Chiodos Reminds West Michigan They’ve Still Got It

Chiodos brought their ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ 2oth Anniversary tour to GLC Live at 20 Monroe on November 6, with special guests Hawthorne Heights, Emmure, and BIG ASS TRUCK to a stellar audience ready to soak it all in.

 

With the history of Chiodos in Michigan, it was an honor to be able to cover this event. ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ arguably is the most celebrated album in Chiodos’ catalog, followed swiftly by ‘Bone Palace Ballet.’ Where ‘All’s Well’ tends to be the titan is due to the boom of Emo and Post-Hardcore / Metal in 2005, cementing songs like “Baby, You Wouldn’t Last a Minute on the Creek” and “The Words ‘Best Friend’ Become Redefined” in the lexicon of Emo lineage.

 

 

 

GALLERY: CHIODOS

 

 

 

Sounding just as great, if not better, since the day we heard his heavenly voice, Craig Owens dominated the stage, performing the album in an almost-chronological order, save for “Baby, You Wouldn’t Last a Minute on the Creek” at the end of the set. The crowd got extremely into the old-school, post-hardcore vibes by putting in work on a circle pit and mosh pit, which GLC is honestly perfect for, with its wide-open floor plan. The fans’ energy demonstrated the enduring relevance of this body of work and may have won over any onlookers who could have bought a ticket for other bands on the bill.

 

 

GALLERY: BIG ASS TRUCK

 

 

As for the starting team, Memphis, Tennessee’s BIG ASS TRUCK blew us away with their ferocity, and you can’t help but get behind their whole “In A Big Country” by Big Country-type vibe with their biggest song also titled “BIG ASS TRUCK.” In addition to our first time hearing BIG ASS TRUCK, it was also our first time seeing Emmure live, and they did not disappoint. Forming in 2003, Emmure made perfect sense to be on this bill, as there had to be crossover between their fans and the headliners.

 

 

GALLERY: EMMURE

 

 

The “odd man out,” but only to a degree, was Hawthorne Heights. Not nearly as Metal-based, but adjacent in the Emo/Screamo fashion, Hawthorne Heights brought their own brand of sincerity in the form of being unabashedly brave in speaking about topics like mental health, looking inward to yourself, and caring about those around you. It’s a common theme I’ve seen with photographing Hawthorne Heights more than once in the past 5 years, but it’s never a “put on” or just “part of the show.” JT Woodruff speaks to the audience as if he’s their older brother who’s done the hard work and seen some shit, and is there to remind you to KEEP GOING. It’s refreshing, especially when emos are already a vulnerable lot.

 

 

GALLERY: HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS

 

 

Mixing that all together in one big pot was a magical experience to say the least, even if that sounds kinda cheesy. Will we see more music from Chiodos, or even a side project from Craig Owens, in the future? Here’s to hoping. This is a voice desperately missed in the current landscape of music. See where they’re headed next at chiodos.band/pages/tour.