The Michigan metalcore of I Prevail was on full display this past Wednesday night as the band brought their Trauma Tour to the Fillmore Charlotte for a jam packed night of music. The band first gained notoriety back in 2014 with their cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” which was quickly followed by two singles off their debut EP “Heart vs. Mind.” Relentless touring followed and things really began to take off with their full length 2016 album “Lifelines,” which made I Prevail a band that was fast becoming a household name. The band continued to play live every chance they got quickly becoming a fan favorite on Vans Warped Tour and playing Australia’s huge Download Festival. Their latest album “Trauma” was released earlier this year to much critical and fan acclaim and the band is currently doing a headlining run here in the States, including their recent stop here in the Queen City.
Kicking things off was the incomparable style of Justin Stone who has made a name for himself with over 6o million streams on Spotify in an independent effort. Stone hit the stage with a charisma and personality that was larger than life and the fans that were already packed into the venue gave him an appreciative welcome. His vibe was more of a rap or hip-hop show as he danced and jumped across the stage. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting but in this case that was a good thing as it brought a different dimension of sound to the tour. In any case, I think we will be seeing a lot more of Justin Stone in the future.
Up next were Atlanta rockers Issues. Years ago, my son first brought this band to my attention and I have been enjoying them ever since. Issues is a blend of metal, pop, and even a little rhythm and blues and they are not afraid to take chances and really step out of their comfort zone. Their live show is always off the hook and tonight was no exception . The band continually interacted with the fans urging them on and shouting for a circle pit up front. The clean vocals of Tyler Carter were on point and bass guitarist Skyler Acord put on one hell of a show, jumping, spinning, and doing splits all without missing a beat. If you’ve never seen Issues perform, get to a show stat. You’ll be glad you did.
The venue lights weren’t on long before the mosh pit signs came out in anticipation of I Prevail’s set. By this time of the night, the audience was whipped up into a frenzy and they were ready and eager to get things started. There was some kind of a disagreement going on in the center of the pit area as fans were waiting. I couldn’t see exactly what happened but security and police were on point and fans were pointing out the trouble maker before launching into the “Hey, Hey’, Goodbye” lyrics upon his removal. It’s very rare to see any kind of problems, but security, and venue staff worked perfectly to control the situation and keep everything rolling smoothly. As the lights dimmed, the venue erupted and the LED screen behind the drum kit lit up. The lights began to flash on and off and the band ran out kicking things off with “Bow Down.” From that point on, it was non-stop action with blistering leads and the dichotomy of clean and unclean vocals raising the game to new heights. The crowd was in full “go” mode as they surfed to the barricade, formed circle pits, and lit up the venue with their cellphones throughout the evening. The band sounded great and it was good to hear Brian Burkheiser suffering no long term effects from his vocal cord injury several years ago. The setlist was full of songs off the new album with eleven songs off the “Trauma” album with of course a few fan must haves sprinkled in. Although, i have seen I Prevail several times, this was my first time experiencing them headlining a show of their own and they brought every ounce of energy and life-force to the venue, sharing it with the audience which made for an experience that nobody will soon forget. If you get the chance, check out the Trauma Tour when it rolls into your city and experience it for yourself.
I Prevail Setlist:
Bow Down
Scars
Rise Above It
Gasoline
Hurricane
Lifelines
Stuck In Your Head
Face Your Demons
Deadweight
Goodbye (interlude)
Paranoid
Low
Every Time You Leave
DOA
Encore:
Breaking Down
Come and Get It
W would like to thank Amy Sciaretto from Atom Splitter PR for the credentials to review the show.
