npmshah's Blog http://www.absolutepunk.net/blogs.php?u=202701 npmshah's latest blog entries. en AbsolutePunk.net Blogs http://images.absolutepunk.net/images/misc/rss.jpg npmshah's Blog http://www.absolutepunk.net/blogs.php?u=202701 A Day To Remember's "Toursick"- review http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=266702 Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:44:08 GMT Headliner: A Day To Remember Support (in descending order): August Burns Red, Silverstein, Enter Shikari, Veara On April 8th, 2010, A Day To Remember’s highly anticipated spring “Toursick” tour made a stop at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. The anticipation was clearly high in the crowd waiting to enter the sold out show, and throughout the night this only built as A Day To Remember’s set grew near. Georgia pop-punkers Veara took the stage a mere ten minutes after fans were allowed into the venue, and ripped through a six-song, 25 minute set, managing to engage a crowd that had most likely had heard them before. Following Veara was synth-laden British post-hardcore act, Enter Shikari. Enter Shikari have been making a major name for themselves stateside since the release of 2007’s [I]Take To The Skies[/I] and 2009’s [I]Common Dreads[/I], as their set clearly indicated. The band kept the crowd engaged throughout their seven-song set, which was comprised of songs from both of their full-lengths. One of the more surprising things about Enter Shikari’s set, however, was that the band played the rather obscure “Havoc A,” but not fan favorite “Anything Can Happen In the Next Half Hour.” Following Enter Shikari was Canada’s Silverstein. Starting off with “Your Sword VS My Dagger,” the band played an energetic set comprised mainly of songs off 2005’s [I]Discovering The Waterfront[/I] and last year’s impeccable [I]A Shipwreck In The Sand[/I]. As Silverstein wrapped up their set, a large portion of the crowd began to push forward in preparation for August Burns Red. Twenty minutes later, as the lights dimmed, August Burns Red took the stage and proved that all the audience’s preparation was worth it. With a commanding stage presence and impressive lighting effects, the band successfully engaged the crowd and managed to convince even skeptics (read: me) that they were a seasoned, hard-working band that knew how to put on a show. As August Burns Red finished their set, the remainder of the crowd pushed forward, eager for the show’s headliner, A Day To Remember, to take the stage. After a corny, and almost pretentious, intro video, the band started off their set with “The Downfall Of Us All,” and played not only through most of Homesick, but songs spread all across their discography, all with an impressive LED light display, pillars of smoke, and confetti to back up the band’s already-impressive performance. Overall, the show was top-notch. Much credit belongs to A Day to Remember for taking out solid bands and for using their status as a headliner to put together an amazing stage set up. It is recommended that any fan of the scene A Day To Remember see this show. Unfortunately, with most dates on the tour sold out, you may have to scour eBay or pray that the venue releases more tickets if you haven’t already bought one. SETLISTS: [B]Enter Shikari:[/B] Solidarity No Sweat Havoc A Mothership Zzzzonked! Sorry, You’re Not A Winner [B]Silverstein:[/B] Your sword vs my dagger Vices Broken Stars Smashed into pieces Bleeds no more Fist wrapped in blood I Am The Arsonist Born dead Smile in your sleep [B]August Burns Red:[/B] Backburner Whitewashed Meddler Marianas trench 11th hour Your little suburbia is in ruins The truth of a liar 30 and 7 Composure [B]A Day To Remember[/B] The Downfall of us All A Shot in the Dark The Danger in Starting a Fire Over My Head (Cable Car) You Already Know What You Are My Life for Hire Mr. Highway's Thinking about the End Holdin' it Down for the Underground And Thier Name was Treason Intro into Casablanca Sucked Anyways / A Second Glance / your way with words is through silence You should've Killed me if you had the chance Fast Forward to 2012 Speak of the Devil Monument Homesick Have Faith in Me I'm Made of Wax Larry Encore If it Means A Lot To You The plot to Bomb the Panhandle [B]PICTURES:[/B] A DAY TO REMEMBER: [IMG]http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz81/npmshah/ADTR.jpg[/IMG] AUGUST BURNS RED: [IMG]http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz81/npmshah/AUGUSTBURNSRED.jpg[/IMG] SILVERSTEIN: [IMG]http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz81/npmshah/LEAD.jpg[/IMG] ENTER SHIKARI: [IMG]http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz81/npmshah/ENTERSHA.jpg[/IMG] VEARA: [IMG]http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz81/npmshah/VEARA.jpg[/IMG] Photos taken by Nikki Versandi Support (in descending order): August Burns Red, Silverstein, Enter Shikari, Veara

On April 8th, 2010, A Day To Remember’s highly anticipated spring “Toursick” tour made a stop at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. The anticipation was clearly high in the crowd waiting to enter the sold out show, and throughout the night this only built as A Day To Remember’s set grew near. Georgia pop-punkers Veara took the stage a mere ten minutes after fans were allowed into the venue, and ripped through a six-song, 25 minute set, managing to engage a crowd that had most likely had heard them before.
Following Veara was synth-laden British post-hardcore act, Enter Shikari. Enter Shikari have been making a major name for themselves stateside since the release of 2007’s Take To The Skies and 2009’s Common Dreads, as their set clearly indicated. The band kept the crowd engaged throughout their seven-song set, which was comprised of songs from both of their full-lengths. One of the more surprising things about Enter Shikari’s set, however, was that the band played the rather obscure “Havoc A,” but not fan favorite “Anything Can Happen In the Next Half Hour.” Following Enter Shikari was Canada’s Silverstein. Starting off with “Your Sword VS My Dagger,” the band played an energetic set comprised mainly of songs off 2005’s Discovering The Waterfront and last year’s impeccable A Shipwreck In The Sand. As Silverstein wrapped up their set, a large portion of the crowd began to push forward in preparation for August Burns Red. Twenty minutes later, as the lights dimmed, August Burns Red took the stage and proved that all the audience’s preparation was worth it. With a commanding stage presence and impressive lighting effects, the band successfully engaged the crowd and managed to convince even skeptics (read: me) that they were a seasoned, hard-working band that knew how to put on a show.
As August Burns Red finished their set, the remainder of the crowd pushed forward, eager for the show’s headliner, A Day To Remember, to take the stage. After a corny, and almost pretentious, intro video, the band started off their set with “The Downfall Of Us All,” and played not only through most of Homesick, but songs spread all across their discography, all with an impressive LED light display, pillars of smoke, and confetti to back up the band’s already-impressive performance.
Overall, the show was top-notch. Much credit belongs to A Day to Remember for taking out solid bands and for using their status as a headliner to put together an amazing stage set up. It is recommended that any fan of the scene A Day To Remember see this show. Unfortunately, with most dates on the tour sold out, you may have to scour eBay or pray that the venue releases more tickets if you haven’t already bought one.


SETLISTS:
Enter Shikari:
Solidarity
No Sweat
Havoc A
Mothership
Zzzzonked!
Sorry, You’re Not A Winner

Silverstein:
Your sword vs my dagger
Vices
Broken Stars
Smashed into pieces
Bleeds no more
Fist wrapped in blood
I Am The Arsonist
Born dead
Smile in your sleep

August Burns Red:
Backburner
Whitewashed
Meddler
Marianas trench
11th hour
Your little suburbia is in ruins
The truth of a liar
30 and 7
Composure

A Day To Remember
The Downfall of us All
A Shot in the Dark
The Danger in Starting a Fire
Over My Head (Cable Car)
You Already Know What You Are
My Life for Hire
Mr. Highway's Thinking about the End
Holdin' it Down for the Underground
And Thier Name was Treason Intro into
Casablanca Sucked Anyways / A Second Glance / your way with words is through silence
You should've Killed me if you had the chance
Fast Forward to 2012
Speak of the Devil
Monument
Homesick
Have Faith in Me
I'm Made of Wax Larry

Encore
If it Means A Lot To You
The plot to Bomb the Panhandle


PICTURES:
A DAY TO REMEMBER:


AUGUST BURNS RED:


SILVERSTEIN:


ENTER SHIKARI:


VEARA:


Photos taken by Nikki Versandi ]]> npmshah http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=266702 A New Tradition- Weekly Reviews http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=164622 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:54:07 GMT Hello, I'm Neeps (short for Neepam, but i hate that name so much) every sunday from today on, i will be writing a review for this site... anything goes, as i do not care for genres... once i submit it i will put it in a blog entry since AP takes FOREVER to approve reviews... the first band is :drumroll: FIFTEEN FLEETING! These guys are an amazing band out of my home state of Jersey, and even though they are still unsigned, they know what they are doing in terms of songwriting. Special thanks to Adam (circatbs) for giving me this idea, and to Scott Petzinger of Fifteen Fleeting for sending me their awesome CD. They've played some awesome shows (including the 2009 Bamboozle Left alongside the likes of The Deftones and 50 Cent). Without further ado... here is the review for their self-released album [I]Signals From An Empty Room[/I]. I wish these guys tons of luck in the future and hope this helps further their career :-) [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Artist: Fifteen Fleeting[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Album: Signals from an Empty Room[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Label: Unsigned[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Date: 12/4/08[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] Fifteen Fleeting is quite possibly Jersey’s best-kept secret since the early days of a little unknown band called My Chemical Romance. Despite making a name for themselves as a band called Trust and then suddenly switching the name only a few months ago, it does not seem to have affected the band’s upward spiral. The latest effort from the band, [I]Signals from an Empty Room[/I], only proves that. This album is a great slice of pop punk that manages to at once showcase emo at its most naked and country at it most vulnerable.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] Though there are no tracks on the album that need to be skipped, the first half of the album contains this disc’s weaker songs. Though both “Signals from an Empty Room” and “If It’s Alright” are great, memorable songs, “Streetlight Limelight” makes both preceding songs leave a bad taste in the listener’s mouth. However, once the listener reaches “Man Of Tomorrow,” all he needs to do is just sit back and let the music take its course. Songs like “Man of Tomorrow” and “Among a Million” are both amazing songs that manage to give off an emo-meets-country vibe. “This Time” and “The Only” are both sweet songs that manage to get a little experimental, especially in the off-kilter drum/bass VS vocal dynamic. “In Pursuit Of…” and “A Just Perspective” make for the album’s highlights, combining some of the most risky experimentation I have seen (from a band so young, that is) with an instinct to just write good music.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] The album’s choice cuts are: “Among A Million,” for its beautiful acoustic guitar and violin usage; “In Pursuit Of…” for its pure artfulness (the song is completely instrumental and consists of some soft, sparse guitar melodies); and “A Just Perspective” for its ability to, at one time, summarize the band’s entire sound, to experiment in ways not many bands would dare to, and to create an epic piece so wonderful it rivals the epicness of Anberlin’s (*Fin).[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] Overall this is a very strong effort from a very strong band. I look forward to more from them, and I can say for a sure fact until I get some more this disc will be in constant rotation on my iPod.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]TRACKLISTING:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [LIST] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Intro[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Signals from an Empty Room[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]If It’s Alright[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Streetlamp Limelight[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Man of Tomorrow[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Among a Million[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]This Time[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]The Only[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]In Pursuit Of…[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [*][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]A Just Perspective [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/LIST][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]RIYL: Mercy Mercedes, Valencia, All Time Low, emo-meets-country, Rascall Flatts[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]http://myspace.com/fifteenfleeting[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Vocals: 8[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Musicianship: 9[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Lyrics: 7.25[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Production: 7.5[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Creativity: 7[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Lasting Value: 8[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Reviewer Tilt: 9[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] every sunday from today on, i will be writing a review for this site...
anything goes, as i do not care for genres... once i submit it i will put it in a blog entry since AP takes FOREVER to approve reviews...
the first band is :drumroll: FIFTEEN FLEETING!

These guys are an amazing band out of my home state of Jersey, and even though they are still unsigned, they know what they are doing in terms of songwriting. Special thanks to Adam (circatbs) for giving me this idea, and to Scott Petzinger of Fifteen Fleeting for sending me their awesome CD. They've played some awesome shows (including the 2009 Bamboozle Left alongside the likes of The Deftones and 50 Cent). Without further ado... here is the review for their self-released album Signals From An Empty Room. I wish these guys tons of luck in the future and hope this helps further their career

Artist: Fifteen Fleeting
Album: Signals from an Empty Room
Label: Unsigned
Date: 12/4/08

Fifteen Fleeting is quite possibly Jersey’s best-kept secret since the early days of a little unknown band called My Chemical Romance. Despite making a name for themselves as a band called Trust and then suddenly switching the name only a few months ago, it does not seem to have affected the band’s upward spiral. The latest effort from the band, Signals from an Empty Room, only proves that. This album is a great slice of pop punk that manages to at once showcase emo at its most naked and country at it most vulnerable.
Though there are no tracks on the album that need to be skipped, the first half of the album contains this disc’s weaker songs. Though both “Signals from an Empty Room” and “If It’s Alright” are great, memorable songs, “Streetlight Limelight” makes both preceding songs leave a bad taste in the listener’s mouth. However, once the listener reaches “Man Of Tomorrow,” all he needs to do is just sit back and let the music take its course. Songs like “Man of Tomorrow” and “Among a Million” are both amazing songs that manage to give off an emo-meets-country vibe. “This Time” and “The Only” are both sweet songs that manage to get a little experimental, especially in the off-kilter drum/bass VS vocal dynamic. “In Pursuit Of…” and “A Just Perspective” make for the album’s highlights, combining some of the most risky experimentation I have seen (from a band so young, that is) with an instinct to just write good music.
The album’s choice cuts are: “Among A Million,” for its beautiful acoustic guitar and violin usage; “In Pursuit Of…” for its pure artfulness (the song is completely instrumental and consists of some soft, sparse guitar melodies); and “A Just Perspective” for its ability to, at one time, summarize the band’s entire sound, to experiment in ways not many bands would dare to, and to create an epic piece so wonderful it rivals the epicness of Anberlin’s (*Fin).
Overall this is a very strong effort from a very strong band. I look forward to more from them, and I can say for a sure fact until I get some more this disc will be in constant rotation on my iPod.

TRACKLISTING:
  • Intro
  • Signals from an Empty Room
  • If It’s Alright
  • Streetlamp Limelight
  • Man of Tomorrow
  • Among a Million
  • This Time
  • The Only
  • In Pursuit Of…
  • A Just Perspective

RIYL: Mercy Mercedes, Valencia, All Time Low, emo-meets-country, Rascall Flatts

http://myspace.com/fifteenfleeting


Vocals: 8
Musicianship: 9
Lyrics: 7.25
Production: 7.5
Creativity: 7
Lasting Value: 8
Reviewer Tilt: 9 ]]> npmshah http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=164622 The Scene Is NOT Dead... But Let It Live Long Anyway... http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=123202 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:48:27 GMT Recently, AP.net user anamericangod posted a rant about how the scene is dead. Even though i can see his point, and completely respect his opinion, i feel compelled to declare that the scene is not indeed dead. It is, however, very much alive. The passion is there, the heart is there, the only thing different is that we make the music with a heavy emphaisis on a new instrument: the computer program. All this negative reaction and declarations of the "scene is dead" is because old "purists" are not as willing to embrace a new style of music for a new generation. And that is completely understandable. I am 100% sure that the earlier fans of TBS, JEW, and THursday had to endure the same proclomations of a "dead" scene when they started coming into their own. This change in music trends is largely due to a new globalization. More music is easier to reach, and that makes it somuch easier for a member of one scene to hear, enjoy, and be influenced by members of another scene. SO what's wrong with having an alternative band take a page from techno and dance hall? This new style is not something to be feared and shunned, but to be embraced, with a few notable exceptions. Myselfism, for example, should be shunned, burned, raped, and tortured on an increasingly large scale. Whats wrong with rock music you can dance along to? many of these bands are barely in their 20s, and still need time to mature as songwriters. As long as the ever-present problem of labels doesnt get in the way, i think the next few years will be a new boom in the scene, as the newer bands begin to mature as writers and as people. bands generally put down by this site (ie brokeNCYDE and Millionaires) could have a rebirth, the way UnderOATH did TWICE. In the meantime, whats wrong with indulging in the next big thing. Beacuase, in a about ten years, im sure we'll be the ones in our rocing chairs and synth-laden music screaming "THE SCENE IS DEAD"
This change in music trends is largely due to a new globalization. More music is easier to reach, and that makes it somuch easier for a member of one scene to hear, enjoy, and be influenced by members of another scene. SO what's wrong with having an alternative band take a page from techno and dance hall? This new style is not something to be feared and shunned, but to be embraced, with a few notable exceptions. Myselfism, for example, should be shunned, burned, raped, and tortured on an increasingly large scale. Whats wrong with rock music you can dance along to? many of these bands are barely in their 20s, and still need time to mature as songwriters. As long as the ever-present problem of labels doesnt get in the way, i think the next few years will be a new boom in the scene, as the newer bands begin to mature as writers and as people. bands generally put down by this site (ie brokeNCYDE and Millionaires) could have a rebirth, the way UnderOATH did TWICE. In the meantime, whats wrong with indulging in the next big thing. Beacuase, in a about ten years, im sure we'll be the ones in our rocing chairs and synth-laden music screaming "THE SCENE IS DEAD" ]]> npmshah http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=123202 Searching For An Answer... http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=112352 Sun, 28 Dec 2008 04:47:11 GMT [CENTER]I lay at night thinking about us[/CENTER] [CENTER]and all that we went through[/CENTER] [CENTER]and even though you are gone[/CENTER] [CENTER]i still really miss you[/CENTER] [CENTER] [/CENTER] [CENTER]Why Did you leave me?[/CENTER] [CENTER]scarred for the world to see[/CENTER] [CENTER]and why do I[/CENTER] [CENTER]care so much[/CENTER] [CENTER]please, answer me, answer me[/CENTER] [CENTER]you will never tell me[/CENTER] [CENTER]that fact i do see[/CENTER] [CENTER]yet I'm still holding on[/CENTER] [CENTER]just answer my plea[/CENTER] [CENTER]Tell me why we're over[/CENTER] [CENTER]and why did you do this?[/CENTER] [CENTER]give me just one sentence[/CENTER] [CENTER]and i know you'll be missed[/CENTER] [CENTER]return to me, right now, please[/CENTER] [CENTER]god, im BEGGING you[/CENTER] [CENTER]and even though its impossible[/CENTER] [CENTER]just say you love me[/CENTER] [CENTER]please, ANSWER ME ANSWER ME[/CENTER] [CENTER]Ive given up[/CENTER] [CENTER]you wont reply[/CENTER] [CENTER]and all i have to say is goodbye[/CENTER] [CENTER]and RIP[/CENTER] I lay at night thinking about us
and all that we went through
and even though you are gone
i still really miss you
Why Did you leave me?
scarred for the world to see
and why do I
care so much
please, answer me, answer me

you will never tell me
that fact i do see
yet I'm still holding on
just answer my plea

Tell me why we're over
and why did you do this?
give me just one sentence
and i know you'll be missed

return to me, right now, please
god, im BEGGING you
and even though its impossible
just say you love me
please, ANSWER ME ANSWER ME

Ive given up
you wont reply
and all i have to say is goodbye
and RIP
]]> npmshah http://www.absolutepunk.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=112352