Motion City Soundtrack (Photo Cred: Scott Legato, Getty Images)

“It’s been a good year, a good new beginning. I’m through with the old school so let’s commence the winning.” The music and lyrics from the song ‘Worker Bee’ amplified as the crowd exploded when Motion City Soundtrack took the stage on February 15th. The band rocked the House of Blues of Anaheim with their quirky yet stylized sound. It was the ultimate grand finale to the long holiday weekend.

The hour long 18-set with 2 encore songs was an electrifying display of energy and raw musical entertainment. The attendance was high and the audience was ecstatic to take in a mixture of old and new songs played from their near decade of band history. Classic favorites including ‘The Future Freaks Me Out,’ and ‘My Favorite Accident,’ from the group’s 2003 debut album, I Am the Movie, were instant crowd pleasers. Fans sang along and jumped in rhythm, and Motion City Soundtrack echoed their emotion.

The set continued to surprise as the band switched sporadically between the classics and sure hits from their recently released album My Dinosaur Life. It was the first time many of them had heard the new tunes live. The opening notes of songs like ‘Her Words Destroyed My Planet’ and ‘A Lifeless Ordinary,’ from the new album, showed reflex with cheers from devoted fans approving the creative outcome.

Heather Fechner and Lindsay Amanda Pre-Partying Before The Show

Lead vocalist and guitarist, Justin Pierre, swapped guitars between each song during the show. This ritual is one of the many unique details that added to the deliverance of a charmingly frenzied performance. His voice and on-stage personality compliments his relaxed-nerdy demeanor to help Motion City Soundtrack shine through the clutter of common pop-punk bands. Fans following the singer on twitter revealed concern for his few-day-old ankle sprain which Pierre responded with high spirits of a well state of recovery and thanks. The band remains intimately connected to their fans through their tour travels via social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.

Justin Pierre is just one of the five talented musicians of Motion City Soundtrack. With Josh Cain on vocals and guitar, Matt Taylor, base and vocals, Jesse Johnson rocking the keyboards, and Tony Thaxton on drums, the band is an exceptionally talented five person band. The group moves on to tour internationally with their next stop in Australia, continuing to Japan, the United Kingdom and ultimately back to the east coast of the United States.

The show’s opening bands did their part to excite the fans for the talented headliners. The first in the lineup was The Swellers, a small town band from Flint, Michigan, who brought a bit of traditional punk rock seasoning to the mix. Drawing inspiration from an amalgamated origin of melodic punkers and alternative indie rock from the 90’s, the 4 member band blasted fast paced tunes from the speakers.

Seemingly viewed as the attention grabbing ‘Middle Child’ of the lineup, This Providence brought a unique and catchy flair to the venue. Dan Young, lead singer and guitarist, seemed to ignite as the curtains opened to find his ensemble glowing in the red of the stage lights with his tambourine in hand. His character came off as fantastically flamboyant as the up beats were marked with a snappy little craze. It was a dance hall rocker’s dream band with a sound that pulsated through the hearts and tapping feet of the listeners.

Motion City Soundtrack’s runner-up band, Set Your Goals, succeeded with no question appealed to the high-energy mob of onlookers. Within moments of beginning their set, stage divers and crowd surfers showed their enthusiasm for the darker drum beats and fast paced guitar jams. It has become a standard for the venue to remove fans who engage in these common punk rock concert acts, of which the House of Blues responded with a safety warning announcement after the band finished their set.

The show was a perfect performance of alternative pop-rock and roaring praise for the guys of Motion City Soundtrack and their opening crews. For more information and band tour dates please visit their website at motioncitysoundtrack.com. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of My Dinosaur Life in-stores and online at all music lovers’ outlets.