Article & Photos by: Linda Carlson

Cincinnati, OH – The winter cold was certainly in full force in Cincinnati, and the line outside Bogart’s moved briskly for the sold-out show of The Devil Wears Prada and Fit For A King’s co-headlining Metalcore Dropouts 2nd Semester Tour.  Cincinnati marked the third stop on the tour, and the crowd was ready for them.

The evening boasted an impressive line-up of metalcore bands.  First up was AVOID, a young, fresh, and dynamic band from Seattle Washington, a city that nurtures and launches talented bands.  Lead singer Benny Scholl exuded an energy that was infectious, engaging with the crowd continuously throughout the band’s 25-minute set.  So invested, indeed, that Scholl crowd-surfed with gusto.  The band is rounded out by Nick Olson (guitar), Luke Ryder (guitar), Chris Echols (bass) and Paul Jaton (drums).  This band has a promising future – keep an eye out for them!

Next on stage was Counterparts, a melodic hardcore band formed in 2007 in Ontario, Canada.  Comprised of Brendan Murphy (vocals), Tyler Williams (bass and rhythm guitar), Jesse Doreen ( lead guitar), and Kyle Brownlee (drums), the band’s 30-minute set well-received by the ever-growing crowd.

The co-headliners alternate the headlining spot from city to city, with each band playing a 50-minute set.  For this show, Fit For A King performed first, leaving The Devil Wears Prada with the headlining spot.

Fit For A King is a Tyler, Texas metalcore band with Christian roots.  The band boasts a talented crew, with Ryan Kirby (lead vocals), Bobby Lynge (guitar), Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary (bass, clean vocals), Daniel Gailey (guitar) and Trey Celaya (drums).  A shout-out to O’Leary, whose acrobatic jumps are pure joy to experience.

The band’s set was rich with crowd-pleasing selections that had fans crowd-surfing continuously.  The band performed several selections from their latest album, The Hell We Create, inspired by raw, personal traumas Kirby experienced during the pandemic.  AVOID’s Benny Scholl joined the band on stage for the last song of the set, “God of Fire.”

• End (The Other Side)
• Breaking the Mirror
• Falling Through The Sky
• The End’s Beginning
• Pissed Off
• Backbreaker
• Reaper
• Eyes Roll Back
• Keeping Secrets
• Shattered Glass
• Deathgrip
• Vendetta
• When Everything Means Nothing
• God of Fire

The burgeoning crowd was fully primed for The Devil Wears Prada.  The band, formed in 2005, is from Dayton, just 45 minutes or so north of Cincinnati.  Indeed, the band acknowledged their appreciation for Bogart’s, which was the venue for at least one band member’s first live concert.  The sold-out crowd was a testament to the city’s mutual connection with the band.

The Devil Wears Prada did not disappoint fans.  The band, comprised of founding band members Mike Hranica (lead vocals) and Jeremy DePoyster (rhythm guitar, clean vocals), along with Kyle Sipress (lead guitar), Mason Nagy (bass), Jonathan Gering (keyboards, synthesizers) and Giuseppe Capolupo (drums), celebrated their 19-year history with a full-throated show that fans cheered wildly.  The crowd-surfing continued with gusto, mirroring the energy on stage.

The band fit as many crowd-pleasing songs from their eight studio albums as their set allowed.

• Exhibition
• Watchtower
• Danger: Wildman
• Salt
• Broken
• Reaching
• Reasons
• Hallucinate
• Outnumbered
• Dez Moines
• Chemical
• Sacrifice

Encore:

• Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?

The tour continues!  Check each band’s website for more information on a show near you, and be sure to check the image carousel below for more pictures of the night’s performances.