A Day to Remember with Can’t Swim, I Prevail, and Beartooth
Big Sandy Superstore Arena
Huntington, West Virginia
November 17, 2019
Review by James Stamper.
The Degenerates Tour featuring A Day to Remember with Can’t Swim, Beartooth and I Prevail made a stop at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington West Virginia. My oh my, Huntington was not prepared for what was about to happen!! I must note this was one of the most exciting crowds I have ever witnessed at a concert! The energy felt from that arena that night was unreal! I knew in my mind when this got started, the roof was coming off. With that being said, let’s get more into the bands and the show itself.
First on the bill was Can’t Swim from Keansburg, New Jersey. This band rocked my ears from the start! They have a very old school thrash metal sound along with some elements of melodic and groove metal. Even some hints of Death Metal, being overall an accelerated powerhouse! The team of Chris Loporto (vocals), Mike Sanchez (guitar), Danny Rico (guitar), Greg McDevitt (bass) and Michael Sichel (drums) do not disappoint! Especially live!! Can’t Swim hit the stage having the crowd roaring with songs such as Filthy Rich, Prick and Power. 100% a fan after watching this splendid performance! They have a new EP, Foreign Language. I highly recommend that you pick yourself up a copy. From start to finish, you receive nothing but pure heavy metal making you want to bang your head while driving 100+ on the highway!
Up next was Beartooth from Columbus, Ohio. My gosh!! This was my first time seeing Beartooth and after a spectacular performance, it will not be my last!! In all honesty, I was expecting them to be rocking and have a tremendous sound, but they carried my expectations to a higher level! Performing songs such as Bad Listener, Disease and You Never Know, I was astounded! Beartooth has a unique sound. The way I would describe it is hardcore punk blended with death metal with some sprinkles of melodic metal. These guys were aggressively loud with maximum energy, becoming one of my favorite bands on this bill! Beartooth consists of Caleb Shomo (lead vocals), Zach Huston (lead guitar), Kamron Bradbury (rhythm guitar), Oshie Bichar (bass) and Conner Denis (drums), being one of the tightest bands I have seen in concert. If you have not checked out their album Disease, drop what you’re doing right now and listen to it! A phenomenal album from start to finish!
Third was I Prevail from Southfield, Michigan. I really loved to watch their performance live! Talk about keeping a crowd fueled! They made sure mosh pits were happening on the floor and whenever they would start a song, singers Brian Burkheiser and Eric Vanlerberghe made sure the crowd was screaming to the top of their lungs! I Prevail is metalcore with some mixes of Death Metal and Melodic Metal. The way they mix these elements is beyond amazing. Heavy guitar riffs from Steve Menoian (also plays bass in the studio) and Dylan Bowman, heart-thumping drums from Gabe Helguera and then the amazing vocals from Brian Burkheiser and Eric Vanlerberghe! One thing I want to point out is the sporadic energy of this band. From being in constant motion all over the stage to the deepness of their music, it’s so mind-blowing to watch live! They have a new album out called Trauma. Be sure you check this album out. It’s killer!
Now, it was time for the main attraction. The band everyone had been anxiously awaiting. They are called A Day to Remember from Ocala, Florida. When they came out on stage, the whole place erupted! A Day to Remember piqued my interest with songs such as The Downfall of Us All, All I Want and Paranoia. Their sound is well mixed with metalcore, punk and groove metal. These guys are not afraid to experiment with their music. At this show, they had a distinctive stage setting. There were ramps that led up where the drums were sitting and a big open space for all the band to move around. I think stage settings add on to the performance because while listening to this astonishing music, you also get a theatrical feel and it just adds to their greatness. A Day to Remember consists of Jeremy McKinnon (vocals), Kevin Skaff (lead guitar), Neil Westfall (rhythm guitar), Joshua Woodard (bass), and Alex Shelnutt (drums).
In conclusion, each band put on a breathtaking show. Huntington was rocked like a ship in choppy waters! One of the best tours I have attended this year!
All photos by Tom Biggs at TRB Photography LLC
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