Arrows in Action takes aim at the upper stage of the Palladium
To say that their first summer tour of the USA was “nerve-wracking” would perhaps be a bit of an exaggeration.
But now that Arrows In Action have embarked on another packed slate of dates to usher in the warmer months of 2024 across the country, things are running more smoothly for the band now that they know what to expect. With that knowledge in hand, they’re excited to get back on the road and bring us all back to life, one city at a time.
That’s the mission of the Florida-based trio, who bring their “Back To Life” tour to Worcester on July 3 for a fast-paced, sweat-inducing concert on the Palladium’s upstairs stage, featuring Brooke Alexx and Elliot Lee.
Fearlessly at new frontiers
Now that it’s known whether concertgoers will actually flock to hear the band’s upbeat alternative rock, frontman Victor Viramontes-Pattison is excited to show what the band can do, including new proving grounds like Madison, Wisconsin and Worcester, where they know they have fans but haven’t had the chance to reach them in person.
Likewise, guitarist Matt Fowler and drummer Jesse Frimmel are looking forward to rocking the house every night, and the trio is collectively keen to enjoy the journey with all its sights and sounds.
“This tour has been great so far,” said Fowler. “We haven’t toured the U.S. for a while, so it just feels great to be back on the road. It’s been incredible to see all the people at these shows. And we get to play places we’ve never played before, like Worcester, which we’re really excited about. We’re just excited to get on there and see what it’s like there.”
An “energetic, captivating and funny show”
Although touring is not new territory for the band, they are conquering some new markets and cities and getting the chance to throw a party with new fans every night.
Whether it’s their setlist, the improved production, or the fun, light-hearted vibe they try to put out each night, Viramontes-Pattison is fortunate that the energy and chemistry between him and his bandmates is absolutely genuine. All of this provides the stamina that gets them through the exhaustion of life on tour.
They hope the word has spread not only among returning fans, but also among people who plan to see the show for the first time.
“You can expect a very high energy, exciting and entertaining show. I think this show looks better than ever in terms of lighting and setup, and it sounds better than ever,” said Fowler.
Fowler added: “We’re really excited to play a lot of old and new songs, but this is mainly for the people who have been around for a long time. The new people can look forward to having a lot of fun and letting off steam a bit by laughing with us and feeling a bit more involved. We really try to make people feel included and comfortable, and we at least think we’re funny.”
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The “title song” of a tour
While their relatively small but strong catalog, including a handful of their bigger hits like “All The Ways I Could Die,” “Uncomfortably Numb,” and “Head in the Clouds,” rounds out much of the tour’s setlist, the trio has discovered a new gem with the release of their latest single, “Hello Sunlight!”
As with other songs in the past, Viramontes-Pattison had a good feeling about the new song from the beginning because he couldn’t get it out of his head and wanted to sing it every minute of the day.
From his perspective, this is a sure sign that the song will be a hit with fans. Already in the first half of the summer tour, the newest song in the set has become an anthem for the tour and the fans, who sing it to the band every night.
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“Even from the first show of the tour to now, every show we’ve had, more people have learned ‘Hello Sunlight!'” Viramontes-Pattison said. “I don’t know if that’s because more people are discovering it or if they’re just learning the words faster. But it’s been really cool to see a song that’s so exciting to us and something that we believe in so much be taken on board and really embraced by our fans.”
He added: “It feels really good to be able to build this tour around this song, which feels like the theme song for this tour in the best sense.”
Leaving bad things behind
As they slowly approach welcoming their fans to Worcester, they are also getting ready to explore the city’s attractions. Viramontes-Pattison and his crew pride themselves on doing some pre-arrival research before arriving in a new city, and look forward to the opportunity to explore the city and get some rest after the long ride in their bandwagon. They are happy to take suggestions for restaurants and cafes as they delve into the history of the “Wormtown” nickname.
As for the show itself, the band is thrilled to feel the energy and emotion their songs evoke in their audience, and they help the Central Massachusetts portion of their fan base let loose a little with their thoughtful lyrics set to upbeat and stirring tunes.
“We were originally writing a lot of emo music, with songs like ‘All The Ways I Could Die,’ and on ‘Built To Last,’ we wrote ‘Head In The Clouds,’ where we kind of threw the cheesiness out the window. We were like, if it feels good, it feels good. That song opened a lot of doors for us in terms of songwriting that we weren’t afraid of anymore, and now ‘Hello Sunlight!’ feels like a more mature version of ‘Head in the Clouds,'” Viramontes-Pattison said.
“It’s a full band and the verses are a little dark, but the chorus is such a break from the verses and we actually joked about it being like getting rid of the bad in your life. One big thing we learned from ‘All The Ways I Could Die’ and ‘Uncomfortably Numb’ is that people still come up to us after shows and tell us how our songs helped them through divorce, addiction or other personal issues, just because we’re writing a song about a situation we’re going through, even if it’s ambiguous. So it feels good to be able to give people something to help them put the bad behind them.”
Arrows in action with Brooke Alexx and Elliot Lee
When: 18:30 3 July
Where: The Palladium (above), 261 Main St., Worcester
How much: $25. thepalladium.net.
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