Lola Ray

This wasn’t the first time that I’ve seen these guys play. The last time was in a considerably smaller venue, but I definitely liked them and was totally looking forward to seeing them again. They didn’t disappoint me. Musically they put on an excellent show with the most memorable song being “She’s a Tiger". The lead singer is very energetic at his shows, and makes them a lot of fun to listen to. Overall, I hope that I get a chance to see them again.

Hazen Street

Well, I must admit that before this show the only Hazen Street I had ever heard was their song “Fool the World”. Comparing this song and the overall genre that it was portraying, I wasn’t exactly thinking that they would really fit into this show well. I was proven wrong. It was like an intelligent rap-metal that was so well put together, you couldn’t help but like it. They had two singers and the rest of the elements of the usual rock band, but the band's résumé is pretty impressive, including members of H2O and Box Car Racer. Overall, I would say I was very impressed by these guys and would definitely go see them again if given the chance.

Sum 41

While entering the venue, everyone took special note of the sign on the door that warned that parts of Sum 41’s show could cause seizures. Needless to say, I knew this was going to be a fun show to watch. Before the show started they had a huge screen up that was showing random videos. When the lights went out, they showed a video of band members playing basketball, and then one of them killing and “cutting up” his opponent. He then came out wearing a bloody apron to keep the effect alive. The set was very elaborate - as the curtains that were used for the screen dropped, a giant “Sum 41” showed in back, and there were TV screens all around it showing video for it. The light show was also impressive, including the strobes during some songs. They played all of their hit songs and a bunch of other ones and the crowd reacted greatfully. At one point in the show, they asked if people wanted to hear something old or something new, and throughout the crowd you could hear a plea for “Fat Lip", so they said, “We’re going to play something brand new!” and proceeded to play "Fat Lip". I would say that if you like them on CD or even don’t really like them on CD, you’ll like them live. They put on a great show that every pop punk fan needs to see at least once.

Good Charlotte

After a seemingly long time to change sets, the lights finally dimmed once again, and the crowd went crazy. As expected, they began the night with the opening track from their most recent CD. It was very loud, probably so that the music could be heard over the hundreds of screaming girls that filled the auditorium. After they arrived on stage, they played "Anthem" which was one of their hit songs off the second CD. The set looked like something right out of a Tim Burton movie. There was a gargoyle on each side and an old looking fence that read “nevermore” for most of the show. The back wall looked like a night sky filled completely with stars. In between songs, all the lights would turn off except the stars. Later on in the show, there was a light shining to the now plain black wall that was the symbol that appears on the front of the recent album. They had pretty good interaction with the crowd. Of course, everything they said warranted loud cheers. They also made sure to mention Minnesota, the state they were in a lot, telling stories about falling in love with a girl from Minnesota and her being evil. This was certainly entertaining, as the guys showed their sense of humor. Most of the set consisted of music from their most recent 2 albums, but they did play "Festival Song" which appears on their first album. They had everyone hold up their lighters and cell phones as they played the award winning song "Hold On". They then ended the night with the popular song “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". Overall, they are very good live and a lot heavier for that matter. I would definitely take an opportunity to see them play again. Even if you aren’t a huge fan, I recommend checking them out.

Review by: Ben