Canada has become known for giving us some of the most influential musicians and artists, from Drake and Justin Bieber to Avril Lavigne and Sum 41. So it should come as no surprise that Canadian natives, Marianas Trench, are starting to turn some serious heads in the U.S. I was able to catch their NYC show of their SPF 80s Tour at PlayStation Theater on July 26. Joining them were Wyland and Skylar Stecker.
Wyland took the stage first with a musical blend of Dashboard Confessional and Jack’s Mannequin with a twang of The Summer Set and One Republic. Some of the songs and styles were a bit too similar to the legendary Jack’s Mannequin & Dashboard Confessional, which made them pretty forgettable musically. As far as stage performance, it was lacking, though the lead singer did try to get more crowd interaction by jumping down into the pit. The crowd seemed to be bopping their heads along to the music but other than that there really wasn’t much a crowd reaction.
Next was solo artist Skylar Stecker. This girl may only be 14 years old but she certainly doesn’t sing like she’s 14. Her voice is incredibly strong, not only for someone her age, but for a singer in general. She has obvious musical influences from Ariana Grande and Rhianna with a drizzle of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. Vocally, this girl is gifted; although some of the words when she sings (especially live) become blended together but all that means is she’s still training and learning how to control her very powerful voice. Lyrically, she needs some work. Many of her songs seems to be the same tired themes that of the pop world (however they are quite catchy). As she grows as an individual and artist, she will start to develop her lyrics more and [hopefully] they will be more true to who she is, rather than being labeled “another pop artist”. As far as stage presence goes, she needs to figure out what style works best for her music and for her as an artist. For the NYC date she chose to do an acoustic set, which highlighted her vocal skills but made it hard for the crowd to interact with her and her music. Lighting, possible back up dancers or even a full band can truly help her shine in front of an audience. I’m truly excited to see what the future holds for this young artist. She has the raw talent, now she just needs to surround herself with the right team to unsure the proper growth for her career.
Finally it was time for Marianas Trench. Since the boys of Marianas Trench have already taken over Canada, their next big step to taking over the world was a full U.S. tour. They mentioned that the last time that they were on PlayStation’s stage was opening up for another Canadian band and generation defining artists, Simple Plan. This time around, though, it was their turn to headline on one of NYC’s bigger stages. Marianas Trench is going to have a similar career growth like that of Tonight Alive (another beloved international band). Within a few short months MT will go from “yea, I think I might have heard of them”, to headlining festivals.
Even though PlayStation wasn’t sold out, you would have never have known with the crowd reaction. Josh Ramsey is one of the most theatrical performers I’ve ever seen live. The amount of energy that comes off of this guy makes you wonder if there’s even a big enough stage to contain him. What’s great about Josh is that his energy rubs off onto the other members and makes them just as enjoyable to watch. Marianas Trench is one of those bands were each member helps each other shine. While Josh undoubtedly has the most energy, he by no means over shadows the rest of the guys. Each member has their own unique vibe and style while performing but when Josh starts to blend his style with theirs, it creates this whole new entity that is just incredible to witness. Marianas Trench has been growing in popularity at a steady rate over the years, but something tells me that within the coming months their music career is going to explode.
The amount of talent that is on this tour is jaw dropping. To be able to witness true artists and true performers is something everyone should experience within their lifetime. I highly recommend you catch this tour when it passes through your city.
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