Just before Halloween, In This Moment brought their tour to the Pacific Northwest. The first of the shows was in Portland, Oregon at the Roseland Theater. Along with them on this tour they brought Of Mice & Men and Avatar for a sold out show.
Knowing this show would be packed full of entertainment and theatrics, fans began lining up outside the venue around 2:30pm to be the first through the doors and to secure a spot as close to the stage as possible. Some fans were spotted with pink boxes of VooDoo Donuts, a Portland specialty, near the band buses where they could be seen handing them over to various band members and taking a moment to grab a quick photo.
The show kicked off with Sweden’s Avatar for what was one of the best opening bands on a tour I’ve seen. Avatar can easily handle their own headline tour and it’s something they’ve done plenty of, but for this tour they were in the opening spot on the lineup. Had it been my way, I’d have swapped their lineup spot to the second band of the night simply based on the difference of show styles between Avatar and Of Mice & Men. Avatar is very theatrical as well as high energy and would have been much more ideal right before In This Moment to keep the theatrics in full swing. Never the less, Avatar came out in full Swedish metal mode and commanded the entire audience. They put on an amazing show that lit the audience up and energized the venue. I couldn’t imagine a better opening for a show than the one they gave. Avatar will be back in the USA starting in January 2018 when they kick off their headline ‘Avatar Country Tour’ on January 6th in Columbus, OH. Check out their tour dates today and secure your tickets, these are sure to be sell out shows so don’t miss your opportunity to see them put on a full headline show!
Second up for the night, Orange County, California natives, Of Mice & Men. Late last year the band saw the exit of Austin Carlile as he publicly announced he could no longer carry on with the band due to serious medical conditions that needed to be his focus. Aaron Pauley then stepped up as lead vocalist and the band has carried on. These guys have been making music for some time now and know how to rock out any audience they perform in front of. Of Mice & Men recently released a short documentary film called ‘Unbreakable’ that shows them out on tour. Perfect timing as they headed out on tour with In This Moment and Avatar. While less theatrical than the other two bands on the line up, they make up for it with their solid musical skills. They put on a full force show and had the crowd moving and fans cheering. Definitely a band to catch if you can.
Last up for the evening, the main event…. In This Moment! Having seen this group numerous times, I knew it was going to be a great show. This band never does anything halfway, they do it fully and even over the top. For me personally, I truly appreciate any band that makes amazing music and pairs it with a full theatrical stage show when out on tour. This is what music is about at a live show, the enjoyment of something that pleases your senses both audible and visual. Thank you In This Moment for creating something so pleasing and entertaining. Even before the band took the stage the venue was ready for what was to come. Their show started with anticipation as their crew hoisted up a giant stage curtain and the room began to fill with fog. Anyone who’s ever seen In This Moment live before knows that this band does not shy away from fog, lighting and costumes! Being so close to Halloween, fans also had additional stage props in the form of pumpkins, small and giant! Eire, dark and fantastic! The fans went wild as the curtain dropped and the fog shot out over the crowd. The music was amazing, the artists at the top of their game and even better, vocalist Maria Brink taking numerous moments to thank the fans for coming out and supporting the band. It’s always warm and heartfelt as she thanks the fans, it’s not simply part of the show, it’s true respect and appreciation from her and on the part of her band mates. Such a class act. If there’s ever a show to never miss, it is any In This Moment show that comes to a city near you. I’ve seen this band as part of the opening line up and as a headliner, by all means I prefer the headline tours because they get to do their full show and it’s so amazing. But…. any show they do is still put forth with emphasis on giving the fans a great time. Make sure to get out and support In This Moment when you get a chance.
In This Moment is:
Maria Brink – Vocals
Chris Howorth – Lead Guitar
Travis Johnson – Bass
Randy Weitzel – Guitar
Kent Diimmel – Drums
You can find the full show photo galleries on our Facebook Page.
Review and Photos by Diane Webb www.facebook.com/YesterdazeNewsPhotography
