Going APESHIT at the Red Flag in St. Louis
October 13th, 2022. An ambiguous Instagram post by The Sound of Animals Fighting confirms what most fans have been hoping for and what some thought may never happen at all. TSOAF announce they are releasing new music for the first time in over a decade. Along with the announcement of their EP APESHIT, they released dates for an upcoming tour for the first time since 2019, including a stop in St. Louis for the first time in the band’s history.
Being introduced to TSOAF back in 2007, after the release of their sophomore album, Tiger And The Duke, I was immediately intrigued by their chaotic sound and mystique and was hooked after the first listen. While TSOAF has had somewhat of a revolving door of members throughout the years, the mainstay of vocalists, Anthony Green, Keith Goodwin, & Matthew Kelly along with guitarist Steve Choi have returned for this release and tour to put on one of the most anticipated and unique live shows.
I pulled up to the venue a little bit before doors and I’m just sitting in my car, checking some email before I go in, when I hear someone knock on my window. I look up and it’s none other than Anthony Green. He asked if I was his DoorDash driver. I’ve met Anthony once or twice before outside some venues but this was definitely the most interesting one. I was a bit curious to see what the crowd was going to be like seeing as TSOAF had never been to St. Louis and it was a weeknight. I have to say that I was a little bummed out when I got inside. The venue was pretty bare but by the time the show started, the place filled up nicely, and I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout by the time TSOAF took the stage.
The night started off with a DJ set from WSTDYTH. He played quite a variety from House techno to rap and even some pop classics like Taylor Swift. He kept the crowd in good spirits while everyone got a drink and chatted waiting for the opener.
Up next was Concrete Castles, a 3-piece from Pennsylvania. They set up the night well with a good combination of heavy guitar, a catchy chorus, and powerful vocals from vocalist Audra Miller. For such a young band, they had a great stage presence, filling the entire stage for the whole set, which can be a bit difficult for a 3 piece. Concrete Castles’ popularity has increased significantly lately so be sure to keep an eye out and check out their latest single “Dollhouse” released earlier this month.
Following Concrete Castles was Hail The Sun, a throwback to the heyday of post-hardcore from the early 2000s. There was no warming up for these guys, immediate and non-stop energy. Vocalist Donovan Melero was an absolute monster on the stage for the first half of the set, jumping off the drum kit, slinging the microphone around, and filling the entire stage. Donovan not only is the vocalist but he’s also the band’s drummer. As someone who’s played drums as a hobby, it’s incredible to me how some people can play drums and be the lead vocalist at the same time. With the type of music that Hail The Sun plays, it’s even more impressive.
By this point, the venue had filled up and St. Louis was ready to witness The Sound of Animals Fighting for the first time.
The house lights went down and a flood of pink filled the venue as vocalist Matthew Kelly came to the front of the stage as the intro to “Wolf” started. I was interested to see if they would start the night with one of their more aggressive tracks but “Wolf” was the perfect way to start the night. Kelly’s vocals were absolutely spot on, which would be an indication of how the rest of the evening would go. Along with the rest of the band, Anthony Green came to the stage clutching a microphone and a lone lightbulb to spread the energy to the crowd. I’ve seen Anthony several times over the years in different bands and he’s always been one of the most consistent and best frontmen live but I must say, this may have been his best and my favorite.
I try not to be biased if I’m covering a show for a band that I’m a fan of just to give a good review and while I was excited about this show, I simply cannot express how incredible this was to witness live. EVERY person on the stage was absolutely flawless. From the more ominous and experimental tracks to the heavy and chaotic ones, everyone was in sync and the overall performance was the best I have ever seen from beginning to end live.
I’m sure most people don’t think about what goes into selecting a setlist for a show. While I can’t say what the sets were for the rest of the stops on this tour, the construction of this list was nothing short of perfect. It’s not something you’d usually think about while the show is going on but towards the end of the night, I couldn’t help but think to myself that the ebbs and flows throughout the entire evening just added to the overall performance, never getting too high or low.
One of the best parts of this show for me was the fact that I was able to meet up with a friend that I hadn’t seen for a long long time. He was the person that introduced me to this band almost 20 years ago and it just added to the night, getting to experience (I’m going to say it) THE best live show I’ve ever seen, with a good friend. If you happen to come across this article and check out TSOAF, even if it’s not exactly your cup of tea, do yourself a favor, and please go to this show. There’s something to be said about the musicianship and professionalism of this band.
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