[CONCERT REVIEW] The Take Action Tour Hits The Nation’s Capital

The Take Action Tour featuring The Used, We Came As Romans, Crown The Empire, & Mindflow

9:30 Club – Washington D.C.

1/28/12

Written By Richard Ramirez
Photography by Brittany Williams

The Take Action Tour hit the Nation’s Capital this past Monday night with an all-star lineup that had something for everyone. Featuring headliners The Used, We Came As Romans, along with newcomers, Crown The Empire & Mindflow, it was a great bill for fans of every  genre of rock and metal. Fans braved the rain & freezing temperatures outside the 9:30 Club all day to be the first to be allowed entry in the venue. Promptly at 7:00, fans quickly filled the 9:30 Club on both floors as the opening band Mindflow, who hail from Brazil, took the stage at 7:30. Wasting absolutely no time at all, Mindflow dove into their 25-minute set with great ardency. Their vocalist showed enthusiasm as he announced his pleasure of performing in Washington D.C. for the first time & was eager to return.

Despite Mindflow putting on an exceptional set, it was Crown The Empire who infused the crowd with energy that brought them to life. Rise Record’s latest signing, Crown The Empire charged the stage effortlessly. Unfortunately their set was plagued with technical difficulties. Nevertheless, Crown The Empire persevered admirably & completed their set to a great amount of applaud that echoed throughout the 9:30 Club. Crown The Empire‘s debut album, The Fallout, is out now through Rise Records.

Michigan’s own We Came As Romans added the finishing touch for the evening to prepare the stage for The Used. If Crown The Empire awakened the crowd, it was We Came As Romans who brought them to their feet and started the chaos. Unclean vocalist, David Stephans also took the time to spread a message of unity through the Twitter hash tag “#IAmNotAlone” which was then proceeded by a performance of their new song “Hope”. An inspiring performance that truly captured the message the Take Action Movement is trying to deliver that it does indeed, get better. We Came As Romans closed their set with their hit song “To Plant A Seed” which comes off their second album of the same name. The deluxe re-issue of “Understanding What We’ve Grown To Be” with three new songs including the aforementioned song “Hope” is out now on iTunes via Equal Vision Records.

Once We Came As Romans finished their set, the crowd let out a deafening cheer as the backdrop for The Used was revealed upon the stage being set. Taking the stage promptly at 10:15, The Used proved that their music has withstood the test of time for a band that has been touring relentlessly for the past 11 years. With that being said, from the picture of lead vocalist, Bert McCraken, it’s remarkable how much passion The Used put into their live show. Having an eclectic set list featuring classic songs such as “The Taste Of Ink”, “I Caught Fire”, along with newer songs from their latest album “Vulnerable”. The Used closed their 15-song set with their classic number “A Box Full Of Sharp Objects”, after an impressive performance. The “Take Action Tour” is set to continue on throughout the month of February until March 1st, if the tour comes to your area, make it a point to go. The Used is out in support of “Vulnerable (II)” which is out now through Hopeless Records.  Be sure to also pick up a copy of “The Take Action Compilation Volume 11” featuring rare & unreleased tracks featuring your favorite artists now at the Take Action website.