By Rock newcomers Ivoryline and the pop-punk fresh faces of The Maine opened for the seasoned rock band, Family Force 5 on Sunday at House of Blues in Anaheim, located in Downtown Disney.
This stop on the Family Force 5’s Skeletour and the Rock’N’Roll Champions of the Universe tour had to be one of the most diverse music shows to ever roll through the Disneyland Resort.
When the Texas-based band Ivoryline opened the show, the crowd was sparse. The amazing vocal range and talent of lead singer Jeremy Gray was undeniable, but it did not make up for what the band was lacking, which was stage performance experience.
Next up were the young boys of The Maine, hailing from Tempe, Ariz. The band had instant star quality as the curtain rose, revealing the band members dancing around to Flo-Rida’s current hit, “Low.” The Maine launched into a short five-song set of tracks off its debut album, “The Way We Talk.” The crowd ate these fresh-out-of-high-school-boys right up, especially as they sang their cover of Akon’s “I Wanna Love You” from the compilation “Punk Goes Crunk.”
By the time Family Force 5 took the stage, the crowd was energetic. Little kids sat on top of their father’s shoulders to see the stage better, while older couples were ready to rock out.
The band’s videographer, Isaac Deitz, aka Tub-O, first came on to recite a small introduction and tell corny, self-described “emo jokes” about the supporting acts.
Needless to say, the stand-up comedy act was a surprising, unexpected element of the show. The crowd’s anticipation and excitement grew until Tub-O finally introduced the band.
As Solomon Olds, aka Soul Glow (lead vocalist and guitarist), twins Jacob Olds, aka Crouton (drummer and vocalist) and Joshua Olds, aka Fatty (bassist and vocalist), Nathan Currin, aka Nadaddy (percussionist and vocalist), and Derek Mount, aka Chap Stique (guitarist), took the stage, the House of Blues sounded like it was transforming into a night club.
After the first few vocal harmonies from Soul Glow, the sound twisted from hip-hop/crunk, reminiscent of the Ying Yang Twins, to a harder rock vibe that cannot be related to anyone else currently on the music scene.
Family Force 5 played its hits from the debut album “Business Up Front/Party in the Back” and the recent “Diamond Edition” of that same album. The groups hits, like “Kountry Gentleman,” “Luv Addict” and “Never Let Me Go,” all sounded eerily similar, but the crowd seemed to enjoy every second of the songs, shouting their lyrics back at them and busting out dance moves as crazy and different as the bands’.
Family Force 5’s stage presence of erratic movements and awkward dance moves made for an entertaining set. Every person in attendance seemed to thoroughly enjoy the different, hyper sounds of Family Force 5. I guess if you’re a fan, let the force be with you.
