DISRUPT FESTIVAL- A WALK DOWN EMO MEMORY LANE

The Line-up for this years Disrupt Festival was met for many with EXTREME NOSTALGIA if you were a fan of emo, screamo and those genres in between. 

Headlining was The Used, Thrice, Circa Survive, Sum 41, The Story So Far, Atreyu, Sleeping With Sirens, and supporting acts of: Andy Black, Four Year Strong, Memphis May Fire, Trophy Eyes, Meg & Dia, Juliet Simms & Hyro the Hero.

This was a summer show that you damn well wanted to be in the pit for, to be up close and personal with those literally deep cut tracks that so many of us swooned over during the conquest of teenage hormones taking their toll on our feels, years ago when we first discovered them. 

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I being a longtime fan on The Used myself, know that they have recently been doing tons of tours, festivals and shows in the recent years almost nonstop it seems. They had just done a Anniversary tour in 2015 playing their full In Love & Death album.

THEN in 2016 where they dedicated 2 nights and 2 full albums (In Love & Death and The Used Self Titled) in every city that they stopped in. To me that really kicked off their back to back tours because after such a beautiful emotional rollarcoaster it was to see these The Used play their two most beloved CD's no one could get enough. ​

Also if you have not yet binged their 2016 Live Album "The Used: Live & Acoustic at the Palace"...... OOOOF GO LISTEN!! Not only is a easily to listen to Live album (Live albums can honestly be a hit and miss sometimes...) But this album has that heartwarming and raw commentary in between-- that feels like you are literally there. & it's jussst enough commentary where they aren't straying too far from the performance... OK NOW GO LISTEN! 

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Yo-- Did YOU know that Sum 41 had come out with a new album? WHAT YEAR IS IT? I feel like with all these bands coming back into our life with new albums then another American Pie movie should be coming out with it.  

But truly, Sum 41 put on a really bitchen set, debuting their Order in Decline & of course the fan favorites that we all loved from the early 2000's and beyond. They rocked the shit out of the stage and were absolutely on fire being back in the groove. 

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Atreyu came onto stage in the biggest roar of energy probably out of the entire event. They were WILD but their stage presence drew me the fuck in to feel pumped up as fuck during their set! I was already hyped about seeing their set, but everyone in the band had this epic energy that just could not be compromised or challenged and I LOVED IT! 

ALSO-- Sorry but I need to say this for anyone who isn't totally aware... While I spent time in the pit during their set, I heard a lot of people from the crowed commenting in confusion and slight appalling manner.... when they started freaking out, thinking that Atreyu was using a "backing track" on their clean, melodic style vocals, since frontman  Alex Varkatzas, wasn't singing some clean vocals... SMH!

​ People were so quick to jump the gun!! WHEW HOLY SMOKES Y'ALL! 

Brandon Saller, the also super talented dude behind the drums, IS THE CLEAN VOCALS of Atreyu!! Most people jut don't expect to look to the drummer when they don't know and don't see anyone in front with a mic singing into it... 

I get it, some people don't know, weren't aware and have not seen them live before. But please let this be a fun life-lesson, most of these intricate musicians are not using back up tracks on their live performances. They are not Ashlee Simpson on SNL and they aren't Britney Spears lip synching...(It's just facts people.) 

so definitely give these dudes some props because their performance was stellar start to finish & I was bummed that some people in the crowed jumped on the silly band-wagon of them pulling shenanigans with a backing track... SMH. But for real-- look at these pics and tell me you aren't not totally craving seeing them live!!!

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Of course another stellar performance of the evening was Sleeping with Sirens. Kellin Quinn showed up in his new platinum locks, perfect for summer and a so cal show especially. 

Sleeping with Sirens initially pulled me into their music long ago with their hyper-personal lyrics coupled with music that transcended emotion through you just in the way that it was writing to literally strike your human chords of feelings. 

Kellin Quinn has a very effeminate voice that can reach ranges most men and woman could only wish to achieve, but with stunning character and inflection to the entire song. I highly recommend watching their performance to especially watch the way that Kellin sings. It's certainly mesmerizing how the curl of his lip and jump in his toes can influence that sound that he fishes in his vocals for. If you are a signer, even a super passionate karaoke singer on the weekends, he is certainly one to watch sing because his technique is so unique to him. ​