w/ Drive A, We Are the Fallen, Dommin
Commodore Ballroom- Vancouver, BC

Riding a high fresh off their newest release, Drive A opened the show to a welcoming crowd Friday night at one of Vancouver’s premier rock venues the Commodore Ballroom. This young energetic punk group was the first of three acts that would inevitably lay the foundation for Ville Valo and his Helsinki rock band H.I.M. The group played an exciting set, getting the crowd primed for the groups to come, although not necessarily fitting the bill. A blend of Green Day and Guns & Roses, the young quartet delivered its blast beats throughout the set ensnaring the rebel crowd with fist pumping radio friendly tunes.

As the bands broke down, and set up instruments between sets, those in the front of the venue were beginning to be intrigued by the large rose printed backdrop, along with the red roses being attached to the keyboard, and mic stand. What was to come was American Goth Rock group Dommin, led by front man Kristopher Dommin. Dommin struts on stage with his Danzig like devilock hair-cut, and begins the set backed by his 3 band mates, and begins to croon like AFI vocalist Davey Havok, and the crowd which at the front is mostly filled with women is entranced. The set comes to a close after Dommin delivers an epic rendition of Cutting Crew – I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight, and Kristopher Dommin pulls the roses from the instruments and tosses them to the adoring crowd below.

American Idol fans in the crowd were quick to recognize who had taken the stage next, We Are the Fallen. The experience and talent behind this band is not in question, as three of the group were previously members of the rock group Evanescence. Obviously one can draw comparisons to Amy Lee and songs such as Bring me to Life, but this band will always be fighting against that current. The American Idol mention stems from front-woman Carly Smithson a contestant on Season 5 of FOX’s hit show. The group captivated the audience as one would have expected, and interestingly enough was quite a draw that evening, as some of the crowd filtered out once they had concluded their set. The night was near logistically perfect as We Are the Fallen concluded their set a mere five minutes past the scheduled 10:00 PM scheduled conclusion.

Next was what everyone had been waiting for His Internal Majesty, more commonly known as H.I.M. Described as a “love metal band” they certainly did not disappoint from the moment Ville Valo sashayed across the stage, tossing his water bottle into the air and acting somewhat coy as he drew his fans even closer in. The group started off with Like St. Valentine from their latest release “Screamworks: Love and Theory in Practice,” and it was mere moments before I was noting comparisons to the legendary rocker Scott Weiland; from the way Valo made his way around the stage, to the almost lazy way he held his microphone, and the immediate romance he was able to create with the audience in just a few short notes. The group followed up with some of their most recognizable hits, “Right Here in My Arms” and “Wings of a Butterfly,” both of which the crowd was able to collectively offer supporting vocals. Continuing to weave songs from the new record with some of their biggest hits, the band delivered a stunning rendition of “Join Me in Death”. The crowd was fully enthralled and no one was hoping for the set to close, but close it did with Billy Idols “Rebel Yell,” a perfect way to close a perfect evening of love metal.

View the photos from this concert: H.I.M.,Drive A, Dommin, We Are The Fallen.

+Ryan Creamore