blessthefall brought the violence to New York City's Webster Hall
REVIEW BY AMBER BINTLIFF
After finally returning with their first full-length album in seven years, blessthefall made their way to New York City’s Webster Hall for the Gallows Tour on September 26th. Consisting of Beau Bokan (vocals), Jared Wrath (bass/vocals), Eric Lambert (guitar/vocals) and Elliot Gruenberg (guitar), the legendary metalcore giants have become one of the most notable names in the scene. Bringing along Colorblind, Dark Divine and Miss May I as support, blessthefall proved that they are back and better than ever with this insane cross-country tour.
Colorblind was the first band of the night and to say I was excited to finally catch these guys live is an understatement. The Arizona dreamcore act put on a fantastic show, performing a mix of tracks from their brand new Who Sold You This Truth EP and their most popular hits. “Needle Eye” and “Way Out” were two definitive stand-outs of their set. Between Travis Moseley’s stellar live vocals and fans scattered throughout the crowd singing back the words, Colorblind proved to be a fun start to this lineup.
Things got a little heavier once Dark Divine took the stage and the crowd was more than ready for it. I wasn’t as familiar with the Florida hard rockers as the other bands on this bill, but I was thoroughly entertained during their entire set. They have a hauntingly captivating stage presence that leaves you unable to turn your attention away from them. They closed out their set with their latest single “Halloweentown II: Welcome Home,” which was released that same day.
Metalcore legends Miss May I left me in awe of their raw talent and ability to command the venue. Security at Webster Hall were mentally preparing for the amount of crowdsurfers that were about to come their way, which even I underestimated. Whether they were singing along on the barricade, up in the air or wrecking havoc in the gigantic mosh pit, it was so much fun watching the crowd lose their minds with each song of Miss May I’s set.
Waiting in the photo pit for blessthefall to come on stage was one of the most surreal and full circle moments of my photography career. Over a year ago, I had the opportunity to take photos of them when they were supporting Polaris on their North American Tour for one of my first few shows as a photographer ever. To return a year later, now capturing their headliner for their first album in seven years, was truly an unfathomable feeling.
The second blessthefall stepped on stage, the crowd eagerly roared from behind me. The floor of Webster Hall shook as they began their set with “mallxcore,” urging the crowd to jump and scream along WITH THEM. The energy felt throughout the room was powerful and enticing. Words fail to describe anything witnessed at a blessthefall show. Chaotic, insane and awesome don’t even accurately explain the first five minutes, let alone its entirety.
While the night was in honor of their latest album, GALLOWS, the metalcore legends played a perfect mix of their older catalog in addition to the newer tracks. “Hollow Bodies,” “Cutthroat” and “Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad” found the crowd at their most insane. Each person in that crowd was savoring every moment until the very end, indulging in watching one of the most electric acts in metalcore that have defined the genre since the 2000s.
The band “finished” the night with a killer performance of “Youngbloods” before walking off stage as the entire room chanted their name in anticipation of more. They finally emerged once again for “Wake The Dead,” bringing back the chaos for an epic encore. Everything about this song live is perfect–from Bokan’s vocals, Wrath’s guttural screams and the crowd’s undying energy in the pit.
It wouldn’t be a blessthefall show without “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted” and watching the crowd go as hard as they can one last time. Bokan jumped down to the barricade for this song, making his way to each side of the room as fans rushed towards him singing their hearts out. “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted” is one of my all-time favorite songs in a live setting like this and it was extremely cathartic to scream along with everyone around me.
If you’ve ever missed a blessthefall show in your area, I offer my sincerest apologies. The way this band carries themselves on stage and pours every ounce of energy and passion into their performance is so fun and refreshing to see. Blessthefall might officially be back, but the impact they have left on the scene never left for a second. This night at Webster Hall proved that the group continues to be one of the most intense live acts in the genre–and that this sentiment won’t change anytime soon.
The Gallows Tour continues through North America until October 10th in the band’s home state of Arizona. TICKETS AND INFORMATION FOR THE REMAINING DATES OF THE TOUR CAN BE FOUND HERE.
