By Jacqueline Radakovich
Thursday brought their 'War All The Time Birthday Tour' to the Slowdown in Omaha, NE on February 1st. Accompanied by Rival Schools and Many Eyes, it was a night of hard rock, head-banging, and forever emo kids (it wasn’t just a phase). Thursday was formed in 1998 in New Jersey and quickly gained a huge following after performing on the infamous 'Warped Tour' and then their 2003 release “War All The Time”, hence the "Birthday Tour". The music was loud and the crowd was packed and excited to hear the iconic album after 21 years.
Many Eyes at Slowdown 2.1.24 Photo Credit: @jrad.arts
Many Eyes opened the night, and they were the perfect choice to get the crowd going and ready for a night of rock. Many Eyes is a new hardcore band formed by brothers Charlie and Nick Bellmore, and frontman Keith Buckley. You may recognize Buckley from the former hardcore band, Every Time I Die. Their first single 'Revelation' was released in October 2023 and quickly gained listeners and followers. Many Eyes played their released hits, as well as unreleased songs from their upcoming album set to release this year. They brought the hardcore vibes to the night, and I appreciated their energy. Buckley Live is something that every hardcore fan should experience. His vocals are unreal, and he sounded great and loved what he was doing. The energy from the other band members was also high and I loved seeing them enjoy themselves on stage. They were super thankful for the crowd’s reciprocated energy, but if I had one suggestion, it would be to have more crowd interaction. This specific crowd just needed some encouragement, and they would have shown up a bit more. Many Eyes’ songs are meaningful and deep which sets them apart from some other bands. I love the thought that goes into the lyrics and I am excited for their upcoming album, and for this band’s future.
Many Eyes Website
Many Eyes Spotify
Many Eyes Facebook
Many Eyes Instagram
Many Eyes YouTube
Rival Schools at Slowdown 2.1.24 Photo Credit: @jrad.arts
Post Hardcore band Rival Schools formed in 1999 in New York City. Its members have been in several hardcore bands throughout the 80s and 90s and came together to create Rival Schools. They took a brief hiatus after the release of their first album but rejoined in 2008 and have been going strong since then. They joined Thursday on their tour, and I think they were a perfect choice. Lead singer and guitarist Walter Schreifels performed with everything he had and was entertaining to watch, and photograph. The band as a whole had a great sound and was great to listen to. They have been doing this for a while and their experience shows in the way they sound live. I would have liked to see some more energy from the other members of the band, and possibly some more crowd interaction as a whole. However, they still sounded amazing, and it was an honor to see them perform together.
Rival Schools Website
Rival Schools Facebook
Rival Schools Instagram
Rival Schools Spotify
Rival Schools Apple Music
Thursday is a band that I never knew I needed to see live. They have been together since 1997 and have released 7 albums. Thursday is a prominent name in the post-hardcore/punk scene and I can see why after seeing them perform. They took a brief hiatus in 2011 and came back better than ever in 2016. Lead singer Geoff Rickly was fantastic to watch and performed with a level of passion that many artists do not reach. He is not afraid to talk about his past and is an activist for others through his words and lyrics. They sounded great and every band member performed with energy. “War All The Time” was the album of the night, and the band followed up with more of their most popular songs. Something I found interesting was when Rickly explained how much he hated the album when it came out, but 20 years later he has grown to love it. It means more to him now and you can tell with the way he performs with so much heart. Another key point of the night was when Rickly performed “This Song Brought To You By A Falling Bomb” by himself to slow the night down. It was intimate, heartfelt, and scratched the hearts of everyone in the crowd. If there are any bands out there looking for tips on how to perform, just go to a Thursday show. They were definitely one of the best performances I have watched in a long time.
Thursdays Website
Thursdays Facebook
Thursdays Spotify
Thursdays Apple Music
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