Rx Bandits Just Keep Getting Better! | Rx Bandits Live Review and Concert Photos w/ Full Service | The Social Orlando | February 24 2015

by Trevor Bosmans • March 10, 2015

Rx Bandits have been one of my favorite bands for the past fifteen years. Over the course of that time I have had the privilege of seeing Rx Bandits perform live thirty times. I have watched these guys go from opening for New Found Glory and Something Corporate to selling out their own headlining shows. With every new release, they take their sound to the next level while staying true to the core Rx Bandits vibe. They even breathe new life into the songs from their earlier albums when they play them live.

Every time Rx Bandits come to town they manage to put on a better show than the last one. That is what keeps me coming back. Their latest show at The Social in Orlando was no exception.

Rx Bandits and Full Service were on their way to Miami to perform on the 311 Cruise and we were lucky to get one of two Florida warm-up dates. Every time Rx Bandits come around I try to get as many of my friends as I can to go to the show. This time our group consisted of ten people, two of which had never seen the band. My friend brought his fiancé who had just moved here from Ireland and had never heard of Rx Bandits. I also invited a friend who is usually into heavier music but loves a great live show. I told him that if he didn’t enjoy himself that I would pay for his ticket (I’ve done this for numerous different people at previous Rx Bandits shows and never had to pay for a ticket 🙂 ).

I urged my friends to leave in time to catch Full Service but we ended up missing the first fifteen minutes of their set. These guys got their start by doing “takeover tours” in which they would follow around bands like 311 and play shows for fans in the parking lot. Full Service’s “takeover tours” were so successful, it led to 311 asking them to play on the “311 Cruise” three times as well as the “311 Pow Wow” in 2011 (which is where I discovered them).

One of the highlights of Full Service’s nearly hour long set was their spot on cover of Megadeth’s “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due.” (Check out the video below) It was guitarist/vocalist Tim “Bonesaw” Kepner’s birthday and his brother, drummer/vocalist Dave “Hoag” Kepner, suggested that they play it since it was one of his favorite songs. They ended their set by bringing a trombone player up on stage to rock out for one last song. The next time Full Service comes to town I will definitely be there and I will make sure I arrive on time.

After a killer set by Full Service, I couldn’t had been more ready to rock out to Rx Bandits. My friends and I (all ten of us) secured a nice spot along the rail around the pit in front of the merch booth. As the band took the stage they went right into “Falling Down the Mountain” from The Resignation, a song I hadn’t heard live since “The Resignation 10^th Anniversary Tour.” Matt Embree’s vocals sounded angelic as he belted out the chorus, “Up and down we spend in all conditions, for many years I played the fool.” I was singing every word along with him at the top of my lungs. I could tell by the first few notes played by the multi-talented guitarist/keyboardist Steve Choi that the next song was going to be “Ruby Cumulous” which is the opening track on their newest album Gemini, Her Majesty and one of their greatest albums to date. Rx Bandits are the one band that I actually really want to hear new stuff from live because their new stuff holds up with some of their best work.

It is rare that Rx Bandits play songs from any album earlier than 2003 so they surprised us all when they played “Consequential Apathy” from their 2001 album Progress and they played it better than ever. Listening to this album for the first time solidified my love of Rx Bandits. Although I love the new material, it really means a lot to hear just one old song to bring you back.

As the night came to a close Rx Bandits finished out their main set with “Only for the Night” from …And the Battle Begun. This song has become a staple of the Rx Bandits live shows over the years because the band always jams out this song, playing it in a different style with each tour. This version, which was one of the best I have seen, included a drum solo by Chris Tsagakis and an extended outro that left everyone wanting more. I was rocking out so hard that I completely missed Mitch who came to catch the end of the show after seeing Lights next door at The Beacham.

The entire crowd was singing the lyrics to “Overcome” from The Resignation in hopes that they would play it, as it has become somewhat of an Orlando tradition. When the band returned to the stage, Matt Embree said that they had changed the set list for tonight and began to play “Stargazer”, the first single from Gemini, Her Majesty (and Mitch’s new favorite song).

Then they slowed it down a bit to play another permanent fixture of the RXB set list, “Apparition.” At this point I knew there wasn’t much time left. I felt like the entire ninety minute set went by in seconds so I knew I had to savor this last song. This show wasn’t even over yet and I was already looking forward to my next Rx Bandits show. They finished up with the ever emotional “Bring Our Children Home,” jamming out one last time before they called it a night.

I have never left an Rx Bandits show unsatisfied and I doubt I ever will. I hope to go to at least thirty more Rx Bandits shows in my lifetime. As long as they continue to come around, I will be there. It is always a fun night with great friends and the best music in the world. My friend from Ireland also thought they were amazing and can’t wait to see them again. My other friend who had never seen them was so drunk he doesn’t remember the show (at least I didn’t have to pay for his ticket).

Rx Bandits Live Review by Trevor Bosmans.
Rx Bandits Live Concert Photos by Jeff Roach.

[Not a valid template]