Sunday is usually a day for rest, reflection, recovery, reconnaissance and recharging. For most of us “adult-minded” people that may be true, but also a day to clean house, buy groceries, meal prep, take care of laundry, spend time with family, and most importantly NOT think about going back to work on Monday.
This particular Sunday, June 9, I decided to throw a curveball into the typical routine and take a trip to Chicago to attend a White Sox game during the afternoon and see the band Strung Out for the very first time live at Reggie’s in the evening. That’s right folks, I pulled a double header of sorts and I can tell you it was absolutely worth it.
Accompanied by opening acts Ignite and Mercy Music, the show at Reggie’s in Chicago was the fourth stop on the tour for Strung Out. As I mentioned this was my first time seeing these punk rock legends rock a stage and I couldn’t be more excited. I also got to meet Meredith Goldberg, our very own Dying Scene Photographer and Contributor and witness her excellent camera wizardry. Meredith provided all of the awesome photos you are about to see.
The level of energy brought by all three bands – Mercy Music, Ignite and Strung Out – had the crowd of mostly thirty to forty-somethings moving the entire evening. A sign of my own age, as I felt sore the following morning. Punk ROCK! Eat your Wheaties and hydrate my friends.
Las Vegas’ pop-punkers Mercy Music started the show in Chicago on June 9. Prior to this show, I did not know much about this band other than they have been gaining traction amongst the scene. After watching their energy-fueled set, I can understand why. The trio bounced around on stage and played some very catchy tunes that garnered praise from the crowd. The singer was very engaging and had most of us clapping along as the band jumped their way through nine songs. I think I may have heard a nod to Weezer via guitar riff during a break between songs. Mercy Music closed their set with the infectious “Suddenly” off of their latest album What You Stand to Lose, available from SBAM Records.
Melodic hardcore outfit Ignite kicked things up a bit at Reggie’s after taking the stage and displaying some heavy guitars and fierce vocals. First impression of this band: loud, heavy, energetic, fun and an excellent live performance. Turns out Ignite has been cranking out fist-pumping and in-your-face punk rock since the early ’90s. Another band I did not know much about, but became an instant fan. To my surprise, Ignite played a hard rocking cover of U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” and everyone in the crowd sang their hearts out. Singer Eli Santana jumped around the stage and was giving off the vibe that he could also sing for Iron Maiden. Great choice having Ignite open for Strung Out, the bands complement each other well and I wouldn’t be surprised if both influenced their respective music.
Headlining act Strung Out took the stage and started their set with the song “Future Ghosts” off of their brand new album Dead Rebellion. The song was the perfect intro to the show, a barrage of drums that’ll get the blood flowing leading into some ripping guitar riffs. There’s been mixed feelings about the new album among fans, but I can tell you that hearing this song live will guarantee it’s a banger. I was eager to hear some of the new stuff live and it sounded just as good as on record. I became a Strung Out fan in my late 20s thanks to a good friend lending me some of his CDs. The album Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues was among the many CDs I was given and it only took one listen to cement the album into “all-time classic” status. Hearing the band play “Bring Out Your Dead” and “Firecracker” during the show in Chicago felt surreal. Strung Out played a total of 19 songs at Reggie’s in Chicago (this includes 3 encore songs) and the energy level was the same for every song. Singer Jason Cruz made his performance known moving around the stage and frequently interacting with the fans. It seems as if the band effortlessly mixes elements of heavy metal, melodic punk rock, aggression, and intensity that makes for one hell of a show. Other highlights during the set include the songs “New Gods” and “White Owls” (both from new album Dead Rebellion), “The Animal and the Machine” from the album Transmission Alpha Delta, “Daggers” from the album Songs of Armor and Devotion and “Ashes” from debut album Another Day in Paradise. The band ended the evening with “Matchbook” from arguably their best album Twisted by Design.
It had been nearly 7 years since I last attended a show at Reggie’s. This show was no question one of the best I’ve attended at the venue.
One of my favorite things about going to shows is finding bands that are either new or new to me. While I was somewhat familiar with both Mercy Music and Ignite, seeing them live definitely made me a fan of both bands. If you get the chance to see either band, go for it because you will not be disappointed.
Strung Out announced to the crowd at Reggie’s that they will be playing Riot Fest this year in Chicago. I was not expecting to hear that so it was a very exciting surprise. If there’s any band that should be playing Riot Fest, it has to be Strung Out. They are legends in their own right and have paved the way for a lot of the bands who played Riot Fest over the years.
Strung Out finished an 18-show run in the month of June and just announced a West Coast run of shows starting in September with bands Adolescents and A Wilhelm Scream. Visit the band’s website here for info. Check out all of the photos from the show at Reggie’s in Chicago below via Instagram, taken by Dying Scene’s very talented Meredith Goldberg.