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AbsolutePunk.net Show Review: Silverstein at The Roxy Theatre (Los Angeles, CA; February 5th, 2013)

I wrote yesterday that the reason Silverstein has outlasted a number of its peers throughout the years is because of the growth and maturation in its songwriting. There’s another element to this as well - the passion, intensity, and energy one puts into touring and the live performance are essential. Bands also fade out because they lose the passion to go out night to night and leave their guts and heart on the stage. This isn’t the case for Silverstein, who played its first show at The Roxy Theatre in 9 years. It’s one of the smaller venues in Los Angeles and with the show being sold out, it was packed to the gills, which just added to the night’s overall atmosphere. Last night was a special night for the tour as Silverstein’s latest album, This Is How The Wind Shifts, was released that day. So maybe that occasion gave the band extra incentive to burn the house down. Opening with “Stand Amid The Roar,” Shane Told ripped into the song and set the tone for the night. The song has one of the coolest riffs on the new album and guitarists Josh Bradford and Paul Marc Rousseau unleashed them with ferocity. The energy didn’t drop once, as the band tore into “Sacrifice,” “Bleed No More,” and “Your Sword Versus My Dagger.” Things really got going with chaotic “S.O.S.” - Billy Hamilton’s bass work got everyone’s feet moving, while the breakdowns in “American Dream” and “In Silent Seas We Drown” led to some frantic call and returns between Told and the audience. 

There were plenty of standout moments throughout the night, including Rousseau joining drummer Paul Koehler on the stunning “In a Place of Solace” to create a booming build-up to the song’s colossal climax. Another fantastic moment had Told coming out by himself for the encore and playing an acoustic version of “Call It Karma” before the rest of the band joined him back on stage. It was chilling to hear Told’s lyrics echoed by the crowd; giving the song a unique take. 

And of course Silverstein gave the crowd plenty of fan favorites to make this a memorable show. “My Heroine” was played to perfection, while the pit opened up on the classic “Smashed Into Pieces” and bodies were flying during all-time fan favorite “Smile In Your Sleep.” Overall, Silverstein’s set had a nice balance of old and new songs; the band making sure there is never a dull moment. Silverstein’s performance was as strong as any band I’ve seen recently, hitting all their notes and marks flawlessly. If this show is coming to your town, do not hesitate to pick up tickets, as the smaller venues lead to a more intimate and personal show. And make sure you pick up the band’s new album This Is How The Wind Shifts ASAP too - you”ll want to know the words to latest rippers like “Massachusetts” and “On Brave Mountains We Conquer.” This is the best Silverstein has ever been - don’t miss it.

 

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Check out Drew’s review of Silverstein’s show last night.