I don’t really get Thrice. I’m speaking of their versatility, that is. The band has proven time and time again that they cannot be pigeon-holed into a genre, and while their core sound is distinguishable, it’s their experimentation and risks that truly stand out. So what don’t I get? It’s simple, really: how does the band continue to impress so seemingly effortlessly?
The band announcing a co-headliner with Circa Survive was nothing short of widely praised on New Jersey. With the first night selling out, a second was quickly added and the two were set for another great night. Taking the stage to an early-yet-packed crowd, the instrumental act, Chon, featured an interesting stage set-up, with their drums set up to the far right and the guitarists taking to the front. The guitar duo of Mario Camarena and Erick Hansel were the prominent focus here, changing chords and shredding up and down the neck of the utmost proficiency. Beside’s the band’s flawless technicality, the crowd was absolutely into this band. Many audience members seemed simply forced to move, and while a mosh pit wasn’t present, the crowd still found ways to move in a jovial manner.
With Circa Survive taking to the stage, the show segued into part of its main attraction. As a Circa Survive fan, the band had no faults in their actual performance. Vocalist Anthony Green occupied the center stage but never feared 
to go off and interact with his bandmates through their lively set. The actual production of the show as nothing short of tight, yet the band faltered on one front that seemed essential, and that was song selection. Interestingly enough, the band did play numerous fan favorites. “The Difference Between…” and “Get Out” rounded out the bottom end of the set, and the band even started on a relative high note by having “Glass Arrows” in its opening moments, but it was somewhere in the middle where the band attempted to have dynamic in their song choices but ultimately seemed to stumble and the excitement of the set dipped down considerably. Great band, no doubt, and not a bad performance, but their song choice could have been better.
Leaving Thrice for last, the anticipation in the room seemed to skyrocket. With the crowd being extremely into every band so far, it was only appropriate for Thrice to come out like supernova. Setting themselves apart seemed like no difficult task, as the moment the band members touched their instruments during “The Earth Will Shake,” the audience were clearly not ready to be hit by such powerful low frequencies. This carried over into “The Window,” ultimately causing me to have take several steps back during the performance to brace myself.
Where Circa had more freedom with their stage presence due to Anthony Green being able to be mobile, that didn’t stop frontman Dustin Kensrue from taking every opportunity to throw himself around when he wasn’t required to sing. Thrice were hardly stationary, and ultimately used the entire stage to their ability.
Their set was a well-balanced one, as well, where they managed to keep that consistent flow throughout without so much of a problem. Near the middle of their set, the band performed a song from each part of The Alchemy Index, creating great sense of dynamic that also appealed to the fans in attendance. Upon hearing the opening strums of “Come All You Weary,” I saw a fan jump and down next to his friend in utter delight.
Thrice merely played into their strengths with each passing song, as the band left behind The Alchemy Index and leaned into more of the fan favorites, with many a reaction like the one prior. Particularly, seeing the band head into “Deadbolt” late in the night was a massive burst of energy in everyone’s mood, going from the ballad-y sway to the more energetic, punk-inspired beats of the band’s earlier days. The right song for the right time seemed to be Thrice’s common trait for their entire set, being apparent that the band knew when and where to place everything.
As the set carried on, Thrice never seemed to be putting out less than they were capable of. Which, in truth, is startling, because the band shook the venue with each song, physically or emotionally with every song. As the set started to wind down and the band began to close out with “The Long Defeat,” it was the sort of send-off that seemed like a perfect release to everything that came before it. Of all the ways to end a set, this seemed like the most perfect and refined way to do so.
With hiccups during the night, yet an overall enjoyable night, the co-headliner lived up to the hype that came with its initial announcement. That said, I still don’t get Thrice: how can a band be melodically pleasing, emotionally satisfying, and incredibly dynamic all in an hour set? Beats me, but all I know is that if you haven’t seen Thrice, then it should be on your bucket list without a second of doubt.
