Pop-punk band State Champs headlines House of Blues in Boston, MA with support from friends Daisy Grenade, Meet Me @ The Altar, and Knuckle Puck.
The first band of the night was Daisy Grenade. This pop-punk female duo is a bit heavier on the pop side than the punk side but they came on stage full of energy. They may have been the lightest band on the bill for the show but they didn’t let their energy for their show lack at all. Both singers did their best to get the crowd involved with the show and amped up for the rest of the show, exactly what an opener should be doing. With some hits already like “Are you Scared Of Me Yet?” and “Riot”, this band shows no sign of slowing down and chances are we will be seeing more of them.
Back to back girl groups opening the show, next up was Meet Me @ The Altar. A high energy all girl trio band with a fun pop-punk sound. The vocalist does a wonderful job of leading the band and being their voice both for the songs and in between for banter. Their energy is high as they move around the stage rocking out to their songs but also inviting, some banter in between songs about the other bands or responding to when a crowd member threw a LGBTIA+ flag onto the stage. It was easy to tell their sound and performance had won over the crowd. Anyone who may not have known any of their original songs were won over by their cover melody of “Sweetness / My Friends Over You / My Own Worst Enemy”, transitioning from song to song flawlessly and had the crowd singing along the whole time.
Next up, right before the headliners, was Knuckle Puck. It was clear by the crowd’s reaction to them simply stepping on stage that there was many fans in the crowd. Knuckle Puck is a staple in the pop-punk scene themselves, forming back in 2010. The band played a mix of old and new songs, pushing new singles such as “On All Cylinders” but also playing all their classic hits for the fans who have been around the whole time like “Untitled”, “No Good”, and “Gone”. Their sound isn’t as upbeat and pop as the first two bands but there was nothing left on that stage. Each member was putting their all into the performance, both vocalists hitting all the notes but also conveying emotion. The performance did not have a single dull moment.
Finally it was time for the stars of the night, State Champs. Much like their opener Knuckle Puck, they have also been a staple in the pop-punk scene of music since forming back in 2010. It was clear by the loud cheering and applause that Boston had been looking forward to this performance by the band. It had been years since the band had lasted played in Boston and it was long overdue. There was a mix of new and old fans alike in the crowd and the setlist had something for everyone, songs spanning from most of their albums.
With their high energy and catchy songs, it’s almost hard to believe that it’s just a four piece band. All of the members play their parts perfectly and it makes for a smooth and easy sound that makes it hard not to sing along and dance to. The crowd was showing their love throughout the show with cheers, clapping, singing along, dancing, mosh pit, and plenty of crowd surfers. Every member put their all into the performance and even with high expectations, the band is even better live than their recordings.
STATE CHAMPS
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KNUCKLE PUCK
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MEET ME @ THE ALTAR
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