Concert Review: Motion City Soundtrack at the Newport Music Hall 1/19/15
In 2005, Motion City Soundtrack stunned audiences with the release of their sophomore album--Commit This to Memory. Ten years later, they’re embarking on a US tour to celebrate the album’s anniversary.
Team Spirit
Team Spirit kicked off the show with some speedy pop tunes. Frontman Ayad Al Adhamy, formerly known as the synth player in Passion Pit, showed off his chops as a performer by jumping around the stage while playing the guitar, and making the audience laugh with his on-stage banter. The band played songs that were easy to catch on to, such as “Satisfaction” and “Teenage Heart.” Although most of the crowd seemed unaware of the band at first, by the end of the show it was clear that Team Spirit’s performance won over the audience.
Hit The Lights
Ohio natives, Hit The Lights, took the stage next. For the past couple years, Hit The Lights had been sparse with their touring schedules, and members of the band had started side projects (Thief Club, Holy War), leaving some to wonder what the future of Hit The Lights would be. Thankfully, Hit The Lights have solidified their presence with the announcement of their upcoming album--Summer Bones. Hit The Lights slayed the stage with their well-renown hits, including, “Body Bag,” “Drop The Girl,” and “Speakers Blown.” The crowd responded instinctively by crowd surfing, and inciting mosh pits throughout their set. Keep an eye out for Summer Bones, set to release on March 24th.
Motion City Soundtrack
Anxiously awaited headliners, Motion City Soundtrack, sent the crowd into hysteria for their entire set. Frontman, Justin Pierre, shared quick anecdotes between songs, and kept the crowd moving with his constant energy. The audience joyously danced around to the album’s hit-singles such as, “Everything Is Alright,” and “L.G. FUAD.” Even for the slower tracks (“Hold Me Down,” “Together We’ll Ring In The New Year”), the energy was palpable while the crowd sang along without missing a beat. After the album came to a close, Motion City Soundtrack took a momentary break, and then joined the crowd for an eight-song encore. The encore started off with Commit This to Memory B-side—“Invisible Monsters,” and spanned the band’s five-album discography. The band also played a brand new song, “Anything At All,” and announced they’ll be releasing a sixth album soon.
Without any prior knowledge, some might instinctively think Motion City Soundtrack’s performance of Commit This to Memory was promoting a new album, rather than celebrating its 10-year anniversary. The band’s energy was infectious, and they made it obvious that although they’ve been a band for 18 years, they still have as much spirit as they did in their early twenties.
Check out Motion City Soundtrack on tour:
1/21/2015 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
1/22/2015 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
1/23/2015 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
1/24/2015 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls
1/26/2015 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
1/27/2015 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
1/29/2015 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
1/30/2015 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
1/31/2015 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
2/2/2015 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
2/3/2015 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Heaven)
2/4/2015 Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
2/6/2015 Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
2/7/2015 Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
2/8/2015 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
2/10/2015 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
2/11/2015 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
2/12/2015 Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
2/13/2015 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
2/14/2015 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
2/16/2015 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
2/17/2015 Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
2/18/2015 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
2/20/2105 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
2/21/2015 Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
2/22/2015 Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
2/24/2015 Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s
2/25/2015 St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
2/26/2016 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
