On Sunday July 14th, 2024, Northlane brought their Mirror’s Edge North American tour to the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee with support from Windwaker, Thornhill, and Invent Animate. With such a talented lineup, it was impossible not to go into the show with high expectations, but thankfully, all of those expectations were met, and even exceeded!
Starting the night was Windwaker, a metalcore band from Melbourne, Australia. They began their set full of energy, especially vocalist Liam Guinane who ran onto the stage and never stopped moving. The crowd was instantly engaged, as they jumped to the heavy beats and waved their hands back and forth with prompting from Guinane. Their heavy sound, infused with a bit of r&b made it easy to jam along to. Their synthesizer, Connor Robins, was particularly fun to watch with his theatrics. When he wasn’t spinning around, he was kicking high into the air. Likewise, drummer Chris Lalic captivated with his commanding playing, while Liam Guinane kept the audience engaged with fun antics such as when he leapt onto the barricade during their last song, much to the crowd’s delight. Windwaker’s performance was a great start to what was already proving to be an incredible night.
Liam Guinane – Vocals
Indey Salvestro – Bass
Connor Robins – Synth
Chris Lalic – Drums
Jesse Crofts – Guitar
Set List:
1). Get Out
2). Dopamine Freestyle
3). Fractured State of Mind
4). Superstitious Fantasy
5). The Wall
6). Break the Rules
7). SIRENS
Next to the stage was the metal band Thornhill, from Melbourne, Australia. They’re a personal favorite of mine and one I’ve had the pleasure of seeing several times before. When Thornhill was playing, it was impossible to look away. Their energy was cool and contained, yet at the same time, charged with an inexplicable energy. Opening with “Views from the Sun” was the perfect choice, setting the mood for the gritty and melodic sound the crowd was in store for. With song choices such as “Where We Go When We Die,” “Coven,” and their newest release, “Obsession,” they expertly displayed their blend of genres and styles into one set. In a fun surprise, drummer Alex Camarena from the band Silent Planet took over for the drums and played their third song to perfection. Additionally, during “Casanova,” vocalist Jacob Charlton had the crowd split down the middle, and soon after, a giant pit formed, leading into an electric final song that had the crowd cheering for more.
Jacob Charlton – Vocals
Nick Sjogren – Bass
Ben Maida – Drums
Ethan Mccann – Guitar
Set List:
1). Views From the Sun
2). Coven
3). Obsession
4). Raw
5). Casanova
6). Where We Go When We Die
The third band of the night was another one I’d seen before, Invent Animate, a metalcore band from Port Nechas, Texas. Their captivating visuals always make for an incredible show, and tonight was no different. Dressed in all white, each band member exuded an appearance of serenity, but that facade was quickly shattered when the music started, heavy and hard-hitting. Almost immediately into the first song, crowd surfers descended towards the stage, and they kept up a steady stream through the rest of the set. During the third song, bassist Caleb Sherraden shouted out, “If you came to mosh tonight, it’s your time.” The crowd obliged, and soon the middle of the room was taken over by the pit. When they played “Heavener,” the titular song off that album, the crowd’s singing voices could be heard, and they waved their arms along to the beat. While the crowd had clearly enjoyed the previous sets, it was obvious there were many fans here. The energy in the room reached a fever pitch, especially during the last few songs. Several times, vocalist Marcus Vik complimented the enthusiasm from the crowd, calling everyone “absolutely beautiful” and “a fun crowd.”
Marcus Vik – Vocals
Brody Taylor Smith – Drums
Keaton Goldwire – Guitar
Trey Celea – Guitar
Caleb Sherraden – Bass
Set List:
1). Sleepless Deathbed
2). Shade Astray
3). False Meridian
4). How We Used To Say Goodbye
5). Purity Weeps
6). Heavener
7). Without a Whisper
8). Immolation of Night
Finally, it was time for the night’s headliner, Northlane, a heavy metal band from Blacktown, Australia. Since this was my first time seeing them, I was excited to both watch and photograph their set, and I was not disappointed. The crowd could not contain their excitement for Northlane. While they waited for the band to begin, they started a chant, and as soon as the four piece took the stage, the crowd went wild. The stage set up for Northlane was much roomier than for the previous bands, leaving plenty of space for vocalist Marcus Bridge to rush around. Even though guitarists Jonathan Deiley and Josh Smith tended to stay on their respective sides of the stage, they were just as energetic as they kicked and spun, all the while expertly shredding on their guitars. The energy in the room was palpable, both from the band members and the crowd, who rarely stood still. Even those who weren’t jumping about could still be found headbanging. Those in the middle of the venue kept a constant mosh pit formed throughout the set, which grew bigger and bigger during choruses and heavy breakdowns. Marcus Bridge encouraged the crowd participation, calling for everyone to jump and sing along. While the crowd was no match for his powerful vocals, they certainly did their best to match his fervor. With Bridge’s heavy vocals, Deiley and Smith’s tight riffs, and drummer Nic Petterson’s explosive drumming, Northlane put on a powerhouse of a performance that won’t soon be forgotten.
Northlane’s Mirror’s Edge North American Tour had the crowd of Brooklyn Bowl engaged and animated the whole show, which is no small feat. The lineup of bands was chosen well, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to see all of them perform.
Marcus Bridge – Vocals
Josh Smith – Guitar
Jonathon Deiley – Guitar
Nic Petterson – Drums
Set List:
1). Carbonized
2). Intuition
3). Miasma
4). 4D
5). Talking Heads
6). Kraft
7). Bloodline
8). Dante
9). Echo Chamber
10). Clarity
11). Worldeater / Dispossession / Jinn
12). Solar
(Remix)
13). Mirror’s Edge
14). Afterimage
15). Clockwork
16). Nova
Encore:
17). Citizen
I’ve always been the creative type, but nothing quite beats how it felt the first time I picked up a camera. Once I photographed my first concert, I knew I had found my passion. As an avid concert-goer, getting to combine my love of music with my love of photography is like a dream come true!
