Neck Deep 'The Peace & The Panic Tour' | Show Review

​You would assume after seeing one of your favorite bands live 9 times, there wouldn’t be much left they can do to impress or surprise you. Neck Deep proved that to be wrong when I was lucky enough to catch their show in Nashville, Tennessee on September 15th. This was their second run of The Peace and The Panic Tour in the US, they tried to hit different markets on this tour and make stops in cities that don’t normally get shows like this. It was definitely refreshing to see a band try to visit places they haven’t been before so fans everywhere have opportunity to see them. The lineup was stacked with high energy pop punk bands that keep you crowd surfing and dancing all night. Wstr opened the show and got everyone on their feet right off the bat. They didn’t seem to be very well known, but the ones who did know them were singing all the lyrics loud and proud. Even if you were like me and had never heard of them before they hit the stage, you’d still probably find it hard to not dance along to the upbeat pop punk jams like “Bad to the Bone” and “Crisis”. Following Wstr, Stand Atlantic took the stage. They’re another pop punk band from overseas, but the main difference with them and the rest of this tour package is that they’re a female fronted band which I absolutely love. Theres definitely not enough women in our scene, in the band or crew, so I got so excited when Bonnie, the lead singer, walked on stage. The energy stayed high and Stand Atlantic kept everyone moving the entire set. I also enjoyed the way the band interacted with the crowd while on stage letting their quirky personalties shine, making jokes and chatting in-between songs, it was very natural and comfortable. Next up is Trophy Eyes, who are without doubt more punk rock compared to their pop punk tour mates, but the energy didn’t waiver at all despite the slight genre shift. Lead singer John Floreani’s energy is extremely contagious as his dancing begins the second they hit the stage. They open with one of their more popular songs, “You Can Count On Me”, off of their new album “The American Dream” which the crowd goes crazy for. They go onto play a mix of the new album and some of their classic older ones while the fans have the time of their lives singing and dancing along, moshing, and keeping the security busy catching crowd surfers. After Trophy Eyes leaves the stage you get a little bit of a longer break to catch your breath than in-between the other sets while crew comes out and starts setting the stage for neck deep including ramps and giant Neck Deep backdrops. Finally its time for what everyones been waiting for, the energy of the packed room full of people buzzing and full of excitement is indescribable, the lights dim and everyone goes crazy chanting for Neck Deep. The band leaps onto the stage as the intro to one of their very popular upbeat songs “motion sickness” starts. The setlist was a perfect mix of old and new songs, ranging from fun, upbeat, high energy songs like pop punk anthem “Gold Steps” to songs that make you, as lead singer Ben Barlow said “take off your dancing shoes and put on your sobbing hoodie” like “19 Seventy Sumthin’” which is a love song about his parents and his fathers death. Apart from the actual musical performance, which was impressive on its own, I was also blown away by the production and choreography that went into the show. Guitarists Sam and West move in almost perfect synchronization with their spins, going up and down the ramps, and switching sides on the stage. The crowd in Nashville got a special treat when the band decided to play their recently released cover of “Torn” live for the first time, which needless to say was absolutely perfect. Throughout the 18 song set, including the encore, Neck Deep never disappointed with their stage presence and energy. Neck Deep are known to entertain from beginning to end and this tour is no exception. Whether you like to be in the crowd moshing or watch from the back to take in all the production, you’re guaranteed to enjoy The Peace and The Panic Tour. They’re only about halfway done with the tour and still have remaining midwest and west coast dates so make sure to check out their website and take advantage of this tour lineup before its over.

Review/Photo: Marlee Hartman