Alexisonfire At Centre Bell

When it comes to the Canadian Metal/Hardcore scene, one band stands tall among the others, and that would be Alexisonfire (pronounced Alexis-on-fire).  They were at the Centre Bell this past Saturday night opening for Avenged Sevenfold (whose pictures you can see by following this link).  This was my first time seeing them live, and it was a terrific experience.  They have a power that is felt on their records, but it is just so much more when you have the music blasted right at you.  The band had broken up for a brief period back in 2012, but reunited a few short years later and picked up right where they left off.  They're most recent album, Otherness, was released last year and won a Juno Award this past year for Rock Album of the Year.  They have been cited as having an enduring influence on Canadian rock and aggressive music in general.  It's not easy to see why when you attend one of their shows.  Alexisonfire hits the stage with an unrivaled energy and proceed to dominate the area.  Bassist Chris Steele, in particular, was a force of nature, not only musically, but physically throwing himself all over the place while also treating us photographers to some great facial expressions over our three songs.  No gimmicks necessary for this gang, it was hard, fast and heavy from the opening notes.  The first photograph was taken at f/3.2, 1/250sec, ISO 4000 at 35mm and the second photograph was taken at f/3.2, 1/200sec, ISO 4000 at 47mm.  Here are several more photographs that I took of their performance.

f/3.2, 1/200sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/125sec, ISO 4000 at 57mm

f/3.2, 1/1000sec, ISO 4000 at 41mm

f/3.2, 1/1250sec, ISO 4000 at 61mm

f/3.2, 1/1250sec, ISO 4000 at 38mm

f/3.2, 1/500sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/500sec, ISO 4000 at 50mm

f/3.2, 1/800sec, ISO 4000 at 42mm

f/3.2, 1/400sec, ISO 4000 at 42mm

f/3.2, 1/160sec, ISO 4000 at 24mm

f/3.2, 1/160sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/200sec, ISO 4000 at 24mm

f/3.2, 1/200sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/200sec, ISO 4000 at 61mm

f/3.2, 1/500sec, ISO 4000 at 24mm

f/3.2, 1/500sec, ISO 4000 at 35mm

f/3.2, 1/200sec, ISO 4000 at 42mm

f/3.2, 1/1250sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/1600sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/500sec, ISO 4000 at 55mm

f/3.2, 1/800sec, ISO 4000 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/250sec, ISO 6400 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/1600sec, ISO 6400 at 24mm

f/3.5, 1/500sec, ISO 6400 at 57mm

f/3.2, 1/400sec, ISO 6400 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/400sec, ISO 6400 at 24mm

f/3.2, 1/250sec, ISO 6400 at 70mm

f/3.2, 1/400sec, ISO 6400 at 24mm

If you'd like to find out more about Alexisonfire and their music, you can do so by following the link to their website.  If you'd like to see the photographs that I took of Avenged Sevenfold, who played later that night, you can do so by following the link.  When Alexisonfire broke onto the scene in the early 2000s, they kind of changed the definition of what Canadian music was.  A change that was welcomed by many, as others soon followed the same path.  A true Canadian musical institution that continues to grow to this day.  A definite show not to be missed