Haven’t listened to Dance Gavin Dance’s new record, Artificial Selection, yet? Stop reading this article and go listen to it. No matter which vocalist is your favorite, Artificial Selection has something for everyone. DGD toured with the absolute sickest lineup this spring/summer, and we were blessed with the opportunity to shoot them at their show in Sayreville, NJ, with Sianvar, Erra, and I See Stars.
Sianvar
Sianvar, a Blue Swan band featuring the Swan himself, was an excellent choice to open this killer tour. With soaring vocals and just-complicated-enough-to-entice-but-not-too-complicated-to-be-absurd riffs, the groove-masters Sianvar absolutely slayed their set. They compiled a super-group of the best “Swancore” musicians, and it didn’t disappoint. Plus, look at Arrington’s beautiful drum set in the picture gallery below.
Erra
Since JT Cavey joined the band a few years back, seeing Erra is a treat. JT adds so much personality and liveliness to this already incredible band. During their set at Sayreville, Erra played a brand new song, Disarray, which is now available on all major distributors. Despite JT trying his very hardest not to do finger guns during his set (you’d have to follow him on Instagram to get that one), they brought the beautiful melodic heavy and absolutely ripped their set, leaving everyone in awe. They were also amazing to shoot.
I See Stars
If you haven’t kept up with I See Stars since their rebirth in 2016 with their incredible record, Treehouse, drop every opinion you have of them and see them again. I’ve seen these incredible performers three times since they shook their lineup up a little bit, and every single performance has been absolutely incredible. Devin Oliver’s command of his voice is absolutely excellent, and the way they all play off of each other and share in the responsibility of hyping the crowd up makes for an incredible show. OG I See Stars fans and new fans alike can get down to their amazing combination of modern EDM and post-hardcore that we’ve all grown to love. Playing songs from all sorts of points in their career, I See Stars’ set was one to remember.
Dance Gavin Dance
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again – Dance Gavin Dance can do no wrong. Somehow, someway, in a scene where good bands get impersonated and reinvented, no one has managed to even touch Dance Gavin Dance. No one does their style better. With their 4th album with Tilian on-board, they’ve managed to maintain a unique style without becoming repetitive, which is an incredible feat.
Their live set is no different.
Playing songs from all across their career and vocalists, including my favorite, Alex English, Dance Gavin Dance’s setlist was well-balanced and incredibly performed. How Tilian and Jon Mess manage to keep their voices that incredible throughout back-to-back tours (they had just finished with Underoath) is incredible.
Dance Gavin Dance, I See Stars, Erra and Sianvar at Sayreville NJ
View the full photo gallery, provided by Matthew Alexander photography, below:
