Underoath are arguably the most profound live acts out on the tour circuit, regardless of their genre, and even up there with the likes of Muse when playing a live show. Seeing Underoath live for the first time last year this statement definitely rang true.
Survive, Kaleidoscope was filmed in Philadelphia at the Electric Factory in October 2008, while the CD was recorded at many differing venues through the course of 2008.
Most live recordings are not great quality, but this one is certainly different. Instrumentation is excellent and nothing is overpowering, Spencer Chamberlain’s screams and harmonies are stronger and more powerful in delivery and Aaron Gillespie does a fantastic job playing drums and singing with pitch perfect vocals for the entirety of the concert. Though to me the CD in this package is pretty much warranted useless. It is just a mix and mash of live performances through a tour, sounding like demo recordings, with only short bursts of crowd involvement and talk from Aaron and Spencer that make you realise that this is not just a dodgy bootleg. Yes this recording shows that they are a tight live act, but why not just listen to the original recordings?
Thank goodness this package has come with a DVD. The track listing is the same for the DVD as the CD, but thankfully all from the same concert since Underoath has such a good stage presence and strong crowd interaction that it would be awkward if it was chop and changed from show to show. The DVD start’s with ‘Salmarnir’ with some interesting footage and story line about a girl has come to her death. Then the band makes their way to the stage opening with ‘Returning Empty Handed,’ then with no hesitation, straight into the popular ‘In Regards to Myself.’ The set list that the band chooses for this recording is exceptional and all the fans favourite songs are played.
After the last song from the DVD set has finished, you can hear the crowd screaming for more, and the band deliver. When they come back on stage for the now obligatory encore, and kick off with ‘Moving For The Sake Of Motion’ you almost feel that they are going to continue on into another set due to all the energy and adrenaline flowing and encompassed through the band members and crowd. The set closes with a fan favourite, ‘A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White’ which gets a large sing-along from the crowd.
All songs from
Define the Great Line are played, while only three from
They’re Only Chasing Safety which doesn’t disappoint since the three songs played are the most memorable from that album.
Survive Kaleidoscope is more for the Underoath fans who haven’t been able to see them live are trying to collect the whole discography. If it wasn’t for the DVD section of this release it would ended up being a huge disappointment and let down.
3.5/5
