Emy's Concert Recap: Chicago

Boyce Avenue Street Teamer Emy Petraityte was at the Boyce Avenue show at Chicago's Riviera Theater on Friday night.  Because Emy went out and promoted the show as part of Boyce Avenue's Street Team, she was given a private Meet & Greet after the show with the guys.

This is not the first time Emy has been Featured on the Get Boyced!! Blog....she was our Featured Fan in May, and she was also the mastermind behind the Dare to Believe Fan Project.

Below is Emy's concert review and recap from Friday night's show in Chicago.

Before the Show

Since this was my second Boyce Avenue concert, I was even more excited than I was for the first one, because I knew what was coming. We decided to leave at exactly the right time, so that we wouldn’t have to wait in line outside, but also so we wouldn’t miss the opening acts. When we drove out, however, we got stuck in traffic for quite some time. I was starting to get worried, but we made it safe and on time to the venue.

When we drove past the venue, there was a line. Let me tell you.. it was HUGE! It curled around the corner and went down about half a block or so. As we were making our way towards the venue after we parked our car, the line was already diminishing because they had opened the doors. Across the street, I saw [Boyce Avenue's] tour bus, so we walked over to take a picture. My mom kept asking me how I knew it was theirs, and we took a look at the license plates.....Florida!

Emy and the Tour Bus

After that, we went inside and found ourselves way in the back of the crowd. The venue was filled with people.  It was insanely crowded! We got a good spot, though because we were right on the stairs, so we could clearly see everything....just from far away.

Opening Acts

First, Alex Goot came out.  He only played like 5 or 6 songs. He’s amazing, and I wish he had a longer set. A lot of people seemed to know who he was and sang along.

Next, Green River Ordinance came out, and nobody had any idea who they were. Their set was a little bit fancier than Alex Goot’s. They had tons of lights and used the whole stage. They were alright. Not my favorite kind of music, but they were good. One of their last songs, they covered “Baby” by Justin Bieber. You could hear boo’s and silence in the crowd. The lead singer, Josh, asked the crowd to forget that it’s a Bieber song and just sing along to the catchy tune. Many people did sing along, and it was fun! The last song that they played, they did an “Acoustic” set right in front of the crowd. This was NOT a good idea. First of all, they asked the crowd to be quiet for this to work, but nobody paid attention, so basically for about 3 minutes, they were  jamming in the front, with a small crowd around them. The rest of us couldn’t hear ANYTHING. It was disappointing.

Boyce Avenue

When Boyce Avenue came out, the crowd went CRAZY!!! Their entrance was really cool :) They entered one by one, with an awesome lights show going on! :) The crowd was very into them! They sang along to every song and the guys kept repeating how much they loved Chicago and how crazy we were.

They played all of their originals [from "All We Have Left"] as well as many covers. It was amazing! About halfway into the show, Alejandro informed the crowd that he’d be doing some songs on the keyboard. Somebody whistled really loud and Alejandro was like, “Yessss. The sexy keyboard....” and they all chuckled. During the change between two songs, some girls were screaming really loud and one of the guys (don’t recall which one) called the crowd rowdy so we all started screaming even louder.  Everyone was dancing and singing along to all the songs! More people were singing to covers, but I was surprised to hear how many people knew their originals too! When Alejandro asked if this was anybody’s first Boyce Avenue concert, many hands went up! I went to a Boyce Avenue show last year, but this crowd and this venue was much bigger and better than last year! It was the best concert I’ve ever been to! 

After the Show

Since I had done promotion in Chicago for the Street Team, I got a private meet and greet with the guys after the show! I was told to go to the merchandise table and ask Hook to direct me to the tour manager. Towards the end of the show, we walked over to the merchandise table to make sure we knew where we were going before the show ended. Hook wasn’t there....instead some mean guy from the venue was standing there selling t-shirts. When I asked him about it, he was very rude. He kept telling me he knew nothing more than I did, with so much attitude. All I asked was if he knew what I was talking about. Anyways, I got really nervous because I had no idea where Hook was. My mom insisted we go ask security people around the venue. So we did, and only one of them knew what I was talking about. He told me to stand by the door until the concert ended.


For some reason, I was worried that I wasn’t in the right place because I never found Hook. So we stood against the wall, and watched the last two songs of the show. Suddenly, as the crowd was exiting the theatre, I spotted Hook, and I ran to him. I showed him the email I got that told me the instructions and he asked me my name. When I told him, he’s like “Yup! You’re the one.” So he walked us outside to this alley, and the first thing he asked was, “How’d you know how to find me?” I said, “I was told to find Hook!” He was like, “Yeah, but how’d you know I was Hook?” I told him I had seen pictures online, and he surprisingly asked me what pictures I had seen and I simply replied, “Hook....you’re all over facebook.” He seemed so excited!


After about five minutes, he asked us to stand by the door, until he went and told the guys I was coming. When he came back out to get us, he led us down some stairs and through a hallway. The last room on the left, was their dressing room. He asked me if I was ready, and I simply replied “I have no idea.” I was freaking out!


When I walked in, the guys suddenly stood up from the couches and Fabian was the first who approached me. He was like, “Hey! I’m Fabian! What’s your name?” and leaned in for a hug. That’s when I lost all my nervousness. They were so down to earth and easy to talk to! When Alejandro hugged me, he said, “Summerluver!” and I FREAKED out! I was like, “Oh, my goodness! You guys know who I am!” They all started laughing and Alejandro added, “Everybody knows who summerluver is!”

I gave them the scrapbook I had made for them. They flipped through a couple pages, laughing, and told me they’ll make sure to dig through it later.

Looking at Emy's scrapbook

Fabian asked me about my t-shirt, and I also told him I have a These Quiet Sounds shirt and he was like, "Do you really??"  He seemed so proud!

It was amazing. They referred to me as Summerluver the whole time, until Fabian asked me what my real name was. They are all so cool, and so surprisingly easy to talk to. I felt so at ease around them. We talked for a good five minutes, one on one....Daniel asked us about our trip to Sarasota, Florida and what we thought of it.  He asked me what the first Boyce Avenue video was that I saw.  It was awesome.

BA Silliness!!

Fabian’s phone rang and he took the call outside and didn’t come back. When I was walking out, he saw me and waved.  It was the best night of my life!

If you haven’t seen Boyce Avenue live in concert yet, you’re missing out! The most talented, sweet, and humble guys EVER!!!

Best. Night. Of.  My.  Life!!!

Thanks, Emy, for sharing your night with all of us!! Looks like you had an amazing time!!

Gwen's BA California Adventure

You guys might recall from Kimmy's Boyce Avenue Tour Recap that she met up in San Francisco with Gwen from Boyce Avenue Street Team Australia. Gwen knew that she wouldn't be able to be at any of Boyce Avenue's Europe shows (she is currently preparing to travel the world!!) but she is still one lucky lady....she got to go to all three of Boyce Avenue's California shows.  Here's Gwen's recap of her awesome California Boyce Avenue Adventure!!

My Boyce Avenue Marathon

So, my adventure started with this trip to California with my friend Camille. I knew I wouldn’t be in Europe for Boyce Avenue's 2011 Fall Tour, so I decided to go to the US. Of course, I didn’t come only for them but they were the "trigger" that made me go to California. What a perfect combo: a trip to Cali, and my favorite band! :D

Gwen and Camille enjoying the California sunshine

Camille and I spent the 2 first weeks in the US road tripping and it was amazing, we had so much fun, and finally the date of the first concert came.

Boyce Avenue's Fall Tour Rolls On - San Francisco

Boyce Avenue played the third show of their 2011 Fall US/Canada Tour on Tuesday night at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco, and I got an awesome recap and review of the show from Kimmy Warne....

Before The Show

Having never met Boyce Avenue before, I decided to buy a Meet and Greet package. I got to the venue around 5:30 and met up with Gwen, whom I had met online, of course through Boyce Avenue. She had met the guys a few times before, and leads the Australia Street Team – so it was exciting to be there with someone who was just as passionate about their music as I am.

Kimmy and Gwen

We waited outside the venue until around 6:00pm with the other M&G’s, then a staff member led us upstairs in the Fillmore, where we were to meet Boyce Avenue! As we walked up the stairs and turned the corner, there they were! It was pretty surreal; I am a fairly new fan, but it was still weird to be standing right in front of them. There were about 15 of us for the M&G, and it was extremely quick. We all lined up, and an employee handed us all VIP Meet and Greet necklace laminates, and pre-signed Boyce Avenue posters with all of their tour dates and locations listed. When they saw Gwen they started talking to her and giving her hugs, since they knew her from Street Teaming and prior shows. I was next, and it was literally seconds. I had made a collage for them, so they handed that to them, and they seemed appreciative. I didn’t have time to say much, but I had written on the back of the collage, which basically stated everything I would have said anyway. I told them how excited I was for the show, and how proud I was that they were playing at the Fillmore, and then got a picture with them. I was surprised I wasn’t nervous – I think a mixture of excitement and being with others, made me feel at ease. They didn’t say much; of course thanked us for coming to the show, but overall, it was pretty brief.

Kimmy and the guys before the show

A Weekend With Boyce Avenue, Part Two: Vancouver, B.C.

My weekend with Boyce Avenue didn't end in Seattle....the next day, I made the 3-hour drive up to Vancouver, B.C. with my friend Monica to see them again. This was my first time to ever visit Canada....even as a kid, growing up in upstate New York, my adventures had never taken me into Canada. I was so excited that my first time there was for such an occasion. :)

Click on the "Read more..." link below for my recap of the day and my review of the second show on Boyce Avenue's 2011 US/Canada Fall Tour.

A Weekend With Boyce Avenue, Part One: Seattle

I went to see Boyce Avenue as they kicked off their 2011 US/Canada Fall Tour in Seattle, Washington at the Showbox at the Market. Before the show, I had a VIP Meet & Greet with the guys (available through Artist Arena.)  I also got a special Meet & Greet with them after the show for doing promo/street teaming.

Click on the "Read more..." link below for my recap of the day and my review of the first show on Boyce Avenue's 2011 US/Canada Fall Tour.

Dare To Believe: Boyce Avenue in Sydney - Concert Review by Tommy Schroeter

Last Sunday, Daniel from Boyce Avenue was interviewed by Dave Hammond on the Australian Radio Show The Conversation. At the end of the interview Daniel personally invited Dave and the team at Fusion Western Sydney to come see the show at the Enmore Theater.

The Conversation's Entertainment Producer Tommy Schroeter offered to write a recap/review of the show for Get Boyced!! YAY!!

The Mood when I walked into Enmore had a great sense of energy. It was like a buzz I had not felt before as we were all assigned our seats or directed to the floor space to dance and sing the night away. It dawned on me very quickly we were in for a great night and to be prepared to be blessed.

Tommy & Friends outside The Enmore Theater

It was no sooner had that happened that the lights dimmed and on stage appeared former Australian Idol Winner Wes Carr. It’s been a while since us Aussie’s have heard from him, and his new tunes are amazing. He gave an amazing set including a touching and humorous tribute to his Nana who had only a few hours to live. Vocally Wes has never sounded better and I think he even recruited some new fans follow him on twitter on (@Wescarrmusic)

Set highlights: “Been A Long Time”, “Love Is an Animal”, “Blood and Bone”, “Gloria”.

But as the crowd sang along with Wes and clapped, it was only a mere murmur as we all eagerly awaited the arrival of the three boys we had truly rocked up to see....BOYCE AVENUE!!

The lights shone bright, and as the sound techs walked across the stage the crowd
went crazy....while the screams were reaching fever pitch, Fabian, Daniel and Ladies' Favorite Alejandro Manzano arrived on stage and the moment the first note was sung I knew we were in for a party bigger than that we had on New Years Eve 1999!

Photo by Boyce Avenue

We heard everything from Wonderwall (can I just add that was the best crowd sing-along I have ever been a part of?!?!) to Teenage Dream to Dynamite...the night was off to an amazing start!

A lot of love was in the room....but for many the stand out moments were when the boys showcased the gift of songwriting each of them has as tracks they had written were performed.

The tear-jerking moment came when Daniel [shared] the sad story behind “Briane.” The
song speaks volumes and sounded like we had been transported to that very moment in
time. For me I'm a very visual person and could just imagine what it must have felt like the moment [Briane's death] happened. I'm so encouraged that people like Boyce Avenue are being a voice for this generation, raising awareness for suicide and sending out a positive message for those who have the chance to hear it.

Another amazing moment was when “Every Breath” was performed, and to hear 2,000
rowdy Aussies singing along note by note with Alejandro.

One thing I discovered about the boys is that they are very humble and for me the most
inspiring moment came when Alejandro spoke about being happy being single and how he knows in the right place and time that “the one” will appear. As a single male of a
similar age it was so refreshing to hear that I'm not the only one having those thoughts and the moment the opening keys started playing “On My Way” I was taken on a journey. This particular song has been a bit of an anthem for me of late as I have been moving forward in my own life journey. I love the words, the tune...everything about this track is magical. [It] was definitely one of the highlights of the night for many.

“Find me” was the moment that the entire audience was hanging off every lyric. It was a very surreal and and moving version. “Broken Angel” for me was such a powerful message...as a youth worker in Western Sydney we are faced with a lot of people who are struggling so to hear the story behind this song was very encouraging to see that there can be hope at the end of the tunnel.

Photo by Tommy Schroeter

Another crowd favorite was “Rolling In The Deep.” There was foot stomping going on all over the Enmore and voices singing out those lyrics with the boys.... it was a rocking and amazing moment as this version is so unique yet true to Adele’s smash...I think that’s why people love it so much.

As the show was drawing to a close the {journey] that the boys had taken us on was still very real in the atmosphere. It was such a unique and spine tingling moment.

But for me the greatest moment came when Alejandro sat a single piano to sing what has
become an anthem in all that I do of late: “Dare To Believe.” When the chorus kicked in I couldn't help but sing along. "Dare To Believe" flowed into the grand finale, "Hear Me Now.” The crowd got split [for a sing-along] and Alejandro got pulled into the crowd by girls (all vying for the title of Mrs. Manzano) but made it back on stage with an epic leap of faith...

“Iris” proved the surprise hit of the night with the 2000 strong crowd singing it word
for word and even chanting “One More , One More” in the song break to which Alejandro
responded “We’ll do one more when we finish this one!” Hahaha, it was a great end to a great show.

After the show we got to head backstage (or should I say under the stage) to meet the
brothers and it was such a special time for us all. They were all so friendly as we spoke about things from Wes Carr to The Australian People to Fabian's guitar-playing faces to the tour and how they will be back. It was so nice meeting them and having [some] great laughs as well.

The photo below shows the Conversation Host Dave Hammond his Wife Sallie and some
of his children: Jonah, Daisy and Rubie, along with a young person who does creative arts projects with us at Fusion Western Sydney named Aaron, fellow youth worker James and myself. I love this photo is shows a sense of community amongst us and the boys and we all hope that this relationship we are developing with the boys and their management can be ongoing.

Dave Hammond, Aaron, Alejandro, Daniel, James (in front), Fabian, Rubie, Jonah, Tommy and Sally

In closing, I went in with very high expectations of the show but left in a very different place....one that was filled with admiration and inspiration. One thing I learned is that if you have a dream, to chase it, no matter where you come from and what it is. For Boyce Avenue it started with a single video uploaded to YouTube that has turned into over 300,000 subscribers and has given them the chance to tour the world sharing stories of hope and inspiration.

I also think that Boyce Avenue have become another voice for this generation as they bring hope to youth and people the world over, [whether] it be through an original or a cover.

This quote sums up what I'm trying to say....“If you don't dream big, there's no use of dreaming. If you don't have faith, there's nothing worth believing.” ~Justin Bieber


I think it's safe to say, Tommy has been BOYCED!! Muahaha!! :)

Great recap, Tommy!! Thanks so much for taking the time to write it, and for sharing it with Get Boyced!! Glad you enjoyed the show so much. :)

Another Enthusiastic Review From Melbourne!!

Well, it's obvious from Twitter and Facebook that Boyce Avenue have left a TON of very satisfied fans in their wake as they say goodbye to Australia and head back to the states.  It has been so much fun reading everyone's thoughts about the shows, and it's very clear that the guys had a blast in the "Land Down Under."

I received another review today from a VERY enthusiastic fan who saw Boyce Avenue's show at the Forum in Melbourne earlier this week.  Lauchie is a great BA fan and an aspiring guitarist, and he offered a very detailed and entertaining play-by-play of his entire experience.  :)

It was a cold winter night on the 8th of August when,  after weeks of disappointment,  I found out that Boyce Avenue’s Melbourne show was All Ages (via Boyce Avenue Street Team Australia’s Facebook Page.)  After some research and talks with my parents, we decided that I could go and we bought two tickets (for my Mum and me.)  The next day was my birthday! So I had to wait a couple of weeks but at least they put out more covers to keep me from going crazy! We got the tickets in the mail during the first week and that made it real...it was actually happening.

After school on the 25th of August we started on our way to Melbourne (about a 1½ hour trip.) We plugged my iPhone into the car and blasted Boyce Avenue covers and originals. We parked a couple of blocks away [from the Forum] and walked down. Once we got there, we had a quick chat to one of the bouncers and turned the corner to find we were the first ones there. This made me even more excited because [I] realized that we were going to be at the front of the line. It was about 5:30 in the afternoon and the doors were not opening until 7:45. So we sat down and waited.

After about 20 minutes, more people started to show up.  We started to hear faint music coming [from inside]....it was Boyce Avenue starting their sound-check. We [struck up a conversation with] the girl sitting next to us, and we actually talked right up to 7:45 and stayed together all night.

At 7:15 the bouncers put us into the line they had made and things started to fall into place. Right at 7:45, they opened the doors. I ran over to the Merchandise Stand and bought a t-shirt and the All We Have Left CD. Then we waited for the Auditorium Doors to open at 8:00.

As soon as the doors opened, I got three positions saved on the barrier for my Mum, our new friend and myself...which was right in front of where Alejandro would be standing!

We talked while waiting for the support act (Mark Wilkinson) to come on. While waiting I tried to take pictures of the setlist, and while I failed, the girls next to us did not.  The setlist was great and we all were beaming with excitement. I read out the excited Boyce Avenue tweets to everyone until 8:25, when Mark came out. He was actually pretty good but the only song that really stood out for me (and Mum also) was the song about Benny about being bullied (I may have forgotten the name.)

Mark finished at 9:05 and we had to wait fifteen minutes for Boyce Avenue to come out. Someone came out and hid behind the drum kit, sticking his head out to watch the crowd every so often. We also got our photos taken by one of them to put on Twitter. One of the roadies moved Alejandro’s microphone stand closer to us. This made us all go quiet for a few seconds, realizing he was going to be so close.

At 9:20 the guys came out and [opened with] Daylight, which then quickly turned into Tonight and the crowd was pumped and started to sing along.  Tonight [transitioned] into Not Enough and after some talking with the crowd Alejandro grabbed an acoustic guitar and played the best version of Wonderwall I had ever heard, with a guitar solo and everything. That was followed by More Things To Say, which had an awesome acoustic guitar solo played by Alejandro! He then swapped guitars and they all sat on stools to play Find Me, Teenage Dream, Grenade, and Briane. They all then stood up and played When The Lights Die.

Photo by Xenia Agrotis

Alejandro swapped his electric guitar for a keyboard and belted out Broken Angel and On My Way. The he was back on his acoustic guitar and played Change Your Mind and Rolling In The Deep.

Alejandro [went] back to an electric and played an awesome version of Every Breath. Then they went off stage and came back on for the encore, in which they played Dare To Believe [with Alejandro back on the keyboard], Iris on acoustic and Hear Me Now on electric. They got half the crowd singing the Ooh woah's and the other half doing the Can you hear me now's.  Right before leaving the stage Alejandro gave me his guitar pick and I nearly died.

We waited out the front for about ten minutes to try and meet them but as they didn’t come out we left for home. On the way back we listened to my video of the night and it was really great.  The next day I still couldn’t believe what had happened the night before. I can’t wait for them to come back.

All in all I thought it was a fantastic concert. And my Mum is now a big fan. Well done, Boyce Avenue! It was worth coming out to see you live. A brilliant night was had by all!

Australia, you have been BOYCED!

Lauchie, you are awesome!!  This recap/review was so much fun to read, and I'm so glad you shared your experience with all of us!!

Australia Loves Boyce Avenue!!

The guys are rocking their way through the Australian Leg of their 2011 World Tour, playing for a huge crowd of enthusiastic fans in Perth, and a sold out crowd in Melbourne.

Here are a couple of reviews that fans in have shared with the Get Boyced! blog....

"The day arrived....23 August 2011....the weather was perfect, sun was setting and Boyce Avenue were on their way! The doors were [scheduled] to open at 7:30 pm, crowds were growing and GROWING from 6:30 pm. Anticipation and energy was growing as were the numbers of fans. The doors took a little longer than expected to open, BUT once we heard that "click" of the door, we know IT'S TIME! Heart starts racing....THIS IS IT! Once inside the bar we found the perfect position at the stage. Mark Wilkinson was the support act. He presented himself well to the cheering crowd. Great music, wonderful voice.

The lights started to dim and then appears Boyce Avenue. They looked even more amazing on stage than just following avidly on YouTube. These guys ROCKED IT! They played a lot of originals and a few of covers also. The energy was pumping in the room.

Then, as all good things must come to an end, they played their last song. Lights once again dimmed and leaving only shadows and memories of the most amazing band to hit Perth's shores ... We cheered, and clapped, and whooo-ed them to come out for another HIT! Once again they hit the stage for 2 more songs!!! Hearts skipping a beat, camera flashes, sing-alongs, and Fabian throwing his guitar picks in to the crowd causing a frenzy! THIS IS ONE SHOW NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN!! It was an absolute pleasure to have been able to experience this show first hand!

Fortunately for us, we won a Meet & Greet package, thanks to BAST and Boyce Avenue Street Team Australia (and the lovely Gwen) through a promotions competition. We were blessed with meeting the boys backstage for autographs and photos. They are truly the most pleasant, down-to-earth, and genuinely nice guys you will ever get to meet....and sooooo darn huggable, too!!" ~Michelle Harrison (Perth)

Left to Right: Sooz, Daniel, Alejandro, Michelle and Fabian

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"It was just amazing!!! Truly amazing! I can't think of any other way to describe it all. It was such an experience to be able to go and hear Boyce Avenue live...I enjoyed every minute of it and just loved the atmosphere of the crowd!" ~Hayley Mah, Melbourne

HAYLEY'S VIDEO REVIEW



Thanks for sharing your recaps and reviews, Michelle and Hayley!! So glad you had such a great time at the shows!! It's so awesome to see Australia showing the Manzano Brothers so much love!! Good on ya, mates!! ;)

Stay tuned for fan reviews from Sydney and Brisbane!!

Boyce Avenue Playing at the 7-Eleven Slurpee Mix Maker on May 25th!

Boyce Avenue will be joining the lineup for the 7-Eleven Slurpee Mix Maker Summer Concert Series at the Roxy Theater in LA on Wednesday, May 25th....just five days after the last show on their 2011 Europe Tour!

For your chance to win tickets to the show, click here and upload your favorite Slurpee Combo.