Catch Four Year Strong w/ Defeater, Superheaven, & More | TONIGHT @ Exit/In

Tonight‘s show is a definite crowd-pleaser, with a ton of Nashville favorites taking the stage at Exit/In, and it feels like an early Christmas present, because all of these bands have been here in the past year. On tour supporting their freshly-pressed self-titled album, pop punk champions Four Year Strong will be joined by Massachusetts hardcore act Defeater, as well as neo-grunge outfit Superheaven, fellow label-mates Elder Brother, and local act Renaissance Fair. This show is so stacked it’s not even funny. Tickets are $17 at the door, but you can snag one here now to make sure you don’t miss out on this killer bill. Find out more about the lineup after the jump!

FOUR YEAR STRONG

I’m surprised The Exit/In didn’t fear the beard too much to let Massachusetts easy-core forerunners Four Year Strong back in for another show after seeing how they almost brought the house down last time, but I’m glad they did. After taking a brief hiatus last year, Four Year Strong came off a mediocre album and released a phenomenal comeback EP. Fast forward to today, and they have released a self-titled album proving that if anyone wants to get on top of the genre, they’ll have to go through Four Year Strong. Four Year Strong combines the uplifting lyrics and feel-good atmosphere of pop punk with with relentlessly heavy guitars, and that’s not to mention the occasional accentuating scream or gruff shout from one of their two vocalists. Check out the chorus-worthy, mosh-inducing “We All Float Down Here” below.

DEFEATER

These Bostonian melodic hardcore connoisseurs were here only a handful of months ago with Counterparts, but Nashville is a place no one can resist (or maybe Defeater is a hard thing to resist).  Defeater have been going at it hard now for over a decade. They’ve got a unique niche, but it definitely works for them. They combine some of the most beautiful, fast, and chaotic instrumentation in hardcore, with the full-throated shouts of vocalist Derek Archambault to create something you can hardly describe, you won’t know whether to cry or kill.  Wrapping the whole package together with a nice (but perfectly depressing) bow is Archambault’s highly conceptual lyrics, fabricating an intricate and tragic family history  from the perspective of a family in the mid-1900s. You wouldn’t know whether to cry or kill if it weren’t for the fact that every song is high energy, ready to go off every time.

SUPERHEAVEN

Pennsylvania Greaseballs Superheaven (formerly Daylight) are no strangers to Nashville, and they aren’t afraid to be out of place on a tour. They were hear a few months ago supporting Turnstile on the equally eclectic Nonstop Feeling Tour, as well as several times prior to the infamous name-change debacle. But 615 just can’t get enough. Now, they’re back with a new album under their belt, Ours Is Chrome, and it is a banger that only serves to refine their grunge sensibilities and make their set that much more enjoyable to watch. Raw, heavy and nostalgic, with infectious choruses and massive riffs,  Superheaven are kicking ass and taking names right now. While many bands use grunge as a crutch, these guys have created a market for ’90s punk that only they can fill. Check out their X-Files-themed video for their single “I’ve Been Bored” and make sure to catch their set!

ELDER BROTHER

California duo Elder Brother have been a whirlwind of activity since the release of their debut album Heavy Head last March, touring with The American Scene, Anthony Green, and a full U.S. run with The Story So Far this summer. Grandiose and harsh at times and minimal and beautiful at others, Elder Brother demonstrate  biting lyricism at every turn. Without knowing, you’d guess they were a 5 piece. But tonight, vocalist and guitarist Dan Rose will be taking the stage alone that will only lead to something unprecedented.

RENAISSANCE FAIR

Hailing from parts unknown to make it big in Music City, Renaissance Fair are fresh on the scene. On June 1 they released they’re first single EVER, and it’s really good. If you like easy-going, infectious pop punk in the vein of You Me and Everyone We Know, then check out “I Hope You’re Doing Well” below and make sure you show up early to catch their set!

Four Year Strong, Defeater, Superheaven, and Elder Brother will perform tonight, Sept. 29 at Exit/In. The show is 18+, begins at at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7), and tickets are available for $17.