"The Early November put on a show that was not quite expected, but certainly achieved in giving what the people wanted, something that could be seen clearly by the energy and admiration that filled the Portland venue that night."
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Must See
Review by Bruna Cucolo
Since signing to Drive-Thru Records back in 2002, and now being signed to Rise Records, The Early November has released multiple pieces of work, and this fall they are headlining a tour to promote their newest album, Lilac, that was released last month. On this tour, they are supported by bands OWEL and Have Mercy, and for the Portland stop, The Adio Sequence also helped open the show. Eager fans were highly-anticipating the Early November’s set that night in Portland and the band undoubtably did not disappoint.
The first opening act of the night was The Adio Sequence, a rock band from Portland. As an opener, they made sure to get the audience excited for what was yet to come. Their positivity on stage helped the audience get a feel of what to expect from the other acts on the lineup as they all brought positive energy to the Hawthorne Theatre. OWEL was next, an alternative indie rock band from New Jersey. This band had more of a softer sound, but they still succeeded in pumping up the audience for the rest of the show. OWEL’s music not only allows you to relax while listening, but also gives you the opportunity to move and dance around to some of their heavier sounding material when watching their live set.
Have Mercy was the third and final opener. Many people in the crowd were already familiar with this band. They began with the song “We Ain’t Got Love” from their latest album, The Love Life, released back in August. With most songs being from that album, their setlist, containing eight songs, gave the crowd something to hear live for the first time. Have Mercy’s lead singer, Brian Swindle, is also humorous, and that alone put the audience in a mood that got them excited for the entirety of the show, even before the headliner went on.
Then it was The Early November’s turn to perform. They opened with “A Stain on the Carpet” from their 2012 album, In Currents. The fans in the crowd were enthralled and captivated by the band’s 17-track performance. Songs such as “I Don’t Care,” “I Want to Hear You Sad” (that dates back to the early 2000s) and “Ever So Sweet” were played in a manner that caused fans to become even more passionately infatuated with them. The band also incorporated a couple of acoustic songs, an element to the show that both fans enjoyed watching and allowed for The Early November to show their range and versatility.
The Early November’s last few songs were some of the crowd’s most favorite tracks. Closing out the night with “Frayed In Doubt,” there was more of a pop-punk feel to the final few performances, making for a fantastic way to end the show as fans used the rest of their energy to jump and clap along to the music. Overall, The Early November put on a show that was not quite expected, but certainly achieved in giving what the people wanted, something that could be easily seen by the energy and admiration that filled the Portland venue that night.
There are not many shows left on this tour, but you can grab your tickets for the remaining dates here. You do not want to miss this.
