10 Years Returns to Pop’s in St. Louis
It’s rare that bands nowadays have sustained success for an extended period of time but 10 Years is one of the exceptions to this. Forming in 1999, 10 Years has been one of the most notable bands in rock over the past decade-plus, playing some of the biggest rock festivals and shows. 10 Years is continuing their success with this latest tour and I was there at Pop’s in St. Louis to drum up some nostalgia. I’m not going to lie, this show made me feel a bit old as I remember seeing this band at this very venue in 2005 as an opener.
The show started with VRSTY out of New York. I was new to this band, although I have heard their name on the local radio station here in St. Louis. I was unsure what to expect but, along with the crowd I was pleasantly surprised. It’s hard to describe this band but they were a mix of metalcore and pop-punk with some great pop choruses. Vocalist Joey Varela was giving off some serious Michael Jackson vibes. Do yourself a favor and check these guys out.
Next on the bill was Black Map, a trio from California. With driving bass and heavy guitars, they kept the energy up throughout their set. They were no-frills, straight-up rock for 40 minutes. Most of their set were new tracks from their most recent album Melodoria. They didn’t have a ton of crowd interaction but they were all engaged from start to finish.
After a short break and a drink from the bar, it was time for 10 Years. The lights went down and the guitar intro from “Russian Roulette” began to play. The band entered and the crowd erupted. Frontman Jesse Hasek entered with his infamous black hoodie.
They started off with 5 of their heavier songs from their albums Division and Feeding The Wolves. Bassist Ryan Collier and drummer Kyle Mayer left the stage for a little acoustic set, including one of their bigger hits “So Long.” Not to say that they’re not a relevant band anymore at all, but as the show went on, I was flooded with memories of the early 2000s when bands like 10 Years ruled the radio waves.
I’m sure a lot of the crowd had the same sentiment. Jesse was great interacting with the fans and you can just tell that he and the rest of the band really appreciated still being able to tour the country, put out albums, and get to do what they love for a living. All in all, they seem like really good guys and the show reflected that. I’ve photographed and seen them live more than a handful of times and they are still,15 years later, one of the best live bands around.
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