From ‘Haven’ to Heaven: Marianas Trench Rocks The Roxian on The Force of Nature Tour

Photos: Abigail McNatt
Review: Chris “Oberrated” Ober

Do you like theatrical music featuring the highest of music notes being hit by incredible voices? Do you like 6, 8, and 9 minute long power epics? How about insane light productions that create some of the most memorable sights to be seen on a concert stage? Well, Pittsburgh was in for a treat on Thursday, October 3, as Marianas Trench took their “The Force of Nature” tour to The Roxian Theatre. Tagging along for the ride was pop-centric artist PIAO, and the icon herself, Cassadee Pope. The three together would be on course for putting a show together that would enthrall the audience where they stood.

First to the stage was PIAO (pronounced like “piano”, just remove the “n”!) PIAO hit the stage with energy! Her first few songs felt like a blend of your usual pop anthems but also add in the sounds and flair of the best K-pop/J-pop bands you know. After some impressive vocals, infectious chorus lines, and some crisp dance breakdowns within the first batch of songs, PIAO showed her versatility as she slowed down the pace with “Anticipatory Grief,” and my personal favorite of the night, “Haunted by Potential“, where she fully dropped the track and featured an intimate performance behind a piano and sang about not being able to capitalize on known potential. A story that seemed to resonate well with the crowd. After PIAO proved she was far more than just a pop star, she was ready to bring the energy back up and finish her set strong with more fast-paced songs, including a cover of the fan-favorite Paramore track, ‘Still Into You,’ where she channeled Hayley Williams’ energy effortlessly. In the blink of an eye, PIAO had finished warming up the crowd, and a national superstar was ready to grace the theater with her presence.

“The Voice” season 3 winner, former lead singer of Hey Monday, and former country music star—these are just a few of the many accolades associated with Cassadee Pope. But on this night, she was the pop punk princess, just months removed from the release of her album, Hereditary. The crowd buzzed with anticipation before she took the stage, and from where I stood, the energy was electric once she arrived. Between those jumping non-stop throughout her set, others scream-singing every word, and everyone completely captivated by Cassadee’s talent, it was clear she owned the room. I mean, seriously, I don’t think she missed a single note. Her performance was truly something special, and this was especially footnoted when Cassadee snuck in a performance of “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked”, to which she was met with possibly the loudest singalong of her whole set. To which she noted, “Marianas Trench is pretty theatrical, so I felt this would go over well. What do you all think?” Where the crowd then responded with raucous approval. This kind of energy persisted through the rest of Pope’s set, and it was quite one to experience. At this point, the Roxian Theatre was so ready to welcome Marianas Trench to the stage.

It has been a long five years since Marianas Trench graced Pittsburgh, and from the sounds of the crowd, they were well aware of the time passed since seeing their favorite Canadian band. In no time at all, the familiar opening track, “A Normal Life” from their newest album Haven, which was just released on August 30, began to ring through the crowd. If there’s one thing that sets MT apart from your typical rock band, it’s their incredible theatrical style. From the production to the unique instruments used in their tracks, and especially lead singer Josh Ramsey’s wondrous voice, capable of hitting both the highest and longest notes, they stand out. A Marianas Trench show is truly a spectacle, and I firmly believe it’s impossible for them to deliver anything less.

Marianas Trench brought the lightning and thunder in more ways than one. While the second song of the night is titled exactly that, the energy and noise was reminiscent of a rolling storm. Aside from featuring plenty of their newest songs off their hot new album Haven, they had to include numerous tracks from their impressive discography which spans all the way back to 1999. But not just any tracks, we are talking the best of the best like, “Desperate Measures”, “All to Myself”, “Haven’t Had Enough”, as well as a blend of “Cross My Heart” with “Celebrity Status”. Now the excitement does not come solely from the “best of” list out of Marianas Trench’s library, but it also comes from the showmanship of Josh Ramsey. Josh is known for his high notes and energy, but what stands out every single time and also when comparing to many other bands is how much Josh loves to interact with the crowd. From sending out quick-witted quips to the many things yelled out from the crowd to him quite literally marching his way through the audience while singing “Haven’t Had Enough”. Josh uses not only the whole stage but the whole venue, and all in attendance love him all the more for it.

On a typical concert night, by the end of a band’s set, they would head backstage and then the audience would summon them right on back for a final encore of a song or two. However, note that I said “typical”. Marianas Trench is anything but that. The final song of the night came, and it was no ordinary song, it was none other than the self-titled track that the album was named after, “Haven”. is a nearly 9-minute epic, featuring diverse verses that showcase each band member’s talents, and culminating in a final, roaring crescendo of voices. Of course, Josh’s voice takes center stage, as he delivers the final “life” of the song in a way only he can. As the band takes their bows, the elation in the room could be felt by the way the hair stuck up on my arms. The crowd being left in a screaming state, cheering on Josh and Marianas Trench. While the other half of the audience not screaming were simply left stunned at the final epic. Do me a favor, MT, don’t make Pittsburgh and myself wait another 5 years to experience this again, sound good?