Four indie rock newcomers bring down the house in Newport
Haley Gerken
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: Lifestyles
The doors to the Newport Music Hall opened at 6 p.m. on Nov. 2 for an anxious and crazy crowd of teens waiting to see their favorite bands: Hey Monday, Carolina Liar, We the Kings, and The Academy Is….
I was only introduced to these bands a few months before the actual concert, so I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I experienced that night.
Hey Monday opened up the night for the two headliners with an upbeat and entertaining lineup of songs. The lead singer and only female in the group, Cassadee Pope, apologized for being sick, but still delivered a stellar, head-banging vocal performance despite having a sore throat. With interactive songs like "How You Love Me Now" and "Run Don't Walk," Hey Monday definitely started the night off right for the bands to follow. If you're a fan of the band Paramore, be sure to check out Hey Monday, as Pope's pretty, but edgy voice is very similar to Hayley Williams', lead singer of Paramore.
The crowd was pleased when Carolina Liar entered the stage, a group composed of five guys with hair longer than most girls'. Carolina Liar, dressed as boy scouts, warmed the crowd up with the upbeat voice of lead vocalist Chad Wolf, sporting a blonde curly ponytail. Wolf assured the crowd with the song "Show Me What I'm Looking For" that even when you're at the lowest point in your life, everyone else is struggling too. Carolina Liar's vocals mixed with the slow, but catchy beats from the keyboard are comparable to the musical style of The Killers.
After setting up the stage for nearly a half an hour, co-headliner We the Kings began their set as the crowd surged forward in utter excitement. With hands in the air clapping to the beat and bodies surfing throughout an intense crowd, lead vocalist Travis Clark gave fans exactly what they were looking for-a performance to remember. We the Kings played fan favorites from their self-titled album, such as "Secret Valentine," "Skyway Avenue," and "Stay Young."
I was only introduced to these bands a few months before the actual concert, so I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I experienced that night.
Hey Monday opened up the night for the two headliners with an upbeat and entertaining lineup of songs. The lead singer and only female in the group, Cassadee Pope, apologized for being sick, but still delivered a stellar, head-banging vocal performance despite having a sore throat. With interactive songs like "How You Love Me Now" and "Run Don't Walk," Hey Monday definitely started the night off right for the bands to follow. If you're a fan of the band Paramore, be sure to check out Hey Monday, as Pope's pretty, but edgy voice is very similar to Hayley Williams', lead singer of Paramore.
The crowd was pleased when Carolina Liar entered the stage, a group composed of five guys with hair longer than most girls'. Carolina Liar, dressed as boy scouts, warmed the crowd up with the upbeat voice of lead vocalist Chad Wolf, sporting a blonde curly ponytail. Wolf assured the crowd with the song "Show Me What I'm Looking For" that even when you're at the lowest point in your life, everyone else is struggling too. Carolina Liar's vocals mixed with the slow, but catchy beats from the keyboard are comparable to the musical style of The Killers.
After setting up the stage for nearly a half an hour, co-headliner We the Kings began their set as the crowd surged forward in utter excitement. With hands in the air clapping to the beat and bodies surfing throughout an intense crowd, lead vocalist Travis Clark gave fans exactly what they were looking for-a performance to remember. We the Kings played fan favorites from their self-titled album, such as "Secret Valentine," "Skyway Avenue," and "Stay Young."
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