Warped
Tour prepares for summer with Underoath
By Brigid McGuire
Online Forty-Niner
Diversions Editor
The images of long summer days, bright sunshine and rock music was in the minds
of music lovers at the Warped Tour Pre-Party show that kicked off April 20 at
the Key Club in Hollywood.
The groups who performed that night were Outernational, Kennedy, Paramore and
headliners Underoath.
Outernational, a mix of hip hop and rock from Brooklyn, N.Y., got the crowd going
with its interesting mix of hip hop lyrics, upbeat tempos and trumpet playing.
If you enjoy the sound of Matisyahu, then Outernational would be a great match
for you.
The next group to take the stage was Kennedy from Los Angeles. Dressed in bad ’70s
polyester suits, the group sounds like a more upbeat version of the Faint, however,
the singer’s lyrics are full of pop-culture fluff with no substance. With
songs that have choruses that scream “I know karate!” it’s
hard to take the group seriously.
Paramore, the young group form Franklin, Tenn., delivered its power punk, with
jail bait vocalist Hayley Williams singing from the group’s debut album “All
We Know is Falling.”
Finally Underoath, the six-man group from Florida took the stage to promote its
upcoming new album and headlining this summer’s Warped Tour.
Underoath consists of Spencer Chamberlain (vocals), Tim McTague (guitar), Grant
Brandell (bass), Aaron Gillespie (drums), Christopher Dudley (keyboard) and James
Smith (guitar).
Underoath is a screamo/ Christian band signed to Tooth and Nail Records and will
release its third studio album, “Define the Great Line” June 20.
The new album was co-produced by Adam Dutkiewicz, the guitarist from Killswitch
Engage and is currently mixing the album with Chris Lord Alge (Green Day).
Underoath’s last studio album, “They’re only Chasing Safety,” launched
the group into stardom with soldout shows nationwide with the mega rockers Thrice.
Chamberlain resembles a skinny teenager who got picked on at school, but with
his killer vocals and deep growls you cannot deny his stage presence.
The group played crowd favorities “Reinventing Your Exit,” “Young
and Aspiring” and “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your
Front Door.” Underoath’s new songs have a more metal feel, like Every
Time I Die.
For the encore Underoath played “A Boy Blushed Red…Living in Black
and White.” For being stuck behind a keyboard, Dudley would rock out during
each song, singing along with Chamberlain and dancing back and forth between
each of his keyboards.
Underoath will only continue to grow bigger as it takes on its fourth Warped
Tour. Fans can except big things from these men for years to come.
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