Dance Gavin Dance Celebrates ‘Pantheon’ with Explosive Sold-Out Phoenix Show

On Monday, June 30, Dance Gavin Dance brought their tour to a sold out crowd at The Van Buren. The stop in Phoenix marked their second to last stop of a 39 date North American run. The Sacramento post hardcore veterans are currently touring in support of their latest album, Pantheon, while also celebrating the recent release of Tree City Sessions 3, a collection of newly recorded versions of songs spanning their career. Joining them for the evening were French metalcore band NOVELISTS, fellow Sacramento outfit Wolf & Bear, and the always entertaining HORSE the Band, making for a diverse lineup.

French metalcore band NOVELISTS opened the night with a performance that quickly won over the crowd. Frontwoman Camille Contreras floated onto the stage in a flowing pink dress with glitter across her cheeks and her hair styled in space buns, giving her an ethereal appearance. Then she opened her mouth. Contreras effortlessly switched between beautiful clean vocals and some of the nastiest guttural screams of the evening, catching plenty of first time listeners by surprise. The contrast became even more entertaining between songs, as she’d finish a track with harsh screams before softly thanking the crowd as politely as possible. Phoenix responded well from the start, with crowd surfers beginning to make their way to the barricade after a little encouragement from Contreras. Backed by intricate guitar work and plenty of impressive solos, NOVELISTS tore through songs including “All For Nothing,” “Prisoner,” “Say My Name,” and “Mourning the Dawn” before closing with “Turn It Up (Keyboard Warriors Social Club),” which saw the evening’s first mosh pit. After wrapping up their set, the band announced they would be headed to the merch table to meet fans, a gesture that was appreciated by those discovering them for the first time.

Wolf & Bear kept things rolling with one of the most energetic performances of the night. Before the band took the stage, ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” had the audience singing along. That quickly transitioned into mariachi music as the band prepared to take the stage, sending the crowd into an impromptu dance party. Once “Twisted Tongues” kicked in, the atmosphere shifted into controlled chaos. Crowd surfers streamed toward the barricade throughout the set as the Sacramento band performed tracks like “Street Rat,” “Rick Ranch,” “Apollo,” “Whiplash,” and “FOOL’S GOLD.” The band even welcomed a special guest vocalist to the stage, adding another fun surprise, and when the band challenged Phoenix to make the pit bigger, they happily obliged.

HORSE the Band proved that after more than two decades they remain one of the most entertaining and unconventional bands in heavy music. The California group embraced every bit of their wonderfully bizarre reputation from the moment vocalist Nathan Winneke appeared seated barefoot atop a throne. A painting of horses, which the band introduced as their “family portrait,” sat center stage. The entire band brought incredible energy; however, one member stole the spotlight. Ed Edge, the band’s touring triangle player, introduced as the “ding ding guy who is here to make you feel comfortable,” spent nearly the entire set sprinting across the stage, throwing high kicks, leaping into the air, and even making his way to the barricade to enthusiastically play the triangle directly in front of fans. Meanwhile, the rest of the band delivered relentless performances of songs like “Heroes Die,” “Birdo,” “The House of Boo,” “Cloudwalker,” and “Cutsman” as headbanging and crowd surfing continued across the venue.

By the time Dance Gavin Dance took the stage, the venue was packed wall to wall. The opening notes of “Animal Surgery” barely had time to ring out before crowd surfers started pouring over the barricade. Security stayed busy all night as fans continuously made their way toward the stage, screaming every word and pointing toward the band with nearly every chorus. Andrew Wells made a point to grab the hands of crowd surfers as they came over the barricade before they were safely guided away by security. Behind the band, an impressive lighting production added another layer to their performance.

Now two decades into their career, Dance Gavin Dance continues to build a setlist that appeals to just about every generation of fan, mixing new material like “Midnight at McGuffy’s” and “The Stickler” in with older favorites like “It’s Safe to Say You Dig the Backseat,” “Elder Goose,” and “Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise.” One of the loudest reactions from the crowd came when Wells announced, “We’re gonna take it back to ‘Death Star,’” before introducing “Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most.” He encouraged the audience to “sing this one as loud as you fucking can,” and they happily accepted the challenge. Later in the set, Wells asked how many people were seeing Dance Gavin Dance for the first time. Surprisingly, it looked almost evenly split between newcomers and returning fans, proving the band is still finding new fans while keeping longtime listeners hooked.

Throughout the night, members of the band also tossed water bottles into the audience to help fans stay hydrated in the Arizona heat. Wells kept the audience engaged between songs with several memorable interactions. Spotting a fan dressed as a banana near the back of the venue, he smiled and declared, “Banana man, you’re always welcome at our shows,” an apparent nod to a recent incident in the hardcore scene in which a concertgoer wearing a banana costume was harassed at a show. The lighthearted moment drew cheers from the crowd and reinforced the welcoming atmosphere of the evening.

After wrapping their set with “Surprise! I’m from Cuba, Everyone Has One Brain,” the band returned for a three song encore featuring “Carl Barker,” “All the Way Down,” and “Inspire the Liars.” For the evening’s finale, the band welcomed NOVELISTS’ Camille Contreras back to the stage to lend her beautiful vocals to the beloved track. While the North American run has now come to a close, Dance Gavin Dance will take these songs overseas this September for dates across the United Kingdom and Europe. They’re also set to appear on the lineup for Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach and Orlando. The band puts on a show you won’t want to miss! Tickets can be purchased here.