a skylit drive
town ballroom
A Skylit Drive A Saving Grace at the Town Ballroom
Who: A Skylit Drive, Thursday, Underoath
Where: Town Ballroom
When: 2/11/11
I never really envisioned myself saying it, but thank goodness for A Skylit Drive (www.myspace.com/askylitdrive), at least for one night – February 11, at the Town Ballroom. They were the best all-around band on stage that night, and it could be hard to believe considering the duo of bands that took to it after ASD unplugged their amps – Thursday and Underoath. I was as excited as could be for Thursday, as it was their ‘Full Collapse’ tour, on which they would be performing their landmark Full Collapse record front to back. Thursday might have been good – I’ll never know – since their sound was so atrocious from my vantage point, sound that didn’t get much better when Underoath rounded things out for a forgettable set due to the sound problems.
On the other hand, ASD was crisp and cutting, bringing an undeniable strength to the stage via impressive songs from their latest, Identity on Fire. I personally think their new record is their best record, so I was looking forward to their set and thankfully they did not let me down. Hell, little did I know how thankful I’d be for the bands set this night. I was impressed with frontman Michael ‘Jag’ Jagmin and his ability to not only win over, but command a big crowd, but I was most impressed with the thunderous offering of drummer Cory La Quay, whose talents I apparently underestimated while listening to the band on record.
When it comes to making a good first impression, ASD could probably have not left a better one, at least to me. They have the goods when it comes to sonic swagger and stage bravado, and Ill unquestionably see them again when they roll through the Queen City, which will more than likely be this year’s edition of Warped Tour. I would like to see them in a more intimate setting – maybe something of a Mohawk Place, though I’m not sure six guys could fit on the Mohawk’s stage. Regardless, I think they’d rock the hell out of a small stage, and induce a good amount of chaos while doing so.
Labels: a skylit drive concert reviews town ballroom