Through The Fog: Night Riots Rise As Supporting Act On The Material Tour

By: Emily Blake

You should by now recognize California rock band Night Riots, in part because we’ve discussed them a few times over here, but also because their presence in the rock world is, quite deservingly, on the rise. I recently caught them in Boston where they supported Blaqk Audio on The Material Tour. Call it bias or call it good musical judgment, but Night Riots was easily the highlight of the lineup.

I was struck by how much their fan base had grown since I’d last seen them play. Despite the majority of the crowd being there for Blaqk Audio, there was a palpable enthusiasm for Night Riots. I stood behind three ladies who were “fan girling” hard over what could only be vocalist, Travis Hawley, my assumption later validated when I noticed them waiting giddily for him to come out from backstage. Another Night Riots supporter who caught my eye was an older gentleman sporting a Night Riots cap—he stuck close to the band for the rest of the night, a telling sign that the band attracts a wide range of fans.

Hawley led the band on stage with ease, confidence, and effortless physical agility. He is a cat who is also harboring a deep desire to be a pirate—think medallion necklace, earring, top knot, and a black shirt vaguely reminiscent of the infamous “puffy shirt” (Seinfeld reference…anyone…anyone…?).

The set consisted of a solid collection of songs, including “Back To Your Love,” a cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” and “Nothing Personal,” a new track from their forthcoming album. “Holsters” featured an inconspicuous Hawley on guitar and gave the crowd a brief break in energy level. An instrumental breakdown in the middle of the set had the guys standing around me exclaiming “that was pretty cool!” and “that was really cool!” It was “cool,” and it’s safe to say Night Riots gained a few more fans after that, albeit ones with limited ranges of vocabulary. The biggest hits, “Oh My Heart” and “Contagious,” concluded the set. The former featured guitar solos from Matt DePauw and Nick Fotinakes, and the latter vividly takes me back to a past gruesome breakup. However, it’s still one of my favorites—a real testament to its charm.

Night Riots’ set—the second half especially—had the beginnings of a truly well-choreographed and executed show that would easily cater to a much larger venue and audience. While Hawley flitted from one side of the stage to the other—dropping down low and gesturing grandiosely like Jack Skellington along the way—the rest of the band laid low, chilling hard in the background. DePauw, however, looked to be feeling restricted—give him more space on stage and he’d probably go buck wild. At one point the guys harmoniously eased down to the floor before a joint crescendo back up to standing, a detail I might have found insignificant had it not reminded me so much of a similar moment during Green Day’s performance of King For A Day/Shout.

With a few more tour dates sprinkled throughout the next few months, I recommend seeing Night Riots play if you get the chance.

I didn’t know what to expect going into the headliner, Blaqk Audio, but after being informed by a lone wolf lad in the crowd that the band was started by members of AFI, I had a pretty strong idea of what was about to go down (not that I know much about AFI, but if you know a few songs, you know enough). Vocalist Davey Havok has an entrancing stage presence—he is charismatic to say the least. His command over the crowd was strong, but not necessary since it was clear Blaqk Audio brought a serious cult following over from AFI. This was something Havok didn’t take for granted, emphatically expressing his gratitude for the support. And…that’s it.

 

Header photo by: Anna Novak