Band: The Devil Wears Prada
Date: July 26, 2010
Venue: Chain Reaction
City: Anaheim, CA
The Devil Wears Prada
Photo by Brittney Dillon
Written by Lindsay Murphy
Metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada returned to Anaheim’s Chain Reaction for a three-peat performance on their Back to the Roots Tour. The tour title is not only a reference to the band’s successful record With Roots Above & Branches Below, but also to the older material and intimate shows they planned on playing at small clubs.
At the final Anaheim show, vocalist Mike Hranica explained that The Devil Wears Prada purposely picked multiple dates at small venues to provide a more personal performance. While some bands play the small venue card to avoid admitting that they don’t have the ability or fanbase to fill larger locations, TDWP truly wants to connect with their fans in a way that festival levels don’t allow. With three consecutive sold-out shows at the tiny 240-person capacity Chain Reaction, the band proved true to their tour name.
When Hranica asked, “Did anybody come to the first or second night of this show?,” the respectable amount of screams in response demonstrated the dedication of TDWP’s fans.
The Devil Wears Prada delivered their promise of a participatory and personal show, incessantly interacting with fans. The audience formed a constant conveyor belt of crowd surfers, spewing forth person after person. They would then dive off stage, despite signs warning otherwise, at times hitting hanging lights. Within minutes, the jam-packed sea of fans was soaked in sweat.
The Christian band played several songs off their debut Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord that aren’t usually performed live, like “Texas Is South.” Other oldie “Swords, Dragons, and Diet Coke” found fans fervently clapping along and belting out the end.
When the speakers emitted the introductory sample on new song “Outnumbered,” the crowd went crazy. Off the upcoming Zombies EP, the song’s thrash metal overtones and complexity clearly reveals TDWP’s progress as musicians. The Zombies concept EP and accompanying comic book are also an interesting way to break up standard record releases, keep fans engaged, and gain new ones.
Other fan favorites included “Danger: Wildman,” “Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?” “Nickels Is Money Too,” and “Assistant to the Regional Manager.”
The crowd chanted, “One more song!” and when the band returned, Hranica said, “You want one more? We have TWO more!” They then played one of their softer songs, ironically titled “Louder than Thunder.” To the delight of fans, the band ended with another old one, “Dogs Can Grow Beards All Over,” and then high-fived the crowd.