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See the Photos! Underoath, Periphery, and Loathe at the House of Blues in Anaheim

by Steve Brazill

Underoath

There are some bands that are so great live that they leave a permanent mark in your mind. Not just because you’re a fan, and know every word to every song, but even if you’ve never heard of them. I’m talking about bands that somehow pass the “they’re great live” description and enter the “holy crap, they’re one of the best live bands out there”.

That is Underoath.

Their 2023 tour, with Periphery and Loathe, hit the House of Blues in Anaheim on Friday for a sold out show that was pure energy.

I have photographed Underoath maybe three or four times, and every time I left in awe.

Formed in Tampa, FL back in 1997, this band has seen both personnel and style changes over the years. AllMusic describes them as having “evolved from a run-of-the-mill Christian metalcore band into a fluid, dynamic, and energized rock group that adeptly blends emotive melody, charged punk rock rhythms, and a chunky, engaging bottom end.”

Note the adjectives there… dynamic, energized, and emotive. I am trying to find the words that takes those ideas and then amplify them X 10.

The current lineup is Spencer Chamberlain handling lead vocals, Aaron Gillespie on drums and handling clean vocals, Christopher Dudley on keyboards, synthesizers, samplers, programming, Timothy McTague on lead guitar and backing vocals, Grant Brandell on bass, and James Smith on rhythm guitar, percussion, and backing vocals.

This tour runs through Sunday, April 2nd.

Underoath Setlist

It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
Breathing in a New Mentality
Damn Excuses
Down, Set, Go
On My Teeth
In Regards to Myself
Let Go
Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear
Reinventing Your Exit
Hallelujah
Illuminator
A Moment Suspended in Time
Pneumonia
A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White
Writing on the Walls

Periphery

In the mid spot of the lineup for this tour is Periphery, a progressive metal band from D.C. I had also photographed this band before, at Self Help in San Bernardino in 2019 – a show that Underoath was also at.

I was lucky enough to have all access for that show, and instantly noticed something about Periphery that sticks with me to this day… it feels like they having as much fun as the audience is, as though they are just as aware of the magic that’s happening as we are.

Periphery are considered a pioneer of the djent movement, and another band that has gone through some personal changes since they started in 2005, a lot of them. The current lineup are some of the best musicians you’ll find, with Spencer Sotelo on lead vocals, Misha “Bulb” Mansoor handling guitar, programming, synthesizers, and orchestration, Jake Bowen on guitar, programming, and backing vocals, Matt Halpern on drums, and Mark Holcomb on guitar.

Periphery Setlist

Reptile
Ragnarok
Wildfire
Atropos
Marigold

Loathe

Loathe was the one band Friday night that I had not seen before, and in fact I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t heard of them until this weekend. So glad to have that mistake fixed. These guys were fantastic.

Loathe is an English band, from Liverpool, that is new to the scene (compared to Periphery and Underoath). Formed in 2014, the band consists of lead vocalist Kadeem France, guitarist and second vocalist Erik Bickerstaffe, drummer Sean Radcliffe and bassist Feisal El-Khazragi.

Nominated for Heavy Metal Awards best UK breakthrough band and Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards best new band in 2018, this is a band to watch. In fact, in a 2020 Revolver magazine poll they were voted the third most likely contemporary band to break through into the mainstream. Based on what I saw on Friday, I wouldn’t bet against that happening.