Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
What better way to ward off the winter blues than head to a concert? That’s certainly what the attendees of Nothing More’s sold-out Carnal Nature tour that stopped at Old National Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana, thought this past weekend. Of course, they couldn’t do the show all alone, so along with them came Catch Your Breath, Archers, and Doobie.
Doobie was the most interesting, genre-wise, in the mix, previously a rap act turned into something more rock and metal. With their strong vocals and huge energy on stage, they were clearly winning over the crowd in the room during their set. And for fans of the band who were hoping to hear some old favorites, they were in luck, as Doobie played a mixture of newer songs as well as some old rap hits.
Archers is always a hit when they come to town, thanks to the fact that drummer Grayson Mesarosh is from right here in Indianapolis. That’s not to say their crowd favoritism is solely biased, though, as they always put on a great, high-energy show, and Saturday was no exception. They played a wide variety of songs from the past few years, including old hits “Bitter” and “Say This Sober,” as well as their recently released track “The Dirt.” Their set is also what got the crowdsurfing started for the night, with a near-constant stream of them.
Catch Your Breath caught my attention straightaway with their unique voiceover intros into each of their songs on the setlist. The crowd loved them, and it was clear there were lots of preexisting fans here at the show when they had us sing the last chorus of “Dial Tone” all on our own. If you haven’t seen Catch Your Breath before, you’re missing out on a band that is truly meant to be playing large shows with the way their energy can take over an entire room. And if you have seen them before and are excited to see what they’re up to, you’re in for a treat with their setlist, as it’s a mix of their biggest hits and newer releases.
Obviously, as we reached the time of the night for Nothing More to come onstage, the energy was peaking in the room. Fans were cheering and hollering the moment the lights went black, and crowd surfing started up nearly as soon as the band walked out onstage. The band’s energy was immediately electrifying, which only made the crowd louder and rowdier. Vocalist Jonny Hawkins commented on the fact that the band loves coming to Indianapolis because we always go crazy when they do. He even gave a shoutout to security for how well they were doing their jobs, because the crowdsurifng was relentless and kept them on their feet for the entire show.
Their setlist had tons of surprises in store for us, including multiple instrumental solos: one for the drums, guitar, and bass, and one for their famous, rigged-up drums as well. Vocalist Nathanael Pulley from Archers joined us on stage for “Freefall” and seemed to fit right in with the rest of the band on stage. The audience also got to participate in making the setlist for the night, as we were offered a choice of four different songs to vote on by cheering. Ultimately, “Mr. MTV” won the vote over a Nine Inch Nails cover.
The Carnal Nature world tour is only halfway over, so be sure to check out the list of remaining dates over on the band’s website and see if you can catch a show near you.
