Stardog Champion Exhales at Indy\’s Emerson Theater

Stardog Champion may just be one of the most experienced new bands in the business today. With members from Lifer and Breaking Benjamin, they are no stranger to how the industry works and how to make it. They’ve all paid their dues and put in the hard work required with their previous bands and now they’re right back at it with Stardog Champion. This isn’t your everyday rising band, though. There are no immaturities in their music and their lyrics are some of the strongest you’ll find. Their debut EP, Exhale, is critically acclaimed, well-received by fans and one of the most impressive debuts you’ll find anywhere. The point is this- these guys know how to make great music. Their current tour, also their first, shows the band playing the vast majority of Exhale with some hidden gems thrown in as well. With opening support coming from Canada’s What Comes to Life, the Indianapolis stop of the tour showed both bands playing exceptional sets. What Comes to Life are a metal band that, though they may still be fairly young, took the stage with authority and it’s clear they have what it takes to get to the top in the metal world. With a sound and style similar to Bullet for My Valentine, they could do some serious damage if they keep it up, work hard, pay their dues and get the right amount of publicity and attention. These guys can go far- that’s all there is to it- not to mention they’re just nice guys, which believe it or not, is hard to find sometimes in the music industry. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Stardog Champion Exhale Tour/What Comes to Life/\”] After they wrapped up, it was time for Stardog Champion to take the stage and do what they do best- rock the stage- and that’s exactly what they did. It was unfortunate to see what happened with Breaking Benjamin but that’s all ancient past and not worth talking about, so let’s do what everyone but Ben Burnley has done and just move on and not talk about it anymore. It’s great to see Aaron Fink and Nick Coyle reunited again and after seeing the band on stage and live it’s clear the chemistry is still there, which can be rare sometimes. They played virtually every track from their Exhale EP and a few covers, including an outstanding cover of \”Helter Skelter,\” which got the crowd jumping, moving and singing along with high-octane energy. Stardog Champion are in an interesting and rare situation. They\’re a new band but their members are all veterans of the game. Not only that but most of them have played together in the past so the chemistry comes naturally to them and they know exactly how to work a crowd and put on a show- something that doesn\’t come overnight for a new band just starting out. This shows in Stardog\’s live show to the point that regardless of the crowd\’s size, they show true appreciation to everyone who comes out to the show and make sure they get their money\’s worth. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Stardog Champion Exhale Tour/Stardog Champion/\”]