THRICE VHEISSU 15TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
I’m running late.
When you have a press photo pass for a show, you’re allowed in the photo pit right in front of the stage for the first 3 songs of a set only. So if you’re late, you’re fucked.
The plan was to get to Brooklyn Steel by 9pm. With the show starting at 7pm and Holy Fawn, Drug Church (who everyone has been raving about) and mewithoutYou opening, I figured Thrice would not go on till about 10pm.
It’s 9:05pm. My friend texts me- “Hurry! The last band just got off and I think Thrice is next.”
I was still on the L train coming in from city and had about a 10 minute walk from the Graham Avenue station to the venue. I wasn’t only going to shoot Thrice, I was going to see one of my favorite bands. I cannot be late.
I look at my phone as I finally reach the venue. It reads, 9:25pm. I get through security, walk up to the ticket booth to pickup my credentials and I see a sign. Thrice 9:30pm SOLD OUT!
I made it.
Thrice is in the middle of their Vheissu 15th Anniversary Tour. Vheissu was their 4th studio album and arguably their most important record.
For the band, it was a record that allowed them to be free. Free to change, free to try new things, free to grow and ultimately free to be themselves. It was less formulaic, experimenting with electronic beats, keys and other instruments and sounds as well as finding ways to be heavy without just playing fast or palm muting. There was an emphasis on tone, mood and storytelling.
Creating a different record is not without risk. To diverge from “what’s working” could spell disaster. Maybe the experiment fails, or the fans don’t like this new you.
I’m sure there were some fans like that, but this tour vindicates their decision to be true to themselves. The sellout crowd for starters, but the amazing energy in the building was a credit to every person there who truly loved and appreciated Vheissu.
I’ve seen Thrice many times but I’ve never seen a happier crowd. Everywhere I looked, hands were raised, bodies were swaying side to side, heads were nodding in rhythm, mouths singing lyrics word for word, song after song.
And it all makes sense.
This was a unique experience that may never happen again. It was an opportunity for fans to hear a great record live from start to finish. A chance to hear some of their favorite songs that don’t always make a live set considering their catalogue of 10 studio albums.
If you’ve seen Thrice, you know that at their shows, their music and performance speak for themselves. You won’t hear much banter in between songs. But at one point singer Dustin Kensrue thanked the crowd.
“This means some of you have been listening to us for 15 years, and that’s pretty cool.”
And many will continue to listen to the music they create and Vheissu for years to come.
[+] THRICE
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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ7EwPNhdJI]
