When people leave a concert, they want to be moved or at least inspired. On February 13, 2017 at Joe’s Grotto, everyone in attendance to the After the Calm, Chapel, Waterparks, and Too Close To Touch show got the opportunity to get in touch with all their emotions and they left a changed person.
Local five-piece After the Calm opened up the show. With members ranging in age from their early 20s to their 30s, After the Calm played with a elevated sound that comes with experience and age, but without being stale. The band falls in more than one genre, but the essence of Pop Punk seeps through many of their songs, which appealed to the audience. Their set, although short, showed their wide range and did not disappoint the crowd. After the Calm was a great compliment to the other bands in the show.
YouTube | Waterparks and Too Close To Touch Promo – After the Calm
Although the members of the pop duo are no stranger to the music scene, Carter Hardin and Kortney Grinwis teamed up to form Chapel only recently, and they sound like they have been playing together for years. While they were setting up for their set, the audience was going stir crazy and calling out to them. They are set up like Twenty One Pilots, Grinwis on drums, and Hardin doing vocals and playing the other instruments. Even though they played over a backing track, the group is extremely talented. They played their single “Caught Up” and won the crowd over with their catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. After their set, chills set in. Chapel surprised the audience and surely gained many new fans. They claim to ‘play music their parents like’, but more than just their parents will be listening out for what comes next with Chapel.
YouTube | Caught Up — Chapel (Official Music Video)
Awsten Knight, Otto Wood, and Geoff Wigington or better known as Waterparks shook up Joe’s Grotto. Many teenage girls traveled far and wide to capture even just a glimpse of the trio. Joe’s Grotto was packed for this performance. Girls pushed their way to the stage just to be a fraction of an inch closer to the stage. As soon as the guys took the stage screams erupted from left and right. The group mostly played music from their debut full-length album Double Dare, released November 2016 via Equal Vision Records. Crowd favorites were “Made In America” and “Gloom Boys”. But they also threw in a quite a few throwback songs like “I’m a Natural Blue”. The concept of Waterparks’ new album was making sad songs that sound happy. So while they sang their poppy melancholy songs, they interspersed jokes and stories to stay true to concept. Waterparks has unimaginable stage presence, which makes them so enjoyable to watch. Waterparks is a band that was an overnight sensation, and it is not hard to see why. They know how to put on an unforgettable show.
YouTube | Royal — Waterparks (Official Music Video)
Too Close To Touch put a more serious spin on the night. The Alt/Rock five-piece was the perfect counter to Waterparks upbeat tone. The crowd thinned out after Waterparks performed, but there were plenty of dedicated fans there to see Too Close To Touch. The band played many songs of their most recent record Haven’t Been Myself. Fans were in love. But they were also in for a surprise. Too Close To Touch sang a song that the group thought they would never play live: “Eiley”. The song discusses lead singer Keaton Pierce’s feelings about his late sister. This performance got down right emotional. Hearts hang heavy and tears were willed not to fall. Too Close To Touch’s ability to channel raw emotion in to lyrics was incredible. Washing over them was a deep purple light that set the mood. It was the perfect combination. Their set was moving and an excellent way to end the night.
YouTube | Sympathy — Too Close To Touch
The rapid mood swings that this concert induced were almost too much to handle. Music can and should be fun, but should also involve a message. There was no shortage of thought provoking lyrics, and there were plenty of life lessons to go around. This tour package was skillfully put together, and it could not have been better in any way.