Alexisonfire is a band that any emo or hardcore kid growing up was familiar with and loved. To think that Crisis has graced our ears for 20 years, so when they announced they were doing a celebration show for that anniversary, I had to be there. With support from Underoath, local Buffalo favorites Snapcase and Spaced, there was, without a doubt, going to be an incredible crowd for this summer evening.
Spaced, in their groovy punk glory, opened the show to remind fans why they were so quickly becoming up-and-coming in the industry. They egged Buffalo on to wake up and get the pit rolling early because they weren’t going to settle for less.
Snapcase is truly legendary in the hardcore scene, and if you get to catch them in their rare appearances these days, you have hit the hardcore jackpot. If you were a hardcore kid in the 90s, you probably had Lookinglasself on repeat. Fans of all ages surged through the crowd as the band played their favorites and reminded them why they were Buffalo Legends. This band remains important to the hardcore scene as young bands start and look to these guys who came before them.
Underoath never comes to a show and underperforms. Between the vocals of Spencer Chamberlain and Aaron Gillespie, fans were not going to be disappointed with this set. Whether you were a fan of “Reinventing Your Exit” or “Generation No Surrender”, the crowd and the band were in unison, matching each other’s energy to bring the night to new levels of memories. Underoath has been a staple for so many of us in the post-hardcore and emo scene, and seeing them again feels like stepping back into those high school years when we’d scream every lyric from our bedrooms like no one was listening. The band reminded us why they’ve been around for more than 20 years in the scene.
Timothy McTague and Grant Brandell were relentless, racing across the stage and keeping the crowd’s energy right alongside them. They knew they had to set the tone for Alexisonfire, and they did not disappoint. With the sun setting, Chamberlain made his way to the crowd, and fans surged the turf to reach him. Wrapping up their set with all-time favorite “A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White”. The band could have kept us going for longer, but fans were grateful for an incredible 13-song set.
Being able to photograph and see Alexisonfire is an honor I will cherish. When the Buffalo show was announced, the excitement online was immediate. Fans were ready to welcome the band back. 20 years celebrating Crisis, the energy was a long-time family reunion in the making. As members came out on stage amongst the incredible set design full of LED screens and intentional dramatic lighting, all of us in the pit were ready to capture history in the making.
20 years ago, Crisis played in many of our cars at length’s end, with Dallas Green’s voice giving us company in our teenage misery while George Pettit’s screams reminded us of our angst. To this day, however, the lyrics and intricate notes have carried us into adulthood and become more relatable with age. Fans didn’t just want this night to happen; they needed it in their very souls.
Alexisonfire had a way of making this show feel like an experience and reunion all in one; fans felt the passion and love the band had for their fans. They sang along to every melodic, soothing sound and screamed back towards the band in unison. Post-hardcore formed many of us as a generation, and memories were being tapped into of late drives with our friends, tiny house shows, and high school nostalgia. George Pettit’s energy surged with the fans’ drive to make Buffalo’s date the best of the bunch; screaming until his lungs gave out and not quitting the entire performance. They reminisced on the early days in the Buffalo scene, playing basement shows and small venues.
Fans knew the lyrics to every single song, including “This Could Be Anywhere in The World”, “Boilet Frogs”, “Crisis,” and “To A Friend,” which rang through the Outer Harbor field. From start to finish, celebrating Crisis felt like a monumental moment for post-hardcore fans. But the night wasn’t over when the band came out to gift us with another 6 songs, including “Accidents” and “Young Cardinals”. As fans left the show with a high that only music fans understand, memories were shared in the moonlit paths. Buffalo won’t forget this concert for a long time, and it will be talked about for years to come.
This show was definitely a highlight for many this summer and reminded us of the “good ol’ days”. But I think we’re in a new era of those days, with bands like Alexisonfire reuniting and bringing us hardcore and emo adults back to those days that fuel us through the hard times of being adults in this world. I think shows like this one and many matter more now as we are adults to remind us of who we are at heart, and not who the world tries to make us to be.
If you have the opportunity to see this incredible band, they’re playing a few shows coming up, including Warped Tour Mexico City and Orlando, along with Louder than Life and Aftershock. Don’t miss their set; you will regret it 100000%.
And with that, we’ll see you in the pit.
Thank you to Atom Splitter for the accreditation.
