AFI make energetic first stop in Grand Rapids

6-5-10 Originally published on Examiner.com by Tracy Heck

Thursday night, alternative rock band AFI (A Fire Inside) brought their Crash Love tour to the Orbit Room in Grand Rapids.

c: Tracy Heck

The stop was their first time playing in Grand Rapids and they gave the crowd everything they were hoping for and more.
Pop rock group Scarlet Grey opened the show and went over well with the crowd.  They played a number of new songs off of their current EP release Fancy Blood. 
The band's melodic music was a nice warm up to AFI's powerhouse performance and lead vocalist Ben Grey took time after the show to meet and greet fans in the lobby.
AFI's set was full of songs off of their last album Crash Love but also consisted of some of their most popular songs and a few songs that hadn't been heard in a long time.
These rare songs included an amazing performance of "...But Home Is Nowhere" that featured vocalist Davey Havok entering the crowd as well as a performance of one of their earliest punk songs, "Perfect Fit".
They opened the show with the first single off of Crash Love, "Medicate" and closed with a powerful encore of "Days of the Phoenix", "Love Like Winter" and "Silver and Cold".
Havok didn't spend much time talking during the evening but he did acknowledge the fact that AFI had never played in the area before.
The band truly seemed to be enjoying themselves and the crowd fed off of their energy. 
Havok is one of the most active artists out there and following him across the stage is an exercise in and of itself.
With a perfect set list and a solid performance, AFI made their first Grand Rapids stop memorable.
AFI will be touring with punk rock group Green Day starting in August.  They will be making a stop in Clarkston, Michigan at the DTE Energy Music Theater on Monday, August 23.

AFI Orbit Room set list:
Medicate
Girl's Not Grey
The Leaving Song Pt. II
I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here
Kill Caustic
End Transmission
Perfect Fit
Beautiful Thieves
Dancing Through Sunday
Torch Song
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
On The Arrow
... But Home Is Nowhere
Miss Murder
Encore:
Days Of The Phoenix
Love Like Winter
Silver & Cold