Taste of Chaos

Apr 23, 2009 by Katie Condon

I typically kick off reviews with the show time and how long the line was, but all that mattered at the Rockstar Taste of Chaos was that I was in the pit and that I wasn’t going anywhere.

Revolution was packed for a Wednesday night with a not-so-diverse crowd who only differed from one another by the color of their American Apparel sweaters.

West Palm Beach natives Back to the Party opened the show. Their name does not lie — they really did bring the party to Ft. Lauderdale with songs like “Chase” and “Freezing” from their 2008 self-released EP, Five Can Play. With their ready-to-show-the-world stage presence and steady beats, they opened the first circle pit of the night, which refused to close until the last person looking for their shoes after the show went home.

Most were accepting to all genres presented at the show. The four man band, Cancer Bats, walked out on stage with a metal mentality. They pillaged through songs such as “Deathsmarch” and “Lucifer’s Rocking Chair” from their latest album, Hail Destroyer. Defined guitar squeals and harsh vocals left the audience with eternal ear damage.

The ambiance went from darkness to neon when Pierce the Veil’s florescent green and orange guitars lit up the stage. Fans sang along to upbeat songs like “Currents Convulsive” and “Yeah Boy and Doll Face,” while Pierce the Veil virgins were entertained by covers of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” andMichael Jackson’s “Beat it.”

Four Year Strong (their name says it all) opened with “Prepare to be Digitally Manipulated” from their 2007 album, Rise or Die Trying. They flowed through fan favorites such as “Catastrophe” and “Bada Bing! Wit’ a Pipe!” Although they gave the audience their strongest vocals, the crowd didn’t get the memo thatFYS songs require crowd participation for gang vocals. However, shoes still flew and circles widened. Synth player and backup vocalist Josh Lyford climbed across the room and dangled from the guard rails to get more intimate with the crowd for the closing song, “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die.”

By now, not even the strongest detergent could remove the stench from the crowd’s clothes. As delicious as that sounds, I caught up with an old friend I met a year ago at a FYS show. Lesson learned: good music and a sweaty crowd brings friends together.

When I thought the audience had nothing left, the floor flooded with teens welcoming England’s Bring Me the Horizon. There were mass movements of heads literally banging. The crowd acted as backup vocals for “Chelsea Smile” and “Diamonds Aren’t Forever.”

After four bands, some ditched early to go drinking — it was St. Patrick’s Day after all. However, some fans stuck around to see veterans Thursday. The band, in support of their 2009 album, Common Existence, fed off the crowd’s energy. Thursday satisfied the crowd with new songs such as “Resuscitation of a Dead Man” and old-school tunes like “Paris in Flames.”

South Florida definitely got a sweet “Taste of Chaos” and cannot wait for its next dose.

 

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Review by Katie Condon
Photos by Michelle Feingold