Bamboozle Roadshow with We The Kings, Forever the Sickest Kids, The Cab, Never Shout Never, and Mercy Mercedes
Alex Marshal, guitarist of The Cab.
Photo by Alexandra Thulin
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April 15, 2009
Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Review by Ashleigh Ahern
Photos by Ashleigh Ahern & Alexandra Thulin
A string of neon and multi-tonal hair was wrapped around the Revolution parking lot on April 15 as South Florida's 'sceney-boppers' gathered together for this year's Bamboozle Roadshow. Even with it being a Wednesday night, the lure of the nights' ultra-poppy lineup couldn't keep the prepubescent concert-goers away.
Walking towards the pit, I instantly changed my mind. The crowd had filled the main pit for the first set, already rivaling that of punk show New Found Glory, which had been held in the same venue two days prior. Kicking off the show was Mercy Mercedes, setting the bar pretty high for the night. With their catchy lyrics, high energy, and a sound you just had to move to, they were the perfect opener, getting the crowd ready for the storm to come.
With a quick set change, NeverShoutNever took the stage to high-pitched squeals from their fourteen-and-under crowd, and it was obvious why. Taking the mike and sporting a ukulele was Christofer Drew, one of the most adorable scene boys who barely looked 12 years old. With songs like "Happy," "Your Biggest Fan," and "Did It Hurt?" it’s hard not to fall in love with them. Bringing their set to a near close, NeverShoutNever performed their version of the Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand." Not being a fan of The Beatles, I was surprised to find myself snapping along with the rest of the crowd.
The crowd broke out into a wave of jumping, and the entire third floor shook every time they landed, playing a "five- minute medley of all the songs you wished you’d heard live all in one."
Nate of MercyMercedes. Photo by Alexandra Thulin
With only two bands down, fans were already being pulled from the crowd, too tired to stick around for the show to come. A WWE-style "Let’s get ready to rumble!" announced the arrival of Las Vegas band, The Cab. From start to finish, the crowd was dancing along while front man Alex Deleon ran and jumped around the stage. Despite the band's energy, the set couldn’t have seemed shorter. Performing only five songs plus a phenomenal cover of Rihanna’s "Disturbia," it was a bit disappointing. But with this short and bouncy set, the crowd couldn’t be more hyped for the final acts of the night.
Looking down at the first floor, I was shocked to see that the previously full crowd somehow became even more packed and very restless. Forever the Sickest Kids began with a bang, literally. Running on stage, they had a skit already planned out as two of the band members broke into a fight, leading up to a shotgun showdown that ended with the entire band dead on stage. After ten seconds of lying lifeless, everyone jumped up and into their song "Hey Brittany."
Forever the Sickest Kids bassist Austin Bello.
Photo by Alexandra Thulin
This was obviously the band the crowd had been waiting for. The crowd broke out into a wave of jumping, and the entire third floor shook every time they landed, playing a "five- minute medley of all the songs you wished you’d heard live all in one." Needless to say, this got everyone excited, hearing more than the normal eight-song set from the headliners. As if the crowd needed more of an energy boost, lead singer Jonathan Cook started a screaming match between team Reba Mcentire (stage left) and team Garth Brooks (stage right). Finishing off the set with their second single, "She’s A Lady," the entire crowd—myself included—was sad to see such a fun performance end.
Once Forever the Sickest Kids was off stage, the main pit began to empty, holding half as many kids as before. Even with the lack of fans, Florida natives We The Kings were up next, and expected to put on a show. Unfortunately, the band delivered a weak performance. The crowd seemed to be more excited than the band was. As proof, three shirts and multiple bras flew to the stage before their second song even began. Despite the crowd, it was hard to get into a show where a band barely performs or emulates any sort of energy. The highlight of the night was their cover of Jimmy Eat World’s "The Middle" as the entire crowd was encouraged to join in the pit, crowd surf, and even dive from the balcony. Though this did improve my feel of the show, everyone was disappointed when their set ended with no encore, as most bands would normally perform. It was a disappointing ending to a fun night.
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Christofer Drew, guitarist for Never Shout Never.
Photo by Alexandra Thulin
Nate of MercyMercedes.
Photo by Ashleigh Ahern
Photo by Ashleigh Ahern