Aiden written By Lynn
x4
It's nice to see a band start growing up, one that I've seen in the baby
stages, touring in support of any show that would bring them around,
and is now making the gradual transitions to headlining their own shows.
It's nice to see what the beginning was like, and be a part of the changes
that are happening along the way as the popularity grows. I had a chance,
about two years ago, to see Aiden opening for 30 Seconds to Mars, and I
remember back then, that they got booed at first in Philadelphia, because
I don't think anyone really knew what to expect of them. They certainly
looked different, as compared to the rest of the bands there that night,
and I think people were already anticipating the worst. I can still remember
though, the way the band totally rocked the place, eventually winning their
audience over, and me leaving that show thinking... Wow! Seriously. I
even posted a link to Aiden's MySpace in my personal  LiveJournal that
night, telling my friend's list that they had to check  Aiden out, they had
totally blown me away at that show, helping to make  it the most
memorable and enjoyable show I'd seen at the TLA in  Philadelphia to
date. And Mars was dead on that night as well, the best  I'd ever seen
them perform in my four times having seen them at that
point, so it was a win-win situation, and an amazing show.

That was a couple years ago when Aiden was touring in support of their
second full CD release, Nightmare Academy, (the first being Our Gang's
Dark Oath, released by the band while they were still in high school and
then re-released by Victory Records in 2004), which brought us popular
tunes like Die Romantic,  and Last Sunrise, and garnered a lot of new
interest in the band. On August 21st, their third CD, Conviction was
released, and with the same driving, punk-rock beats, along with a more
mature sound, more melody and harmonization, and some more heartfelt,
personal lyrics, well, you know what they say about third CDs, right? So
if that old saying is true, that would mean that the excellent reaction that

the CD, and the band, has been receiving across the board should hold out for quite a while as they tour to spread thier brand of
punkish, metallic, alt-rock everywhere on their Confessions in the Dark tour. Lead singer wiL Francis, guitarists Jake Wambold and
Angel Ibarra, bassist Nick Wiggins and drummer Jake Davidson definitely deliver; there has definitely been no booing on this tour as
the band has etched their name into the minds of fans everywhere and stated, loud and clear as day, that they want your attention and
are ready to be new favorite band. And the guys are so personable after the shows as well, you can't help but to like Aiden in every
way.

I recently had another chance to see Aiden, and at the same venue as the last time, too. Only this time, after having finished up stints
on Warped Tour 2006 and Taste of Chaos 2007, and a few other support spots on some other tours, Aiden has been out on their own,
headlining for the first time, which of course is a big deal in any band's history. Supported by fellow Victory Records artists 1997 (a
band of talented up-and-comers to watch out for), Drop Dead Gorgeous, and Still Remains (who totally lit the stage on fire during their
amazing set), Aiden played to an active, cheering crowd in Philadelphia, easily rocking the place to the point that they got the floor of
the old, renovated theater swaying (yes, and I have the crappy pictures to prove it!). The band opened their hour-plus long set with We
Sleep Forever, off the 2006 EP release Rain in Hell, followed by Goodbye, We're Falling Fast, off Nightmare Anatomy and The
Suffering, also from the EP. They continued with the new hit Teenage Queen, She Will Love You, Genetic, The Last Sunrise and Hurt
Me. Between and during songs, wiL was very interactive with his audience, having them all sing during the chorus on Hurt Me, and
talking to them and touching and shaking hands with them as he stood close to the barrier, and at one point even leaned most of the
way into the crowd for hugs and touches with his fans, who were more than eager to oblige. The first single off Conviction, One
Love, was next, and the set was closed with an energetic performance of Die Romantic that once more had the entire crowd jumping,
and bodies coming over the barrier almost faster than security could help crowd-surfers down, with wiL encouraging everyone to get
up and crowd surf even more (I'm sure security at the various venues just love him for that, too).































As Aiden departed the stage for perhaps two minutes, three at the most, there were cheers begging for an encore and "one more song,"
which wiL and the boys gladly delivered. They picked back up with Moment, off the new CD, and an Aiden "oldie,"
I Set My Friends on Fire, which is off Our Gang's Dark Oath before leaving the stage for the final time.

Aiden definitely put on an energetic, pumped set that was a lot of fun, and
seemed to be a real crowd-pleaser. It's good to see such a great, younger
band reaching this kind of popularity, and getting the recognition they
deserve, through the hard work they've put in. If you'd like to catch the
band this fall, check out Aiden's MySpace,  or the official Aiden website for
dates and other information. The Confessions in the Dark tour with 1997,
Drop Dead Gorgeous and Still Remains continues throughout the US until
October 12th, at which point Aiden then heads to Australia, Japan, Europe
and the UK with friends The Used and Rise Against, for the Taste of Chaos
International tour.
BAND: Aiden
DATE: Friday,
September 28, 2007
VENUE: The TLA,
Philadelphia, PA