Dayseeker lights up Piere’s with the help of some of their friends!

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS TAKEN BY RACHEL MILLER FOR ROCK LINES MAGAZINE

Tuesday in Fort Wayne, Indiana was THE place to be for rock fans!! 45 minutes before the doors opened, the line in front of Piere’s was stretched down the sidewalk and past the building! Another SOLD OUT show for the venue is always exciting. The place was packed inside, and it was wall-to-wall people before the first band even hit the stage, which is always great to see!

AVOID, self-proclaimed “a band that kicks ass” totally lived up to that! The four-piece with a metalcore vibe, hails from Seattle, Washington and is composed of Benny Scholl[vocals], Paul Jaton[drums], Chris Echols [bass], and Nick Olson [guitar]. They hit the stage with a fun and energetic presence and immediately got my attention and I instantly loved what I was hearing. Towards the end of their set, they had the crowd crouch down on the floor and then pop

up on Benny’s command, which was cool to see!

Rain City Drive, post-hardcore rock outfit with roots in California and Florida, was next. The band is made up of Matt McAndrew[vocals], Colin Vieira[bass], Weston Richmond[guitar], Felipe Sanchez[guitar], and Zack Baker[drums]. A cool moment was when Dayseeker singer Rory Rodriguez joined the stage and sang new song Medicate Me with lead singer Matt. I was excited to see these guys…one of the many bands I found out about on Octane. They completely rocked.

Silent Planet was up next, a metalcore band formed in California. The quartet is comprised of Garrett Russel[vocals], Mitchell Stark[guitar], Alex Camarena[drums] and Nick Pocock[bass]. I was impressed overall, and Garrett passed the growl test of metalcore! Their breakdowns were also sick. I live for the breakdown!!

Wrapping up the night was the Orange County, California post-hardcore band Dayseeker! They have made a name for themselves over the last 12 years, and it is obviously shown by their sell-out crowd (not the only one on this tour). I remember hearing Neon Grave on Octane and instantly loving the band. Current band members are Rory Rodriguez[vocals], Gino Sgambelluri[guitar], Mike Karle[drums], and Ramone Valerio[bass]. A special moment was the Starving to Be Empty sang with Rain City Drive. It’s always cool to see bands perform on stage with one another and witness that comradery in a live setting. It’s also interesting to hear the meaning or stories behind certain songs, sometimes written from a pain point or life experience. Those things are relatable and that holds true with many of Dayseeker’s songs. Dayseeker absolutely rocked but their lyrics also speak to real life and let you know you are not alone in your struggle.

This tour is a cool experience-it’s always a whole vibe being a part of a sold-out crowd!! Everyone feeds off each other’s positive energy and it can carry you on until the next rock show! If there is a stop near you, it’s totally worth it to check out!