By some unfound miracle I found myself attending Sounds Live Feels Live: Nashville. If you aren’t aware of the fangirl haven that is Sounds Life Feels Live, it is the name of the world wide tour consisting of the headliner, 5 Seconds of Summer, and their two opening acts: Hey Violet and ONE OK ROCK. Now I had been planning on attending the show ever since the tour was announced, but in the weeks leading up to it every possible obstacle seemed to present itself, lack of money, work, etc. But it seems as if the universe was on my side as I found myself sitting third row last night, trying to control my inner fangirl.
The first act up to the stage was Hey Violet. Hey Violet is a pop punk band from Los Angeles, California, made up of Rena Lovelis (lead vocals), Miranda Miller (piano, vocals), Nia Lovelis (drums, vocals), and Casey Moreta (guitar). Now let me be blatantly transparent, I have never really been a big of a fan of Hey Violet. I have heard their music, and have seen them perform live before, but they were never really in my taste. But going into last night I put all personal opinions aside and was ready to see how they had improved in the year since I had seen them perform. As their performance progressed I found myself slightly disappointed at the lack of improvement that seemed to exist and as Rena announced that their next song would be a cover of “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers, I found myself verbally saying “oh no;” my mind preparing for them to destroy one of my favorite songs. But as the song started and as Rena began to sing I was in awe. I watched them perform and I felt moved and saw the truly phenomenal band that Hey Violet could be. And as the song ended, I found myself wondering where this band had been. It is no secret that Hey Violet is talented when it comes to instruments and vocals and I can only hope that they tap into whatever was in that performance and use it in writing their next album and become the true powerhouse that I know they can be.
The next act up was ONE OK ROCK. ONE OK ROCK is a alternative rock band from Tokyo, Japan, consisting of Toru Yamashirta (guitar, vocals), Tomoya Kanki (drums), Takahiro Moriuchi (lead Vocals), and Ryota Kohama (bass). Now if you read my last review of Warped Tour: Nashville, you will remember that I stated that State Champs had put on the best live performance I had ever witnessed. Well, ONE OK ROCK definitely gave State Champs a run for their money. As they walked on to the stage it was evident that ninety percent of the arena had no idea who they were. But as they performed I watched, astonished, as in the short span of an hour the entire arena was up dancing around, singing along with them. Their raw edginess, powerful voices, and insane energy had somehow won over the hearts of twenty thousand. It was a performance that was truly remarkable to witness from start to finish. I beg of you to check out their music, and if you ever have the chance to see them live, do it, you will not be disappointed.
The final act and holy grail of the night was 5 Seconds of Summer. 5 Seconds of Summer is a pop punk/pop rock group out of Sydney, Australia, consisting of Luke Hemmings (vocals, guitar), Michael Clifford (vocals, guitar), Calum Hood (vocals, bass), and Ashton Irwin (vocals, drums). If you know me at all, you would know that I am hopelessly in love with 5 Seconds of Summer and their music. So as they stepped on to the stage I was filled with an elation filled high, ready for the phenomenal performance that I knew was to come. I was not let down. Now it is clear within their music that this band is talented, but the recorded versions of their songs really do not encompass how truly talented these four men are. It is phenomenal to see these men play their instruments with such ease and to hear the rawness and realness of their vocals. The amount of natural talent they have is mind blowing. It is obvious that these men were made for performing and making music for the world. And there is really nothing more I can say other than to check out their music for yourself and to witness this extraordinarily talented band live. Overall, the night was one I will not forget. By the end of the night I walked away with my voice in shambles and my eardrums busted, which as any concert junkie would know, is a sign of a very, very good night.
Reporting and photos by Maranda Risner