3 distinct shows, including The Thermals, hit area
The inaugural Uproar Festival brings the noise to Post Falls, The Thermals’ bandleader is feeling the love and Hanson is all souled out.
That’s just a glimpse of the live music highlights coming to the area over the next few days.
Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival
Teaming the creators of the Taste of Chaos tour with Rockstar Energy Drink, the brand new Uproar Festival boasts a monstrous lineup of hard rock and heavy metal groups across two stages.
Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold take the main stage along with Stone Sour and Halestrom, while the second stage is highlighted by Hellyeah, Airbourne, Hail The Villain and New Medicine.
Disturbed released its new, self-produced studio set, “Asylum,” last month. It’s the band’s fourth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.
Uproar Festival marks the return to touring for Avenged Sevenfold – with touring drummer Mike Portnoy – since the death of drummer James “The Rev” Sullivan late last year.
Though The Rev wrote all of the drum tracks in addition to full songs, “Nightmare” released in July, is the band’s first album without him, as all drum parts were performed by Portnoy.
The Thermals
Portland indie pop-punk trio The Thermals has taken on weighty subjects with its last two records, both concept pieces – one exploring religion, the other death.
The band continues that streak on its latest full-length album, “Personal Life,” which is all about love – not surprisingly, the dark side of love.
“The album focuses mainly on the negative side of being in love and how hard it is to be in love sometimes and all the hard things you go through when you’re having problems and you’re still in love,” said Thermals singer-songwriter and guitarist Hutch Harris during a telephone interview.
“I felt like I had a ton to say about love and I just ended up there on this album. That’s happened on the last two records, but then we move on. I don’t ever want to write an album about religion, and certainly not death, again.”
Released earlier this month on anchoring Northwest indie label Kill Rock Stars, “Personal Life” was produced by Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla.
During downtime from touring, Harris is also readying an album from his new acoustic rock project, Forbidden Friends. He plays most of the instruments save for auxiliary percussion such as cowbells, wood blocks and tambourine.
Hanson
The three brothers who make up Hanson are looking to the old school for inspiration on their latest album, “Shout It Out,” released in July on their own 3CG Records.
The album features appearances by a Motown great, Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, and horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and Earth, Wind and Fire.
“Shout It Out” has received critical praise from Billboard, Salon and Entertainment Weekly, which said the record shimmers with top-shelf songcraft.
In a news release, singer/keyboardist Taylor Hanson likens the trio to a 1970s rock band made up of “white guys from the Midwest who grew up listening to ’50s and ’60s soul, who are mixing guitars with vintage keys and melodic songs.”