Live from the Pitt

Real friends and Knuckle Puck are taking over the US on their co-headliner tour with support from One Step Closer and Arms Length. Pop Punk enthusiasts gathered to see the bands put on a fantastic performance in Harrisburg, PA at HMAC on 12-12-23.

Playing music as a band for almost twenty years is no easy feat. The Menzingers first studio album released back in 2007, with another eight to follow. The bands eighth album Some Of It Was True released this year in October. To support this album, the band set off on a two month long tour with support from Microwave, Cloud Nothings and Rodeo Boys.

Rodeo Boys kicked the night off early. The rock band from Michigan played a fantastic set. I had not heard of this band leading into the night, but this set was still great. The band had a very high energy, with a fantastic stage presence. The band just released their most recent album Home Movies this summer.

Second band to play was Cloud Nothings from Ohio. This band has been on my radar for a while, but I didn’t get a chance to dive into their music much before the show. Despite only being a three person band, their sound still fills a room. The last song of their set “Wasted Days” stood out to the most, just an absolutely insane finish to a song and set.

Microwave from Atlanta was the third band to play, and man this set was incredible. Microwave has been a band I have followed since their 2016 album Much Love. This band always blows me away in person. Their set was filled with fan favorites spanning multiple releases. I was really excited to hear one of their newest singles “Straw Hat.” This band keeps evolving with each new release, its been very exciting to watch.

To close out the night, The Menzingers from Philadelphia. The punk rock band brought the energy right out of the gate. Kicking their set off with their most recent album opener “Hope Is A Dangerous Little Thing” got the crowd going right away. The band ripped through their tracks and kept the energy going the entire night. The seemingly endless stream of crowd surfers made for an interesting night in the photo pit, but it just tied together a truly fantastic night.

This tour is stacked, every band on the bill brings their own unique style and energy to the show.

Photos and words by Tom Randall (www.instagram.com/trandallphoto)

Hot off the release of their newest album Why Would I Watch, Hot Mulligan hit the road to tour their newest tunes. With support from Heart Attack Man, Spanish Love Songs, and Ben Quad, this tour was a must see concert. This tour has sold out almost every date, with low tickets warnings for the ones that haven’t. This band has absolutely taken the scene by storm over the last few years, and this tour shows just that.

The night opened up with emo group Ben Quad from Oklahoma. I caught Ben Quad a few months back at their Mr. Roboto show, so it was very cool seeing them go from a smaller venue to one of the biggest in the city. This band deserves every bit of attention they are getting. The band released their first LP last year titled I’m Scared That’s All There Is, and this album is filled with incredible tracks front to back. This is a great band to check out if you love a good guitar riff, cause their discography is FULL of them.

The second band to take the stage was Spanish Loves Songs from California. I have been a big fan of this band since their album Schmaltz released back in 2018. Since then, the band has released two more full length albums, their most recent being released in August. Their 2020 album Brave Faces Everyone is one of my favorite albums of all time, so it was awesome hearing a few tracks off of it live.

Next up was Ohio’s most chaotic band, Heart Attack Man. Hammy has been a band on my radar for a long time now, spanning back to their 2017 album The Manson Family. I was beyond excited to get to snap some photos of this set. The band took the stage and the crowd roared to life almost immediately. Opening the set with their song “Leap Year” from their 2021 EP Thoughtz and Prayerz. The band ripped through tracks from various releases, culminating with the title track off their newest album “Freak of Nature.” This set was everything I was hoping for. The crowd and the energy was the perfect way to prepare for the headlining act.

The night was capped off with Michigan based band Hot Mulligan. A lot of people have been talking about this band the last few years, and I hopped on the Hot Mulligan train late last year. The crowd went insane before the band even picked up their instruments, I could tell we were in for a treat. Hot Mulligan kicked off their set with the opening track off their newest album Why Would I Watch. Their sound is just a crisp live as the studio versions. Their set was filled with tracks from different releases throughout their tenure as a band, including the live debut of their song “Betty” from the newest album. I cannot give this band enough praise for what they have accomplished over the years.

Words and Photos by Tom Randall (www.instagram.com/trandallphoto)

This is not to say that Andrew McMahon is one of my favorite artists… But I’ve seen him and shot him live three times before, and now this is my fourth. I actually almost didn’t bother with this tour up until the day before when I was informed that I was approved for a photo pass. Going to shows is a bit more of a commitment now since they’re typically at least 1-2 hours driving in each direction, but boy am I glad that I made it to this one. This San Francisco show was the first show of the New Friends Tour, and the morning of the show, Andrew McMahon announced that this will probably be his last tour for a while. This is sad, as someone who loves to see him live, but a break is well deserved after 20+ years of touring.

On January 27th 2023, world-renowned pop/hip hop star Quinn XCII released his fifth studio album, titled ‘The Peoples Champ.’ Quinn XCII finished up ‘The Peoples Champ Tour’ earlier this year in the summer. Later on, he announced another short leg tour, which he just finished up the last show of it at Stage AE, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, several days ago on Wednesday November 8th.

Quinn was accompanied by the talented opener, American singer-songwriter Nicky Youre and his band. Nicky was a great opener for Quinn, considering their complementary styles created a flow that kept the audience engaged from start to finish. The fans loved Nicky, and he made sure to show love back. While covering a wide variety of his own songs, he even did a couple covers like “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice, which immediately got the crowd jumping. He made sure he gave his dummer and guitarist shine, with each their own solos. Nicky took a fans phone from behind the pitt and took a photo with the crowd. Overall Nicky Youre’s performance was a vibrant prelude, showcasing a diverse range of sounds and the bands infectious beats. They definitely left a lasting impression that resonated well into Quinn XCII’s set.

When Quinn XCII took to the stage, the venue went crazy with cheers. His Unique fusion of pop, hip-hop, and indie elements was on full display, creating a dynamic and immersive experience for the crowd. Quinn covered a wide variety of songs. He made sure to cover several songs from his most recent album like ‘Georgia Peach’, and ‘FOMO.’ He also played a bunch of hits from his previous studio albums including my personal favorite song of his, ‘Stacy.’ Quinn even announced to the crowd that he and his wife are expecting very soon, hence the name of this short legged tour ‘The Dadchelor Party.’ He then proceeded to dedicate and perform his song called ‘My Wife & 2 Dogs’ to his wife! At one point in between songs he shared a couple special moments with fans of Pittsburgh, one being the swapping of beanies with someone in the crowd, who had thrown theirs on stage. Another fan screamed out to Quinn XCII to show him her recent tattoo she got of his handwriting and lyrics on her shoulder. A couple Pittsburgh Steeler players were even in the house!

Whether Quinn XCII was sharing moments with the crowd, delivering soulful ballads or high-energy bangers, he kept the energy levels high, ensuring that there was never a dull moment for his fans. In retrospect, the show in Pittsburgh was a testament to the artist’s ability to connect with his fans and deliver a memorable performance. Seeing that Quinn XCII made sure to add a Pittsburgh stop to his earlier tour this year, and ending this one with Pittsburgh, I think its safe to say fans of the area will be seeing much more of Quinn XCII in the future.

On October 17th Bullet For My Valentine finally made their return to Pittsburgh after many years. Their show was held at Stage AE with support from Of Mice & Men and Vended.

Kicking off the show was the Iowa based metal band Vended. They are most well known for the group’s frontman Griffin Taylor, the son of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor. Simon Crahan, the bands drummer, is also the son of Slipknot’s Shawn Crahan. The bands other members consist of Cole Espeland (guitar), Connor Grodzicki (guitar), and Jeremiah Pugh (bass). Their set was a perfect way to get the night started as chaos immediately formed as soon as their first song began. The pit was already full for their set and over half of the audience was moshing throughout the band’s performance. Vended certainly did not disappoint as they were full of energy with incredible music, easily making them a band everyone in the room would remember.

Up next was the iconic Of Mice & Men, who have been in the scene since 2009. They formed in Mesa, California and the members consist of Aaron Pauley (vocals), Alan Ashby (guitar), Phil Manansala (guitar), and Valentino Arteaga (drums). They played songs that highlighted many parts of their history, ranging from songs off of their latest album “Tether” to old classics such as their hit “SECOND & SEBRING”. The crowd never let up during their set, especially during this song. The band visibly shared the crowds enthusiasm and smiles never left their faces.

When it was finally time for Bullet For My Valentine to take the stage, the entire venue was packed. Everyone was incredibly antsy for their set, especially after all of the anticipation built up for them from the openers. The band has been a staple in the scene for years and consists of Matthew Tuck (vocals, guitar), Micheal Paget (guitar), Jaime Mathias (bass), and Jason Bowld (drums). They kicked off their set with “Knives”, creating the highest energy of the night that never let up. The crows was incredibly responsive to the band through screaming lyrics back at the, crowdsurfing, and moshing. They played all of everyones favorites including “Your Betrayal”, “Tears Don’t Fall”, “Don’t Need You”, “Waking The Demon”, and many more. There were several times throughout their set where Tuck made it very clear how much the band loves Pittsburgh and the crowd really made them show that by the end of the night. They were supposed to end with “Waking The Demon” as they did with every show before this one, but when they threw out their setlists and got off stage very few people left and there was an overwhelming chant of “one more song!”. After this went on for several minutes, the band came back out with shocked expressions and had a short conversation trying to decide what to do. Eventually they caved in and got their instruments, playing one final song that was never supposed to be on the set. That song was “Hearts Burst Into Fire” and the crowd went absolutely insane. This was such a beautiful moment for both the band and all that were in the audience. I think I can speak for everyone when I say I’m incredibly excited for the band to return in 2025.

British rock band, Don Broco is off to an amazing start on ‘The Amazing Things Tour’ with a sold-out show at the Baltimore, Soundstage on 10.16.23. The tour support includes The Color 8, Ryan Oakes, and The Home Team. Breakthrough bands- Don Broco and The Home Team are crushing it playing sold out shows across the US. Tickets are moving fast. Look for a city near you.

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California based rock band Thrice recently celebrated the 10 year anniversary of their album The Artist in The Ambulance, setting out on tour with Atlanta rock duo ’68. The two bands took the stage at the Roxian Theater in McKees Rocks, just outside of downtown Pittsburgh.

’68 took the stage first, captivating the crowd with their loud sound. I first listened to this band in high school, and saw them at my first Warped Tour experience in 2015. It never fails to amaze me hearing just a two piece band have so much depth to their live music. This set was awesome, plain and simple. The band ripped through tracks off their newest release Yes, and… released in September of this year. I was also very excited to hear some tracks from their 2014 debut LP In Humor and Sadness.

Thrice played next and the crowd immediately erupted as they took the stage. The band played their album The Artist in The Ambulance in full. Thrice is a band I had only listened to a few times in the past, but I was still very excited to hear them live. The energy was unmatched as they played, with crowd surfing and mosh pits galore. The crowd sang along, word for word, with every track the band played. I would definitely recommend checking this band out if you haven’t!

Photos and Words by Tom Randall (www.instagram.com/trandallphoto)