The Word Alive & The Color Morale
November 29, 2014
Gramercy Theatre-New York, NY
Doors opened at 5:00, while VIP meet and greets began at 2:30 for an early show on the Get Real Tour. The Word Alive headlined the show while The Color Morale, Our Last Night, Dead Rabbitts, and Myka Relocate opened up. The Color Morale gave the crowd a taste of what was to come when headliners, The Word Alive, would take the stage. There was a powerful release of vigor as soon as the music began. Singer Garret Rapp didn’t stay still for much more than a minute. Prey for Me and Smoke and Mirrors were played, Prey for Me resulting in a whirlwind of motion in the audience.
The Word Alive came out one by one to a frenzy of flashing lights and screaming fans, particularly when lead vocalist Tyler “Telle” Smith stepped out. They opened with Broken Circuit and from the first beat played by drummer Luke Holland, the set was a blast of intensity. Smith’s ability to seamlessly switch from melodic vocals to ethereal roars makes for an exciting, unpredictable show. Just as he can switch up his vocals in a matter of seconds, the band members were switching up their movements in a matter of milliseconds. Each guitarist went from carefully positioning himself, one leg up, on the slightly raised metal structure at the front of the stage to thrashing in the background while Smith joined in. One of the best moments on stage for The Word Alive seemed to be when all three guitarists and vocalist Smith were whipping their heads around to the music at the same time, in one straight line across the stage like choreographed dancers of some sort. Zack Hansen is on lead guitar with Tony Pizzuti on rhythm guitar and Daniel Shapiro on bass. The three guitarists’ energy only amplified the already powerful performance. 
The Word Alive also played Lighthouse and Play the Victim as well as Terminal, which they recently released a video for. Smith thanked the crowd many times for supporting them and being there for the show. When he asked the audience if anyone had seen them at Warped Tour over the summer, the room exploded into booming cheers, indicating many fans were not seeing them for the first time. Smith later encouraged fans to stay strong and let music help guide them when they feel lost or out of place, even in their own homes. A little more than half way through the set, Smith told a story of how they found their current drummer through a video on the Internet. It showed Holland playing Skrillex’s Cinema. Smith then left the stage as the lights went down and Holland was left to play the same solo that caught the bands attention initially. Fans went wild and so did he. Drumsticks appeared to be gliding and cutting through the air as he lifted and lowered his arms to play. In between hits of cymbals and drums, he flipped and tossed the sticks in the air, bringing them back down just in time to hit the next note. The band later closed out their set with Life Cycles, The Runaway, and 2012. Adrenaline was high Saturday night and Gramercy Theatre certainly came alive for The Word Alive.
Review by: Ashley Rodriguez
The Word Alive
The Color Morale
