Show Review

Thrice was finally coming again to Colorado, and their sold-out show at Bleu 32, an intimate club-like venue in Colorado Springs was excellent. For some reason some kids standing outside the door were acting like bouncers practically, preventing entry to many of us who had tickets; so I missed Letterkills. A real disappointment, as I was interested to see their live act, but there was really nothing one could do.

One Dying Wish was on the stage when I walked in, playing a style akin to A Static Lullaby (a screamer and singer) which was pretty solid. Lots of people seemed to enjoy their set, me included, as the blend of singing and growlage was appropriate and there were plenty of conveinent dropoffs and punchy guitars to get the crowd moving.

It was about my fourth time seeing Laymen Terms and as this was their hometown show the crowd was as in-to them as they had ever been. Their initial songs were mid-tempo and with a certain amount of controlled energy and style, making them somewhat enjoyable. But as their set progressed and the began to play their older material, which was faster and less organized, the singer's less-than-average vocals couldn't save the music from being sub-par and boring. The band's lack of energy in movement was obvious and predictable. The guitarist did some great soloing that sounded almost out of style and while it was obvious he knew what he was doing, Laymen Terms sounded like an average local band.

At last, Thrice took the stage, opening with "Betrayal Is A Symptom." The crowd was going insane, as expected; it had been about 8 months since the band had visited Colorado on the Warped Tour. Anyways, the band plummeted through songs like "Kill Me Quickly," "See You In The Shallows," "Where Idols Once Stood," and even "Trust," the slowest quietest song on The Illusion Of Safety. Their guitarist was once again amazing, with his unbeatable riffage, and the singer was really professional. They even performed some older material, like "Identity Crisis" and their compilation song "Hideous Strength." While I wanted to hear "Eleanor Rigby," their Beatles cover, I really can't complain at all about Thrice's set. Compellingly accurate, especially for their complex music, Thrice once again pleased me and didn't cease to please anyone in the crowd, except maybe the kids who were asking for "Phoenix Ignition." Their new songs sounded brilliant, and very akin to the songs on The Illusion Of Safety. They played one I missed the title for, and two others: "All That's Left" and "Under The Killing Moon."

In any case, Thrice is a band you need to see live, with extraordinary energy and talent. This show met all my expectations, as Thrice's pummeling emotion couldn't stop anyone from liking their style.

review by Andrew Martin