Tag Archives: AFI

The Original Misfits Are Back: A Summer of Limited Legendary Shows with Special Guests

Rock fans, brace yourselves for the ultimate summer plan. The Original Misfits are coming to set the stage on fire with not just one but three epic shows. The band will be joined by other legendary bands such as Megadeth, AFI, The Gaslight Anthem, and Fear

June 24th will see the band kickstart the tour with a bang at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, Florida. Supported by Megadeth and Fear, this is going to be one wild night of music that you cannot afford to miss.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, will host the band along with The Gaslight Anthem and Fear on July 8th. If you are in the area, you definitely don’t want to miss this one. 

Last but certainly not least, Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, Arizona, will be the final destination for The Original Misfits tour. The band is set to make their final appearance alongside AFI and Fear on July 15th, ending the summer tour with a bang. 

The Original Misfits have had a long-standing legacy since their formation in 1977. After a long hiatus, the reunion of the original members, Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only, has been a long-awaited event for fans. Their chemistry on stage is unparalleled, and the mix of old favorites and new tracks is sure to satisfy the cravings of long-time devotees as well as new fans. 

With an incredible line-up featuring some of the biggest names in the rock music industry, this is not a tour to miss. From the classic punk rock feel of The Original Misfits to the heavy metal hits of Megadeth, the pop-punk melody of The Gaslight Anthem, to the dark and gothic sound of AFI, this is going to be a musical extravaganza unlike any other. So, get your tickets, grab your friends, and get ready to chant along to the iconic lyrics of The Original Misfits. This is going to be a summer to remember.

REVIEW: AFI “Bodies Tour 2022” Lights Up & Sells Out Marquee Theatre (10-28-22)

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Tempe, AZ — Marquee Theatre hosted a sellout crowd for the return of AFI to the valley for the first time since their February 2017 sold out show at the same venue. The AFI “Bodies Tour 2022” stopped in this college town following a short COVID postponement, and included opener Drab Majesty with their unique ethereal sound to excite the fanbase. Known for high-energy live performances, AFI had their loyal followers fist-pumping and singing every song word-for-word. It was a memorable show to be sure and well worth the wait. 

Drab Majesty

Drab Majesty
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Playing in low-light with some dramatic smoke, Drab Majesty took the stage with their purposefully androgynous uniform look. The two-piece band sported white shirts with gray jackets, white face paint and black goggles, with matching white choppy hair. They had a synth-heavy sound with monotonous vocals, inciting memories of 80’s bands like The Smiths or Spandau Ballet. One fan was overheard comparing them to Joy Division, and they are not wrong. With choruses repeating lyrics like, “When you were dead, I took you by your head” from their song “Cold Soul”, they add a dark edginess to their seven-song set. 

Deb DeMure (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), Drab Majesty
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The “darkwave” band was formed in 2011 in Los Angeles, California by Andrew Clinco – aka Deb DeMure – who currently provides vocals, guitar, and percussion for Drab Majesty. DeMure previously worked for the group Marriages as a drummer from late 2012 until 2017 when the band apparently broke. He is joined onstage by keyboardist and vocalist Alex Nicolaou – aka Mona D – who joined Drab Majesty in 2016.

Mona D (Keyboardist, Vocalist), Drab Majesty
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Their record label, Dais Records, claims “DeMure insists that the inspiration for the songs is received from an other-worldly source that Deb is merely a vessel through which outside ideas flow inward”. The duo have 3 albums on the label: Careless (2015), The Demonstration (2017) and Modern Mirror (2019). They have previously toured with The Smashing Pumpkins. 

A Fire Inside

Setlist

AFI (A Fire Inside)
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

AFI is touring in support of their 2021 Bodies album, bringing “A Fire Inside” to Arizona, and what a show it was! The burgeoning crowd lit up from the first note of “Girls Not Grey,” from the 2003 album Sing the Sorrow. Frontman Davey Havok immediately climbed on a riser situated on the front of the stage, wearing a brass-studded vest with “Death of the Party” on the back, and the room exploded with energy. Havoc ran from one side of the stage to the other, and leaned precariously forward from the stage while singing directly to fans. When he wasn’t jumping from the riser, or swinging his microphone stand, he was belting out hit after hit from the AFI discography.  

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Onstage was Havok, along with original drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, with Hunter Burgan on bass, backing vocals and keyboards, and Jade Puget also provided backing vocals and on the keys. Their 18 song set was not shy of hits, including an intense version “Escape From Los Angeles” from 2021’s Bodies album, a super-sultry version of “The Boy Who Destroyed the World” from the All Hallows EP, and an encore including: “Third Season” from Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and “Silver and Cold” from Sing the Sorrow (2003). Notably missing from the setlist, however, was “Miss Murder”, from 2006’s Decemberunderground album. 

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Havoc knows how to connect to people and there’s a palpable love that’s reciprocated. While singing “I Hope You Suffer” from Burials (2013), he trusted the fans to support him as he walked across the crowd. You read that right. In some sort of biblical walk-on-water feat, he used outstretched palms to walk into the crowd about 10 deep. A feat to behold, to be sure, and a bit of a surprise to the Marquee’s bewildered security. Perhaps they underestimated the crowd, who would never, ever let him fall. Havoc is an icon, and AFI is in their bloodstream. 

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

AFI moved on to the “When We Were Young Festival” in Las Vegas the next day, leaving Arizona fans fulfilled, for now. This show has left a mark on the band’s devotees. Sometimes watching a crowd enjoy a show is as exciting as the show itself, and this is one of those times. AFI just brings it.

Photo Gallery

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

AFI & Drab Majesty – Marquee Theatre 10-28-22

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

When We Were Young Adds Third Date To Highly Anticipated Festival

PRESALE STARTS MONDAY, JAN. 31 AT 10AM PT FOR FANS WHO SIGN UP FOR EARLY ACCESS TO PASSES ONLINE AT WHENWEWEREYOUNGFESTIVAL.COM

The When We Were Young Festival has announced a third date has been added to the highly anticipated fest, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

The festival will feature the same lineup on all three dates, with the exception of Alex G replacing Wolf Alice on Saturday, October 29th and La Dispute will not be performing on the newly added date.

The full lineup for October 29th includes:

My Chemical Romance, Paramore, AFI, The Used, Bring Me The Horizon, Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional, Alkaline Trio, Manchester Orchestra,  A Day To Remember, Pierce The Veil, I Prevail, The Story So Far, Dance Gavin Dance, The All American Rejects, Boys Like Girls, Car Seat Headrest, Sleeping With Sirens, Knocked Loose, JXDN, Avril Lavigne, Motionless in White, Black Veil Brides, Ice Nine Kills, Senses Fail, Bayside, Mom Jeans, Mayday Parade, The Maine, Neck Deep, Silverstein, Palaye Royale, Bright Eyes, Poppy, Nessa Barrett, Wolf Alice, Acceptance, Story of the Year, Atreyu, PVRIS, Saosin, Glassjaw, Lilhuddy, TV Girl, The Starting Line, Thursday, Anberlin, Jimmy Eat World, 3OH!3, State Champs, Four Year Strong, We The Kings, The Wonder Years, Royal & The Serpent, The Ready Set, Kittie, Hawthorne Heights, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Garden, Horrorpops, Meet Me At The Altar, The Linda Lindas, Prentiss and Alex G.  

There will be a presale beginning Monday, Jan. 31 at 10am PT for fans who sign up for early access to passes online at WhenWeWereYoungFestival.com. Following the presale, any remaining tickets still available will go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, Jan. 31 at 2 pm PT. 

General Admission tickets start at $224.99, GA+ tickets start at $399.99 and VIP tickets start at $499.99. VIP cabanas will also be available to purchase for guests 21 years of age and older. 

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“When We Were Young” Emo Music Festival Sells Out, Adds Second DatE

Due to overwhelming demand, a second date has been added to the When We Were Young Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. Tickets for the new date are on sale now.

The festival will run the majority of the day, from 11am to 12am. There will be multiple stages of varying sizes placed around the festival grounds with several bands performing at the same time. The length of set times will vary. Opening acts will have shorter set lengths while headlining performances can range up to an hour or more. 

Full lineup details including set times and performances by stage will be released closer to the festival. 

The festival will feature the same lineup on both dates, which includes:

  • My Chemical Romance
  • Paramore
  • AFI
  • The Used
  • Bring Me The Horizon
  • Taking Back Sunday
  • Dashboard Confessional
  • Alkaline Trio
  • Manchester Orchestra
  • A Day To Remember
  • Pierce The Veil
  • I Prevail
  • The Story So Far
  • Dance Gavin Dance
  • The All-American Rejects
  • Boys Like Girls
  • Car Seat Headrest
  • Sleeping With Sirens
  • Knocked Loose
  • JXDN
  • Avril Lavigne
  • Motionless in White
  • Black Veil Brides
  • Ice Nine Kills
  • Senses Fail
  • Bayside
  • Mom Jeans
  • Mayday Parade
  • The Maine
  • Neck Deep
  • Silverstein
  • Palaye Royale
  • Bright Eyes
  • Poppy
  • Nessa Barrett
  • Wolf Alice
  • Acceptance
  • Story of the Year
  • Atreyu
  • PVRIS
  • Saosin
  • Glassjaw
  • Lilhuddy
  • TV Girl
  • The Starting Line
  • Thursday
  • Anberlin
  • Jimmy Eat World
  • 3OH!3
  • State Champs
  • Four Year Strong
  • We The Kings
  • The Wonder Years
  • Royal & The Serpent
  • The Ready Set
  • Kittie
  • Hawthorne Heights
  • The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
  • The Garden
  • Horrorpops
  • Meet Me At The Altar
  • The Linda Lindas
  • Prentiss

General Admission tickets start at $224.99, GA+ tickets start at $399.99 and VIP tickets start at $499.99. VIP cabanas will also be available to purchase for guests 21 years of age and older. 

When We Were Young lineup - Sold Out

What health & safety protocols will be implemented for the festival?

The safety of fans, artists and staff is thoroughly planned for among event organizers and in coordination with local authorities.

They will follow all guidelines as set forth by the city of Las Vegas and state of Nevada at the time of the festival. Preventative health measures (e.g. proof of negative COVID-19 test or full COVID-19 vaccination, etc.) may be required for this show. Details of any necessary measures will be communicated as early as possible and will be shared on the event/venue website and social media channels.


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RECAP: The Second Twitch Goes Emo (05-08-21)

Yesterday, the second Twitch Goes Emo musician streamer festival was held on the Twitch platform. In celebration of primarily early 2000’s emo and pop punk music, the line-up included artists from all over the world: Kintsuku, SabySpark, Sayanoe (dropped out), TylerLevsMusic, GabiStreams, JordinLaine, CERIANmusic, JulienBelhumeur, Andrewcore, AnnaCarmela, ClosureClub, and JonLiMusic.

The first Twitch Goes Emo took place on December 5th, 2020 and featured many of the same artists, as well as MattWaldenAC and Annelle:

Twitch Goes Emo 2020 line-up

1. Kintsuku

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Ellie, who goes by the alias Kintsuku, is a musician based in Manchester, Northern England. She writes, produces and performs atmospheric / experimental pop, playing guitar, keys and vocals. Kisuku has been streaming on Twitch since December 2019. Hoping for a release later this year, she is currently writing her debut album. 

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clips:

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2. SabySpark

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Saby is a singer-songwriter from Slovenia, “trying to spark some joy in the world”, who has played the guitar for 10 years, ukulele for 3, and is slowly learning piano. By starting to stream last year, she is conquering shyness and self-consciousness, and following her deepest dreams.

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clip:

“My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)” (Fall Out Boy cover)

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3. Sayanoe

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Budapest-based singer-songwriter Mimi – stage name Saya Noé (pronounced: sigh – ah – no – ay) – was unable to make the event (for reasons outside of her control). She plays the guitar and keyboard, and performs originals and covers, with acoustic, live production, and looping.

Connect with Sayanoe

4. TylerLevsMusic

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Tyler Levs is a singer/songwriter from Maine USA. With a taste for multiple genres and a passion for music, he performs live loop tracks as well as unplugged. Tyler has streamed live on Twitch.tv since 2017, and has been featured on the Twitch front page for approximately 23,000 people. He has performed for various causes through Saving Music Live (a Twitch charity stream) as well as talent shows (The Austin Talent Show and “Gamers Got Talent” Luminosity gaming). Twitch helped enable his transition to full-time musicianship in February of 2019.

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clips:

Connect with TylerLevsMusic

5. GabiStreams

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Gabi Belle is from the East Coast of the US, and she has been streaming since February 2020. Not only does she produce her own music, sing, and play the keyboard and guitar, she also directs and edits her music videos. She was vocally trained for theatre, and she has experience playing the flute, trumpet, and saxophone. Gabistreams is also a gamer who loves Nintendo games – her favorite being The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clip:

“The Ballad of Mona Lisa” (Panic! at the Disco cover)

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6. JordinLaine

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Singer-songwriter JordinLaine has been focusing heavily on writing music, creating content, and live streaming since 2018. Through the universal language of music, she has shared that she  found the power to express herself in the most open and authentic form. 

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

(JordinLaine does not allow clips on her channel)

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7. CERIANmusic

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Cerian is a singer-songwriter from London that plays harp, piano, and guitar. She plays a mixture of originals and covers,  switching it up between instruments. Cerian(a Welsh name, pronounced: Kerry-Anne) released her debut EP in April 2020. She has worked as a musician for many years with an impressive resume, singing backing vocals and playing harp for lots of incredible artists, like Radiohead, U2, Sam Smith, Imogen Heap, Thom Yorke, David Attenborough, Neneh Cherry, Charlotte Church and games like The Sims, Guitar Hero Live and Those Who Remain. Although she has been streaming for a while on other platforms, she is new to Twitch.

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clip:

“Hear You Me” (Jimmy Eat World cover)

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8. JulienBelhumeur

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Hailing from Québec, Canada, Julien Belhumeur is a singer, musician, and loop artist that plays both originals and covers. With a minimalist bio, he lets his prowess speak for itself!

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clips:

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9. Andrewcore

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Andrew has, in his humble words, ‘been faking his way through playing drums for about 20 years’ – beginning with learning completely by ear, and focusing on learning more basic principles and improving overall now that he’s streaming. He is a member of the band Fable Cry, which includes another popular music streamer, joplaysviolin. He began touring in 2006 and has hit the road and recorded with a number of metal, rock and hip hop artists. 

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

(andrewcore does not allow clips on his channel)

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10. AnnaCarmela

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Anna Carmela is a self-described “hyper-active singer/songwriter” and music student with musical theatre training as a youth in her background. She has toured in the US and Canada. A bit of an autodidact, Carmela is self-taught on guitar, bass, piano, ukulele, kazoo, and mouth trumpet. She certainly does have energy to be contended with, and with a voice well-suited for it, loves performing blues, rock, and soul music.

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clip:

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (Green Day cover)

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11. ClosureClub

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Full-time artist, songwriter, and musician Heathy goes by ClosureClub, and is referred to by many more names (ex. j, lostcause, jarebear, red, clo) as he has streamed across multiple platforms for several years. His experience shows through his performance, and his music is “inspired by 80’s tones, dreamy lo-fi aesthetics, and melodic intervals drawn from the moody years of never escaping ‘the punk phase’.”

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clip:

“The Middle” (Jimmy Eat World cover)

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12. JonLiMusic

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Jon Li, arguably the headliner – if not co-headliner – of Twitch Goes Emo 2021, closed out the night with a respectable 4 hour and 40 minute stream, despite having performed a bachelor party gig prior. The expanse of his catalogue is impressive, to say the least, and what he doesn’t know, he can offer quite a decent Live Learn performance.

Li started performing by ear in high school after many years of studying and performing classical piano. While in the process of earning his math and music degrees in college, he was introduced to the world of Dueling Pianos that set him on a career path that led him to travel the world and play with hundreds of talented musicians. Li released Finding February in 2010. In 2020, COVID-19 began his live streaming journey on Facebook, followed by Twitch.

Watch the Full Stream VOD Here

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Bonus Clips:

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PHOTOS: Dreamcar – Crescent Ballroom 4-20-17

PHOENIX —The No Doubt & AFI hybrid Dreamcar drove into Crescent Ballroom and put on a colorful show! This band was everything fans expected of the union of Davey Havok & the No Doubt instrumentalists, and more! With a new single named “Kill for Candy”, this band of legends is solid and refreshing new ear candy that fans would kill for!

Dreamcar setlist from Crescent Ballroom 4-20-17
Dreamcar setlist
Crescent Ballroom 4-20-17
(Click to Enlarge)

Photo Album

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Dreamcar – Crescent Ballroom 4-20-17

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.

REVIEW: AFI Brings Despair, Blood, and 26 Years to Tempe 2-17-17

TEMPE, Ariz. — Eyeliner-tinged catharsis and angst were alive and well at the Marquee on Friday night when AFI made their Arizona stop on The Blood Tour with support from Nothing, and Souvenirs.

Souvenirs got the night started with a set heavy on tracks from their newest album Posture Of Apology. With stark emotional lyrics focused on understanding, loss, and forgiveness, Souvenirs struck the perfect balance between the 90’s Sub Pop records catalogue and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me-era Brand New. Overall, while their set may not have astounded many of the ardent AFI fans in attendance, it served as the perfect transition to Nothing’s reverb-heavy set which followed after a speedy changeover.

Nothing proved to be an exceptionally polarizing band for the sold-out crowd. With awkward stage presence, dedications to the memory of George “The Animal” Steele, and rambling half-mumbled banter between songs, it would be easy to simply write off Nothing as a band trying to emit a false rockstar facade. However, as they worked their way through a reverb-drenched set of songs that called to mind My Bloody Valentine’s vocal delivery layered over instrumentals which would have felt right at home amongst the Smashing Pumpkins discography, or even Incubus’ Morning View, they revealed themselves to be truly adept performers and songwriters who deserved their spot supporting AFI on a large scale tour. Though Domenic Palerno’s airy, trance inducing vocals may have seemed out of place opening for the concussive ball of energy that is AFI, the fact that they were able to hold a largely unfamiliar crowds attention for a 45 minute set is testament to their well-deserved presence on the Relapse Records roster.

Following Nothing, the stage lights were tuned to an ominous purple while the hazers were ratcheted up to blanket the stage in heavy fog. Finally, the lights dimmed and AFI took the stage to a cacophonous roar from the packed Friday night crowd. Opening with a near-soulful rendition of “Strength Through Wounding” from legendary album Black Sails In The Sunset, Havok and company quickly ratcheted the energy up to a thousand by launching directly into “Miss Murder”, launching the crowd into a frenzy that never relented for the rest of the evening.

Jade Puget (guitarist), AFI - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Jade Puget (guitarist), AFI © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

Most impressively, songs from the recently released Blood album received just as much of an explosive crowd response as tried-and-true Sing The Sorrowera favorites. “Aurelia”, “Snow Cats”, and “So Beneath You” all found great strength in a live setting where Davey Havok’s powerful vocal flourishes combined with a wall of guitar tone, propelled them beyond an album sound which many felt was a bit too “clean” for a band which has consistently based their career on raw emotion.

Davey Havok (vocalist), AFI - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Davey Havok (vocalist), AFI © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

The setlist also made a direct point to showcase how much pride the band takes in their material from each album by sandwiching Blood album lead single “Snow Cats” between The Art Of Drowning‘s legendary tracks “The Despair Factor” and “The Days Of The Phoenix”. Whether calculated, or simply a serendipitous surprise, this pacing showed that with age, AFI at their core is still focused on the same message of sorrow, regret, pain, and love.

Hunter Burgan (bassist), AFI - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Hunter Burgan (bassist), AFI © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

Throughout the career-spanning set, Davey continually launched himself off of every available surface, while Jade Puget pirouetted effortlessly across the stage; making it clear that nothing about their performance or career would be slowing down at any point in the near future.

Highlights: Deep cuts from Sing The Sorrow, including “This Celluloid Dream” and “Paper Airplanes”, dedicated to anyone who had seen them at The Nile long ago.

Lowlights: An oddly-aged and very drunk crowd, who continued shouting for “Miss Murder” long after it had been played.

PHOTO ALBUM
by Katherine Amy Vega

AFI – Marquee Theatre 2-17-17

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.