Story of the Year

Be Social

Music Dept.

Latest from the Music Dept.

The Delta Saints | Shaking Up the Algorithm

Shooting for the Stars with Planet Score Records

The Gods Themselves | Pink Noise (s/r)

The Struts | Tapping the ’70s

Big Freedia | 11.13.15

Dotan w/Ben Folds + yMusic | 11.17.15

Telegraph Canyon | The Anchor Leg

Ben Folds + yMusic | 11.17.15

Saxon | Battering Ram (UDR Entertainment)

Blood on the Dance Floor | 11.15.15

Story of the Year | 2.4.11

| Print |

Written by Kavahn Mansouri Monday, 07 February 2011 22:45

Story of the Year is never a show to miss, and once again they provided an exciting evening of heavy jams.

Photos: Corey Woodruff

The Pageant, St. Louis

Wailing guitar solos, heart stopping bass triggers and guitarists doing synchronized flips off of amp stacks—fans always know what to expect from the pride and joy of St. Louis’s rock scene, Story of the Year.

Hometown heroes Story of the Year returned to the Pageant February 4 to play their debut album, Page Avenue, in its entirety, or to relive their youth, as lead singer Dan Marsala, shamelessly described it. The opening act Wild Tiger brought the crowd to life with their hair metal vocals and Coheed and Cambria-like sound. Their cover of “Fuel” by Metallica especially got the headbangers in the crowd moving. Unfortunately, after this fantastic cover, the band, like many opening acts, lost the crowd’s interest while playing through a set of their own songs, which were unknown to the audience.

After a long-winded sound check, Story of the Year gathered on the side of the stage, greeted by the crowd’s ongoing chant, “Story, Story.” The band took to the stage, the crowd roared and the night had truly begun. Story opened with “And The Hero Will Drown,” a perfect way to start the evening. They raged through the first song straight into “Until the Day I Die,” an obvious crowd favorite and one of their most famous singles. After finishing the song Marsala joked, “You all know the set list, this is so weird.”

As the night went on, Story of The Year pile drove though Page Avenue, even playing the album version of “Razorblades,” which was “the only time” they had ever played the version live, Marsala yelled to the audience. Story also threw in some curveballs from their other albums, such as “The Ghost of You and I,” off of their latest album The Constant, and “Take me Back,” from In the Wake of Determination.

As always, Marsala gave all of his love to the audience, even commenting on how awesome it was that an 11-year-old sang every single word of “Take Me Back.” The band showed their St. Louis pride early on in the show by bringing a surprise guest to the stage. City Spud of the St. Lunatics joined in during “Page Avenue,” rapping the second verse in his own style. Between Marsala diving into the crowd and bassist Adam “The Skull” Russell walking on top of the pit’s surrounding bar, Story brought the thunder as usual.

Whether it be their incredible stage presence, including back flips, guitar flips and guitar throws, or their uncanny ability to get the crowd moving, ten years in Story of the Year is still one of the most exhilarating, heart-stopping live acts to come through the Pageant. | Kavahn Mansouri

Here are some shots photographer Corey Woodruff took at the show: