Iration’s ‘Tales From The Sea’ Tour At Irving Plaza

Marissa Rodriguez June 9, 2016

The Tales From The Sea tour swept over Irving Plaza on Friday, April 24, 2015 with west coast band Iration from Hawaii making waves on their tour stop for New York City fans. Irving Plaza’s yellow, green, and red lighting set the perfect mood for Iration‘s groovy Indie/Reggae/Rock sound where concert goers felt as if they had left New York City for a few hours to step into a tropical oasis. Fans could be heard cheering and shouting from the outside entrance of Irving Plaza as Iration took the stage. Iration performed some of the audiences most favorited singles “Summer Nights”, “Falling”, “Electricity”, and performed an encore with “Time Bomb”. Guitarist and lead singer Micah Pueschel’s vocals harmonize with the upbeat strum of guitars to set the beach island mood. Band members include Joe Dickens – Drums, Adam Taylor – Bass, Cayson Peterson – Keyboards, Micah Pueschel – Guitar/ Vocals, King – Dub Controls. Iration’s new album is due to release Summer of 2015, but have given fans just a taste of the new album with their single “Reelin'” released on April 27, 2015. Iration kicked off their tour on February 13, 2015 at The Knitting Factory Concert House in Reno, NV with tour mates and opening acts Stick Figure and Hours Eastly. The tour will have its final show May 6, 2015 at Music Farm in Charleston, SC. https://www.facebook.com/iration/timeline

Hours Eastly from Gainesville, FL have joined the tour with Iration and Stick Figure with great enthusiasm, while they performed their set with impressive precision. Also part of the Reggae/Rock music scene, Hours Eastly performed a set which consisted of a variety of smooth and upbeat songs with catchy melodies and hooks that introduced New York City the Hours Eastly world. Hours Eastly are Mark Hodges, Darrin Lindsay, and Joey Putnam. https://www.facebook.com/hourseastly/timeline

With the audience cheering under a colorful haze, Stick Figure were introduced by a second opener and furry companion Cocoa the dog. Cocoa took the stage as Stick Figure set up for their set. The curious and brave Cocoa looked on at the cheering crowd from the stage and posed for a few photos before lying down on the comfortable stage rug while Stick Figure began playing the first song of their set. California based Stick Figure perform music which combines roots reggae with dreamlike reverberating tones. Fans became entranced with Stick Figure’s set and the powerful lyrics behind the band’s music. Stick Figure’s stage presence is as chill, fun, and genuine as their music. Since their last studio produced album Burial Ground released in June 2012, Stick Figure released their popular and most recent single “Smokin’ Love” which debuted in 2014. Stick Figure’s line up consists of Scott Woodruff – Vocals/Guitar, KBong – Keyboards/Vocals, Tommy Sulliman -Bass, and Kevin Offitzer – Drums – https://www.facebook.com/stickfiguremusic/timeline

NIGHTWISH LIGHT UP MANHATTAN CENTER

Marissa Rodriguez June 9, 2016

HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM IN NEW YORK CITY LINED UP CONCERT GOERS ON THURSDAY APRIL 9, 2015 FOR THE NIGHTWISH NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2015. ALL THE WAY FROM FINLAND, NIGHTWISH ARRIVED TO PROMOTE THEIR NEW ALBUM “ENDLESS FORMS MOST BEAUTIFUL” WHICH MADE ITS DEBUT ON MARCH 27, 2015 WITH SUPPORTING ACTS AND TOUR MATES DELAIN AND SABATON. FANS WAITED EXCITEDLY IN THE RAIN FOR THE HISTORIC VENUE’S DOORS TO OPEN. NIGHTWISH WOULD SOON HEAR THE THUNDERING ROAR OF FANS REVERBERATING THROUGHOUT HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM.

FROM THE NETHERLANDS, GOTH ROCK/ SYMPHONIC METAL BAND DELAIN OPENED THE SHOW FOR NIGHTWISH AND FUELED THE SET WITH THEIR 2012 SINGLE “MOTHER MACHINE” FROM THEIR THIRD FULL LENGTH ALBUM WE ARE THE OTHERS. LEAD SINGER CHARLOTTE WESSELS BELTED OUT BEAUTIFULLY EERIE AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED VOCALS. WESELS CONNECTED WITH THE AUDIENCE, KNEELING CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE STAGE AS SHE SANG STORY LIKE GESTURES. FOLLOWING “MOTHER MACHINE”, “GET THE DEVIL OUT OF ME”, “ARMY OF DOLLS”, “STARDUST”, “NOT ENOUGH”, “AND “WE ARE THE OTHERS”, FIRED UP THE STAGE FOR FANS AND THE UPCOMING PERFORMANCES. DELAIN WILL BE HEADLINING THEIR OWN EUROPEAN TOUR IN THE FALL OF 2015.

THE AUDIENCE KEPT THEIR PLACES IN THE STANDING AREA OF HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR SWEDISH METAL BAND SABATON TO BEGIN THEIR SHOW. JUMPING HIGH ONTO STAGE IN THEIR TRADEMARK BLACK, WHITE, AND GREY CAMOUFLAGE MILITARY PANTS, REPRESENTING THE BANDS LYRICAL REFERENCES TO WAR AND BATTLE. WITH SEVEN STUDIO ALBUMS RELEASED, SABATON ALSO PERFORMED SONGS FROM THEIR LATEST ALBUM HEROES RELEASED MAY 16, 2014 UNDER RECORD LABEL NUCLEAR BLAST, WHICH NIGHTWISH IS SIGNED TO AS WELL. SABATON KICKED OFF THEIR SET WITH THEIR STUDIO SINGLE “GHOST DIVISION” FROM THEIR ALBUM THE ART OF WAR. COMING TO THE VERY FRONT OF THE STAGE TOGETHER, SABATON FORMED A WAVE FROM THE SEA OF JUMPING FANS ONCE THEY BEGAN TO JUMP WITH EXHILIARATION. IMPRESSED BY ONE LUCKY YOUNG CONCERT GOER, SABATON INVITED THEIR DEDICATED FAN UP ON STAGE WHO ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS TEN YEARS OLD. LEAD SINGER JOAKIM BRODÉN REMOVED HIS FAMOUS SUN GLASSES AND HANDED THEM TO THE YOUNG FAN WHO STOOD TO THE SIDE OF THE STAGE TO WATCH SABATON PERFORM JUST INCHES AWAY AND GIVEN A ONCE IN A LIFETIME CHANCE TO STRUM GUIRARIST CHRIS RÖRLAND’S GUITAR.

WITH HOT PERFORMANCES BY DELAIN AND SABATON, FANS WERE PREPARED FOR THE PERFORMANCE THEY HAD ANXIOUSLY BEEN WAITING FOR. NIGHTWISH ENTERED THE STAGE WITH A FANTASTIC LIGHT SHOW, WHICH FOLLOWED THE TUNE TO THEIR SONG “SHUDDER BEFORE THE BEAUTIFUL”. THE BEAUTIFUL AND TALENTED FLOOR JANSEN PERFORMED WITH STRONG LEAD VOCALS WHILE WIND BLEW THROUGH HER HAIR. EVEN AS A METAL/ROCK BAND, NIGHTWISH INCORPORATE CELTIC ROCK IN THEIR MUSIC. NIGHTWISH EMANATED BEAUTY AND CULTURE DURING THEIR ETHEREAL PERFORMANCE OF “THE ISLANDER” WITH BASSIST MARCO HIETALA ON A DOUBLE NECK GUITAR. HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM WAS FULL TO THE BRIM AFTER NIGHTWISH PERFORMED “THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH” FROM THE NEW ALBUM. NIGHTWISH FANS WERE NOT READY TO LET THE HEADLINERS GO AS THEY CHANTED FOR AN ENCORE. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, NIGHTWISH WERE ENERGIZED AND ELATED TO PERFORM “GHOST LOVE SCORE” AND “LAST RIDE OF THE DAY”. NIGHTWISH WILL BE BACK IN NEW YORK APRIL 16, 2015 TO CONTINUE THEIR TOUR AT TOWN BALLROOM IN BUFFALO AND WILL WRAP UP THEIR 2015 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR MAY 14, 2015 AT FILMORE IN MARYLAND. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE NIGHTWISH WEBSITE AT NIGHTWISH.COM/EN

CONCERT COVERAGE: SLIPKNOT & LAMB OF GOD BRING ‘SUMMER’S LAST STAND’ TO JONES BEACH

Marissa Rodriguez June 8, 2016

NIKON AT JONES BEACH THEATER HAS BEEN ABLAZE WITH CONCERTS THIS SUMMER AND THE WILDFIRE FLARED HIGHER WITH SLIPKNOT‘S TOUR STOP AT THE LI AMPHITHEATER ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2015.

Marissa Rodriguez June 8, 2016

VANS WARPED TOUR BRINGS THE HEAT TO NIKON AT JONES BEACH THEATER