Concert Review: We The Kings, Mayday Parade & A Rocket to the Moon, by Becca Kang

CONCERT REVIEW FOR A ROCKET TO THE MOON, MAYDAY PARADE, AND WE THE KINGS at the House of Blues, Chicago Feb.07 – by: Becca Kang

A Rocket to the Moon, an alternative band, wedged right in the middle of the concert lineup, delivered a great time of hype and rocking out at the House of Blues Chicago. Simply phenomenal, with catchy lyrics and beats, the entire crowd at theHouse of Blues was filled with smiling faces and dancing feet. Lead singer, Nick Santino wore a genuine smile upon his face as he sung his heart out and as his entire band never failed to rock out with the grateful crowd. Fans enjoyed the happiness that emanated from the music, tapping their feet, clapping their hands and roaring their approval . I couldn’t help but smile constantly. A Rocket to the Moon delivered the kind of show that gives any unfamiliar audience members a reason to go home and search ARTTM songs on the web and really give the songs a listen. They are obviously “the band to know.”

Next up, Mayday Parade stuck true to its rock out persona and had the entire house off their feet from the first note. The energy was incredible as Mayday Parade blasted song after song with barely a break in between. There was a continuous flow of rocking. Bassist Jeremy Lenzo and electric guitarist Brooks Betts continuously criss-crossed the stage, punctuated by leaping up onto their equipment to play wildly to the crowd. Lead singer, Alex Garcia, sung beyond the point of exhaustion. Even when it seemed as though he could not go another note longer, he shouted out his melodies and kept the evening’s energy sky-high. Exhaustion was just not an option; no one wanted to stop the party. Jumping and rocking out to Mayday Parade was incredibly exhausting — but of course, that’s what we spend our good money for!

Finally, Florida’s We the Kings blasted onstage and was obviously a real crowd favorite. Almost immediately, the crowd escalated excitedly from moshing to crowd surfing. Travis Clark, lead singer, made sure to connect and bond with the audience by telling stories about the songs before belting into them. He had the audience singing and vibrating with every song, especially the old favorites. The band delivered a great show for the audience from start to finish.
At one point, Clark told the story of the “gang sign” of We the Kings which conveyed a personal connection to everyone in the crowd. It was as if We the Kings’ personality was evident on stage in every move — which makes for a more interesting and compelling experience. Feeling like “old friends”, we fans felt more in tune with the vibe of the band as they continued to rock out feverishly with us. Even the soulful, slower-tempo songs were sung with great emotion. Travis sings with complete honesty while his melodies were presented as if offering his heart on his sleeve to the crowd. The progression of the playlist was beautifully thought out and quite effective. As the show roared on, the crowd escalated into a frenzy and couldn’t help but beg for more. By the last song, the pit was overcome with bouncers who peeled screaming and sweaty fans off the crowd’s hands before delivering them back to the floor. When Travis Clark leaned into the crowd singing, the crowd went in a crazed frenzy, hoping just for a touch of Clark’s signature long, red locks. Finally, the concert ended with a cry for more as absolutely no one wanted to leave.