This fall, the guys in Free Throw hit the road with their friends Chris Farren, Youth Fountain and Macseal for a full U.S. tour. Riding high off their most recent release What’s Past is Prologue, Free Throw brought a whole new set of songs for their die-hard set of fans to enjoy. However, don’t think that they left behind their beloved discography of songs like “Two Beers In” and “Randy, I am the Liquor”. Through their many appearances in Buffalo, Free Throw has built a strong fan base here in the Nickle City. Yet, this most recent show in Buffalo proves how much Free Throw has grown and how much more there is still to come.

Macseal (Farmingdale, NY) started off the evening with their down to earth alt-rock vibes. Between their constant touring schedule and working on their debut full-length album Super Enthusiast, Macseal has had a full plate.

That hard work definitely has not been going unnoticed as I have been seeing them pop up all over the internet and social media. I thought Macseal’s set was the perfect way to start the evening, they were not too heavy but they weren’t too soft, they were perfectly in the middle. Thankfully, Macseal just released some of the new tracks that they teased at their show which are off their upcoming release. Make sure to check out Macseal’s new songs “Graduating Steps” and “Always Hazy” and keep an eye out for their new record Super Enthusiast.

 

Up next was Youth Fountain (Vancouver B.C.), who I have been dying to see ever since they released their debut record Letters to Our Former Selves. While Youth Fountain is considered a pop-punk band, they definitely reside on the heavier side of the genre. This heavier take on the genre makes for a high energy performance that kicks any show into high gear.

As Youth Fountain hit their first note, die-hard fans rushed to the stage to sing along with every word of their 30-minute set. One thing that I really liked about their set is how Tyler Zanon, Cody Muraro both took turns as frontman. It created a really great dynamic on stage that made the energy stay extra high for the entirety of their set. If you haven’t checked out Youth Fountain’s debut full-length album Letters to Our Former Selves then you are missing out.

 

Following Youth Fountain’s hard-hitting set, was Chris Farren who brought an entirely unique atmosphere to the night’s events. I don’t even know where to start with Chris Farren, I had no idea what to expect when he hit the stage, but once he started I couldn’t take my eyes off the stage.

Between his drum machine, lighted stage mic, and coordinated video Chris Farren took the idea of “a one-man show” to the absolute max. His indie-pop music speaks for itself and you can hear it for yourself on his new tracks “Surrender” and “Search 4 Me” off his upcoming release BORN HOT that is set to release on October 11^th. What I liked the most about his performance was his comments on the cliché band monologues. During a song break, he had a prerecorded “thank you” to the other bands where he filled in the names of the other bands on the tour. The video he had playing behind him was full of art that he drew himself, and most of the art was drawings of himself in different funny situations. The video would also flash the words “guitar solo” every time he had a guitar solo and when he plugged his merch the video flashed the words “merch plug” on the screen behind him. So, while Chris Farren’s music is a new take on indie-pop, his live performance adds an entirely new dynamic and is something that you absolutely have to see.

 

Finally, Free Throw took the stage. It was obvious from the anxious mumblings before their set that people were very excited for Free Throws most recent appearance in Buffalo. Then as Free Throw hit the first note of their hit song “The Corner’s Dilemma” all hell broke loose in the venue. With a lonely single white cloud suspended in front of a white screen onto which raindrops and other small lighting effects were projected, Free Throw had a simplistic approach to their stage design.

As I said before, Free Throw put out a new record titled What’s Past is Prologue so they had a whole bunch of new songs to play for their Buffalo fan base. While Free Throw’s past albums provided a glimpse into the band members lives, this latest record is most revealing. What’s Past is Prologue a deep look into lead singer Cory Castro continuing battle with mental illness, and tells the story of what happens when you decide everything in your life has to change. Despite this slew of new songs, their 13-song setlist still contained their beloved songs, “Randy, I Am the Liquor” and “Two Beers In”. While it was obvious that the Buffalo crowd was loving Free Throw’s set, it was also clear from the smiles of every member that Free Throw was having a good time on stage as well, even quoting Buffalo as a second home for the band. Overall, Free Throw left fans humming their grungy-punk tunes all the way home. If you, unfortunately, missed this stacked tour, Free Throw is hitting the road in November to support New Found Glory on their U.S tour. However, until then make sure you check out Free Throw’s new album What’s Past is Prologue to keep your punk-rock cravings fulfilled.

Words: Chandler Poczciwinski

Photography: Haley Sousa

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