Emo heavyweights the Starting Line continued tugging on heartstrings during their annual holiday show at Philadelphia’s Electric Factory, with lead singer Kenny Vasoli’s spirited wailing in full force. Adding to the pop-punk fray were Say Anything’s Max Bemis, who played a set of acoustic marvels, and the Almost, side project of Underoath drummer Aaron Gillespie.
“All we want for Christmas is you guys,” gushed Vasoli, a fact he made clear when he leaned over the barrier during the first song and was met with hands of teenagers latching onto his pants. The band broke into some of their latest up-tempo howlers and dedicated the rest of show to late soul legend James Brown. The swarm of youngsters responded with crowd-surfing and high-pitched chanting, the amount of enthusiasm they’ll surely greet the quartet’s upcoming album with when it’s released early next year. KELLY WHITE / PHOTOS BY JAMES HAMILTON jameshamiltonphotography.com
>> Listen to the Starting Line on Napster
>> Listen to Say Anything on Napster
>> Listen to the Almost on Napster
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