With a new album almost in our hands, Set It Off couldn’t wait to bring their new music to an audience. The Florida trio kicked off their Welcome to Elsewhere Tour in Phoenix on Friday, bringing along a stellar lineup of old friends and new voices.
No Love for the Middle Child has been in the mix for a minute, but Friday’s kickoff was his first live show. You’d never know it- singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Migliore is a veteran when it comes to honing his sound and the audience was more than ready to scream his lyrics back at him. His time onstage was brief but memorable and fans flocked to the back to say their hellos after the set.
Our favorite British-American blended band As It Is took the second slot of the night and their wide smiles said it all- these guys love nothing more than to be onstage. It’s been three years since the group has been able to tour and they took all that pent up energy and flung it at an equally energetic room. Their new material had everyone singing along, but it’s when the band pulled out older cuts like “Hey Rachel” and “The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)” that really had that party going. Longtime fans got a treat as well- As It Is closed the set with “Dial Tones”, the pop punk anthem that started it all and holds up beautifully in 2022.
More visitors from across the ocean provided direct support and we already know that Stand Atlantic never gives anything less than their all. The band never stopped moving, blasting through songs like “Skinny Dipping” and “Blurry”. They also debuted new songs “pity party” and “deathwish” to the delight of the crowd. The love in the room was palpable as No Love for the Middle Child jumped up for a track, bringing a collaborative vibe to a tour of friends.
Set It Off has weathered many storms but their dedication to music has never wavered. Cody Carson, Zach DeWall and Maxx Danziger took their new look (think neon) and new songs and started a new era in earnest. SIO’s winning combination of playful and hopeful still resonates and new tunes “Skeleton” and “Happy All the Time” were very well received. Having watched SIO from basements to big rooms, hearing staples from 2014’s Duality felt like coming home again.
Carson’s bouncing off the walls mentality is another constant in SIO’s live show, as the unwavering frontman leaped from one side of the stage to the other. For a setlist twist, the group performed a breathless nine song medley encompassing every era of their discography and daring the fans to keep up. Danziger and Carson swapped roles for everyone’s favorite “Bad Guy” with a ukulele-wielding Danziger on vocals and a grinning Carson bashing away at the drums. The band closed a wild night with “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”, imparting one last message of optimism and healing before leaving the stage. After so much time away, Phoenix remembered why we keep coming back to Set It Off.
Check out all the photos from the show!
Story and photos by Olivia Khiel
