A Different Shade of Blue: Broadside Performs Explosive Set in Greensboro, North Carolina
Pop-punk titans, Broadside, hit the stage in Greensboro, North Carolina on Thursday, 11/30/23, at Hangar 1819. They were the main supporting act for This Wild Life’s Tour Story headlining tour, and were joined by Worry Club and Not My Weekend! The blend of jumpy pop-punk anthems, melancholy acoustic tracks, and plain ol’ fun made for an unforgettable night!
For those who are unfamiliar with Broadside’s music or are just discovering them, they are a pop-punk band hailing from Richmond, Virginia and are known for songs that feature their unique blend of upbeat rhythms, enticing melodies, and emotional themes such as “Coffee Talk,” “Come & Go,” and “The Raging Sea.” Broadside’s newest album, Hotel Bleu, was released on November 10, 2023 via Sharptone Records (our review for the album can be read here).
Broadside performed an electrifying set, consisting of eight tracks spanning from all four of their studio LPs, which is close to a decade’s worth of music. Their bassist, Pat Diaz, graciously handed me his setlist after their set, and the songs they played were:
· One Last Time
· Coffee Talk
· Dazed & Confused
· Cruel
· I Love You, I Love You. It’s Disgusting
· Bleu
· Heavenly
· Foolish Believer
Greensboro is an “iffy” city for the band to perform in, as their crowds are not always as engaging or energetic as the band would like them to be. Unfortunately, that was the case with this show, but the crowd made up for it by shouting each line back at frontman, Oliver Baxxter! Despite the unenthusiastic crowd, Broadside performed their hearts out, warming the crowd up for This Wild Life’s headlining set. Since This Wild Life is more of an “emo act” and performs a majority of their tracks acoustically, the band decided to slow things down in the middle of their set, set up two stools for Baxxter and guitarist, Domenic Reid to sit at, and “unplugged” to perform two of their most emotional/slower songs, “I Love You, I Love You. It’s Disgusting” and “Bleu,” to help set the tone for the headliner’s set. Broadside put on a set that was so electrifying, that you would assume that they were, in fact, the headlining act!
I first discovered Broadside in 2015 when they were the opening act for Handguns/Roam’s co-headling tour. The band performed to a crowd of MAYBE 15 people in Winston-Salem, NC, and that’s the day that I had fallen in love with their music! They had an incredibly different lineup, with Baxxter being the only remaining member nowadays! Eight years later, it is mind-blowing to see the progress that they have made as a band, and I, for one, am excited to watch them evolve and become more successful!
Broadside is:
· Oliver Baxxter (Vocals)
· Pat Diaz (Bass)
· Domenic Reid (Guitar)
· Tay Ewart (Touring Drums)
Broadside is currently on the road as the supporting act for This Wild Life's Tour Story headlining tour, along with Worry Club and Not My Weekend. The remaining tour dates are:
December 2, 2023 – Atlanta, GA – The Loft at Center Stage
December 4, 2023 – Nashville, TN – Exit In
December 7, 2023 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall
December 8, 2023 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater Dallas
December 9, 2023 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center
*ARTICLE BY ANDREW KJELSON (INSTAGRAM)