Anberlin at Revolution

Feb 22, 2013 by Ashleigh Ahern

Anberlin @ Revolution

February 18

Photos and review by Ashleigh Ahern

 

In support of their sixth studio album, Vital, Anberlin has hit the road once again and decided to stop in Ft. Lauderdale on their second day. While I still have fond memories of Anberlin back when I was in middle school, the band has since grown past the days of the popular emo haircut, both with a matured look and sound.

 

Starting off the night were the boys of All Get Out. With a nearly-absent crowd, the performance felt rather intimate, yet maintained a liveliness that could have easily been forgotten by a discouraged band. Making the performance feel a bit more private, lead singer, Nathan Hussey, stepped away from his band and sang at the edge of the stage, with minimal instrumentals and without a mic. While the crowd seemed to be unfazed and ready for the next band, their performance was one to be remembered.

Next up were the Nashville natives of Paper Route. While the crowd was still fairly small, there was a drastic change in their reaction. With their catchy synthpop music, the crowd was quickly entranced, putting the show into motion. Rather than simply being in attendance, there was actual participation, along with swaying/dancing, applauding, and singing. By the end of their set, the crowd was awake and pumping, ready for the main act.

Closing off the night was the band everyone had been waiting for: Anberlin. Though the crowd hadn’t grown much since the beginning of the show, fans didn’t disappoint, nor did the band. It was obvious that, whether the audience was 10 or 1000 people, Anberlin was there to play their hearts out, and that’s just what they did. Ignoring the terrible lighting and incessant flashing of the strobes, Anberlin ripped through old and new songs, pleasing all fans in one way or another. Reaching back to 2005 with Paperthin Hymn and Feel Good Drag, and bringing us through to the present with Little Tyrants and Other Side, fans were pleased in one way or another. When the band left the stage, they were met with a small roar of “one more song,” clearly expected to play more. Taking the stage once more, they blasted through the popular and appropriately titled (Fin*), giving the crowd everything they had for the night.