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 Bands: Bleed The
Dream, Stutterfly, Like Yesterday
Friday, May 20th,
I couldn’t get home from work soon enough. I got in my truck and made my way to
Red Deer, to pick up some friends and headed out for Red’s in Edmonton for the
Bleed the Dream show.
I first saw Bleed the Dream
at the Taste of Chaos tour in Calgary on March 23rd, 2005. They were
playing on the acoustic stage, which is nothing this band was disappointed
about. While they do like to rock hard, they enjoy playing acoustic sets and
it’s evident in their live show. When I went to visit their booth at the Taste
of Chaos I ended up talking with their bassist, Keith Thompson. He offered to
take us down to the floor so we could get a closer view of the remaining bands.
It was really neat to see someone playing such a big tour that would still stand
around and talk to some fans.
We showed up a little late,
but only to find that we had just missed some local bands. We ended up running
into bassist, Keith again. He came and had some drinks with us, talking about
the tour, other bands, fans, and the music industry. He had no problem just
sitting and talking about normal stuff with some normal people. After a couple
drinks, Keith went to say hello to some more fans and get ready to go on stage.
My friends and I made our way up to the stage to get a good view.
After all the local acts
finished up, New York’s Like Yesterday hit the stage. I wasn’t expecting much at
all from this band, but when the music started and the words starting pouring
through the speakers, my jaw hit the floor. The band
 opened
with “When You Come Over”, showcasing vocalist Mike Holmes’ amazing pipes. Mike
has a range unlike any other vocalist and such a unique sound. Like Yesterday’s
lyrics are beautifully written, and when combined with Mike’s stunning vocals,
and the talent of the rest of the band, really grabs at your emotions. This band
displays nothing but pure passion for the music they play and it can be heard
throughout the guitar riffs and piercing vocals. Definitely a band I want to
hear more of in the future.
Next to hit stage was
Canadian Hardcore band Stutterfly. Their set was fast, angry and emotional, a
familiar sound in this scene. However, they do their best to stand apart from
other hardcore/screamo bands by introducing harmonies that tug at your
heartstrings, to guitar heaving screams that tear those heartstrings straight
from your chest. These kids are proud to be Canadian, and love to rock hard.
While they don’t provide any exceptional stage antics, they are still a good
listen. I would defiantly check out another show next time they come around.
 Finally
it was time for Bleed the Dream to rock the house. Unfortunately singer, Brandon
Thomas was sick so they couldn’t play a full set, but every minute out of the
half hour or so that they were on stage was worth it. There just something about
this band, the music, the lyrics, the way they perform...You get drawn in closer
and closer with each listen. The mix of Brandon’s vocals, Keith Thompson’s
perfectly accenting background vocals and screams, and fresh guitar lines make
for the combination. This band is nothing but determined, and you can see it in
their live show. There were moments when Brandon was struggling to finish a song
because he was losing his voice, but he pushed beyond all limits and still
managed to put on an incredible show. The last song of the night was a tribute
to Bleed the Dream’s drummer, Scott Gottlieb who was diagnosed with leukemia in
May, 2004. This past April, Scott lost his battle to the disease. Just before
the boys of Bleed the Dream wrapped up the show, they paid a little tribute to
their friend. They told the crowd about Scott’s battle, and his courage. Their
words were enough to induce a tear or two from my eye. They then played one of
my favorite songs, “Broken Dreams” as a tribute. It was a very emotional moment,
and one that will never be forgotten. Good ending to one of the best shows I
have ever been to.
This show was nothing short
of ordinary. Getting to hang out with various members of the bands and chatting
like they were just another person at the show made the show what it was. If you
ever get a chance to see any of the bands, take the opportunity, you won’t be
disappointed. Make you sure you take the time to say hi to the guys in Bleed the
Dream, Keith especially. He will be happy to hear from you.
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