post-hardcore was about to wreak havoc on Tempe, and fans welcomed it.

Opening act I Prevail brought a sound similar to the headliners to the tour. Clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser, unclean vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe, lead guitarist Steve Menoian, drummer Lee Runestad, rhythm guitarist Dylan Bowman, and bassist Tony Camposeo sought out to excite the crowd, and that they did. As soon as the lights dimmed, everyone rushed towards the stage to get a better look at I Prevail. I Prevail started the night off right with their heavy sound. The fast paced guitars and fierce screamed lyrics combined with melodic clean vocals energized the crowd. Audience members crowd surfed and moshed in celebration of the band’s performance. The band performed a mixture of older songs, covers, and songs from their new album Lifelines, which is set to be released October 21, 2016. The stand out moment of their set was their cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space”. That song is often seen as annoying, especially to devout listeners of the alternative scene, but the hardcore spin that I Prevail placed on the track was unique and sounded like a solid track. Their sound paired with a blaring light show, gave many Post-hardcore and Metalcore fans exactly what they wanted. The set moved quickly and left the audience wanting more.

Photo by Nahnalah_G

YouTube | Stuck In Your Head — I Prevail (Official Music Video)

Pop Punk group Neck Deep followed I Prevail. Seemingly out of place on this tour due to their lack of unclean vocals, vocalist Ben Barlow, bassist and backing vocalist Fil Thorpe-Evans, drummer Dani Washington, rhythm guitarist Matt West, and lead guitarist Sam Bowden would not let that stop them from producing a great set. Right before the set, Fil Thorpe-Evans rushed on stage to share some heartbreaking news. Due to passing of lead singer Ben Barlow’s father, Ben would not be performing during the show. Instead, crew members and singers from other bands would be singing in his place. The crowd seemed disappointed that Barlow would not be playing that night; however, they ultimately understood and were supportive of those who replaced him. First to sing was the band’s tour manager. Surprisingly enough, his voice had the same subtle rasp Barlow’s has. He also carried himself in a way similar to Barlow’s angsty attitude. The crowd helped sing along and raged on like nothing was abnormal about the show. The band’s guitar tech joined the list of singers for the group, and just like the tour manager, he did not fail to deliver a stellar performance. Also performing in place of Barlow were Neck Deep’s own Fil Thorpe-Evans, I Prevail’s Brian Burkheiser, Pat Kennedy from the band Light Years, and Pierce the Veil’s Vic Fuentes. The overwhelming support the band received in their time of need was absolutely stunning and made the show that much more enjoyable. The unity within the alternative music scene shined through that night. Other than the lack of the original lead singer of the group, Neck Deep put on the same type of performance that they always do. Anchored behind them were set pieces based on their Life’s Not Out to Get You album cover. They had a basic light show - not too flashy. While this has been the setup for most of Neck Deep’s shows and it may be time to try something new, it did not hurt the overall performance. Neck Deep persevered through their struggles and managed to put together a set that far exceeded expectations.

Photo by Nahnalah_G

YouTube | Gold Steps — Neck Deep (Official Music Video)

Headliner Pierce the Veil shook things up with their Post-hardcore music with a Latin twist. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Vic Fuentes, drummer Mike Fuentes, lead guitarist Tony Perry, and bassist Jaime Preciado celebrate their heritage and connect with fans through their songs about love and overcoming obstacles. As the crew was setting up for their set, a white sheet dropped down over the stage, and Pierce the Veil’s logo illuminated the covering. This sent the crowd into a frenzy as they anticipated the group’s arrival. Suddenly the lights went down, and the screen sporting the logo was now counting down from ten. Music began to play and the album art from Pierce the Veil’s latest album Misadventures came to life. Soon the sheet fell to the floor and the band began to play the song “Dive In” off of their new record. Unlike the band’s last tour, The Misadventures Tour, Pierce the Veil played a mix of old and new music, which was received well by the audience. In between songs, Vic paused to tell stories about the inspiration for songs. He did this before the band sang the song “Kissing in Cars”, which they had never performed on any other tour. This also occurred before the song “Hold On Till May”. Pierce the Veil also incorporated the audience into their performance. Vic selected a crowd member to come sing on stage with them during the song “Bulletproof Love”. The band included many new things to this tour. Their light show and effects were amped up. Although the smoke made things too hazy at certain points, and the lights were semi-seizure inducing, the show would not have been complete without them. The addition of new music to Pierce the Veil’s set was refreshing not only for the audience, but for the group as well. They appeared to enjoy this tour more than they have enjoyed tours in the past. There was more laughter, charm, and interactions between the band members. Pierce the Veil set out to have a good time, and it really showed. Fans were pleased by the terrific show put on.

Photo by Nahnalah_G

Vevo | Circles — Pierce the Veil

The show may not have gone according to plan, but the bands worked together to produce a quality show. The crowd was not deterred by the changes and raged just as hard, if not harder than they would have before. The balance of Post-hardcore and Pop-punk played well with the audience. The Made to Destroy Tour’s show in Phoenix was exhilarating and definitely did not disappoint.

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