The last time I made the trek into Dinkytown for a show at the Varsity Theater, there was over a foot of snow on the ground and I was greeted by a lob line of teenagers anxiously awaiting an evening with 5 Seconds of Summer. This time, the weather was inviting, and I found myself on a relaxing and sunlight stroll in Minneapolis to cover a band that I’ve seen numerous times over the last few years: Memphis May Fire.
The first band to take the stage was local Minneapolis based rock band VIA, another Minnesota band I had never heard of before tonight. While I’m sure I wasn’t the only one in the crowd that was experiencing VIA for the first time, their sound was catchy, radio friendly rock that I found myself tapping along to. The four piece never seemed to slow down, their set going by in what felt like a few short minutes, the band bringing the energy from start to finish.
Fire From The Gods made a stop in Minneapolis a few months ago, opening up for Of Mice & Men at Music Hall Minneapolis. One of the things I remember most from this five piece is the brutal sound and stage presence the band brings on stage. Fire From The Gods was able to get the crowd moving, starting circle pits and moshing to the beat of their music. This was only my second time seeing this band but their live performance has me hooked and ready for their next stop in Minnesota.
Next up was Arizona based metalcore band The Word Alive. The last time I saw this band was at The Myth last fall, and I was excited to see them in a more intimate setting in a smaller venue. From the moment the band took the stage, the crowd was one hundred percent into their set, singing along and interacting with the band as much as the band interacted with them. In the more intimate setting, their music felt bigger and louder than the room could contain. Complete with a cover “Crawling” to end their set, The Word Alive put on a fast paced performance that ended all too quickly, a theme of the evening.
Finally, it was time for the headliners of the night to take the stage. Memphis May Fire, currently out on the road supporting Sevendust, is playing one off headlining shows on off dates. The moment the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, the crowd was enraptured with the band’s performance, with constant mosh pits, crowd surfing, and singing along to each word. Even with Varsity not packed in tight, seeing a band of the caliber of Memphis May Fire in front of a smaller crowd felt insanely intimate and special. Playing a solid range of songs spanning the course of their discography, Memphis May Fire headlined a lovely and engaging set.
