Otherwise and Nonpoint return to Altar Bar with the war

Anytime two amazing bands like Nonpoint and Otherwise hit the road together it is a double whammy that demands you get off your lazy asses and go see a rock show and it doesn’t get much better than this. Both bands are out supporting new albums- Nonpoint with The Return and Otherwise with Peace At All Costs. Round the tour out with rap/rockers Scare Don’t Fear, who are touring behind their album From the Ground Up and you have a night of music and entertainment you won’t soon forget. When the tour hit Pittsburgh local artists Kevlar and After The Fall kicked things into high gear with pummeling sets of melodic hard rock and despite a scheduling snafu that forced them to go on an hour early, due to the fact that Nonpoint had to be at Carolina Rebellion early the following day, they still kicked major ass. Even though the early stage time meant the place was only partially filled, both bands played like it was a 50,000 seat arena and gave the performances of their young lives. Those who were fortunate enough to be there to see it were treated to an hour of the best the city has to offer in terms of local music and they were all thoroughly entertained. Up next was Scare Don’t Fear and although their sound, which can be best described as Linkin Park meets Hollywood Undead, may have made them the odd band out that night, they were also one of the most entertaining and best surprises of the evening. Their set was extremely high energy and at one point found members of the band down in the crowd jamming. Otherwise took the stage next and proceeded to pound out a stunning set of killer melodic hard rock that would be hard for any band to follow, so Nonpoint had their work cut out for them. Lead singer Adrian Patrick owned the stage and often had a crazed look in his eyes as he prowled every inch of it, even stepping out onto the barricades to get up close and personal with his adoring fans. The band looked and sounded amazing and tracks like “I Don’t Apologize,” “Darker Side of the Moon,” “Coming For the Throne” and “Soldiers” drove the crowd into a frenzy that nearly brought the house down. Once you see them live, like most people you’ll be left wondering why this band isn’t headlining and why in the hell they aren’t a household name, seeing as their song’s are always burning up the charts on FM and Satellite radio. Remember the name people, because someday very soon you’ll all be chanting it! The bar was now set and it was up to Nonpoint to clear it, which they did of course with flying colors. They came out hard and unleashed the fury of hell with “Pins And Needles,” “What a Day” and “Victim.” From there they launched into a rousing rendition of “Hands Off” that bled into a cover of “99 Problems” that garnered the biggest and best response of the night up to that point. Every single member of the band was a raw nerve of energy and was already covered in sweat. They were all in a state of perpetual motion and that kinetic energy was so palatable that it made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Other highlights included a version of “Fuck’d” that saw everyone there singing along at the top of their lungs and a powerhouse cover of the Phil Collins classic “In the Air Tonight” that has been a staple of the band’s show for over a decade. By the time the band finished with “Alive & Kicking” and “Bullet With A Name” the crowd was as sweaty as the band and just as spent, but still begging for more, another night of great music in Pittsburgh. -Eric Hunker [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Nonpoint and Otherwise in Pittsburgh/Scare Dont Fear/\”] [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Nonpoint and Otherwise in Pittsburgh/Otherwise/\”] [lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Nonpoint and Otherwise in Pittsburgh/Nonpoint/\”]