Shadows splayed on the wall as a young woman danced to the music and sang along. The Facebook post she made later read, “This is the band that got me through four years of high school and seven years of college.”

The woman in front of me, much like the rest of the crowd, became very involved in the music of alternative rock band Blue October who performed at the Amarillo Civic Center Saturday, April 23. The performance was part of their Fear tour. Lead singer Justin Furstenfeld performed an acoustic concert at Ordway Hall in Amarillo College Sept. 6 as part of his Open Book Tour. The band performed songs from their newest album, “Sway,” and songs from older albums. The concert took place in the Complex Auditorium, which was nearly full. Legendary Skies, a band from Austin, and Ashleigh Stone, a  singer and pianist from Lubbock, were the opening acts.

Legendary Skies is an instrumental band, meaning they did not use vocals. However, they did open several songs with a pre-recorded voice track to match the mood. The band consists of five members. The music was interesting, and led me to purchase their CD. I am not sure how long the band played, due to the fact I was enjoying them enough to not care. In between each set was about 10-20 minutes for the concert attendees to purchase band merchandise and drinks.

The next act was Ashleigh Stone, who also performed in Furstenfeld’s Open Book Tour. She has released two other albums since her last performance. She signed albums and took pictures with fans after her performance and the concert. She is an incredibly nice person, and her joy can brighten anyone’s day. It was an absolute pleasure to meet her, and her music is a nice change to the unchanging music replayed on the radio. I would definitely suggest attending a concert if the chance arrives.

Blue October then entered the stage and began their set with a song from their newest album. Their crowd erupted into cheers when the band made their entrance. The lighting suited the venue well, and the band was easy to see from almost anywhere (if you were standing, of course.) The concert did have assigned seating, which made the concert calmer, but still fun. No dangerous mosh pits occurred. My only negative experience during the concert was the drunken women located in the row behind me cackling like hyenas. Eventually, however, they left (after which I cheered).

My personal favorite performance was of the song “Hate Me,” which, after an encore chant, brought the band onto the stage to perform one final song for the night. They brought Stone onto the stage for several performances as well. The band sounded like they did on their studio albums, and nothing horrible went wrong, even when Furstenfeld exited the stage to sing in the crowd (which was a dangerous maneuver). Many of his songs were reflective of his past of drug and alcohol abuse, and he made sure to inform the crowd not to take that path. Despite his extreme anxiety, he showed no fear. He filled the auditorium with love, and it is definitely a concert not to be forgotten.

Overall, the concert was phenomenal. Even my father, who has been to numerous rock festivals and big-name band concerts, said this was one of the best concerts he ever attended. While there were a few obscene gestures and words, it was all meant in a powerful manner. If the concert was rated, (anyone could attend) it would be about 13 and older. The Fear tour is definitely worth attending. I would advise, however, to bring money for band merchandise and be prepared to wait for an hour or two to get your CDs signed.