On November 1st, 2023, Polyphia brought their “Remember That you Will Die” tour to Iron City Bham, with support from Midwxst. Playing to a sold-out crowd, both bands brought an enthusiasm that had the venue energized.
Midwxst, a rapper from Indianapolis, Indiana, opened the show with a 14-song set list. While Midwxst’s music isn’t what I usually listen to, the sound itself was good, and I had a hard time refraining from nodding along to the beats. He had a nice stage set up that was simple, but added a nice effect. At the back right of the stage was the drum kit, while on the left stood the bassist. Tying it all together was a whimsical tree stump in the front that Midwxst would make use of throughout the set. Combined with the moody, and cool colored lighting, it gave the illusion of having walked into a magical forest. Midwxst clearly enjoyed interacting with the crowd, since during downtimes, he’d thank them for coming and state how amazed he was by the energy in the room. There were also a few fans present, one of which Midwxst excitedly pointed out before leaping to the barricade and giving them a huge hug, which left the fan with a giant smile on their face. It surely made their night, and was a sweet moment to see. During the last half of the set, the crowd was really into it, bouncing along as Midwxst worked to hype them up. I do wish the auto tune had been toned down just a little bit so that it was less distracting, but other than that, it was a fun and enjoyable performance.
Set List:
1). clair
2). ready for you
3). lost
4). lights out
5). old me
6). switching sides
7). ball & chain
8). hate how much
9). pretty girls
10). warning
11). i know you hate me
12). Care
13). riddle
14).Trying
Once Polyphia, a progressive instrumental rock group from Plano, Texas, took the stage, the crowd went wild. Polyphia played a total of 20 songs, and the crowd loved every second of it. In fact, I don’t think they’d have minded if the band stayed out for even longer. There was lots of movement and shouting as people’s favorite songs were played, and whenever a band member would display a particularly impressive skill with their instrument, the cheers became deafening. The atmosphere of Polyphia’s set was fascinating with its ethereal fog enhanced by the stage’s backlighting, as well as the colorful lights that would shine brightly. Additionally, Polyphia’s stage presence was one that demanded attention as each member rocked out to the music, while capably playing their instruments. Even though there wasn’t any talking between them and the crowd—since there were no vocals—the band still took measures to interact with the fans, whether that was smiling and making faces as they headbanged, encouraging the crowd to clap along, or pointing out different crowd members who were having a great time. They still managed to connect on a personal level without using any words, which I found impressive. And speaking of impressive, each band member was so skilled at playing their instruments. For guitarists Tim Henson and Scott LePage especially, it was hard to keep track of their fingers as they flew across the strings at lightning-speed. While most of the time Henson and LePage played electric guitars, at one point, Henson awed the crowd with his skill on an acoustic. He had it propped up on a stand, which he would use to play it, only to quickly switch back to his electric. Watching him go back and forth between the two instruments was incredible. After 17 songs, the band left the stage, and the audience immediately cried out for an encore, lighting up the venue with their phone lights as encouragement. The energy in the room reached a frenzy as Polyphia played their last three songs of the night.
Polyphia’s “Remember That You Will Die” tour was an impressive one that made quite an impression on me. The sold-out crowd certainly had the best time, and the band looked like they were enjoying themselves, too.
Tim Henson – Guitar
Scott LePage – Guitar
Clay Gober – Bass
Clay Aeschliman – Drums
Set List:
1). Loud
2). Reverie
3). The Audacity
4). Goose
5). 40oz
6). Chimera
(Taped Vocals By: Lil West)
7). O.D.
8). Icronic
9). Champagne
10). The Worst
11). All Falls Apart
12). Crush
13). Culture Shock
14). So Strange
(Taped Vocals By: Cocu)
15). Neurotica
16). ABC
(Taped Vocals By: Sophia Black)
17). Euphoria
Encore:
18). Genesis
19). Playing God
20). G.O.A.T.
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!
