Texan Mosaic

by HANNAH NELSON//Staff Writer

Fans from all over the Texas area experienced a night of excitement, head banging, and more as the “Lifelines” tour made its journey to Lubbock.

I Prevail performed at Jake’s Backroom on Feb.28. The band is currently on their headlining tour, with support from Wage War, Islander, and Assuming We Survive.

A few hours before the event, fans were already lined up outside, waiting in anticipation for the show that evening. When the doors opened the fans stormed into the venue hoping to get the best view of the bands performing.

As the lights faded, the first band, Assuming We Survive took the stage. The venue was still pretty empty, but that didn’t stop the first band from bringing the energy. Possibly one of the more memorable moments of the night happened during the first band’s performance. In the middle of the set, in between songs, the band asked one of the audience members and his girlfriend to come up to the stage. The singer handed the man coming up to stage a microphone. The crowd cheered for the couple as the man asked his girlfriend to marry him. After she says yes, the couple embraced, and the band congratulated the couple before continuing the rest of their set. This was a very special moment for everyone attending the concert to witness.

The second band to perform for the night was Islander. As they began their set, the crowd started forming. There was even a select group of fans who started the crowd surfing that remained a constant theme throughout the night. This band was a powerhouse of energy that fed the Lubbock crowd.

As the night continued, the crowd got wilder and wilder. The venue became packed right before the direct supporting band, Wage War, began to perform. At the beginning of the set, the band experienced a few technical difficulties. However, that didn’t stop the band from performing a set full of energy and excitement after having to stop and restart their first song. The crowd was insane during Wage War, with crowd surfers and mosh pits constantly happening form every section. During the last song of Wage War’s set, the singer got the crowd to raise their hands in the air to go with the music. It was a very nice way for the crowd to come together and connect with the music.

Finally, the headlining band for the night took the stage for a sold-out show.  The stage lights faded into an almost pitch-black stage. The crowd cheered as a stage full of light appeared and the first song, “Come and Get It” began.  This high-energy song made the crowd explode, with people singing, jumping, and dancing along as the band performed.

Since the last time the band visited Lubbock, the band recently their debut album, “Lifelines.” Many of the songs that the band performed were from this new album, including the first song.

A unique part of this band is their use of vocals. The band has two different vocalists, both sounding clean and harsh. This allows the band to merge into multiple styles of songs. They have the ability to transition from high-energy, heavy verses to super catchy choruses that make you instantly want to sing along.

One of the best parts of the set was when the band used a unique way to play a little bit of cover. The band called a fan from the VIP meet-up earlier that day to come up to the stage. One of the band’s hard-core singer, Eric Vanlerberghe, proceeded to talk to the crowd and even call out another band member for not being able to keep a relationship. In all good fun, the band and the fan on stage proceeded to perform a verse of Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated”. As the banter continued, the band went on to play parts of songs “Hates Me” by Puddle of Mudd and “Bodies” by Drowning Pool. These select verses all lead up to one of the band’s most popular releases, their cover of “Blank Space.” This was a great time for everyone in the crowd to sing along and have fun.

Rock concerts are the main source of entertainment for music lovers. It is a way to let off steam, relax, have a good time. However, there is also a sense of unity at shows with the audience. The band took a moment after “Blank Space” to talk about a serious topic. Vanlerberghe talked about his friend who committed suicide. The singer stressed the message that everyone in the crowd was meant to be there that night. She explained that every member of the audience is loved by someone and worth more than they may know.

After this speech, the band started the last song on their set list, “Crossroads.” The audience jumped at what they assumed might be the last chance to get every ounce of energy out before the night was over. However, once the band left the stage the crowd was not ready to leave. The fans cheered from every section of the venue for one more song. Soon after, the cheering increased as the lights flashed back on and the band took the stage again for two more songs.

That is when a rainbow of lights flooded the stage and venue. The crowd did not hold back at all during this encore. At the vocalists’ request, the crowd split down the middle and a wall of death formed. two sides of the crowd gathered together, leaving the middle of the pit empty. Then, as the music grew heavier, the two sides ran into the middle in sequence, meeting each other and forming a mosh pit.

Overall, the night was an incredible show full of liveliness and heart-felt moments. Fans were able to head bang, mosh, and sing the night away. There was an infectious feeling in the air as fans left the venue full of contentment.

[Photo by HANNAH NELSON/PLAINSMAN PRESS]