Following the recent release of their latest EP, metalcore band Archers has set off on a tour that will take the up-and-coming group across the Southeast and through the Midwest during the month of July. 

The “Temporary High Tour” stopped in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday, July 15, at the iconic Hell at The Masquerade. Despite being the middle of a work week, fans still packed the room to show their support for the band.

This stop was Archers’ first return to Atlanta since their supporting run with Catch Your Breath in February, and the impact they made on the crowd was certainly reflected in the turnout they saw on Tuesday. 

Starting the night off was Baltimore rock band Dead Eyes, who came on with a strong stage presence and a high-energy performance. Being the first band on a bill is not always easy as the crowd’s energy tends to increase with each band that performs. Despite that, Dead Eyes still delivered an excellent opening for the night. 

Metalcore band Of Virtue followed Dead Eyes. Their performance was highlighted by lead vocalist Tyler Ennis’ close interaction with the crowd. Several times throughout their set, the singer left the stage to either stand on the barricade or fully climb over to join the crowd. This style of crowd interaction was only just beginning, however, as lead singer of Los Angeles-based Rivals, Kalie Wolfe, also got up close and personal with the fans during their set.

As the last group to play before the headlining act, Rivals featured only two onstage members, Wolfe and drummer Josh Allen, but the duo still performed with just as much passion as the bands before them. Wolfe used the extra space to her advantage, energetically moving across the stage, dancing, and throwing everything she had into their set. 

Finally, after the talented trio of supporting bands, the time had come for the highlight of the night, the one that everyone had been waiting for: Archers.

The band’s set began not with them immediately going onstage, but instead dimming the lights and playing through the first chorus of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel” from the speakers. The crowd seemed to love the pre-show song, waving their flashlights and singing along. 

From there, the members took to the stage one at a time, starting with drummer Grayson Mesaroch, followed by guitarist Ben Koehler and bassist Oscar Porter. The latter also provides backing vocals for the band and is often regarded as a fan favorite due to his social media presence for his solo music, under the moniker Arankai. 

Last to the stage was lead vocalist Nathanael Pulley, running on and launching into their first song, “Never Enough.” The song, a track from their new EP, was Archers’ first single of the year, coming out in February. The band played four of the five songs on the EP’s tracklist. “Safe Now,” one of the two songs not released as a single prior to the EP’s full release, was the only song that the band did not perform. 

In addition to the brand-new songs, the band also played through songs spanning several years, going back as far as 2021 with “Blanket Fort,” which they performed as part of their two-song encore. 

Archers also welcomed the vocalists from Dead Eyes and Of Virtue back to the stage to perform together at different points during the show. Dead Eyes singer Zach Williams joined the band for “Drag Me Out,” while Ennis returned for “Bitter,” one of Archers’ most popular songs and their last encore of the night. 

While the audience’s energy had already been pumped up pretty high by the time Archers began their first song, it only increased as the set continued. Fans sang along to the songs – both together with Pulley and on their own – when the singer extended his mic out to the crowd. When they played “Before You Go,” Pulley picked up an acoustic guitar to play alongside his bandmates. The emotional song prompted audience members to pull their flashlights back up to wave in time with the music. 

Before their encore, Pulley gave a short speech, thanking the fans for their support and marveling at how the band has gone from playing for a few people to playing for a room full of fans. 

All in all, Archers put on an electrifying show. It tends to be fairly easy to tell when performers truly love their job, and these musicians fit the bill perfectly. Not only that, but their fans clearly love them just as much, even if solely looking at the weeknight attendance.  

Archers may be nearing the halfway point of the “Temporary High Tour,” but if one thing is for sure, these guys are just getting started.