by Jesse Hudgins
Neck Deep has been having a heck of a 2024, putting out their self-titled record in January and embarking on a big tour with shows across the world. They’re currently on their second North American tour of the year with Like Roses and The Home Team, and I was lucky to have a VIP experience when they came to The Rave/Eagles Club.
The VIP Experience
I’ve never had a VIP experience before so it was exciting to finally take part in one. My girlfriend and I got to the venue, signed in, and waited to be taken inside the venue to listen to the soundcheck. Once we got in, all the fans who bought the VIP package crowded the stage as we waited for Neck Deep to come out. The band greeted the fans and mentioned how excited they were to play some songs and do a Q&A in between.
Soundcheck consisted of three songs that weren’t featured in the normal setlist. It was awesome to get to hear songs like “Serpents,” “Lime St.,” and “I Revolve (Around You).” Between each song, fans got the chance to ask the band questions. People asked what their favorite album of theirs was, favorite venue, favorite US state to perform in, and what future lyric inspiration could look like. All the answers were fun and gave insight into where the band is at in the moment. I especially loved the answer about future lyrical content from singer Ben Barlow, who touched on how the band has been growing up, as have their fans, so the content of their lyrics will be different compared to what they used to be. He also said that even though they’ve grown up, they could still tap into the content they wrote about in the beginning of their career.
I was lucky enough to ask a question, and I asked what advice they would give their younger selves when they were just starting music. Each member of the group gave their own answer, like taking practice seriously and expanding their knowledge in all fields of life. It was a very honest and endearing answer which made me feel great as I would love to play live in a band one day if possible.
After soundcheck and the Q&A, the tier one VIP holders left the venue while tier two got to do a private meet and greet with the band. To put it simply, they were the nicest dudes, taking time to listen to how their fans became fans, hear them talk about their favorite songs, and even comment about the songs the fans love the most. I brought up the song “Where Do We Go When We Go,” and guitarists Sam Bowden and Matt West talked about how they really liked the song, but just haven’t had it in the setlist rotation in a while. We got pictures and autographs and left the venue to return later for the show.
Showtime
The night opened with a last-minute addition to the tour, Like Roses, an emo group out of Berkely, California. They replaced the group Super American who dropped out of the tour due to health reasons. I’d only heard snippets of Like Roses before, so I was open to seeing what they were going to bring to the table. To say they brought it is an absolute understatement. They tore the house down with intense energy throughout their entire eight song set. I’ve come across show openers that I end up falling in love with, but Like Roses isn’t just a band I’ll be blasting on my own. They’re a band I would highly recommend to anyone who’s a fan of emo music. Their raw energy in the instrumentals mixed with emotional lyrics and unique vocals left a deep impression.
After Like Roses, I didn’t know how The Home Team was going to follow it up, but they sure did. It was a different energy than the set before them as this one felt more like a party. One of the aspects that got the crowd moving was that the guitarist and bassist had their own choreography throughout their set. They didn’t overdo it, either; it was only every few songs that the two would be in sync with one another and do some fun dance moves before or during songs. It was a nice detail that got the crowd wanting to move with them. Overall, their crowd work was phenomenal, with a lot of it integrated into the songs with tons of room for singing along or crowd direction to dance or wave their arms. I was way more impressed with this performance than I thought I would be. The Home Team for sure is a band that even if you’re huge on their studio recordings, they’ll change your mind if you watch their live performance.
Then came the finale of the night. Neck Deep hit the stage with vigor and excitement, and the crowd immediately went wild. The set mainly consisted of songs from their albums Neck Deep and Life’s Not Out to Get You. Consistent moshing and crowd surfing was consistent throughout, with singer Ben Barlow going out of his way multiple times to high five the incoming surfers, which must’ve made so many concert goers’ days. It adds such a personal touch that builds connection between the band in their fans, and it’s something that I don’t see as often as Ben did during this set.
Disappointment is a word you won’t hear when you check out Neck Deep live. The energy in their studio recordings translates perfectly to live audiences. It was my second time this year seeing Neck Deep, and ya know what? I’d go a third.
