Vampires Everywhere! @ the Historic Nile Underground
It’s rare to find a band that hits right the first time. Yet, back in 2014, long before the Pack considered covering music, they’d been going to every show they could and stumbled upon an amazing experimental metalcore band from New York. It would be twelve years until they could catch them live again. Though, it has been well worth the wait to have the honor of covering the Vampires Everywhere! 15th Anniversary tour with guests The Bunny The Bear and Echoes in Ashes. The night was only made sweeter by the intimate space that is the Historic Nile Theater’s underground.
For those who are not familiar with the Nile Theater; it is a historic building that only reached that coveted status in the past few years. To be recognized as a historic building in Mesa, the Nile had to remain as the original structure for 100 years. That is to emphasize that the theater’s underground is not wheelchair accessible. No matter what entrance one uses, there is a set of stairs both inside and outside to access the lower section of the venue. Thus, the Punk Pack take heavy discretion on what shows are manageable for them due to the need for wheelchair accessibility.
Eagerly waiting for the show to begin, the Pack took a spot right by the stage before Echoes In Ashes started sound check. Once the band started their set, it was difficult to get a full view of the band before realizing Christian Campbell (Vocals) was performing amid the crowd. The power of Campbell’s voice as he paced behind the thin line up front at the stage and the rest of the crowd a few paces behind was incredible. While they aren’t break-neck speeds level of metal, though they do hit raw and viscerally. Echoes In Ashes aren’t afraid to jump in with the pit to join the chaos with fans, leaving the Pack excited to keep an ear out for them in the future. Thankfully it won’t be long before they are back in Arizona for the Shepherd of Proxima tour in late May, having stops in Kingman and Phoenix. You can find more details of upcoming shows on their site.
Next was The Bunny The Bear, a band the Pack have been longing to see again for years. While the Pack had hopes of covering them last year, the underground flooded due to water damage and ultimately canceling that show. The experimental metalcore band from Buffalo, NY has had a tumultuous career, changing vocalists five times over their time since 2008. When the Pack first caught them with the second return of Chris “The Bear” Hutka, they immediately went on every playlist. Additionally, watching Matthew “The Bunny” Tybor scream for the first time was a huge inspiration for this author to learn how to scream properly into a mic. While the Pack has been critical of the past iterations of the Bear, we can say that Brooke “The Bear 6.0” Tybor has been the best Bear yet. Listening to some of the early songs redux solidified that while the sound may never be exactly the same as the one the Pack fell in love with, they have reignited a spark where past iterations couldn’t reach the itch left by Hutka’s passing in July of 2021. While The Bunny The Bear is best experienced recorded, one needs to see them live to really feel the music. You can check The Bunny The Bear’s upcoming shows via BandsInTown.
Even though it is the Vampires Everywhere! 15th Anniversary of Kiss the Sun Goodbye tour, this is the first time the Pack has heard of them. While they filed on to stage and into place, the rising energy was near bursting before opening up a set with a long blast of a scream. Yet, with past tours with Wednesday 13 and Motionless in White, it is a wonder it took so long to listen to them. The sheer power of their presence on stage is incredible. Michael Vampire (Vocals) mentioned during the set that when the band first played in Arizona, they performed at the Nile underground and we agree that it is perfect that the band played there for their 15th anniversary of Kiss the Sun Goodbye. With each member of the band caught in the thrall of the music, it became hard to just focus on one bandmate or take in the whole band with so much going on. The Pack highly recommends checking out this goth metalcore band live just to witness the intensity of Vampire’s polished scream.
The Pack left early to traverse the stairs before it became too crowded and chaotic. Yet, this was a show well worth the accessibility hurdles for getting to see the current iteration of The Bunny The Bear and be introduced to more amazing artists. A massive thank you to Matthew Tybor for inviting us out. The Bunny The Bear continues to be a favorite for the Punk Pack.
