Milwaukee-based trio Vinyl Theatre, who are currently opening for Dashboard Confessional on their nationwide tour, performed to a sold-out crowd at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia on Tuesday, January 24th. The band, who released their debut album Electrogram in 2014 and have been touring since, last played Philadelphia nearly a year ago with Finish Ticket (photos/review of that show here).
Running onto the stage in a shining army-style jacket, lead singer Keegan Calmes began the show with seemingly boundless energy, jumping on top of boxes and dominating the entire space. Their first song, My Fault, also gave keyboardist Chris Senner the chance to step into the spotlight, as he strapped a portable keyboard to his chest and commanded the crowd with his talent. Senner continuously amazed the audience throughout their set with his masterful control of the keys during interludes between songs. Drummer Nick Cesarz matched both Calmes’ and Senner’s energy behind his kit, clearly giving his all through the entire performance.
The crowd showed their affection to the trio through screams and claps throughout their set. Calmes was quick to point out a few familiar faces in the front row, but many seemed to be new to the band. Regardless, the band had everyone dancing and singing along throughout their time on stage, especially during their covers of All These Things That I’ve Done and Fix You. There was an especially positive reaction during Breaking Up My Bones, their most popular song to date. Their set was very strong—each musician is so incredibly skilled and talented on their own, so when they come together, it makes for incredible music and a fantastic show.
At their show last year, the band hinted at a forthcoming sophomore album, and they did so again Tuesday by ending their set with an unreleased single entitled Fade Away. Hopefully, we can expect a new album sometime this year, with My Fault and Fade Away released as lead singles. Catch Vinyl Theatre on tour with Dashboard Confessional, and be sure to check their website and follow the band on Facebook and Twitter for updates on new music and tour dates.
Setlist: My Fault, Day In Day Out, Shine On, 30 Seconds, All These Things I’ve Done (Cover), Breaking Up My Bones, New Machines, Fix You (Cover), Gold, The Island, Fade Away
