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Knowing that I was going to spend Spring Break in Madison working for the Guards, I was not overly excited; however, finding out that Pillar would be swinging though on the Days of the Reckoning Tour the same week made it worth looking forward to! After a bit of web-confusion trying to figure out exactly which venue the show would be, I found that the local hard-rock station was hosting the show at the Annex, a local hot-spot for college students. However, there was an obvious absence of college-aged students at the show. For the most part, the under-par crowd was between 18 and 21, which fit the 18+ limits on the patronage. Having a venue where the age limit was set at 18+ probably alienated the 14-17 year old lads that would normally been head banging in the Pillar mosh pit.

The starting lineup consisted of This Beautiful Republic, a new signing to Forefront Records. Their debut album Even Heroes Need a Parachute hits the shelves this month. The young Ohio natives put on a great set, and having heard their CD already, I was taken aback by the distinct differences between the CD and the live show. The live show, according to lead vocalist Ben Olin is something they can tweak, depending on who they tour with. And sharing the stage with Pillar amounts to a hyped-up rock show. The only odd moment was their cover of "Wonder Wall" (Oasis). Not a rock song, and much of what is cool about the original was lost in the translation. However, that was just one thing, and the band did have fun spoofing it up.

The second act is actually billed on the tour, and they are Tyler Read. I have not heard of the band prior to this concert, so it was hard to follow their songs. They, too, did a fine set, and the small crowd was enthusiastic throughout the set. Their lead singer was a little shy, hiding behind his long hair and often talking to us while standing sideways, looking down or to the back of the stage. The stage mannerisms were much more contrasted once Pillar stepped up to the plate. However, before ending their set, Rob and Noah (Pillar) joined Tyler Read on their lead song "Only Rock and Roll Can Save Us." Their new CD will also be in stores this April.

Lastly, the main event, Pillar entered stage left as Johnny Cash's rendition of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" played over the PA. The difference in stage-maturity and musical performance was quickly noticeable between this veteran act and the younger warm-up bands. The only thing that could have made this event better would have been a larger showing of fans. I stayed for the majority of the show while the band played songs primarily from their last few CDs. However, because of the late night and the early reporting time for the Guards, I did not make it through the whole night.

I was impressed that the bands all played so hard despite the fact that the venue was not at full capacity. It was cool, too, that they conveyed their expression of faith in their music, despite the fact that this was a club and not the usual church venue. Had the show been open to all ages and possibly promoted a little heavier by the radio station, the night would have been even more exciting.

Ken Wiegman  April 5, 2007
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