This Fire Burns White Hot
AFI Gives a Dominating Performance

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>> AFI's frontman Davey Havok surveys the crowd. >>

>> Anaheim, CA, January 23, 2003 >>  There seems to be a common sentiment when it comes to a discussion of AFI: everyone knows what the band can do, but when will it finally blow up?  They've got a huge hardcore following and the buzz on the band has been palpable for a few years now.  While they've enjoyed indie success, it seemed as though AFI (which stands for A Fire Inside) was eschewing making the leap to a major-label.  Now that they've finally signed to Dreamworks and their debut is just weeks away, the frenzy has reached the boiling point.   If tonight's show at the House of Blues was any indication of what's in store for AFI, then stardom is a sure thing.

Show opener All Bets Off started the night off ripping into fast songs of their own and surprising the crowd with a great cover of Billy Idol's "White Wedding," with the lead singer spending more time in the crowd than on the stage.

>> Havok works the fans. >>

LA's own TheStart, the second act on the bill, came out and brought the crowd up to the top of the roller coaster, just ready to go over.  Lead singer Aimee Echo wowed the crowd with her vocal ability and inventive songs while multi-instrumentalist Jamie Miller, as always, was busy with guitar and providing the keyboard parts throughout.  All together their set went beautifully.

AFI, in the headlining spot, exploded upon the stage like a stick of dynamite as singer and fan idol Davey Havok emerged wearing vinyl pants and a sleeveless shirt.  He immediately took control of the throng of screaming fans, holding tight rein over their passion.  The night went off into complete chaos right as the first song began.  Not far into the set, Davey broke into a stage diving performance, molding the crowd into a relentless screaming machine.  The crowd surged as fans did whatever they could to touch AFI's charismatic frontman. 

>> Havok takes the fans to new heights. >>

The energy flew off the stage almost as fast as Davey's vocals reached everyone in the crowd.  With the crowd all riled up, stage diving and crowd surfing became a way of life.  About a quarter of the way in to the set, Davey leaped off the stage, landing nearly half way across the crowd to an explosive start for their 4th song.  Throughout the show there seemed no stopping AFI.  They were militant leaders and the crowd was their soldiers ready to scream and mosh for them.

With AFI's performance at its peak, there seemed no encore could stand up, but as Davey went into "God Called In Sick Today" he was hoisted up above the crowd standing on everyone's hands.  Just as the chorus hit he tumbled back into the mass of humanity with a spin.  The whole night was a crazy ride until the lights returned, people went about finding their shoes, and the crazy world of AFI that everyone was sucked into became fond memories.  >>

By Eric Taylor, exclusive to VOXonline.com