Atreyu & Memphis May Fire - Live In Minneapolis!

Photos and Review By Brian Underhill

St. Paul got a special treat from the guys of Another Day Dawns, Catch Your Breath, Memphis May Fire, and Atreyu on their current We Want Your Misery tour. When the doors opened at 5, the excited crowd began entering Myth Live in Maplewood, MN. Due to a few minor technical issues, the show started just after 6 p.m. The first band started with a bang; it was instant in your face Hard Rock. Another Day Dawns from Lehighton, Pennsylvania, started things off. These guys began as high school friends in 2010 and consist of vocalist Dakota Sean, guitarist Tyler Ritter, bassist Jerome Betz, and drummer Nick McGheehan. Forget Me Not was high energy with a lot of crowd engagement. They kept the Hard Rock energy going with Bitter. Their latest single, Hesitate, was another crowd-pleaser and is currently in the top 40 on the Rock charts. Overall, their stage presence was energetic, and they related well to the crowd.

Catch Your Breath was next to take the stage. They elevated the energy level in the room and kept the crowd fully engaged with every song. The Austin, TX-based band consisting of vocalist Josh, guitarist Teddy, bassist Cianan, and drummer Onell are relatable and perform with pure emotion. 21 Gun Salute was performed with meaning and clarity. They brought the same stage presence with Fade. They finished their set with their hit single, Dial Tone, teasing the crowd before hitting that first heavy note. These guys are true performers, and it shows in every song with their rawness and relatability. They are well-rehearsed and on their way up.

Memphis May Fire has been in the business for many, many years, so they are not strangers when it comes to touring. The Denton, TX band is very well rehearsed, and the lighting and sound were top-notch. The sound was thunderous and clear, as you could hear each individual back vocal. They were very interactive with the crowd. Lead vocalist Matty Mullins asked who was seeing Memphis May Fire for the first time, and the response was overwhelming. That may have surprised them because they have been around for a while. Personally, I was shocked that more people hadn’t seen them before. Now they know they have been able to reach a whole new level of fans. Matty was joined by his bandmates guitarist Kellen McGregor, bassist Cory Elder, and drummer Jake Garland. Their latest single, Misery, is heavy rock with a little rap mixed in. It shows their range and diversity; they’re not afraid to change their sound. The audience got a special surprise when Brandon Saller of Atreyu joined them on stage during Misery. It was a great collaboration. They ended their set with Blood & Water, during which Matt got the mosh pit circle going with his Hard

Rock stage presence. It was the perfect ending to their outstanding set.

With the two opening acts and co-headliner pumping the crowd up, it was time for the headlining band to take the stage. The fans were anxious with excitement and anticipation. Atreyu, from Yorba Linda, CA, consists of lead vocalist Brandon Saller, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc “Porter” McKnight, and drummer Kyle Rosa. When those guys took the stage, the floor was filled with circle pits, and the seats with cheers and screams. The energy in the room was immediately sky-high. They know how to interact with their fans, keeping them engaged with every song. They were loud and high energy when Brandon gave them the cue to sing with him a few songs in the setlist. Becoming the Bull is a song that was a promo of one of their albums where it was cut and chopped up with an arrangement where fans had to make the necessary arrangements to make it complete again. In true Atreyu style, it was intense and dynamic. They played another hit When Two Are One, and once again nailed it. Both Becoming the Bull and When Two are from their insanely popular album Lead Sails Paper Anchor. They took fans back to their earlier hits with those two songs. Brandon showed his appreciation to the fans and mentioned that they would not be here if it weren’t for them. It sounds like an old cliche, but it is true. Ex’s and Oh’s was next, and man, it seemed that this fast-paced high energy was speeding through a wire like a cat 6 hi-speed data cable. During this song, Brandon surprised the fans by going out into the circle pit and interacting with the fans and kept the fans going throughout the night; he never ran out of steam. He spent their entire set at the top of his game, filling the room with energy and feeding off that energy from the crowd. Atreyu truly put on a fantastic show; they still know how to rock after all these years.