I’ll admit, these days to get me to go to a show I have to be really into a band or at least extremely intrigued. Saturday night fell into the latter category. Code Orange is a band that has been getting bigger and more acclaim over the past year. They’ve been on tour with Deftones and will be on the upcoming Killswitch Engage/Anthrax tour. Their new album Forever is quite an interesting mesh of hardcore, industrial and some other genres. So naturally, my curiosity was peaked. Also playing this evening was Youth Code. Their blend of industrial beats, mixed with other electronic elements and harsh hardcore/thrash vocals, makes them a very wise choice for this tour.

Opening the night was two local bands Momentum and Disgrace. Both bands brought a strong energy to set the mood of the night. Maybe it’s just me, and over the years my tastes have changed but honestly, those two bands, while they are good at what they do, just didn’t leave a lasting mark on me.

When Youth Code took the stage and their entrance music began, you knew you were in for something. Only a two piece, frontwoman/singer Sara Taylor and Ryan George on the synths/sampler and backup vocals, delivered a show stealing performance. The amount of energy mixed with their devotion to their craft was amplified as each song was played. There was a genuine amount of sheer excitement to their set. Personally, I was inspired at the end of their set. Sara and Ryan are masters at what they do. I can honestly tell you that Youth Code puts a majority of those EDM DJ’s (or whatever you call them) to shame. I can’t wait to see them again. Their 2016 album Commitment To Complications is a tour de force.

Headlining the night was Code Orange. As they took the stage, the crowd of many different ages began to assemble closer and closer. The younger kids in the audience were super pumped. As usual I was close enough to feel the vibe but far enough away to keep from getting hit by those kids that do their karate dance moves. On a total side note, that really has to stop. That’s not how you mosh. Kids today have no idea how to properly pit/mosh. But that’s for another day and topic. As Code Orange pummeled through their set a few things came across my mind. The first is, I’m really not sure they know what kind of band they want to be. They have so many influences in their music, that live it seems to get lost in translation. I’ve been to a slew of hardcore shows in my years, and there just seems like something is out of place. The bands drummer and main singer Jami,  has a growling/guttural scream, but I think he should pick either being the drummer or the singer. Jami Morgan is a talented hardcore drummer, but with pulling double duty live, it misses a step. The real bright spot of the band is guitarist Reba Meyers. She slays on her instrument and has the vocal ability to scream and sing. Certain songs played like “Bleeding In The Blur” and “Spy” were outstanding. I really dig these songs. It shows growth and maturity in their playing and ability to write. Other songs played that stood out were “Slowburn,” “My World,” “Forever,” and “The New Reality.”

All in all, this was a very interesting night, and Youth Code were outstanding. I’d really like to see them on a headlining tour in a dark small club with some crazy creepy visuals to accompany them. Code Orange with time, has the intensity to become a really solid heavy band. Once they figure out who they are as a band, they are going to be quite a force to be reckoned with.

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy