It was a loud and kind of crazy night for metal music as Atreyu with special guests Whitechapel, He Is Legend, Tempting Fate and Santa Cruz took the stage at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, New York. This four week run is special for the diehard Atreyu fans as they are celebrating their 20th Anniversary of being a band by allowing the fans to pick the setlist, among other surprises.
Finnish hard-rock outfit Santa Cruz started off the Monday night at Mulcahy’s. They primarily played songs to support their new album entitled “Katharsis”, which delivers fist-pumping and a whole lot of energy to the crowd of about 200 people at Mulcahy’s. I see this band out of Finland continuing to do very well for themselves in the not-too-distant future.
Los Angeles’ TEMPTING FATE brought the groove and heavy hitting to Mulcahy’s. The band is currently riding a wave of success as “Running In Circles” and “SIK” were recently added to two major Spotify playlists. Their guitar work was impeccable and Tempting Fate just has that driving sound that combines metal with arena rock while serving its purpose of warming up the crowd for the next band He Is Legend.
The night’s most eccentric band known as He Is Legend came out. Schuyler Croom sounds like a total monster unleashed live. He does a great job at getting the audience engaged while having his eccentric yet wildman persona for the masses to see. The crowd went wild for songs off of “White Bat” and “few”. He Is Legend shows why they are the most versatile bands out there, they’re just as comfortable sharing a stage with GWAR as they are with Atreyu.
Whitechapel should have came with disclaimers stating that their deathcore breakdowns can easily lead to symptoms of whiplash coupled with a light show that can cause people to get seizures. Whitechapel does not mess around as a live band and it’s plain to see why they’re at the top of the deathcore food chain, with their intense breakdowns and Phil Bozeman just executing maximum power in his vocals. They definitely got the crowd amped up for Atreyu.
Atreyu was the band that everyone came to see. The crowd starting singing along to “The Time Is Now”, which has been on the shortlist of rock anthems for the year. You hear that song everywhere as it resonates with rock fans and sports fans alike. Alex Varkatzas absolutely owned it when not only came to his screams, but his clean vocals as well. Brandon Saller has an impressive vocal range, especially when he’s behind the kit. I’ve never understood how a drummer can sing melodies while knowing their drum fills and progressions at the same time. I know if I tried that, my timing would be way off. Atreyu didn’t waste any time after “The Time Is Now”, as they went into their instant classic “Right Side of the Bed”. Waves of nostalgia hit the crowd as Brandon Saller and Alex crooned the song to the 200 plus audience at Mulcahy’s.
Dan Jacobs brought the charisma and his guitar attack to the band along with Travis Miguel. Dan definitely helps carry the show with his noodling and his on-stage antics. Plus he always wears cool bandanas that look like it came from The Karate Kid movie in the 1980’s. The set list was perfect as it had tracks from their first two records “Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses” and “The Curse”, while playing the familiar tracks off of “Death Grip on Yesterday” and “Lead Sails Paper Anchor”. After the last two songs, “Untitled Finale” and “Lip Gloss and Black”. Atreyu surprised the audience by playing an acoustic track outside entitled “When Two Are One”, making it a memorable way to close out the intimate evening with Atreyu. Here is the setlist below:
- The Time Is Now
- Right Side of the Bed
- Ain’t Love Grand
- Doomsday
- My Fork In The Road (Your Knife In The Back)
- Ex’s And Oh’s
- Our Sick Story (Thus Far)
- The Theft
- Bleeding Mascara
- Demonology and Heartache
- The Crimson
- Her Portrait In Black
- Bleeding Is A Luxury
- House of Gold
- Becoming The Bull
- Falling Down
- Blow
- Five Vicodin Chased with a Shot of Clarity
- Untitled Finale
- Lip Gloss and Block
- When Two Are One
There are still some dates left on the “20th Anniversary” tour featuring Atreyu with special guests Whitechapel, He Is Legend, Tempting Fate and Santa Cruz. Check out the dates below:
Sun. 11/10- The Rave/Eagles Club Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mon. 11/11- The Ready Room in St. Louis, Missouri
Wed. 11/13- Sunshine Studios Live in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Thu. 11/14- The Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah
Fri. 11/15- Senator Theatre in Chico, California
Sat. 11/16- Cargo: Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno, Nevada
Mon. 11/18- The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California
Tue. 11/19- The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, California
Wed. 11/20- Ventura Theatre in Ventura, California
For tickets and further information on any of the gigs listed above, click here.
Fans can find ATREYU at the following locations:
