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DTSTART;TZID=America/Phoenix:20261027T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Phoenix:20261027T233000
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SUMMARY:AFI at Marquee Theatre
DESCRIPTION:AFI is an influential Northern California punk band whose hardcore origins evolved to include alternative rock\, post-punk\, emo\, and new wave flair. AFI broke into the mainstream in 2000 with the arrival of their fifth studio LP The Art of Drowning. The group remained at the fore of the modern rock scene for the next two decades\, releasing a string of chart-topping efforts like Sing the Sorrow (2003)\, Decemberunderground (2006)\, and AFI (2017). They continued to take punk music in exciting directions with 2021’s Bodies and 2025’s Silver Bleeds the Black Sun. \nNorthern California hardcore punk revivalists AFI formed in 1991 when the band’s four founding members — vocalist Davey Havok\, guitarist Markus Stopholese\, bassist Vic Chalker\, and drummer Adam Carson — were attending high school in Ukiah. Chalker was replaced by Geoff Kresge after eight months\, and the band played several local gigs and released a split 7″\, Dork\, with fellow Ukiah natives Loose Change (a band that incidentally included future AFI member Jade Puget). An EP titled Behind the Times was released as well. The bandmembers then split up to attend different colleges\, with Kresge temporarily moving to New Jersey to join Blanks 77. However\, AFI reconvened during a holiday break to play a one-off reunion show\, and audience response was so positive that the bandmembers decided to quit school and concentrate on music full-time. \nAFI (whose abbreviation stands for “A Fire Inside”) issued several singles before securing a record deal with the Nitro label\, which issued the band’s second album\, Very Proud of Ya\, in 1996. Two LPs followed in 1997 — a re-release of their 1995 debut\, Answer That & Stay Fashionable\, and Shut Your Mouth & Open Your Eyes — and personnel shifts ensued. Kresge was the first to leave\, replaced by bassist Hunter Burgan\, and Stopholese departed\, ex-Redemption 87 guitarist Jade Puget took his place and shared songwriting duties with Havok. The new lineup recorded an EP titled A Fire Inside in 1998\, and issued a noticeably more mature full-length in 1999\, Black Sails in the Sunset; 1999 also saw the release of the All Hallow’s EP and The Art of Drowning a year later. Though already having a fiercely loyal core fan base\, the latter album saw the band’s music attracting an even larger audience\, due in part to the moderate success of the single “Days of the Phoenix.” Accordingly\, it was the first album to chart in the Billboard 200. \nAt the onset of the new millennium\, AFI hooked up with producers Jerry Finn and Garbage‘s Butch Vig for a new set of recording sessions. The end result was the ambitious Sing the Sorrow\, AFI’s major-label debut for DreamWorks\, which showcased the band’s significant growth since its early hardcore days. Released in 2003\, the record also marked AFI’s crossover into the mainstream. Sing the Sorrow eventually went platinum\, buoyed by the singles “Girls Not Grey” and “The Leaving Song\, Pt. II\,” both of which were popular on MTV. \nWorking again with Jerry Finn (who had also produced records for blink-182 and Green Day)\, the band began recording their next album\, which would be their most labor-intensive to date\, resulting in two years of detailed songwriting. Decemberunderground\, AFI’s seventh album\, surfaced in 2006 on the Interscope label. The album was an instant success\, debuting at number one on the Billboard charts and launching a summer-long tour\, followed by a string of overseas performances in October. While on tour\, Havok and Puget dedicated their spare time to a side project that would eventually become Blaqk Audio\, which they debuted in early 2007. AFI released the concert album I Heard a Voice: Live from Long Beach Arena later that same year\, but the bandmates continued pursuing their own projects\, with Hunter Burgan playing bass for several other bands while Jade Puget did remix work for the likes of the Cure. \nAFI properly reconvened in 2008 to begin writing new material; by November\, they had announced their intention record with producer David Bottrill. Two months later\, they traded Bottrill for a pair of new producers — Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee — and continued working on the album\, focusing on songs that were harder than those found on Decemberunderground. The result\, Crash Love\, was their most straight-ahead rock record to date. The album was released in September 2009 and proved to be another success\, though it did not chart as highly or sell as well as the previous two albums. AFI toured extensively throughout 2010 to promote the release before going quiet for a couple of years. In 2013 they announced they would be returning with a new album\, Burials\, in October. Produced by Gil Norton\, the album was preceded by a number of singles including the thrilling\, melodic pop-punk anthem “17 Crimes.” \nFour years would pass before the next AFI album\, during which time Havok and Puget worked on music for the hardcore side project XTRMST\, as well as Blaqk Audio‘s third LP. The self-titled AFI (also known as “The Blood Album”) was issued in January 2017. Rising to number five on the Billboard 200\, it included the singles “Snow Cats” and “White Offerings.” While on tour promoting the effort\, AFI wound up recording a fresh batch of songs that landed on their 2018 EP\, The Missing Man. Issued that December and produced by Puget\, the five-track release included the single “Get Dark.” \nThe band returned in early 2021 with the singles “Twisted Tongues” and “Escape from Los Angeles\,” both of which landed on their 11th album\, Bodies. Released that June\, the set continued their late-era maturation with a combination of synth-friendly sheen and nostalgic punk energy\, heard on additional tracks such as “Looking Tragic” and “Dulceria\,” which was co-written with 2018 tourmate Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins. In 2025\, AFI took a bold tonal shift with Silver Bleeds the Black Sun — a brooding\, darkly cinematic album steeped in existential dread and dystopian discord. Its moody atmosphere echoed the shadowy legacy of goth pioneers like Sisters of Mercy\, Bauhaus\, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. \n \n \nAfter the release of their debut album Passive With Desire\, the band solidified into the foursome of Adam Klopp\, Chaz Costello\, Jeff Kleinman\, and Michael Paulsen. Living in Salt Lake City\, “We would see each other nearly every day\, rehearse multiple times a week.” Their collected drive – and friendships – resulted in Gathering Swans. The album was announced in February 2020. One month later\, “At least one hundred shows were cancelled.” Touring in support of Swans couldn’t begin in earnest until Spring of 2022\, and by then\, the band members moved away from Salt Lake\, settling in Los Angeles\, and places East. “Triumphantly return?” Time is a notorious trickster\, and the band are jovial when confronting the subject. “Just say that we ‘Got Lost.'” Over the past four years\, Choir Boy have continued making surrealist music videos\, sharing avant-garde updates on social media\, and playing live across North America and Europe. Yet\, when measured against the release of their last album\, the lack of new music has felt like an eternity for some in their dedicated fanbase. “Tell everyone the delays are my fault.” Laughter. “Blame everything on me.” Following the end of their supporting run for Provoker last September\, Choir Boy’s momentum was at a high\, and after kicking off 2026 with a series of one-off shows in Las Vegas and Los Angeles\, there was a rebirth\, leading to the recording of “I’ll Always Let You Down.”
URL:https://clicksfromthepit.com/event/afi-at-marquee-theatre/
LOCATION:Marquee Theatre\, 730 N Mill Ave\, Tempe\, AZ\, 85281\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Phoenix:20261101T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Phoenix:20261101T233000
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SUMMARY:Skillet + Escape the Fate & Autumn Kings at The Van Buren
DESCRIPTION:Nothing speaks to the moment quite like music does. No matter how chaotic\, confusing\, and crazy the world may seem\, the right song will make sense of it. Skillet tap into the sound of surviving any adversity\, dusting yourself off\, and getting back up again for another round. Heavy guitars kick with the inspiration to keep going\, while stadium-size hooks double as a reminder to never give up no matter what. The quartet—John Cooper [lead vocals\, bass]\, Korey Cooper [guitar\, keys\, production]\, Jen Ledger [drums\, vocals]\, and Seth Morrison [lead guitar]—have quietly\, yet indisputably become one of the biggest global hard rock bands of the 21st century with total album sales just shy of 22 million\, an average of 12 million monthly Spotify listeners. However\, Skillet decided to get heavier and punch harder on their 2026 single “Scream.” “I don’t think I’m the only one who’s noticing the volatility of the world and how social media is a cesspool where people are constantly yelling at each other\,” he sighs. “It’s not helping anyone’s mental health. In this landscape\, it’s easy to feel like nothing matters. ‘Scream’ is about wanting your life to matter when things only seem to get worse. Nevertheless\, you’re facing the nihilistic rage head-on and crying out for help.” The music of Skillet continues to resonate in the hearts of fans worldwide\, perhaps louder than ever in 2026. \n \n \nWhen a band has had as storied and\, at times\, controversial a first decade in the limelight as Escape The Fate\, there is often a temptation to focus on that past\, rather than concentrating on the future. Yet after releasing their fifth\, and arguably most significant studio album to date\, the upcoming chapters of the Vegas quartet’s career not only look bright\, but are set to resolutely be their best yet. \n“This new album is\, without any question in my mind\, the best thing that has ever borne the Escape The Fate name\, by a distance\,” enthuses frontman Craig Mabbitt with no hint of hesitation. A remarkable statement given the last two ETF records gatecrashed the Billboard top 30.  “Sonically\, we’ve always been a diverse band who have everything from ballads to really heavy songs – and our fans expect that – but I think on this album we’ve gone full force with it. The heaviest songs are the heaviest we’ve ever written\, and the poppy songs are the poppiest we’ve ever done. We came to this kind of ‘who cares what people think of us’ realization this time around – we’re amplifying everything that we love about this band in all directions and it has been incredibly liberating.” \nIndeed\, with the group (completed by drummer Robert Ortiz and guitarists Thomas “TJ” Bell and Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft) now blessed with the most stable and creatively fertile line up they’ve enjoyed in years\, Escape The Fate are gearing up to show the world the scale of the talents that\, in truth\, they have long possessed.  “We wrote probably 50 or so songs in total\,” explains Thrasher. “There are songs on this record that I’ve worked on in private for years but have only just come to fruition. There’s probably half a decade’s work wrapped up in this thing!”  “It has been a real team effort this time around\,” continues Mabbitt. “We have all worked on lyrics\, all contributed to the songwriting process. We’re the most unified as a team I think we’ve ever been\, certainly in my history in the band. I actually wish we hadn’t done a self-titled album already because I think this is our most definitive statement yet.”\nA significant part of fine-tuning statement has been the introduction of Grammy nominated producer Howard Benson (Papa Roach\, My Chemical Romance\, Mötörhead) to proceedings. “He pushed us incredibly hard to expand ideas beyond where we initially thought they could go\,” says TJ. “He’s a master at looking at a song and picking out the smallest details of what could be improved but doing so in a way which makes sense for the overall tone of the record.”  “He challenged me more than anyone ever has in a studio environment\,” concurs Thrasher. “From technique to tone\, he fine-tuned everything we were doing and made sure we were giving 110%. I won’t lie\, it was stressful at times\, but he is a great producer – you only need to look at his track record to see that!” \nIndeed\, for new new blood Thrasher – both playing and writing extensively on his first Escape The Fate album\, it has been an opportunity to really earn his stripes. “I wanted to show exactly what I can do\,” explains the axe-man. “Having been a session player for years but always loving this band’s output\, there was a responsibility on my shoulders to prove myself. I tried to take everything I’d learnt over all the years of playing and pour it all into these songs. And what’s great is that the guys gave me all the support I needed – it’s been one of the most free and enjoyable writing environments I’ve ever enjoyed.” \nThe end result of this hard fought creative battle is a collection of songs spilling over with stadium-wrecking hooks\, as well as a significant slice of the jackhammer punch fans of the band have come to know and love. Perhaps most crucially though\, there is an abiding sense that this is Escape The Fate at their most bruisingly motivated. “Lyrically\, a lot of these tracks are based around the hate we’ve received over the years and just embracing that and using it to our own advantage\,” says Mabbitt. “I’ve had to step up to the plate lately\, for the fans as much as anything else\, because they take the name Escape The Fate very seriously and I owe them something for that\, for all the support they’ve shown us over the years. It’s very humbling for me to be able to listen to this collection of songs and think about where we’ve come from and what we’ve been through to get to this point.” \nTo that end\, the first single\, the anthemic “Alive\,” comes replete with a lead-heavy dual guitar attack and a sky-scraping solo\, underpinned with a soul-baring vocal performance that underlines\, emboldens and italicizes both the band’s survival instinct and their indefatigable determination to emerge victorious. From there\, the lung-bursting chorus of “Remember Every Scar\,” the album’s second single\, serves as a powerful lament to life at the bottom of the bottle while the likes of “Breaking Me Down” and “Let Me Be” revel in a dynamic rise and fall which sees the band on taking their sound to a place that is sure to raise the eyebrows of both fans and critics alike. Naturally\, those with a penchant for the heavier stuff are amply catered for too with “Just A Memory”\, a circle-pit starting sonic landmine to match anything in the band’s catalogue to date: truly\, this is a group at their most diverse and powerfully self-assured. “Like I say\,” says Thrasher with a smile\, “I think there genuinely is something in there for everyone.” \nAnd so\, what we witness is a re-incarnated\, reborn\, rejuvenated Escape The Fate firing on all cylinders once more. With a stint supporting HELLYEAH already under their belts this year and upcoming dates across the UK\, this is a band who\, after a ten-year tenure\, are still as hungry as they’ve ever been. “It’s the start of a new era for us\,” confirms Mabbitt. “We’re getting back on our feet\, putting our middle finger up to the world and proving ourselves individually and collectively. Everyone in this band now wants the same thing: we want to play our music for as many people as possible and be a unit\, a gang. We’ve been envious of bands who have always had that but now we have that and it’s a wonderful feeling.” \nThe message from the Escape The Fate camp is louder and clearer than it has even been in the past: “We’re coming for everyone and we aren’t taking any prisoners\,” concludes Mabbitt. \n \n \nWelcome to the AK Army. \nWe don’t believe you need to stay a victim. \nYou don’t have to numb your pain. \nWe’re proof that life’s hardest moments can be overcome — through determination\, discipline\, and daring. For 9 years\, we released music independently through ups and downs. Then suddenly\, it all clicked into place. \nNow we’ve signed to Hopeless\, played all over the world and toured with Hollywood Undead\, Set It Off\, Fame On Fire and so many more. \nThese songs are anthems for living life on your terms. \nBecause we get it. The heartbreak. The isolation. The anxiety. The feeling that you will never be enough. \nBut the answer isn’t distracting yourself from the world\, it’s community and courage. This is about having the guts to speak your truth — and the wisdom to listen. To cut ties when it’s time. To mend them when it matters. Let these songs help you\, and let’s grow together. \nSee you at a show.
URL:https://clicksfromthepit.com/event/skillet-escape-the-fate-autumn-kings-at-the-van-buren/
LOCATION:The Van Buren\, 401 W Van Buren St\, Phoenix\, AZ\, 85003
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