Another rock concert at the Roxian! After supporting Shinedown in their latest tour, Coheed and Cambria broke off for a short headlining tour of their own. On Tuesday, June 9th, they swung by McKees Rocks (Pittsburgh), PA’s own Roxian Theatre.
If you’ve read my previous review from the Senses Fail and Story of the Year show, you’ll know my skepticism of emo, rock, and metal shows at the Roxian. But, hey! These bands keep scheduling shows at the venue, so I must attend. I also think I’m warming up to this cozy venue – read more about Coheed’s incredible light show below.
Opening up the show, Kaonashi took the stage. Being the studious woman I am, I looked up the band ahead of time and knew I was in for a treat. Hailing from Philadelphia, Kaonashi wasn’t too far from home. Upon first look, this band seems like a mish mash of dudes who responded to a flyer for band auditions. But honestly, if they’re all the best of friends, I want to be a part of that group. The band’s genre-bending music utilized a wide range of vocal pitch and a synthesizer. One song even partially covered Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” in what felt like a crazy turn of events. Overall, the lead singer, Peter Rono, was wildly entertaining and beautifully eccentric – truly the personality of the band.
I really wanted to get into them, but I think the best way to describe my feelings towards the music was chaotic. Rono’s high pitch screams overstimulated me the way my daughters’ whines send me into a panic and had me hoping for his low grumbling screams for reprieve. It might just be one of those bands you have to take your time to learn and love. But no matter how I felt, they had die-hard fans. A small circle pit broke out on the floor, crowd-surfing started early, and one guy in the front row of the ADA section was enthusiastically rocking out. The passion he had made me want to feel how he did listening to Kaonashi.
Arm’s Length, from Ontario, Canada, came on next. I would best describe this group of guys as having a traditional emo sound with members who look like they came straight out of a 90s AV Club or the show Freaks and Geeks. I really wish I WOULD have studied this band more prior to the show. Their music attracted a huge following and I felt left out, wishing I could sing along.
Overall, the music was incredibly catchy and fun, but the band’s stage presence made it infinitely more interesting. My favorite being one of the guitarists, I believe Jeremy Whyte, who had the BEST time on stage. Him and the other rhythm guitarist, Charles (I believe?? He was new to the band for the tour or show), were completely vibing with each other the entire time. Their energy radiated across the stage – you know these guys enjoy their time off stage just as much. At one point, Charles whipped out an electric banjo for an introduction of a song. Arm’s Length, I need you to hear me out. I hereby make a formal petition for the banjo to make a regular appearance – it clearly needed a larger role in the show!
The headliner, Coheed and Cambria, did NOT disappoint. I’m still in awe by the light show they incorporated into their set. This is where I think The Roxian was truly the perfect sized venue for this show. The venue lit up. The vibe was intoxicating. Thirty years into the band, Claudio Sanchez (lead singer) still going strong, and the crowd roared from the first note. Coheed is one of those bands with such a unique sound, it’s almost difficult to describe how they fit in the genre. My favorite way to describe them is a mix of rock and emo, with a bit of an 80s-hair band sound – but I guess you can also just reference Google and call them progressive rock. They’ve been truly consistent with their sound for the entirety of their band.
The facial expressions from the drummer, Josh Eppard, was an absolute highlight of the set. The dude could have easily doubled as a mime at one point in his life. Sanchez had his signature hair – as voluminous as ever. At one point he tied it up, and I wondered what took him so long since I was dying from having my hair around my sweaty neck. Then he let it back down… surely for effect. Lead guitarist, Travis Stever, had a slow start, but really started to liven up halfway through the set. And bassist, Zach Cooper, jammed around the stage pulling the energy from Eppard.
The crowd was chock-full of long-time fans. Circle pits and crowd-surfing were consistent throughout the set. One guy spotted in an orange tank, gauges, and a shaved head seemed to be in a never-ending crowd-surfing loop. I couldn’t help but laugh every time I saw him skip past me and back into the dense pit.
Finishing the first part of the set, Coheed left the stage after playing “A Favor House Atlantic.” CLEARLY they weren’t done. Fans knew they weren’t done. They rejoined the stage with “Ten Speed,” then for Sanchez break out the double neck guitar for the famous song “Welcome Home” to finish the set.
Each band throughout the night had a clearly different sound, but the way the crowd came together to enjoy each band felt like a unique experience itself. And with bands old (Coheed) and new (Arm’s Length), the show was for every generation. Big thanks to Coheed for ending their tour with Shinedown to jump right into a headlining tour, and shoutout to The Roxian for somehow being the perfect place for this show. The intimate size almost made it, dare I say, better?