The Curse of Existence Tour Looms Over Lawrence, KS

It had been some time since Miss May I had played a headlining gig in Kansas and the crowd’s anticipation was evident, even as the line began to form outside. It was unclear what the turn out for the event would be, as it happened that the Trinity of Terror tour was not far away in Bonner Springs. Once the doors opened, you could feel the tension in the air as they waited for the opening band, LANDMVRKS, to hit the stage. Being that the band is from France and this being their first time in the states, it was impressive to see how many people knew the words to their songs. Having had a couple of their singles hit Octane was a huge help in this but not the only draw to their music. Mixing elements of pop punk, metalcore and even hip hop, this band was definitely the “black sheep” of the lineup but that didn’t affect the crowd at all, as from the moment they hit the stage it was clear they were out for a good time. There were even a couple of stage dives before security shut that down for the safety of everyone in the venue. Perhaps the most cathartic and emotional moment in their set was when they played their hit “Rainfall” to which very few were not singing along. The energy for this set was off the charts and it seemed like, perhaps, it couldn’t be topped but only time would tell. Being on such a small stage, it was unclear what the bands presence would be but you’d never know with how fluidly they moved around it. View the full set list here and be sure to check these up-and-comers out, as they’re far too talented to stay away for long!

📸: Barrett Stephens

Kingdom of Giants is another band that hadn’t hit the stage in awhile and that pressure didn’t seem to affect them at all. While the band ripped through mostly newer songs (from their latest 2 releases), they did so with style. Their song, “Bleach” probably elicited the crowds best response but there was moshing to be had with each one they played. While this band was a bit more vocal-centric (that is to say that vocalist Dana Willax was a focal point), the band remained cognizant of one another and switched places quite a few times. Drummer, Truman “Dizzy” Berlin was on fire, though as he played hype man for each and every song! You can view their full setlist here.

📸: Barrett Stephens

Diving into more familiar territory was Currents, who always put on an insane show. The last time I had the chance to witness them was on the Hip to Be Scared: Severed Leg Pt 2 tour with Ice Nine Kills, Bad Omens and Fame On Fire. However, with them being further up the bill, I was interested to see how a longer set would play out. Needless to say, they did not disappoint. Their latest single, “The Death We Seek” along with long-time fan favorite “Apnea” brought forth the best pits of the night. Vocalist Brian Wille also stepped up to the barricade and had some crowd participation for one of their songs. The energy levels just kept coming and by that point, it was hard to tell that a larger show may have pulled some of their crowd as the room filled quite nicely. You can view this setlist full of bangers here

📸: Steven “Steveless” Seuferling

Shortly after their set, the crowd began to disperse and you would have thought that most had come to see Currents. Couple that with the fact that everyone was clearly having a good time but also clearly exhausted. However, it was later discovered that Brian went straight to the merch table and everyone was rushing over for a chance to meet him (where he stayed for the remainder of the night). The room filled once again and the anticipation was almost at an unbearable level for some of these fans. As the band stepped out onto the stage, lit only by their personal lighting, the crowd re-energized and gave these guys all of what they had left in them. While, of course, the set was honed into their newly-released album, Curse of Existence, they also played some throwbacks which dated all the way back to their debut, Apologies for the Weak. With a setlist as well-rounded as this one, fans of every era of the band had something to look forward to. “Hey Mister,” the 2nd song in their set is where the crowd really began moving and it didn’t stop until the last note played. Having never seen this band, I was incredibly impressed with my first outing.

📸: Steven “Steveless” Seuferling

This was probably one of the best metalcore tours of the year and definitely one not to be missed. Especially given the fact that bassist Ryan Neff (who had previously been out with As I Lay Dying) sounded just as incredible as he does on recordings… and you wouldn’t be able to tell that he had left one tour to fly home and start another. There are a few dates that remain so be sure to get out there and check this one out! You’ll be glad you did and you’re in for one hell of a time!

Curse of Existence tour remaining dates:

Sept. 27 – Atlanta, Ga. @ The Masquerade
Sept. 28 – Greensboro, N.C. @ The Blind Tiger
Sept. 29 – Richmond, Va. @ Canal Club
Sept. 30 – Horseheads, N.Y. @ The L
Oct. 01 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Brachland Ballroom
Oct. 02 – New York, N.Y. @ Gramercy Theatre