Senses Fail’s U.S. Fall Tour 2013 – REVIEW

We recently had the grand pleasure of reviewing Senses Fail’s U.S. Fall Tour 2013, when it came rolling through Joliet, IL. You can check out our review and live photographs, after the break.

Mojoes. A venue that I really enjoy watching artists perform at for the simple fact that wherever I stand, I can see them. I also love that majority of the time, band members will go into the crowd just because they can. Well on this Saturday night, Mojoes’s was home to Senses Fail, Being as an Ocean, Expire, For the Fallen Dreams, and So Many Ways. Unfortunately due to timing differences, I missed Chicago’s own, So Many Ways.

Being as an Ocean live is really something to see. Not only do they perform, they really go out. They use whatever is around them to make sure they have your attention. For example, lead singer, Joel, during the set spent it at the barricade with the crowd. He also during the last song threw the mic on top of a high speaker and climbed on top to sing from it, while bandmate, Jacob, managed to hang upside down from the top bars of the stage while still playing guitar. They are really exciting to see live. It’s almost like acrobats playing musical instruments.

Expire was up next and this was my first time seeing them live and I would definitely see them again next time they are here. Fortunately for me they will be returning to Chicago on their headlining tour for November and December once they are done with this one. Again their lead singer spent some time at the barricade with the crowd during the set. I love when they do this. It feels more intimate even though people are fighting and climbing on top of each other to get to the band member. It somehow feels like there is more of a connection rather than staying on stage the whole time. What I also loved is that members from the other bands were seen in the mosh pit with the crowd cheering on their tour mates and just having a good time with the fans. Once Expire’s set finished, they walked off leaving the crowd chanting ‘one more song’. I think that was a first for me to hear a crowd say to a band that wasn’t the headliner.

When For the Fallen Dreams came on stage, there were a lot more people in the crowd then at the start of the show. Coming on stage with crutches and a leg brace, lead singer, Chad Ruhlig, did the entire set resting his knee on a box that was set up for him. I will give it to him though; his injured leg did not stop him from giving it his all. He even threw the mic into the crowd for them to sing along with him at one point during the set. He apologized and said how he wished he could be out there with them. He was however, available after the show, by the merch tables, to talk with anyone who wanted to.

Right before Senses Fail took the stage, they had an intro that sounded a bit like the opening to a local news show. Coming on stage they quickly broke into their set and just kept playing song after song with minimal breaks. I’m pretty sure everyone knows how long Senses Fail has been around for and the fact that they are still putting out new records and touring makes me happy. I love that bands I grew up listening to when I was too young to actually go to shows, I can go see now and enjoy them. Lead singer, Buddy, also went to the barricade to sing with the crowd. There were so many crowd surfers that security had to keep running around to catch the people. Senses Fail knew exactly what songs, their fans wanted to hear live and did not disappoint by playing ones such as “Can’t be Saved”, “Lady in a Blue Dress”, “You’re Cute When You Scream”, “Buried A Lie”, “Calling All Cars”, “Fireworks at Dawn”, “Renacer”, “NJ Falls Into the Atlantic”, “The Rapture”, “Rum is for Drinking, Not for Burning”, and many more. It was really a great set.

If this tour is coming anywhere near you and you are able to go, then you really should. Even if you do not know the bands or the words, you are still in for performances from bands that care a lot about the music they play.

Information about the review…
Tour: Senses Fail’s U.S. Fall Tour 2013
Bands: Senses Fail, For The Fallen Dreams, Expire, Being As An Ocean
Reviewer/Photographer: Ali Jimenez
Date: October 12, 2013
Venue: Mojoes in Joliet, IL

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