Concert Review: Alesana

The first band, In Memory Of, was obviously well known and well liked by the audience. Right before they began playing the audience cheered at an almost deafening level and girls were proclaiming their love for the members. They began with very upbeat, energetic songs that showcased the singer’s mastery of clean and unclean vocals and pausing briefly in between songs to talk and joke along with the crowd. After their show they hopped in with the audience and began to mingle with them.

Next up was Otenki, a band from Houston, Texas with great stage presence. Right before they came on stage audience members talked amongst themselves, discussing the band and maintaining an enthusiastic, pumped up vibe that seemed to flow throughout their entire set. The band was the first to implement synchronized jumping and had the audience mimicking them. The lead singer had a brilliant voice that echoed throughout the room, and was incredibly interactive with the audience during songs. They ended their show by taking a selfie with the crowd, which the crowd seemed to enjoy.

Megosh made their presence known before the doors even opened. The lead singer was seen acting crazy and being a jokester outside while the audience waited until someone yelled “Aren’t you that guy in Megosh?” While on stage, Megosh’s members all jumped on amps at various points in the show, possibly flirting with danger as the stage and audience were a mere centimeters away from each other. Each member exuded cockiness and had the audience laughing and shouting with them.

Alesana finally began playing someone before 10PM, but not after turning down all the lights and letting the crowd scream in anticipation. During the middle of their show Dennis Lee, the band’s screamer, pulled down a barricade between the stage and the audience. He got up close and personal with various audience members throughout their show, singing and screaming in their faces while they grabbed his beard and sang along. They played songs from each album, something that their fans seemed to appreciate greatly. The fans demanded “One more song!” once they said they finished, to which they obliged. After the show was over, they stayed behind to meet with their fans and take pictures.

By Denise Gomez