June 21st, the first official day of Summer kicked off with the first-ever Rockstar Energy Disrupt Festival at Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas, Texas. Thanks to Rockstar Energy for hosting a lineup that included “Battle for Disrupt” band winners NU 95 (playing the opening slot), Juliet Simms, Four Year Strong, The Story So Far, Circa Survive, Thrice, The Used, Memphis May Fire, Hyro the Hero, Trophy Eyes, and Sleeping With Sirens. So what went down at Disrupt?
Despite the heat index being in the 3 digits, fans came out to start Summer 2019 with their horns up and moshing shoes on. Props to the security and medical staff for having water and ice on hand for those who needed it.
I also have to say that the planning of putting the bands on with no overlapping set times was/is genius. That meant you could see a full set and not miss the next band you wanted to see, unlike Warped and most music festivals in general. As a music fan that is a huge bonus. Cheers to Rockstar Energy for being aware of this common problem fans often encounter and providing a simple remedy.
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and why we were there to cover the festival… the bands!
Trophy Eyes, a band that calls Australia home, mixes rock, pop, and punk to deliver a refreshingly new but yet familiar sound to the States. ‘The American Dream’, released in 2018, is more than just an album title because in many ways they are experiencing their own version of it touring America. Although they’ve toured the U.S. in the past, this was our first time seeing them and we really enjoyed their set. You can hear all about the album, tour, and ink in the interview we did with lead vocalist John Floreani coming soon.
Hyro the Hero is a must-see band. Imagine being in the center of a nuclear bomb during detonation… that is just a fraction of the force and energy you get from Hyro the Hero. “Rap-Core” is one way I would describe the sound because Hyro is a serious and talented Rap Artist but the band is hardcore punk in terms of performance with a metal sound. Edgy with enough energy on stage to light Houston and L.A., Hyro the Hero raises the bar for many bands.
Memphis May Fire has been one of my “go to” bands for years now. I love the passion, the emotion, the straight-up metal scream, and the clean vocals. Matty Mullins went above and beyond at Disrupt. With his backup vocalist and guitarist out for a family emergency, Matty and the other guys stepped up and more than just “made it work”. Not only did it work, but it was also a 5 out of 5 horns on my wow factor scale. Matty showed his musical talent and dexterity, but it did not end there. He also busted out his new song “Heavy Is The Weight” which features the talents of rap star – Andy Mineo, on the album. But Andy Mineo was not on tour with the guys and you guessed it – Matty did the rap parts as well. It is rare that I am speechless but this was one of those times. Huge props to Matty Mullins and Memphis May Fire for killing it.
Sleeping With Sirens just dropped a new single ‘Leave It All Behind‘ for the new album ‘How It Feels To Be Lost’. The album is set to arrive on September 6th via Sumerian Records. Seeing the guys take the stage at Disrupt Festival was a reminder of why I love this band. The set was powerful and emotional and in all honesty, this had to be the best I have seen the band live. Not to say the past show was bad, but this show seemed to have more passion, rage, strength, and honesty… that was a bit of what I felt being blasted off the stage. By the reaction of the rest of the fans I know I was not the only one stoked about their set.
I could go on and on about the day, but I’ll just leave you with over 100 pics and remind you that if you are a festival fan this is one to check out. It is a tour that has a little something for all of us, and thanks to Rockstar Energy & SGE, almost everyone can afford to go. It is a great way to spend a Summer day and the line up is killer. Horns up and see you in the pit soon.
Photo’s by either #MischievousMel or Wes “Rockwell” Anderson (shown in alphabetical order)
Written by Melissa #MischievousMel Anderson
