Memphis May Fire

Table of Contents

Live Review

What can I say… this lineup… A complete and total “Melodic Metalcore” lover’s bucket list, with each group bringing their own version of modern heavy. Part Two of the Shapeshifter Tour comes as the winter counterpart to the earlier summer Part One, with 24 total dates spanning the US, but they are quickly coming to an end. This time, in tow were Rain City Drive, Nevertel, and If Not For Me, who, in my opinion, couldn’t have been better supporting artists for Memphis May Fire. They’re all bands on my regular Metalcore rotation, and it was a unique experience to go to a show and sing along to nearly every song of the entire night. Not something I’ve personally experienced very often.

Prior to attending the show, I’d caught wind that Memphis May Fire (and, later to find out, If Not For Me also) had experienced trouble on the road, and had a production truck slide and tumble off the road outside of Chicago just a few nights before the Spokane show. I’d worried that either they’d have a less produced show or they might not make it to Spokane in time, but to the amazement and relief of everyone waiting to see them on the back half of this tour, they rallied and got a new truck lined up, equipment moved, and the show went off without a hitch. Mostly… With Matty Mullins home here in Spokane, I’m certain there was some motivation on his behalf at least to push forward as quickly and effectively as possible.

The Knitting Factory in downtown Spokane is built to host nights like this, and it’s honestly one of my favorite venues of all time. With a roughly fifteen hundred capacity floor, spacious upper deck, and a low(ish) stage, the crowd is up close and personal with artists that sometimes otherwise just play bigger arenas. In all the time I’ve spent watching shows there, not once have I seen the sound equipment have problems, and to the credit of their sound board staff, massive props. Standing in the photo pit during MMF’s set, I could tell that one of the below-stage subwoofer speakers was dialed up and hitting so hard that it was actually uncomfortable to be in front of, and I’m no wimp when it comes to enjoying some loud, punchy woofers. By the time they hit mid-set, it blew up the system, causing a full stop to the song. This gave Matty a unique opportunity to talk with the crowd and show a bit of his personality, crack a couple of jokes, and carry on with the show once the crew was able to make the necessary changes to the system. I’d like to think that this rare experience was just their unabashed awesomeness that was to blame.

Memphis May Fire – “Chaotic”

Memphis May Fire – “Blood & Water”

All of the supporting artists did a great job of ramping up the energy for MMF, and each brought a “fresh on the tour” energy that you just simply don’t always see with tours on quick turnaround dates. Massive props to Rain City Drive, Nevertel, and If Not For Me for bringing their hits, their energy, and willingness to interact with the crowd at the merch tables throughout the night. If you’ve not heard of these guys, check out my favorite hits from each of them here.

Rain City Drive – “Frozen”

If Not For Me – “Feel Me Now”

Nevertel – “Some Things”

If you’re on the fence about attending one of their shows, I’ll just leave you with this to consider. Memphis May Fire sits comfortably atop the nearly 220 artists I’ve seen live in the #1 spot, among the likes of Sleep Token, Dayseeker, I Prevail, and The Devil Wears Prada, and for good reason. Matty Mullins has an energy about him, the band has absolutely dialed in audio (for you audiophiles out there), and a clean and hard-punching stage presence that just isn’t common to see on tour. Check out the full gallery of images below, and you’ll see what I mean.

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