11 Sep Tour Review: Scream It Like You Mean It 2011

On Wednesday August 24, 2011, The Scream It Like You Mean It Tour came to Chicago, IL at the Bottom Lounge! All of the bands I was able to see were phenomenal. The first two opening acts were The Air I Breathe and MODSUN. I wasn’t able to see either of them but I talked to a couple of fans, and they said they were both really good! I walked in just before The Color Morale took stage. WOW. They had such explosive energy right into their first song! They opened up with “Demon Teeth”. My only complaint was that they were only able to play for 30 minutes! Garrett had the crowd going non-stop. They closed out the night with, of course, “Humannequin”. The crowd was chanting for an Encore but the band wasn’t able to complete their wish.

Soon after, I See Stars took the stage. This was one band that I had only heard a few songs from previously but I instantly became a fan! The entire crowd was jumping during their entire set. I have to say, their screamer and keyboardist, Zach Johnson, had flawless vocals throughout the show. It was as close to CD quality as you can get! Overall They had one of the best sets of the night!

Next up was Chiodos. I was only able to see a few songs from them but once again, their energy on stage was through the roof! I was hesitant to know what to expect from the “new” Chiodos with Craig Owens not being a part of the band, and I knew that their new lead vocalist Brandon Bolmer had some very big shoes to fill. He did not disappoint me whatsoever! His vocals were very clean and I think he gave the band a new sound, for the better!

The headlining act was Breathe Carolina. Now we all know that headlining acts are always given the best stage props, better sound, and a longer set. Even with keeping that in mind, Breathe Carolina put on one hell of a show. I had never listened to them before, but once I left the venue, I immediately bought their album on my phone and listened to it the entire 45 minute drive home! The bass was absolutely insane. The lighting and lasers were epic. This band really knew how to keep the crowd involved and kept them on their feet every moment. One thing that made me really appreciate this band, was that they kept thanking everyone for coming to the show, and even dedicated a song to I See Stars and The Color Morale, being that it was their last day on tour for those two bands. They were very appreciative of everyone coming out and couldn’t thank everyone enough.

One thing I love about smaller shows like this, is that even though some of these bands have been touring internationally and even been on the road for months at a time, they hung out with the crowd. I didn’t see one member of any band using the backdoor to leave. Every single member was walking right through the crowd, stopping to talk to their fans, and continuing right through the same doors as everyone else. The lead vocalist for I See Stars, Devin Oliver, even bumped into my buddy before the show and stopped what he was doing, put his hands on my buddies shoulders, apologized and asked if he was alright. These are the shows I love going to. These members take the time and appreciate everyone for supporting them. Overall I couldn’t have asked to see a better show. The night went very smoothly with almost no problems. I cannot wait to see which acts Scream It Like You Mean It has for next year!