As the clouds pull away from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida’s now humid skyline, the walls surrounding the Culture Room become a who’s who of the South Florida scene. Everyone from local band members to your average scenester are fashioned in the latest pair of Nike Dunks and band tees. The event: Emery’s headlining tour in support of their latest album, I’m Only a Man, featuring Mayday Parade and As Cities Burn, along with opening acts Pierce the Veil and Cry of the Afflicted.

Once the doors finally open, the sold-out crowd slowly pours in and Cry of the Afflicted start off the night with their generic and overdone brand of melodic hardcore. Pierce the Veil follow and are the biggest disappointment of the night, rivaled only by As Cities Burn.

Released August 2007, As Cities Burn’s album Come Now, Sleep topped many rock journalist’s most-anticipated-album-of-the-year lists but was greeted with extremely mixed reviews. I personally loved it and agreed to cover this show for the sole reason that they would be playing. The album was amazingly experimental compared to their past efforts (Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest) and boasted some of the most spiritually relevant lyrics of the year, but lacked the high energy fans had grown to love. Unfortunately, this didn’t make for a good live performance and left most of the audience bored, and based on the looks on their faces, begging for Mayday Parade to hit the stage.

Once they did, they hit the stage with a roar of energy. Playing tracks off their full-length debut album, A Lesson in Romantics, Mayday Parade had the best crowd participation and response of the night. Crowd surfing, stage dives and basically everything the signs pasted onto the venue’s walls forbade abounded once they hit their first note. Looking like a mix between Underoath’s Spencer Chamberlain and Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara, vocalist Derek Sanders provided most of the energy as they breezed through fan favorites like “Black Cat” and “Three Cheers for Five Years.”

Around 10:45 p.m., the moment most had been waiting for arrived. The lights went black, and Emery opened their set with “Rock-N-Rule,” the first track of I’m Only a Man. As the night grew longer, Emery continued with a set full of their greatest hits. “Playing With Fire,” “The Party Song,” “Studying Politics” and, of course, “Walls” were all played for the sold-out crowd.

Finally after a long night, music came on over the house speakers signaling the end. After five bands, this show further solidified my theory that touring club shows should only allow up to four bands a night. Just a word of advice to bands planning their headlining tours: Once you get to the fifth and sixth band, it all sounds the same. To recap, Emery and Mayday Parade killed it; As Cities Burn, better luck next time.

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