Photos and Review by Jeff Palmucci
Galleries: Marianas Trench, New Dialogue
Marianas Trench came by the House of Blues last Saturday in support of their new album Phantoms. Within 24 hours of the albums March 1st release, it skyrocketed to the #1 pop spot on iTunes in both the US and Canada. That’s pretty awesome, and given they are an unsigned band, well, cha-ching!
Openers New Dialogue were also touring on their new EP Teach Me How to Heal. Given how high the new songs are ranked on their Spotify page, the EP is being well-received. Give it a listen.
When Marianas Trench came on, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was covering for another photographer that couldn’t make the show, and wasn’t very familiar with the band. Lead signer Josh Ramsay throws himself completely into the show. At one point and for several songs he ran through the crowd, dancing and singing with the audience.
When I say he ran through the crowd, I mean he ran through all the crowd. At that point in the show, I was hanging out on the second floor in the back trying to get some crowd shots. I lost track of him for a bit, and then saw why. He ran up the back stairs and right by me, jumping around with the people in the very back of the house. One girl was exceptionally excited. This is a quote: “Oh my f-ing God, I’m shaking! Oh my God, I got video!”
She wasn’t the only totally psyched fan in the place. As you can see from the crowd shots, the whole place was jumping. Josh once called out a guy on the second level for his dancing. “Look at that guy: You don’t think we can dance here in Boston?? Here, hold my beer.” I unfortunately, couldn’t see him from where I was standing, until I went back downstairs. Then I saw him. There could have been no mistake. It was magnificent. It was hypnotic. It was a little bit violent.
At one point Josh called out a member in the audience for doing a crustacean dance. You know, “crab hands”. That totally backfired, with almost everyone in the audience picking up the move in what could only be called a New England moment.
If you like Marianas Trench’s music, you will love their live show. The fans are totally into the music and out to have a great time. Josh Ramsay encourages the party atmosphere by interacting with the crowd more than any performer that I’ve seen before, and I’ve seen a lot of them. Their tour continues through June. Catch them if you can.