Didn’t you just photograph We Came As Romans? Well, yeah, but they were the opener. I had to make it out to their “Bad Luck Tour,” especially since the Chicago date was the official release date of their latest album — which you need to go listen to now. It’s such a good release and lives up to the standards of this amazing band. 

I was not familiar with any of the openers, but one of my favorite parts of any show is finding new artists to become a fan of. Johnny Booth, After the Burial, and Currents were all perfect picks to kick off the show for this tour because they got the audience moving from the very start. There were crowd surfers and a big mosh pit for each band. The energy never died once; it was at full throttle from the first song to the last opener. 

By the time We Came As Romans took the stage, everyone was sweaty and prepped to kick it in even more. Lead vocalist Dave Stephens came out kicking and punching to every beat while bassist Andy Glass was twirling in the back. Every band member in this group gives each song their all, and you can see it in their faces. The crowd was screaming along with every word, even the brand new ones. They continue to remain true to their word as they announced five years ago that they were retiring their album To Plant a Seed from live shows as they did a tour to honor it one more time before putting it to rest. I still wish they would play some of those songs, but I respect their choice. As always, they took a moment mid-show to honor their brother, Kyle Pavone, and everything he did for the band. They wouldn’t be where they were today as a group without him. 

Even without playing the one album, they made sure their setlist was a mix of the newest releases to older tracks for the fans who have been around for years. I truly appreciate when a show is a mix to accommodate fans of all stages. To wrap up their show, we were blasted with confetti from both sides of the barricade as the stage was engulfed in their smoke. I ran for the third floor balcony so I could see it from the top view and it was such a sight to see. 

The tour has wrapped up, as Chicago was the second-to-last date on its run, but that doesn’t mean they’re slowing down. Be sure to give the album, ALL IS BEAUTIFUL… BECAUSE WE’RE DOOMED, a listen. It’s available on all streaming platforms and it’s a masterpiece.

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