w/ Dead Poet Society | 8:00pm | 6161 Delmar Blvd. | All ages | $32.50-$45
Breaking into the rock scene with two Grammy nominations is nearly unheard of, but Massachusetts-based rock band Highly Suspect did just that back in 2015 with their debut album Mister Asylum and its single “Lydia.” From a little-known cover band to playing the Grammys, their success soared through 2016 and has not lost traction since. The then-trio of singer-guitarist Johnny Stevens backed by twin brothers Rich and Ryan Meyers grew in 2019 with the addition of Matt Kofos and Mark Schwartz on guitar and backing vocals, and they have gone on to release three more successful albums, bridging genres and blowing minds. The Boy Who Died Wolf released in 2016, and is arguable my personal favorite album of all time. Stevens’ vocals on the album are unmatched, and the composition and instrumentals on the tracks create an incredible listening experience without a single bad track. I often wish I could somehow go back and listen to this album again in its entirety for the first time.
Stevens, who goes by the stage name Terrible Johnny, is an eclectic front man with often unpredictable antics. More recently the vocalist smashed one of his guitars during a show, and often he will share polarizing social media posts to create dialogue with fans. Stevens frequently engages with followers through his Instagram, @terriblejohnny, and is known for posting “call outs” of messages he receives that are offensive or excessive in some way (usually sexually). The band refers to their fan base with the moniker “MCID”, with an entire fan page dedicated to tattooing the slogan on their bodies. Stevens himself has a token face tattoo bearing the MCID logo which is often replicated. “My crew is dope” has been a staple of the band from their debut album, and the shortened MCID acronym became the title of their third studio album, released in 2019. The record was a break from their previous style, featuring collaborations with artists from multiple genres from metal (Gojira) to hip hop (Young Thug) that divided fans of the band with strong opinions on both sides.
The band returned in 2022 with their current touring album, The Midnight Demon Club. Fans were anxious for the release, with Stevens expressing his desire to continue to transition artistically and grow into new genres. They released two singles from the album last June, “Natural Born Killer”and “Pink Lullaby,” and fans collectively let out a sigh of relief. “Natural Born Killer” mimicked the style of the bands first two albums while “Pink Lullaby” appealed to the more electronic sounds of tracks from MCID, but the full record seemed to find a balance between the two approaches that served fans of both sides of the band well. The track art for the album is beautiful with vibrant colors and trippy graphics, and the band has interactive color pages online for fans to create their own version and post here.
Highly Suspect is currently on a headlining tour with support from beloved rock band Dead Poet Society with multiple sold out shows, including the upcoming set at The Pageant. Tour dates can be found here. If you are lucky enough to have found a ticket, you are in for an unpredictable and chaotic night, with plenty of moshing and surfing to be had. | Erica Vining
Highly Suspect on tour:
02.18.23 | Rams Head Live! | Baltimore, MD
02.21.23 | Manchester Music Hall | Lexington, KY
02.23.23 | Clyde Theatre | Fort Wayne, IN
02.24.23 | Turner Hall Ballroom | Milwaukee, WI
02.25.23 | The Sylvee | Madison, WI
02.28.23 | The Castle Theatre | Bloomington, IL
03.02.23 | The Pageant | St Louis, MO
03.03.23 | Egyptian Room at Old National Centre | Indianapolis, IN
03.04.23 | MegaCorp Pavilion | Newport, KY
04.02.23 | Gila River Arena | Glendale, AZ
04.04.23 | Ball Arena | Denver, CO
04.06.23 | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA
04.08.23 | T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, NV
04.10.23 | Pechanga Arena | San Diego, CA
04.12.23 | Honda Center | Anaheim, CA
04.14.23 | Oakland Arena | Oakland, CA
04.16.23 | Moda Center | Portland, OR
04.18.23 | Climate Pledge Arena | Seattle, WA
04.20.23 | Vivint Arena | Salt Lake City, UT
