| Angels and Airwaves And Damone Boston Written by Heidi |
With little to no background in the history of any of the band members, I knew nothing at all about Angels and Airwaves
when I saw them. I had visited the website when I had forgotten the date of the show and was trying to find out who
was opening for them, and so I’d heard the singles embedded in the flash site: not the sort to listen to the radio much, I
hadn’t known that they’d had a single on the airwaves for months.
I was quite happy with what I heard.
First off, the opener was the Boston-based band Damone, a quartet of punks I had heard even less about before being
blindsided by the fact that by the end of their set, I was singing along with every chorus line I could. I was also surprised
how well their sound went with Angels and Airwaves (AVA), despite being an entirely different animal, certainly not
clashing with the attitude or theme of AVA’s music. For a fuller review of Damone, check out the review of their
Paradise show.
AVA took the stage to a huge welcome, and from the first chords kept the packed Avalon eating out of their palms.
They played everything off of their debut album, “We Don’t Need to Whisper,” with many in the crowd already having a
good deal of it memorized enough to sing along (probably from pirated mp3s). At one point, lead singer Tom DeLonge
mentioned it, calling the crowd ‘little thieves’ in possibly the most affectionate way I have ever heard anyone called a
thief before in my life. He dedicated the next song to the crowd, and they definitely approved.
It is worth mentioning that Angels and Airwaves is a ‘supergroup’. Vocalist Tom DeLonge is most widely known for his
career with Blink 182; Atom Willard, drummer, played for The Offspring, bassist Ryan Sinn was with the Distillers, and
David Kennedy, lead guitarist, being of Hazen Street and Blink 182 side project Box Car Racer. With a creative team
like that, it’s difficult to imagine how they wouldn’t be a force of nature on stage, guided by the vision of self-
empowerment that is the theme of their debut album. Despite the hyperactivity of DeLonge onstage, running around and
standing on various objects, Sinn, Kennedy and Willard all hold their own with the power, finesse and charisma that they
negotiate their instruments with.
Something important to note is that with many bands, unless you are a fan you become easily lost during a concert,
unfamiliar with the lyrics or the style. Everything can sound the same, and your attention is lost. The fact that I was
unfamiliar with not only this band’s work, but by and large the individual members’ previous bands’ work, was
absolutely inconsequential at this show. The performance, added with how easy it was to ‘get in’ to the flow of the
music and energy level of the room, made the concert fully enjoyable even though I had only the bare minimum of
exposure to them up until that point. All in all, even if you are not a fan of Blink 182 or any of the other bands whose
former members that make up this band, I would encourage you to see these boys perform. It’s honest, it’s fun, and you
even forget they’re a supergroup.
when I saw them. I had visited the website when I had forgotten the date of the show and was trying to find out who
was opening for them, and so I’d heard the singles embedded in the flash site: not the sort to listen to the radio much, I
hadn’t known that they’d had a single on the airwaves for months.
I was quite happy with what I heard.
First off, the opener was the Boston-based band Damone, a quartet of punks I had heard even less about before being
blindsided by the fact that by the end of their set, I was singing along with every chorus line I could. I was also surprised
how well their sound went with Angels and Airwaves (AVA), despite being an entirely different animal, certainly not
clashing with the attitude or theme of AVA’s music. For a fuller review of Damone, check out the review of their
Paradise show.
AVA took the stage to a huge welcome, and from the first chords kept the packed Avalon eating out of their palms.
They played everything off of their debut album, “We Don’t Need to Whisper,” with many in the crowd already having a
good deal of it memorized enough to sing along (probably from pirated mp3s). At one point, lead singer Tom DeLonge
mentioned it, calling the crowd ‘little thieves’ in possibly the most affectionate way I have ever heard anyone called a
thief before in my life. He dedicated the next song to the crowd, and they definitely approved.
It is worth mentioning that Angels and Airwaves is a ‘supergroup’. Vocalist Tom DeLonge is most widely known for his
career with Blink 182; Atom Willard, drummer, played for The Offspring, bassist Ryan Sinn was with the Distillers, and
David Kennedy, lead guitarist, being of Hazen Street and Blink 182 side project Box Car Racer. With a creative team
like that, it’s difficult to imagine how they wouldn’t be a force of nature on stage, guided by the vision of self-
empowerment that is the theme of their debut album. Despite the hyperactivity of DeLonge onstage, running around and
standing on various objects, Sinn, Kennedy and Willard all hold their own with the power, finesse and charisma that they
negotiate their instruments with.
Something important to note is that with many bands, unless you are a fan you become easily lost during a concert,
unfamiliar with the lyrics or the style. Everything can sound the same, and your attention is lost. The fact that I was
unfamiliar with not only this band’s work, but by and large the individual members’ previous bands’ work, was
absolutely inconsequential at this show. The performance, added with how easy it was to ‘get in’ to the flow of the
music and energy level of the room, made the concert fully enjoyable even though I had only the bare minimum of
exposure to them up until that point. All in all, even if you are not a fan of Blink 182 or any of the other bands whose
former members that make up this band, I would encourage you to see these boys perform. It’s honest, it’s fun, and you
even forget they’re a supergroup.
| Damone |
Perched in the mezzanine above the small stage of Boston's Paradise, the wall behind the drum set is lit up with a
(blessedly) silent episode of "Rockstar: Supernova." I try to remember why the hell I'm sitting through this, as I finger
the free admissions bracelet around my wrist. OK, sure, I love the headliner, but I could do without all this Real World
with tats and multicoloured hair crap being touted by the publicity crew. What am I doing here again?
And then Damone takes the stage, and I remember.
Quite clearly, in fact. An easy band to 'get into,' Damone as a whole have perfect rock star confidence from the
moment they take the stage. Bassist Vazquez and guitarist Mike W. are completely unafraid of getting right up in the
face of fans in this intimate setting, jamming right up and personal with whoever's closest; vocalist Noelle has no
problem addressing the mad fans right in front of her, and drummer Dustin Hengst certainly doesn't let his confinement
behind the drum set keep him from riding the amazing energy the band creates and coaxes from its fans.
By the end of the show, my throat is raw from teh screaming I hadn't realized I'd been doing, and I'm winded from teh
constant jumping around I'd done. I can't imagine how the band feels, with how much they moved on stage-- but even
after the encore, they're not done. Vazquez and Mike both make their way frontward to talk and sign miscellany for the
fans, mingling and grinning and bookend a fantastic show with equally good fan relations.
At the end of the night, I almost can't believe I'm thanking MSN's reality TV show for bringing Damone home for a
show.
Upon reflection, it's not hard to believe at all.
(blessedly) silent episode of "Rockstar: Supernova." I try to remember why the hell I'm sitting through this, as I finger
the free admissions bracelet around my wrist. OK, sure, I love the headliner, but I could do without all this Real World
with tats and multicoloured hair crap being touted by the publicity crew. What am I doing here again?
And then Damone takes the stage, and I remember.
Quite clearly, in fact. An easy band to 'get into,' Damone as a whole have perfect rock star confidence from the
moment they take the stage. Bassist Vazquez and guitarist Mike W. are completely unafraid of getting right up in the
face of fans in this intimate setting, jamming right up and personal with whoever's closest; vocalist Noelle has no
problem addressing the mad fans right in front of her, and drummer Dustin Hengst certainly doesn't let his confinement
behind the drum set keep him from riding the amazing energy the band creates and coaxes from its fans.
By the end of the show, my throat is raw from teh screaming I hadn't realized I'd been doing, and I'm winded from teh
constant jumping around I'd done. I can't imagine how the band feels, with how much they moved on stage-- but even
after the encore, they're not done. Vazquez and Mike both make their way frontward to talk and sign miscellany for the
fans, mingling and grinning and bookend a fantastic show with equally good fan relations.
At the end of the night, I almost can't believe I'm thanking MSN's reality TV show for bringing Damone home for a
show.
Upon reflection, it's not hard to believe at all.
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