Alexisonfire Revisits Crisis as Underoath and Snapcase Join Buffalo Show

Alexisonfire, Underoath and Snapcase – Terminal B at Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY

***Underoath – Terminal B at Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY***

Snapcase, Underoath and Alexisonfire shared the stage at Terminal B in Buffalo for a night that covered several generations of post hardcore. Underoath kept the crowd moving with songs spanning their catalog, while Alexisonfire played Crisis in full, surrounded by carefully crafted visuals and a few surprises along the way. With fans ranging in age and plenty of space throughout the outdoor venue along the Outer Harbor of Lake Erie, Terminal B proved to be a comfortable setting for a show that brought together several generations of the scene.

***Snapcase – Terminal B at Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY***

Snapcase opened the night, giving the Buffalo crowd an early reminder of the city’s own place in the history of hardcore and post hardcore. With Alexisonfire and Underoath on the bill, the evening already represented several generations of the genre, and having Snapcase start things off made for a fitting beginning. The band wasted little time getting into its set, setting the tone for what would become a long night of heavy guitars, aggressive vocals and plenty of movement in the crowd.

Underoath had little trouble getting the crowd moving, opening their set with “Breathing in a New Mentality” before working through a set that pulled from several points in the band’s catalog. Aaron Gillespie immediately made his presence felt behind the drums, keeping the songs moving with a steady rhythm while also adding his clean vocals to the mix. Spencer Chamberlain moved freely across the stage, shifting between harsh vocals and cleaner passages while keeping the focus on the songs.

Timothy McTague added plenty of weight from the guitar position, moving between heavier riffs and more melodic sections with ease. Grant Brandell kept the low end firmly in place, giving the guitars and drums room to work around him. Christopher Dudley remained behind his keyboards and electronic setup, adding the atmospheric textures and electronic touches that have become an important part of the band’s sound. Each member had a distinct role, but the five worked together without one element overwhelming the others.

The timing of the show also offered an interesting look at where Underoath has been and where they are headed. The band recently announced plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Define the Great Line with a dedicated tour this fall. Since that tour has not officially begun, there were no songs from the album in Wednesday night’s set. Instead, the band moved between different periods of its catalog, including several songs from They’re Only Chasing Safety and more recent material.

“It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door,” “Reinventing Your Exit,” “Down, Set, Go” and “A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White” represented the melodic side of the band’s earlier work, while “On My Teeth,” “Pneumonia” and “Generation No Surrender” offered a heavier edge. “Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear” and “And Then There Was Nothing” added another change in pace, giving the set some breathing room without taking away from its intensity.

What stood out most was how naturally those different periods fit together. The earlier material carries more of the emo and screamo influence that helped establish Underoath, while the later songs lean further into heavier guitars, electronic elements and darker textures. On stage, those differences became less important as the songs moved from one to the next.

By the time “A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White” closed their set, Underoath had covered plenty of ground without making the performance feel like a simple trip through the past. Gillespie’s drumming, Dudley’s electronics, McTague’s guitar work, Brandell’s bass and Chamberlain’s vocals each had their place, giving the set enough variation to keep the crowd engaged from the opening song through the final note.

The stage went dark and the video screens began showcasing snow, not something anyone wants to see as summer begins to wind down. Still, the imagery was setting the stage for Crisis, the album Alexisonfire was celebrating on this tour. The artwork and themes throughout the record draw from the Blizzard of 1977 that left Western New York and Southern Ontario buried under snow. What began as a few flurries on the screens gradually became a full snowstorm, accompanied by archival footage and news clips from the blizzard itself. It was an especially fitting introduction for a Buffalo audience.

***Alexisonfire – Terminal B at Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY***

Alexisonfire took the stage surrounded by shadows as bursts of light and colour cut through the darkness. George Pettit and Dallas Green shared vocal duties, each bringing a distinctly different presence to the songs. Pettit’s delivery added a rougher edge while Green’s vocals provided the melodic contrast that has long been central to the band’s sound. Wade MacNeil moved between guitar and vocals, adding plenty of weight to the band’s three guitar sound, while Chris Steele kept the low end steady from the backline. Behind them, Jordan Hastings handled the drums with a combination of precision and force that kept the songs moving without taking away from their layered arrangements.

The visual production remained closely tied to Crisis throughout the album portion of the set. Black and white graphics and live images of the band filled the screens, with double exposure effects, halftone video and glitching imagery giving the performance a distinctly fragmented look. The visuals worked alongside the music and gave the entire Crisis performance a visual identity of its own.

Hearing the album played in its entirety gave the songs room to build on one another. Alexisonfire moved through the record without breaking its momentum, with Pettit, Green and MacNeil trading vocals while Steele and Hastings kept the foundation tight. As the main portion of the set came to a close with “Rough Hands,” a large illuminated moon appeared behind the band, backlighting them as they finished the complete run through of Crisis.

With that song, the visual presentation shifted from black and white into full colour, marking a clear change in the second half of the set. The final song “Young Cardinals”, drew one of the biggest reactions of the night. Pettit encouraged the crowd to give him more, and they responded with plenty of volume.