In case some of you didn’t know the line up for the tour consisted of Eye Alaska, InnerPartySystem, POS, and Soasin. I started my journey by checking in with will call for my photo pass, which I ended up losing my pass sometime in the middle of the night.
The Fireship kicked off the show, this is the band that won the PacTour battle of the bands for Chicago. I was pretty upset I walked in during the middle of the set because they’re a pretty solid band and they’re singer was dressed very well, just thought I’d add that in there. You can checked them out at: http://www.myspace.com/thefireship I promise you will not regret it.
Eye Alaska is a multi genre band that formed in 2006 from Orange County, CA. They signed to Fearless Records in 2008 and recently released their debut full length album, “Genesis Underground” in July 2009. Starting off their set with Brandon Wronski casually walking onto stage rocking rain boots, a backpack, a fancy sweater while eating an apple. Before this year I knew nothing about Eye Alaska, I decided to check them out a few months ago and they easily became one of my favorite bands. Eye Alaska has adopted a unique sound; with intricate sounds that mesh with harder beats, it’s hard to put a finger on what genre they really are. Not only has this band developed their own signature sound, but their performance was very unique as well. Everything from their wardrobe to the tiniest movements separated them from man of the bands I’ve seen live. It’s safe to say
that these boys have swag and that’s something you guys will have to go check out for yourself. They performed two of my favorites that night (American Landslide and Walk like a Gentleman) and their stage presence was great. With Brandon’s balancing act and their unique style, Eye Alaska is definitely worth checking out live.
RADIO LIVE TRANSMISSION! InnerPartySystem, a synth rock band formed in Pennsylvania, came to the town with a light show! I met these guys back in July at The Vans Warped Tour and they are definitely some of the coolest guys around! They started off their set with a cover of Joy Division’s “Transmission,” which happens to be one of my favorites. Usually I’m not a fan of cover songs, but IPS definitely took this song and made it their own. Their talent and understanding of their equipment/instruments definitely show through their music, they are a blast to watch and of course, dance to. The crowd livened up as IPS hit the stage bringing their electronic sound and the light show. If you have never heard or seen IPS live, you are in for a treat.
Moving on into the night. I think that most people would agree with me when I say, POS is the man! Stef (Stefon Alexander or P.O.S.) is a rapper and insanely talented musician from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I first witnessed one of his many great performances at the Vans Warped Tour this past July, where he performed not on stage, but in the middle of the pit. Don’t think this guy knows nothing of the rock n’ roll culture, chances are he probably knows more about it than most musicians. He brought the energy level way up on the PacTour. People who didn’t know who POS was definitely was not expecting a rapper to be on the tour. The great thing about Stef’s music is that he isn’t afraid to break boundaries, he says what’s on his mind and isn’t afraid to call out the issues with pop culture or politics. When the crowd appeared to be “tired” he wouldn’t continue with his performance until they “woke up” and sung along with him. He kept his optimism alive throughout the set and it’s clear that By the end of his set, he had the entire room demanding for another song.
Finally, the night ends with a wonderful performance by Soasin, an alternative rock band from Newport Beach, CA. I’ve been listening to these guys since way back in the day, it was sad to see Anthony Green go, but Cove has been a great asset to the band. As each member took their positions on stage, the crowd cheered in excitement. The band kicked off their set with “Secrets” as kids jumped and sang along. A couple more security guards came in five minutes into the set, because things started to get a bit rough. The night continued with the band cracking a few jokes. Being a huge fan of Anthony Green, I was
hesitant to see Saosin at first. Although it’s been a few years since Anthony’s depart, I find that some people still feel that he made the band. However, seeing Saosin perform with Cove Reber it finally made me realize that Cove is a great choice for a front man, an amazing vocalist, and well, he made me laugh with a few jokes.
Well, that was my experience at the 2009 PacSun Tour. If it hasn’t hit your city yet, I recommend you purchase a ticket and attend the show. It was a blast to shoot the show, although there were probably eight people in the photo pit (talk about crowded!) the bands did amazing and each one had their own unique performance. I hope you enjoyed my babbles and photos, remember more photos can be found on www.flickr.com/photos/alicelolz.
