Paradise Ablaze Secret Show

Paradise In Private: Still Slaps

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Paradise f’ing Ablaze. Passion. Energy. Talent. Charisma. I could go on and on. These guys have it all. PA is a band local to me and I’ve formed a pretty close relationship with the band. So close that I was able to collaborate with them in putting together a secret show. 

That’s right, an invite-only intimate performance that only a lucky few peeps knew about. I worked together with the band to pick a date and a venue, and frontman Trent handled the production side. He corralled a sound guy and someone to work the door and I took care of making a super cool flier and managing invites. The day finally rolls around and man, am I stoked. I’ve only invited about 3 people, and the guys invited a handful of people so I knew we weren’t having a crazy turnout but that’s not what this was about anyway. 

Showtime approaches quickly and I’m rushing around the tiny blue room testing my camera flash and getting my settings right. This isn’t necessarily a gig venue, it’s literally a small rental room attached to a plaza in a quiet little spot in Hedgesville WV. No stage, and no lighting (besides the fluorescents). It’s really all up to the band to make this show great. Trent, Caiden, and Dillon are sound-checking and fiddling around on their instruments for a few minutes past when their set was supposed to begin, but that’s usually how shows go anyhow. Seriously, music is hardly ever on time. 

The small crowd doesn’t mind, of course, they don’t. They’re the band’s family and closest friends, there won’t be any heckling tonight (there never is). People are still filtering in as I grab three pieces of printer paper and scribble down the setlist as Trent rattles it off to me. I hand off a list to each band member, grab my camera, and get front and center as the show begins. 

Paradise Ablaze play their original five songs from their EP “Radio Silence”. This EP was recorded and written by an old lineup, Trent is the only OG member now, but Dillon and Caiden make the music sound even better than before. My favorites from this collection are “Unforgiving Eyes” and “Beautiful Mind”. They’re more of a sappy, slow-burn type jam and that’s right up my alley. Trent croons into the mic in an almost romantic way as he performs, Caiden and Dillon making occasional eye contact and keeping the beat. 

Between songs, Trent thanks the sound man and Gimme Some Events, shouts out local celeb Brandon Wright of Wright Live and even gives me a little shout-out, too. 

The boys have worked on a few new songs with the new lineup, “Love is Grey” and “On Our Own” to name a few. I was lucky enough to attend a band practice a few months back where I watched both of these songs be rehearsed and form into a stage-ready performance. Don’t worry, the boys do covers, too. Today, it’s “Be Quiet and Drive” by Deftones. While I do love this cover, admittedly I am disappointed that they dropped “Hot Knifer” by Peach Pit (another slow burn) from the setlist. It’s one of my favorites. 

I’m close enough with Trent to give him a light ribbing over this, and he informs me that they dropped this song to make room for another cover they’re working on. One that I specially requested (insert teary-eyed smiling emoji here), so I let it go. Anywho, they wrap the set with the first song they wrote with this lineup, “On Our Own”. I mentioned earlier I watched it be birthed into a stage-ready song at a practice and I meant it. They absolutely nailed it. The small crowd gave the boys a hearty round of applause and they dispersed into the audience, chatting everyone up. I had stickers made for Paradise Ablaze and Caiden scooped them up and started handing them out to everyone in the room. The boys were all smiles as they packed up their instruments and made small talk with their fans. I’m all smiles too, I just watched my favorite local band play another stellar set and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. 

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