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Indie rock’s subdivisions of emo and hardcore link arms with “The Invisible Sideshow Tour.” It’s a package designed to satiate emo’s calmly cerebral subscribers as well as those who hunger for the frenzied catharsis hardcore inevitably brings.
| Current Choice ARMOR FOR SLEEP with CHIODOS, BOYS NIGHT OUT, and ACTION REACTION 7pm Sat, Feb 11 $12 (advance); $14 (day of show) White Rabbit 2410 N. St. Mary’s 737-2221 |
Armor for Sleep, a Garden State quartet determined to weave its sound into the backdrop of our evolution and descent, brings its temperate, bristling rock riffs to the southwest. The group’s introspective, unyielding lyrics appeal to those seesawing between indie and pop. While its approach is not as abrasive as that of its tourmates, Armor For Sleep paints the emotional landscape we all meander through, hoarding the collective tension and releasing it at appropriate moments within songs to braid memory into personal detail and tragedy.
Tourmates and Michigan natives Chiodos, with their lacerated screams, metal riffs, and catchy, melodic, yet sharp vocals, add quite a bit to the dynamic. Their — dare I say — screamo foundation is appealing to those who oscillate between hardcore and the staggered, undulating melodies of post-hardcore. For example, “The Heartless Control Everything” opens with a calm, sentimental piano that segues into an ardent verse the boys sing in unison. They careen through smooth shifts from aching screams into pop territory, revealing a versatility rare among bands rooted in aural aggression. Fans attend their shows like acolytes voraciously consuming lyrics conjured from memory, and their legions should be represented at the White Rabbit on February 11. •
