The house was packed Friday night for Orlando Rocks!, an ongoing concert series featuring local and regional bands hosted by the House of Blues, Orlando. I’ve always felt that Orlando is a mecca for kick-ass rock artists and the HOB didn’t disappoint!
First up was Nevertel. This was their first time on the House of Blues stage but you would have never known because it sounded like they’d played here a thousand times before. From their effortless blend of hip-hop and hard-hitting rock to their stage presence and pure talent, Nevertel reminded me of a young Linkin Park and they kept that going with every song they performed. With Jeremy Michael and Raul Lopez on vocals & guitar (Raul was the hip-hop guy), these guys grabbed hold and made you want to add their music to your playlist at first listen.
Next up was FELICITY. Self-described as “Hard Rock and Pop Punk” these guys came out with HARD guitar riffs and incredible energy (along with some dancing Aliens but that’s a story for another time) and showed us why they have been part of the Festival scene for years playing the main stage of the Vans Warped Tour and the Fort Rock Festival. Felicity is a master at audience engagement and participation and kept the crowd hyped for the next act.
Meka Nism took the stage next and all I can say is WOW! This hard-hitting, theatrical metal band is fronted by lead singer Ms. Meka who manages to move back and forth effortlessly between growling and operatic singing all backed by hard-hitting guitar chords and pounding drums. Their performance is heavy metal meets theater meets Mad Max meets….well it doesn’t matter because it works beautifully.
Closing out the show was NoSelf bringing their NuMetal sound to a packed house that was ripe and ready to tear the roof off. Their first song opened up a serious mosh pit that lasted through the entire set and managed to engulf much of the front of the stage. Thick guitar riffs and thrashing drums had everyone’s heads banging but it’s the lyrical style and voice range of their frontman Dylan Kleinhans that really drew in the crowd and kept us jumping and filled the crowd’s musical appetite.
The House of Blues REALLY showed off with this lineup covering all corners of the Rock genre with skill. If you’re looking for some new tunes to add to your playlist, head to Spotify or iTunes NOW and start downloading!
Enjoy photos from Orlando Rocks! at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida on September 20th. All photos copyright and courtesy of Chris Cornett Photography.
