We Came As Romans w/ Escape The Fate and The Word Alive at The Aquarium in Fargo, ND

Currently on tour with I Prevail, We Came As Romans along with The Word Alive and Escape The Fate spent what would have been their day off playing an intimate set in Fargo, ND at The Aquarium.  ​

​   We were packed in like sardines Thursday night in the tiny hole in the wall venue, a last minute change from the original venue which would have held twice the capacity. It was a tight fit as everyone crammed into whatever space they could find and as close to the stage as they could get.

   Escape The Fate broke in the night. The stage wasn’t what you would call spacious, as it was small to begin with on top of all of the extra equipment, but that didn’t stop the 5 piece from rocking out.  Jumping and moving around one another they made the most of it and upheld their energetic presence. I spoke to many of those in attendance while standing in line and a handful of them said they were most excited for Escape The Fate’s set. I would say what lacked in production was made up for in the interaction between the band members and their fans, and that feeling of connectivity is worth more than a fancy light show.

​   Following was The Word Alive from Phoenix, Arizona. The same as Escape The Fate, there was a strong fan base present, making their undying love known through their cheers as the band took the stage. ​

   I had never seen these guys before, but they left an impression. Though their sound is heavy and their stage performance is boisterous, they hold a very humble and almost calm demeanor. They were incredibly friendly, frontman Telle Smith was often times on the edge of the small platform high fiving and knuckle bumping. They mainly performed material from Dark Matter, such as “Sellout” and “Made This Way” but also introduced a brand new track “Red Clouds”. This announcement sent the cluster of die-hards next to me into a tizzy. ​

  Finally, the lights dimmed for We Came As Romans. Bursting with intensity, they rattled the small room with “Cold Like War”, the title track from their upcoming new album. With fist in the air and heads banging wildly, the audience was immediately engaged. The room was literally shaking as they jumped up and down, it felt as though any minute the floor would collapse. The strobe lighting and heavy kick created an atmosphere that further fueled the crowd’s hype. The heat was rising and the sweat was pouring, but that didn’t discourage the moshers. It was hard going from beginning to end with a setlist made up of fan favorites, their Punk Goes Pop cover of “Glad You Came” and two new tracks including “Lost in the Moment”. The night ended with an encore of “Hope” and the thick smell of b.o.

Cold Like War releases October 20th: http://ColdLikeWar.com

​​Full WCAR Photo Coverage Here.
Full THE WORD ALIVE Photo Coverage Here.
​Full ESCAPE THE FATE Photo Coverage Here.