By Nate Follmer
Thursday, along with old friends Rival Schools and Many Eyes, brought the “War All the Time Live” tour to The Roxian Theatre in Pittsburgh. It’s been 20 years since “War All the Time” released and Thursday sent us back to a time when screamo and hardcore were at their peak. Many Eyes also added in some nostalgic flair by way of a familiar voice in the hardcore music scene.
Many Eyes opened the night with their unique and catchy hardcore sound. Brothers Charlie Bellmore (Guitar) and Nick Bellmore (Drums and Bass) teamed up with vocalist Keith Buckley to bring to life a band that is already making waves in the heavy music scene. After leaving Every Time I Die in 2021 to focus on his mental health and sobriety, Buckley was approached by Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta with the idea of working with the Bellmore brothers.






All I have to say is thank you, Jamey. Many Eyes brings back a lot of what was lost with the Every Time I Die split, but also breathes new life into their music. Many Eyes’ sound has similarities to ETID, which is something that’s impossible to avoid with Buckley’s distinct voice, but there’s also a new, more accessible layer that refines what once was. The music twists through chaotic guitar riffs and basslines, mosh-inducing heaviness and swings around to catchy melodic choruses. I loved what I heard and I’m anxiously awaiting the rest of the album.



The Roxian Theatre was singing along to the three available tracks, “Revelation”, “Mystic Cord” and “Future Proof.” Many Eyes played through their yet to be released album and only left one track off the set. This was only their fourth or fifth show, but the band’s previous experience shines through in their stage presence and connection on stage. Many Eyes is set to be at the top of many listeners’ playlists if they aren’t already.

Next up was New York’s post-hardcore supergroup Rival Schools. Formed by members of the bands Gorilla Biscuits, CIV, Youth of Today and Iceburn, Rival Schools brought a loyal fanbase to the Roxian Theatre that was moshing and singing along to their entire set. Guitarist and Lead Vocalist Walter Schreifels, Bassist Cache Tolman, Drummer Sam Siegler and Thursday Guitarist Steve Pedulla played through some of the band’s most iconic songs like “Good Things,” “69 Guns,” and “High Acetate.” While Rival Schools was the most mellow act of the night, the energy level of the crowd never dropped. Although they’ve had a relatively short life span as a band and endured many inactive years, Rival Schools has a loyal and intense fan base.




Even after a rather lengthy wait between sets, the crowd’s energy level was at its peak as Thursday took the stage. Drummer Tucker Rule was greeted with an eruption of cheers, followed closely by Guitarist Steve Pedulla and touring members Stu Richardson (Bass) and Norman Brannon (Guitar) joining Rule on stage. The Roxian shook from the sound waves of the crowd cheering as Vocalist Geoff Rickly finally emerged from backstage. The band quickly hit the opening notes to “For the Workforce, Drowning,” and it was quite clear that we were in for a ride.

Let’s go back to a time, nearly 20 years ago, shortly after “War All the Time” was released. I was a late-stage teenager going to see Thursday and Every Time I Die perform at our local music venue. The Crowbar at State College probably held 300 people, but the energy of that evening was something I had never seen there before or after. This night was the first time Thursday and Every Time I Die would play together in State College. The floor was packed so tightly that if one person moved, the entire crowd had to shuffle with them. We were one cohesive unit driven only by Rickly’s command and probably a fire marshal’s worst nightmare.
Bringing us back to the present, I briefly spoke with Buckley after Many Eyes left the stage. He remembered this evening as well and even called The Crowbar “almost our second home.” I lost track of how many times Buckley would return to play at our little venue.

I was taken back to this night the moment Rickly turned towards us and screamed out the opening lines to “For the Workforce, Drowning.” It had been 20 years since that night, but he still had that same command over this much larger crowd. The floor was a single entity pulsating to the music. The ebb and flow of “War All the Time” was not only audible, but visual as well. Watching the crowd was like watching Winamp music visualizations. The youth of the crowd probably have no idea what I just said, but us veterans know. We lived through the peak of the screamo era. Thursday is still there today and they’re taking this new generation of fans back in time to experience this raw, cohesive energy we all thrived on.






After playing “War All the Time” in its entirety, Thursday added a few favorites to the set. “Jet Black New Year,” or part two of “Tomorrow I’ll Be You” as Rickley put it, was the final song before the encore. Thursday then returned while the crowd chanted “one more song!” and ended the evening with “Cross Out the Eyes,” “Understanding In a Car Crash” and “Turnpike Divides.”












If you missed this show and wish you could witness this all for yourself, then you’re in luck! After a month-long schedule running across the country, the “War All the Time Live” tour comes back to Philadelphia on February 20th (happy birthday to me) and Baltimore on February 22nd. Check out Thursday’s website and socials for more information on dates and tickets.