From Ashes To New, Point North, Ekoh, Phix, & Elijah at TLA Photo Gallery and Review
- Mark Frahn
- May 9, 2024
- 9 min read
You know when bands have a dedicated fan base when you find a couple hundred people lined up in the rain outside the historic TLA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That was the sight I had when I rounded the corner and laid eyes on the building. Rolling off the success from part I, From Ashes to New hit the road again this Spring for their Blackout Part II Tour, bringing along some familiar faces like Ekoh and his DJ, Kode Break. Joining Ekoh on this leg of the tour is independent artist Phix, the versatile voice of hard rocker @theelijah, and the widely popular progressive hard rock band, Point North. Apart from each other, they all carry their own unique sound that draws in many fans across the spectrum of music. But together, these 5
groups use their differences in style and sound to unify the fans brining a night of exhilarating music we all can enjoy. As Ekoh says during his set, "It's not the genre, it's the substance."
Elijah
Elijah, based out of Nashville, has been making a name for himself with his hard rock hits like "Virus" and "Human" featuring Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire. Believe it or not, he started off in various start up metal bands in high school but found himself soon writing country songs for other artists and himself. But it wasn't long before the calling of hard rock had him back to his roots. Being a fan of early metalcore, he began to start making that transition to the metal scene after the pandemic. Since then he's made a name for himself across social media platforms and dropped various singles and a recent EP called "Fighting Myself." His online videos are explosive and showcase his skillset in writing and creating music while being captivating and wanting more as a viewer. Starting the night off with a bang, @thexelijah brought the energy every opener needs to have. Kicking it off with "Easy To Drown," his powerful stage presence backed up by creative and energizing music really set the tone for what would be an incredible night.
Although newer to the scene compared to other members on the bill, the fans were giving back that same energy they saw on stage. There was even some mosh pits forming for the song "HUMAN." The songs "Harder To Lie" and "Virus" were certainly the crowd favorites as they were singing along with most of the words. Towards the end of his set he thanked each band and artists to come after him and also thanked the fans for filling up the TLA early, something that often does not happen for opening acts. Elijah is surely someone to follow and I expect we will be seeing more of him in the future after this run with From Ashes to New.
Phix
Phix, an independent artist from Texas does not just rap but rather creates music from all forms of genres to make a perfect melting pot of music. Starting out as early as 2008 covering one of Drake's songs, "Fear", he began teaching himself how to produce his own music. Quickly gaining traction online across TikTok and Instagram, Phix started to be a name you could not ignore. His willingness to step outside of the imaginary boundaries so many artists think they are in, is exactly what has helped propel his success. Songs like "SO ALIVE", "SAVE ME", and "POLAROID" showcase perfectly his ability to bridge the gap between genres. Recently working with artists like Ryan Oakes, Dax, and Ekoh, he continues to showcase his ability to produce incredible music for everyone to enjoy. After Elijah's epic set, I thought to myself the rest of the show is only going to get crazier and that surely was what happened when Phix took the stage.
Along side Phix was his Drummer, @bronxx_thedrummer, who's talent was unreal and brought Phix's music to life. Did I mention he is only 11 years old? I have a feeling we will be seeing much more of Bronx as the years go on. Performing songs like "War" and "Underneath", both with hard rock roots with heavy riffs and harsh vocals combined with cleverly worded raps followed Elijah's energy perfectly and the crowd was loving it. Since Phix and Ekoh just released a song together while on tour, it was only fitting when Ekoh joined the stage for their song "Doomed" which debuted 5/3/24. The heaviness and powerful lyricism in this song had the crowd captivated and energized with crowd surfers and mosh pits forming. Phix was an amazing addition to the lineup and carried the energy from start to finish, prepping the crowd for the back half of the show.
Ekoh
Ekoh, another independent artist who has made a name for himself over the years by blending powerful emotional lyrics with hard hitting delivery, all the while bridging that gap between genres. Coining the term "Heart Hop" his fans are drawn to the realism he portrays in his songs. His first song released goes back all the way to 2013 with "Meet Me At The Bottom" and since then has gained a loyal fan base whose helped propel him to success. Ekoh has been blending rap and metal for quite some time now, notably songs like "Hole In Your Head", a SiriusXM Octane favorite, "Hello Loneliness" and "Good Things" with Lø Spirit, and "Mia Goth" with ATTILA so he makes for a perfect returning act for part II of the Blackout Tour. His success with From Ashes From New on the first leg of the tour as the opener even bumped him higher up on the lineup this time, showcasing how much his sound is enjoyed by the fans. DJ Kode Break started off the set by pumping up the crowd with some heavy beats followed by introducing Ekoh as he performed the song "Ted Talk", a rap heavy song that really showcases his lyrical ability that captivated the audience. At this point he stopped and asked the audience "Wait a minute, why is this rapper here? Aren't we at a metal show?" He followed that up with my personal favorite quote "Its not the genre, its the substance" which had the crowd cheering for more. He then went into his acapella rendition of "End Game", a rap showcasing his love for comic books. After a quick speech thanking From Ashes To New for his time on the tours, he jumped right back into the music with the song "Numb," a perfect intro into his more rock heavier songs that features a powerful chorus that you cant help but sign along. He went on to perform songs like "Good Things", "Hole In Your Head" and "Hello Loneliness".
The crowd had the energy he was looking for because Ekoh found himself standing on the crowd and surfing while performing, something he loves to do when on tour. To round out his set, he announced his shoe deal with Vans and began to perform his song "Freeverse 3" while asking for people for their Vans shoes to sign, while he rapped. Shoes began flying to the stage as him and Kode Break worked together to sign the shoes and perform the song without missing a beat. Talk about skill!
Point North
Point North a progressive/alternative/punk rock band from Los Angeles, CA who formed in 2017 and now signed by Hopeless Records are known for their catchy but powerful songs that you cant help but sing along to. After touring with As It Is and releasing their cover of nothing,nowhere.'s "Hammer" their popularity started to rise rapidly. Soon they had songs featuring artists like Jeris Johnson, The Ghost Inside, Set It Off, Kellin Quinn and 3 full length albums and an EP. Their current album Prepare For Despair released in 2023 and has quickly been a fan favorite amongst the pop punk fanbase. Opening their set with the title track of their new album, they immediately had the crowd energized and moving. The guitarist has his own personality as he moved around stage along side the singer Jon Lundin. Songs like "Dark Days", "A Million Pieces", "Into The Dark", had the crowd on a different level with endless surfers and moshing.
Their sing-along moments were incredibly loud and just shines a light on how into the band the crowd was. They performed their current single "Bring Me Down" just before a break in the set. After thanking the crowd and the From Ashes To New team, they continued on with their final three songs, "Stich Me Up", "Psycho," and finally, "Safe and Sound." Accompanying Point North for the the harsh vocals in "Safe and Sound" was Elijah from earlier in the night who absolutely crushed The Ghost Inside's parts with his deep harsh powerful screams and his stage presence to match. That was a perfect way to end their set and the crowd absolutely loved it.
From Ashes To New
Formed in 2013 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, From Ashes to New has become a major name amongst rock and metal fans. They blend harsh and clean vocals from Danny Case while Matt B delivers powerful word play to bring together a modern day nu-metal giant that has been compared to some of the greats. On drums you have Maty Madiro and on the guitars is Lance Dowdle and touring guitarist Jimmy Bennett. Their first album, Day One, was released in 2016 and they followed that up with The Future in 2018. Right before the pandemic they released the album Panic which arguably is what put them on the map in terms of popularity amongst the community. Although the album dropped at a tough point in time, the songs resonated with their fans and it did remarkably well. Songs like the title track "Panic," "Scars The I'm Hiding," and "Wait For Me" quickly became a fan favorite. Throughout the pandemic they dropped a few EP's like the Quarantine Chronicles as they were preparing to give us their latest album, Blackout released in 2023. Continuing the theme of their meaningful lyrics that hit every emotion the album Blackout has all the marks to be a masterpiece in the eyes of a fan. Songs like "Hate Me Too" are about removing yourself from a toxic relationship, "Armageddon" sheds light on the destructive nature of human begins and the consequences that come with it, while "Barely Breathing" explores the aftermath of heartbreak and finding closure.
Another fan favorite is "Monster In Me" which explores the self doubt and dark thoughts we all find ourselves having at one point or another. Their songs all have a common theme of connecting with the audience on a personal level in some way and inspiring us, the fans, that everyone deserves a voice in this world.
From Ashes To New opened their set with the song "Armageddon", the intro features clips of a post apocalyptic world, presumably based on their Blackout album title and their songs hinting towards destruction of the earth as well as yourself. Played on large screens placed on two different levels of stage, their production was awesome and really captivated the audience. From the well timed lighting to the displays in the background, the audience was engaged not only with their bodies but with their eyes as they told their story. They proceeded to play 8 of their songs off of Blackout including fan favorites "Barley Breathing," "Hate Me Too," and "Nightmare." Danny and Matt together on stage is something amazing to witness. Their chemistry and showmanship irradiate outward, you can feel it the moment they step on stage together. Their guitarist Lance has incredible stage presence, it's as if your getting two shows. The way he moves on stage, his dancing, facial reactions, and crowd interactions just provide a whole other experience to the show. To round out the show they played their newest single featuring Aaron Pauley from Of Mice & Men titled "One Foot In The Grave," which the crowd absolutely loved. From endless crowd surfers of kids to adults, mosh pits and some of the loudest sing-a-longs I have heard, it was clear the crowd was loving every second. To finish the night they brought out an old school song, "Through It All" from the Day One (2016) album to close out the show, a perfect fit if you ask me and the rest of the crowd. With a big thank you and farewell the night sadly came to a close.
Overall, the Blackout Part II tour was absolutely incredible. From start to finish the entire lineup crushed their sets and gave the fans exactly what they wanted, a night full of incredible music. Elijah came out swinging and knocked it out of the park with his energetic performance. Phix brought his unique sound and clever word play that rocked the place and led perfectly into Ekoh's phenomenal performance solidifying his footprint in the music industry. Point North rocked the place and had the crowd singing along to almost every song. From Ashes To New brought it all and didn't hold back. The use of their production to the powerful voices of Danny and Matt, and the captivating stage presence of the guitarists Lance and Jimmy, From Ashes To New put on a show I personally will always remember.
Full Photo Galleries can be found at the links below!
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