French melodic metalcore act TSS continued their North American takeover with an opening appearance at Mesa’s Nile Theater this week. The rapidly filling room stood in anticipation of the quartet’s performance as they blasted My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” as their intro music, taking the stage to well-deserved fanfare from the crowd.
Dressed to kill in a plethora of black leather, platform shoes and countless buckles, the band wasted no time in thoroughly impressing their audience with a high octane set that included “Would You Be My Therapy?”, “Something in the Way” and new single “Die in Your Arms”. Vocalist Matthieu Kirby sustained glass-breaking screams, punctuated by John Fine’s powerful interludes. Kirby’s snarls at the front row were softened when he reached for more than one outstretched hand, making the audience part of the performance and winning more than a few new fans in the process.
This may have only been an opening set but TSS left their mark on Mesa, adding an element of theatricality to the metalcore genre that placed them as immediate standouts on the tour’s lineup. If the line that formed at their merch table later in the night was any indication, Arizona will be waiting eagerly to welcome them back to the desert on their next North American run.
