I used to hang out with their moms at shows, spend odd weekends at the shore with them and even once took a member to a high school dance. That was long before Valencia was releasing major label albums and selling out shows at landmark theaters in their hometown of Philadelphia. Watching a stage tech set up and sound check guitars was a bit strange, but it was fantastic to see a entire room of kids screaming along with frontman Shane Henderson on “Away We Go,” almost drowning out the singer himself.
Fan in Valencia hoodie
For their CD Release show, Valencia was more than amped as they took the stage amidst excited and screaming fans. They five mixed up the set list, mixing the old with the new and were more than excited themselves to find so much support for their major label debut, We All Need A Reason To Believe, which hit #2 on the iTunes Alternative Albums chart within the second day of its release.
Following “Away We Go,” Valencia broke into another old favorite “3000 Miles.” The crowd again roared, matching Henderson word for word. The first track they played from the new album was “All At Once” followed by “The Closest I Am To Living Life On The Edge,” another song off the previous record. With every song off This Could Be A Possibility, the crowd cheered wildly and sang along at the top of their lungs. They most often listened intently on songs such as “Holiday” from We All Need A Reason To Believe, not having full knowledge of the lyrics yet.
Bassist George Ciukurescu went wild on stage along with guitarist JD Perry, the latter of whom I caught rare glimpses of from my spot next to a pillar in between the floor and elevated bar. Lesson learned: get to a Valencia show early to snag a good spot. Max Soria pounded out beat after beat on his kit while guitar Brendan Walter hung back a bit, as he’s wont to do, yet still retained the same level of energy as the rest of his bandmates.
Towards the end of the set, Henderson picked up his acoustic guitar and played “From The Second I Wake Up…” a song from his side project Promise of Redemption. He dedicated the song to late girlfriend Dana and the audience was split between singing along softly and just listening to the beautiful words of this song of remembrance. Dana’s parents were in the audience and [are still] visibly touched at the song’s words and meaning.
Valencia ended their set with the popular “The Space Between” before returning to the stage to play “Will We Ever Know How?” for their encore. The guys put on an energetic show that you should be sure to check out as they finish up their headlining tour (dates below).
Shane Henderson, George Ciukurescu
Brendan Walter
JD Perry (left)
Max Soria (left)
Tour Dates:
Sep 06 – Marquee / Tulsa *
Sep 07 – FYE NW Express / Oklahoma City (acoustic in-store)
Sep 07 – The Conservatory / Oklahoma City *
Sep 09 – The Waiting Room / Omaha *
Sep 10 – 2 Cents Plain / St. Louis *
Sep 11 – Mojoe’s Rock House / Tinley Park, Il. *
Sep 12 – Howell Opera House / Howell, Mi. *
Sep 13 - FYE Summit Mall / Akron, Oh. (acoustic in-store)
Sep 13 – Musica / Akron, Oh. *
Sep 14 – Crocodile Rock Cafe / Allentown, Pa. *
Sep 15 – Jaggard UMC / Altoona, Pa. *
Sep 16 – Water Street / Rochester, NY *
Sep 17 – Opera House / Toronto *
Sep 19 – The Living Room / Providence *
Sep 20 – FYE Westfield Mall / Trumball, Ct. (acoustic in-store)
Sep 20 – Trackside Teen Center / Wilton, Ct. *
Sep 21 – The TLA / Philadelphia *
* w/ Sing It Loud, Single File, and Cash Cash
Valencia: website | myspace | interview with Shane | We All Need A Reason To Believe review | Alt Press tour blog
