Fully Down, I Am The Avalanche, Punchline – Live (December 15th, 2005)

On Thursday, December 15^th, I had the pleasure of seeing Punchline, I Am The Avalanche, and The Fully Down, who were all opening for Halifax. Although I didn’t get a chance to stay for the headlining band, I was able to watch a great show with the first three bands. This was my first time seeing both I Am The Avalanche and The Fully Down. It was my second time seeing Punchline, and I knew they would put on a fun show. They always do.  

At about 7 o’clock, The Fully Down took the stage. The band hails from Canada, and it shows. They had a great sense of humor and really appreciated their crowd. On top of that, the band brought handfuls of energy to share with each and every person watching them play. The Fully Down is made up of three shredding guitarists, a bassist, a lone vocalist, and a drummer. They have been described as “Iron Maiden meets Thrice”. The band holds a strong bond when on stage with each member working off of each other’s energy. I had never heard music from this band before, but I was very impressed with what I heard and saw. The guys played solid, catchy music with each song in the set. Their guitarist even jumped in the crowd and started a moshpit, all the while still playing the song on his instrument.Myself along with many other members of the crowd left the show with much interest in The Fully Down. If this band keeps up with what they’re doing now, they will get popular quite soon. The band’s new album. Don’t Get Lost In A Movement, is available now from Fearless Records.

I Am The Avalanche was up next to play. Vinnie, proudly wearing a John Beatz (RIP) t-shirt, took the stage with his band mates. I believe that this was the first time Vinnie had played a Minnesota show in over 2 years, seeing as how the last time he was here was with his previous band, The Movielife, in early 2003. One thing that Vinnie didn’t leave behind with his old band was his amazing stage presence. I strongly believe that he is one of the best front men in music today. But let’s not forget about the rest of the band, who played a surprisingly great set. The band played all of their best songs, including “Symphony” (which Vinnie personally dedicated to John Beatz), “Dead and Gone”, “Took a Beating”, “New Disaster”, “This Is Dungeon Music”, “My Second Restraining Order”, and more. They tore up the stage, having as much with the music as they possibly could. Vinnie even took dives and performed front-flips into the crowd! Yes, I Am The Avalanche did not fail to impress the kids. The band plays great music and performs it extremely well when on stage. If you haven’t heard their music yet, do yourself a favor and check them out now, especially if you were a fan of The Movielife. Their self-titled full length is available now via Drive-Thru Records.

And now the moment I was waiting for, the time for Punchline to play. Before I tell you about their show, I should let you know that I love this band and everything they do. They made one of my favorite albums of all time and I believe that everything they touch turns to gold. With that said, I was quite excited to watch them perform again. It had been a year since the last time I saw them, with Bayside andHawthorne Heights. That concert turned me on to Punchline and led me to buy their album, Action. I immediately fell in love with it, and I still listen to it nearly every day.

The guys stepped onto the stage at around 8:30. They opened with one of their fastest songs, “Not Afraid”. Within seconds, the crowd was moving to Punchline’s tunes. The band traded vocals among all of their 3 front-men – Steve, Chris, and a stand-in for Greg Wood, who was on vacation at the time. Dual-vocals are one of Punchline’s main strategies in music, and it works well for them. The band went on to play other songs such as “Open Up”, “The World”, “Just Getting Started”, “Battlescars”, “Getting There Is Getting By”, and “Coldest Of Calenders”, which Steve played by himself with his guitar. The guys put forth a full effort with each and every song, all the while not forgetting to keep in touch with the crowd through communication. They had us clapping, singing along, and even snapping our fingers to the music. While watching Punchline’s set, I remembered why I love the band so much. This band holds some of the greatest guys in music. Also, they play some of the catchiest music I have ever heard. They played a great set, and I am strongly urging you to give this band a chance if you haven’t already. It is beyond me as to why they aren’t as big as bands like Fall Out Boy, because they should be. The next time Punchline comes to your town (which should be soon), go see them. If you like fun and catchy Pop-Punk that doesn’t sound like every other generic band in the scene, then give Punchline a shot. Their album Action is currently available through Fueled By Ramen Records, and their upcoming album will be coming out this spring. Pick it up and go see them on their upcoming tour with Bayside, I know I will.