With The Punches Winter Headline Tour – REVIEW

We made the trek out to Mojoes in Joliet, IL for With The Punches winter headline tour with Divided By Friday and Far From Proper. You can check out the review after the break.

Walking into Mojoes, in Joliet, I was surprised to see tables and chairs set up. Usually they are not there and by 6:30, the time the show was scheduled to start, they were still not many people and the majority of the people who were there, were sitting. After a few local bands played, which got the people, who were there, off their feet when they performed, Far From Proper took the stage.

This New York based band is definitely one you are going to want to check out. Their energy showed on stage when they played songs from their album, Rock Bottom and new songs such as “Mistakes” from their upcoming EP. Jessie Vadala from With the Punches joined them on stage for “Fight or Flight”, which the crowd loved. The lead singer during the set explained how he had a cousin who died and they had a foundation set up in memory of him. The last song they dedicated to his cousin and during the last part of the song, the whole band sang. No instruments were played, just the members singing. It was a meaningful moment and it was a great way to end their set.

Next up was Divided by Friday. By that time there were more people at the venue. Starting with the lights dimmed, they came on stage and jumped right into their set. They played new songs and songs from their album, Prove It. They also did a cover of “Slide” by The Goo Goo Dolls. Ending their set with “Lost in Limbo”, they had people off their feet and ready for With the Punches.

When With the Punches came on stage, the crowd was excited. They really knew how to work the stage. Lead singer, Jessie Vadala, would go from being on the stage to jumping down to the barricade and singing with the crowd. Doing this several times throughout the show, got the crowd even more into it, especially when they were able to sing along to songs such as “Burned at Both Ends”. People moshed and got on top of people to get closer to Jessie when he would point the microphone to the crowd so they could sing into it as well.  Playing songs from both their EP’s, there energy combined with the crowd’s made it feel like it was a much bigger crowd then it was.

This was an amazing show. The bands were out after meeting people and walking around. If this tour is coming near you, I would highly recommend you go. Spend an evening with some great bands, great music and an overall really, great time.

Information about the review…
Tour: With The Punches Winter Headline Tour
Bands: With The Punches, Divided By Friday, Far From Proper
Reviewer: Ali Jimenez
Date: February 15, 2013
Venue: Mojoes in Joliet, IL