State Champs made Nashville fans dance all night long, in neon cowboy hats, emos united for one night and one night only.
This was the first date of the tour which is always intriguing to see. Pure Noise Records Tour 2021’s lineup includes State Champs, Four Year Strong, Real Friends, Just Friends, and Bearings.
The venue of the night was Brooklyn Bowl. It is a very unique venue in the sense that you are able to go to a concert, but you can also do a round or two of bowling while watching the show. The venue takes Covid restrictions very seriously and you will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within the past 72 hours. If you are vaccinated you will receive a cute little stamp that looks similar to a virus emoji.
The crowd was chattering excitedly, some were talking amongst themselves about how the Pure Noise Records Tour 2021 is their first concert that they are attending since Covid hit. Some had already purchased merch and were proudly wearing it, others were hanging out at the bar where the beer is flowing. The smell of beer and sweat had already coated the air which added to the anticipation before the show.
The first opener of the night was Bearings, which is a newer band to the pop-punk scene. Whispers around the crowd compared singer Dougie Cousins’ raspy voice to the band Belmont and The Story So Far. Their stage presence wasn’t fully there, but their energy was through the roof and warmed up the crowd. When they performed the song “Eyes Closed,” it was recognized by the crowd and the jamming truly started the night. Bearings definitely opened the night on a good note.
Next up was Just Friends, who excitedly announced that this is their first show back in one year, six months, and one day. Singer Sam Klass was teary-eyed from announcing it, but he quickly recovered proving to be the best “hype man” of the night. He did it all to get the crowd going, and oh boy, he succeeded. Brianda Goyos León wore a jaw-dropping outfit and her rapping and singing blew everyone away. They played a never-released before song and the crowd went wild. They ended their set with the new song “Sunflower” and it was absolutely wonderful, but unfortunately, the electric guitar was a little too loud and masked Sam Klass’ voice. The third band of the night was Real Friends. Instantly, the mood inside the venue changed from super hyped to rather emotional. They started with the song “Nervous Wreck” and already in the front row there was a sprinkling of tears. The connection with new singer Cody Muraro and the crowd was great. He seems to be a perfect fit in Real Friends. Once the intro to “I’ve Given Up On You” started, there were instant goosebumps in the crowd. It was a breathtaking moment. As they finish up with “From the Outside” not a single person was standing still. The second to last, it was Four Year Strong’s turn. The older generation throughout the crowd knew every single word to their songs. Every single one of their songs is a classic at this point. Frontmen Alan Day and Joe Weiss were going hard, and it’s obvious they still love touring after all these years. The first big circle pit of the night broke out, the audience went crazy and it made it feel like the concert was sold out. Once headliners State Champs hit the stage, the crowd came to the stage like a tsunami. The vibes in the air were like the crowd was seeing their last concert of their life. They played a great mix of older songs and newer songs. There was a ton of crowd surfing, the security struggled to catch everyone which didn’t go unnoticed by the band as singer Derek DiScanio quickly addressed a fan who seemingly got hurt. It was nice to see a band that thoroughly cares about their fans. They played their cover of Shawn Mendes’ “Stitches” from Punk Goes Pop Vol 7, and it was fantastic live. The Nashville show was their first show back on US soil since Covid. Overall, the night was phenomenal and full of hits and new songs. The ardor of the crowd was explosive. This tour is one of a kind, and shouldn’t be missed.STATE CHAMPS
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FOUR YEAR STRONG
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REAL FRIENDS
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JUST FRIENDS
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