Photos and Review By Brian Underhill
Minneapolis got lit up by Fame On Fire on their headlining tour with Say When and Kingdom Collapse. With only a handful of full tour dates remaining, they played Minneapolis, Minnesota’s 7th Street Entry. A 7 p.m. show time had fans waiting shoulder to shoulder in line for the doors to open at 6 p.m. 7th Street Entry is a bit of an undersized club from its counterpart First Avenue, but it makes a great venue to help artists get exposure. Prince, Lizzo, 311, Metallica, Misfits, and many more have performed in this club; fans and passersby will recognize several artists’ names within the stars on the outside walls of the building.
SAYWHEN is an artist, songwriter, and producer who has a very versatile vocal range. His songs have a combination twist of hard rock and emo with a little covering of pop. His music is tasteful and clean, with lyrics well thought out and put together. The fans were in full force because his songs are relatable and meaningful. His music is solid and clean, and it is easy to tell he is very passionate about the content of his songs. He was a great choice to open the tour.
Kingdom Collapse is a band that is completely DIY because everything that they do is independent. This San Antonio-based band has been grinding since the beginning. They really know how to get the crowd going. Right off the bat, they had the crowd jumping and fist-bumping along. Vocalist Jonathan Norris, guitarist David Work, bassist Aaron Smith, and drummer Eli Santucci know how to have fun on stage and interact with the fans. They also knew how to make the most use of the not-so-spacious stage. It is very evident they enjoy every moment of performing for current and new fans. Their latest single Never Be Like You, is heavy and in your face. Unbreakable has been among SiriusXM Octane’s #1 Most Played songs and was clearly a fan favorite based on audience reaction. The fist bumps and hand swinging continued as the band played another hit, Save Me from Myself. The backing vocals and the overall sound of the set were heavy yet clear.
Fame On Fire is relatively new to the mainstream music scene. They started as a cover band in Palm Beach, FL, in 2013, and released their debut studio album, Levels, in 2020. In 2022, they released their second album, Welcome to the Chaos, to critical acclaim, and helped lead them to the status they are at currently. They are quickly gaining steam and are on their first headlining tour. Their fan base is increasing with each tour stop. Vocalist Bryan Kuznitz, guitarist Blake Saul, bassist Paul Spirou, and drummer Alex Roman have fun on stage and perform with passion. They are not afraid to just be themselves; they don’t care what people think. They opened the show with Welcome to the Chaos and the crowd immediately started singing along and jumping around. Ketamine had a little bit of techno mixed in with their pop-rock sound, which the fans loved. Before ending their set with Plastic Heart, Bryan requested the fans to sing along if they knew the words, and they delivered. Throughout the entire show, the crowd was having a great time singing along and interacting with the band. The stage production was top-notch and well-thought-out for a band on their first headlining tour.
Check out more photos from the show here!