FLAW and the BLACKLITE DISTRICT have recently teamed up as a double bill and decided to take the show on the road. This double bill recently made a stop along the road at the Dive Bar in Las Vegas on February 17th, and judging from the reaction of the crowd, they may just want to make their return sooner rather than later.
This double bill featured a little something different from each band, and was opened by local rock band ASTORIA. The area rockers seem to be everywhere lately, finding themselves the opening act on several local shows. If iconic ASTORIA front-man Steven Jackson keeps things up at this pace, people may soon forget about the former Rams and Falcons running back when they think of the Steven Jackson of Las Vegas!
BLACKLITE DISTRICT hails all the way from South Dakota and I had a chance to catch up with the boys before the show, and they seemed to be enjoying a warm Vegas evening in February as opposed to the temps in South Dakota. The band is a bit different then what we are used to seeing at the Dive Bar, hey were a two-man mix of electronic alternative rock featuring Kyle Pfeiffer and Roman James. As you may know, they released the single “Cold as Ice” on Youtube in 2017, and it went viral, racking up over 20 million plays. As seen during this show, this is a testament to just how different and diverse this band is. With the mix of DJ material and two men out front, you can’t help but to think a little bit of LINKIN PARK, who the boys told me were a huge influence.
FLAW was the act that everyone stuck around for on this evening. I am always surprised at the mix of people in the rock scene that either love, or don’t know who FLAW is. For those who don’t know, they have been around since the late 90’s, but underwent multiple line-up changes and just recently re-formed with three core members in 2015. This culminated with the release of their fourth studio album Divided We Fall in August of 2016. This release seemed to be the one that FLAW fans have waited for since early in the band’s career. Through all of the line-up changes, the one constant that remains in vocalist Chris Volz. If you have ever heard Chris’ vocal style, especially on the album Through the Eyes, you understand why this band has been compared so much to TOOL. I though they gave off that vibe at the show, but also provided many differences that made them unique as well.
Overall, this show featured something different and something unique from each band, which made for an interesting evening at the Dive Bar and gave you a reason the enjoy each separate act individually. BLACKLITE DISTRICT and FLAW make for an interesting pairing and I suggest you catch them if they make a stop in your town!
Blacklight District Photos: Paul Rock Santos / PRSRocktography
FLAW Photos: Paul Rock Santos / PRSRocktography