The Peace and the Panic Tour @ Marquee Theater
It’s amazing how pop-punk can lure you in. The blend of empowering lyrics paired with the elements of what makes a song burrow into your brain and make a home there. It’s a detriment when the songs are terrible but a true blessing when they’re great. Thankfully the Peace and the Panic tour at Marquee Theatre was certainly the latter. While it was unfortunate that we only caught Creeper, Seaway, and Neck Deep, it was certainly an awesome show to behold.
I was already looking forward to seeing Creeper again since Van’s Warped Tour. Within moments of the UK horror-punk band hitting the stage, I knew they were just as good if not better than I had remembered. I found myself singing along to almost every song and wishing I could be just a little bit closer to the stage. The energy Will Gould (Vocals) put out on stage was phenomenal. He, along with the other members of the band, gave a performance that felt almost as much physical as it was auditory. By the time their set was over, it was as if no time had passed. I felt like I was brimming with energy any my craving to hear Creeper wasn’t yet satiated. I highly recommend their latest CD, Eternity, in Your Arms, which is a wonder from beginning to end. If you like a cleaner sounding punk with poetic lyrics, I’m confident you’ll enjoy this album along with much of their music. With that reason, I hope that their visits to the US – especially Arizona – become more regular.
Next was Seaway on the stage. As much as I tried to feel the music of the band from Ontario, Canada, everything felt out of sync. Neither their sound or lyrics brought me in. As I listened to their song, “Curse Me Out,” I found little that was relatable to me. Physically, the band brings a tough presence to the stage. While much of the whimsical energy that I seek in a live show wasn’t present in Seaway’s performance, I can acknowledge a different, compelling power within their set. Though I struggle to find an identifiable element from Seaway and their sound, they leave me with an urge to listen further. I am optimistic that what entices me in the band’s music might be revealed while listening to them recorded instead of live with the roar of a crowd.
We waited thirty minutes or so as the crew cleared the stage and prepared the extravagant set for Neck Deep. When the house lights dimmed, spot lights on the stage came to live and scanned across the sea of bodies. With no shortage of energy, Neck Deep came rushing out with a bounce in their step. Personally, their music can be somewhat hit or miss for me. Some songs I can’t get enough of while others do not keep my interest. Yet, with their latest album, the Peace and the Panic, I’m finding a fair share of songs to add to my playlists with “Where Do We Go When We Go” being an easy favorite. Their set was filled with many personal and fan favorites. Near the end, the band invited Creeper’s Hannah Greenwood (Keys/Vocals) to accompany Neck Deep’s Ben Barlow (Lead Vocals) in performing “Part of Me.” For my second time witnessing Neck Deep live, they are becoming one of my preferred pop-punk bands. I’m interested to see what the UK pop-punk band releases next.
After the encore and the crowd thinned, we stuck around to hunt for any new music to take home. Yet, instead of purchasing new music, we encountered a majority of Creeper’s members at their merch table. It was a pleasure to speak with Oliver Burdett (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Hannah Greenwood, and Sean Scott (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals). We casually talked about their latest album, the show, and thanking them for an amazing performance. Though, with the serendipitous meeting over so they could greet other fans, we headed home. It has been great to see some of these bands for a second time in under a year. I only wish they could stay a tad longer.
