Also, be sure to vote in our poll on whether you like Gallows or Ceremony opening. We can't wait to see your choices.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Weekend Discussion: What Opening Bands Would You Want To See?
There has been some harsh criticism of the opening bands on the Crash Love Tour. With Gallows cancelling due to illness and Ceremony replacing them for many dates, many have said both bands are too hardcore. So, this week's Weekend Discussion focuses on what bands you would want to see open for AFI on the Crash Love tour and why.
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I understand that AFI wants their openers to get the crowd going up to an energy level to match their own. I would want that, too, if I were them. I also understand that 10 years ago, they were a hardcore band. They still have a lot of fans who enjoy that style music, as evidenced at the shows, here, and on the OMB. But frankly, that's not the kind of band they are anymore. The VAST majority of AFI are STS-era or later. It simply no longer meshes with their style. It is not the style of music many people who go to their shows are going to enjoy hearing. I have a feeling Ceremony especially will NOT get the response they want or are accustomed to. Especially in shows that mostly (or completely) sold out to AFI fans before they were announced. Moreover that style of music (esp. Ceremony, from what I hear) is going to make a lot of DFers who have no interest in the hardcore genre risk physical injury to be up front for AFI. Hell of a way to use the DF privilege of first in line...I know I'm going to Petaluma, Fresno, and Santa Cruz. I'm suffering through Ceremony and its danger at Petaluma because it's the Phoenix Theater and Ceremony is the short opener. After that show, I'm showing up late and just kissing off the front of the floor.
ReplyDeleteAll that said, AFI is a unique genre. There are plenty of acts that are similar and appeal to a more mainstream audience--that is the type of band AFI is now and the type of fans they have, after all. Something along those lines would be far more preferable.
ReplyDeleteI understand that not everyone is into hardcore and moshing or dancing or stagediving or whatever, and that's fine. However, is there really any reason that, if one would want to be up front for AFI, that person would need to camp out in the front for the whole show? Although that seems to be a farily common thing, that has never made sense to me.Also, although I'm not sure about Gallows in particular, I think AFI tends tour with bands that they are friends with. It's somewhat of a coincidence that many of those bands are hardcore bands.The Decemberunderground tour had Dillinger Escape Plan, but who was the other band on it? Nightmare of You, maybe? I don't remember them being a hardcore band at all. Maybe a mixed bill like that makes the most sense for an AFI tour.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and if we're just picking any bands to open for AFI, since that was the actual question, I'd be super excited to see Said Radio or Hudson Criminal. Both of those bands have at least loose ties to AFI, so neither of them seem impossible.
ReplyDeleteBands I have heard of before.
ReplyDeleteI personally would rather see Gallows or Ceremony over some mediocre radio band. Yes, AFI is not a hardcore band anymore, but its what they enjoy. Its where they came from and that's what AFI want. if you're scared of bruises and spit don't use the DF line and stay in the back. Its simple, really.As for bands that I want to see, I would really like Death By Stereo, Comeback Kid, Bleeding Through etc.
ReplyDeleteMy first AFI concert had Darker My Love and Saosin.Gooooooooooood choices in my opinion. :]Too bad I had crappy tickets. :/ Fail, paychecks.
ReplyDeleteIt really irritates me that people are getting upset about hardcore band decisions, or any other genre rather than what AFI is for that matter. The band felt generous enough to choose and share their musical choices with the fans for insight and appreciation and people are unpleased because it's not their personal dream lineup. If you don't want to be physically injured, don't be in the same vicinity as the fans for Ceremony. It's that easy. Give them the same respect for enjoying and feeling a connection with the music just as AFI fans do whether it be more violent or not. You will get your spot back after they play.I can't really think of any bands that share the same musical style of AFI. AFI is entirely their own to me so on a musically equal level I can't see that many bands opening, although I would personally find it interesting to see bands like the Faint, Ladytron, Crystal Castles, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Placebo, etc. play. Those bands would seem to fit to me.
ReplyDeleteI like Gallow's first album but not the second. They do put on a hell of a show that I wish I could have been able to see with AFI. =[ But they should be able to choose whoever they want to play. They'll never find bands their style because that style doesn't exist. AFI is the AFI genre. Nothing else. That being said, I'd love to see all my favorites at like an all day festival or something: AFI, Blink 182, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Comeback Kid, Matt & Kim, and Streetlight Manifesto. That would fucking rule!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw them in Columbus, I really enjoyed the Gallows set. It got my blood pumping in a way no acoustic solo act could. However, most of the corwd was stagnant during the opener, which saddened me and made feel for Gallows. They're just trying to play their music and get a good response from the crowd. In my opinion, the typical AFI crowd these days as a whole isn't really suited for a hardcore band. Sure, there were still hardcore kids moshing around, but a lot of the crowd just wasn't buying it. :(And now on to the question. I'd like to see War Tapes open for them. They're a really small band right now, but they should be hitting it big pretty soon!
ReplyDeleteBoth times I've seen AFI, I felt that the opener band was definitely a more hardcore band than AFI was. I know it relates back to how AFI used to be, but it really wears out the audience by the time AFI gets on stage and I know I always wish I had more energy just to deal with being smothered for AFI. Really, though, I can never think of an appropriate opener for AFI. Nothing seems to be on the same genre level as them. Maybe they should just only tour with Tiger Army and be done with it, hah.
ReplyDeleteI have always thought that Brand New would mesh really well with AFI musically. However, I can't see them opening for AFI as they're about as big as one another and I'm unsure if they have any connections which would increase the chances of it happening.As for AFI's choice on opening bands, I really like how they bring out great hardcore acts like Ceremony. Bands like these get me pumped beyond belief. Not to mention, if someone's never experienced a hardcore band I'd say that watching them live gives a greater chance of people enjoying what they're listening to. You just can't reliably capture the intensity or emotion of certain songs on tape.You can't really help being caught up in the energy being radiated by the band and the hardcore fans (you just need to watch any AFI video from 1999 to prove both those points). And while I haven't been to any AFI shows and I wouldn't know how people reacted to these hardcore bands, I know that personally I'd take them over some generic rock band that leaves me feeling unsatisfied and bored.
ReplyDeletei saw gallows at the columbus show also, i did feel bad for them since like 80% of the crowd wasnt into them, but that being said, it didnt make me any more interested. i purposely didnt go down on the floor since i didnt feel like getting killed. personally, from going to random shows for the last 15 yrs, the openers are usually band you have to suffer through to finally see who you actually came for. i'd pretty much watch anyone if i knew AFI was on next. anyway, i'd like to see them tour with White Lies or The Queen Killing Kings, or even Dead By Sunrise. Random, I know, and it'd be a turn off for all of the hardcore fans out there, but like someone else said, they're a different band now! jmo.
ReplyDeleteI've always noticed that AFI tours with bands that no one likes, that way the response for AFI is even greater. Two great examples of this are The Blood Brothers and Tiger Army.
ReplyDelete....nobody likes Tiger Army?Um...okay.
ReplyDeleteYou realize that most AFI fans are in fact Tiger army fans?Its like they share a fucking fan base or something
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Alexisonfire or Taking Back Sunday play with AFI. And I wasn't aware that "no one likes Tiger Army."
ReplyDeleteI was referring to the mainstream fans that AFI has gotten ever since Sing The Sorrow.
ReplyDeleteI wAs expecting everyone to have one or two lines with the band they prefer. You guys wrote essays! :) also tiger army is the band I want to see open for AFI since I could dream that Nick 13 would come out and do A Single second. Then davey would come do backup on moonlite dreams/under saturns shadows. Ughh I could die after that show! Also I got into tiger army because of AFI. I loved how nick13's voice complimented daveys so well. Alright I'm ending my essay.
ReplyDeletepersonaly i like ceremony. i saw the video on youtube of davey singing straight edge revenge with them at the gilman in berkely. but i also agree that they dont really fit. afi isnt really hardcore anymore. but i dont think its a bad thing. And of course the only band that will always work as an opener for afi is tiger army. my first afi show was Saosin, Tiger Army,and then afi. amazing show. TxAxNxD
ReplyDeleteI'd love it if they toured with Saosin again, because they're also one of my favourite bands. I also think it'd be cool to see them with a band like A Skylit Drive. Honestly, most of the other bands that I listen to are metal or Christian bands, neither of which would work well as openers for AFI.
ReplyDeletesay* sorry about the typo haha
ReplyDeleteThe lineup right now is great , viva hate and ceremony!! I saw bring on the hardcore....... but my first choice would be a tour with them and Danzig
ReplyDeleteThere are some good opening band suggestions here! I'd love to see Kill Hannah open for AFI. They're an awesome band from Chicago that are fantastic live! Not hardcore at all, but energetic and would be a good support act for AFI, and I think they're available after their December show in Chicago!
ReplyDeleteLA ROUX would be an awesome opener. Shes got the whole dark mojo electro pop love croon 80's style crazy awesome hair goin on that i have a feeling AFI would appreciate =)
ReplyDeleteTiger Army would be awesome.The Living End!The Explosion were perfect, but they've since split up.and last, but certainly not least, RANCID.
ReplyDeleteWish Skin Like Iron was opening the Petaluma show as well.
ReplyDelete