Nonpoint w/ VRSTY @ Cabooze | 5-29-22
Written by Havyn Cornell & Scott Cornell | Photos by Scott Cornell
A five-band bill has a tendency to fly by awfully quickly. Three local Minneapolis-based bands opened for VRSTY (pronounced “Varsity”) and Nonpoint. Inviction a five-piece post metalcore group warmed up the growing Cabooze crowd with a short 25-minute set.
32headshots was second on stage and brought a small but strong fan base. Supportive fans sang along and slam-danced to the groovy yet powerful brand of hard rock & metal 32headshots provided for the 30-minute set.
Four-piece Weekend Picnic topped the bill for the set’s local support. A technical issue kept the hard rock quartet from starting on time. Weekend Picnic’s amalgamation of genres that most closely align with hard rock pulled in the still growing crowd. Weekend Picnic cut their last song short to the collective dismay of the crowd in order to respect the night’s tight schedule.
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New York-based four-piece VRSTY, touring in support of their first full-length studio album, Welcome Home, took the Cabooze by force. The second they hit the stage VRSTY had something to prove with its unique R&B & post-hardcore sound.
Not a second of this set was wasted for those in the pit. A pit that continued to grow through VRSTY’s 45-minute set. Vocalist Joey Varela spent the majority of the set poised on the edge of the stage, singing in the faces of those in the front row.
Drummer Chris Cody made his presence known from behind his center staged kit, encouraging the crowd from the first note on. Cody’s furious playing, at times unintentionally projected drumsticks from his hands. Energetically flanking Cody, was Paul Gregory on guitar and Javy Dorrejo on bass. Gregory executed numerous spinning kicks while Dorrejo bounded about the stage. Cody mounted his drum kit when the performance allowed and further egged on the crowd.
Varela expertly led the crowd through the set capturing their attention and actively kept a tight grip on it. VRSTY’s polished production sound stood out from the local support and their incredibly professional performance was proof positive that everyone in this quartet is all-in. ”Always leave them wanting more.” is a common expression amongst entertainment professionals. VRSTY did just that. If VRSTY can bottle this lightning, you can expect to see much, much more from them.
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The Fort Lauderdale five known as Nonpoint, donning all black and red and sporting red sneakers, were welcomed to the stage with an abundance of cheers and horns as the crowd's anticipation peaked. The seasoned nu-metal pioneers never disappoint and dove headfirst into a 75-minute set. A set packed with a curated selection of hits spanning their ten studio album catalog, as well as tracks that have become well-loved by fans. Even the casual listener of the hard rock genre would have picked up on the familiarity of Nonpoint’s tracks.
Drummer Robb Rivera steadily kept time from a signature perpendicular perch upstage. Lining the backstage were elevated platforms graphically adorned with dripping blood. A visual theme stemming from the Ruthless EP, their first EP since 2002.
Frontman Elias Soriano, with his fast-paced charisma, led the crowd through the high octane set, invoking crowd participation all along the way. Fist bumps, high fives, and an awkward mix of both were commonplace. The mosh pit was ever-active as the band played through hits like “Alive and Kicking”, “What a Day”, “Victim”, and “Rabia”. Soriano on multiple occasions made reference to the energy he was feeling from the pit and the Cabooze crowd.
Dreadlocks flew as lead guitarist Jaysin Zeilstra and rhythm guitarist Rasheed Thomas headbanged to the rhythm when they weren’t ricocheting around the stage. Bassist Adam Woloszyn straddled the space between the stage and the barricade numerous times in an effort to better engage with fans. All played with the precision and enthusiasm one expects from professional rockstars and interacted with the crowd, making small talk between songs.
Nonpoint closed out their impressive set with a cover of “When Doves Cry” by Minneapolis native Prince and left a lasting impression with “Bullet with a Name” as the cherry on top. Don’t miss the chance to see an act like Nonpoit in a smaller venue or the opportunity to see rising stars make their mark on a small stage. The Taken Apart + Put Back Together 2022 Tour has both and dates scheduled until June 25th, 2022.
