Pop Evil at the Rust Belt -- August 15.
Tuesday, August 15, 7 p.m.
The Rust Belt, 533 12th Avenue, East Moline IL
Touring in support of their springtime release Skeletons, an album that Maximum Volume Music called "as muscular as any hard rock anywhere," the alternative-metal and post-grunge talents of Pop Evil headline an August 15 concert at East Moline venue The Rust Belt, the group's numerous chart-topping hits including "Trenches," "Deal with the Devil," "Waking Lions," and 2021's "Breathe Again."
Formed in North Muskegon, Michigan, in 2001 by lead vocalist Leigh Kakaty and guitarist Jason Reed, Pop Evil first rose to international prominence with Lipstick on the Mirror, initially released on a small indie in 2008 and reissued by Universal Republic the following year. After Kakaty famously tore up the band’s major label contract onstage, Pop Evil signed with MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music). 2011’s War of Angels consequently debuted in the top 10 of Billboard's Rock Albums chart and produced the top 10 singles “Last Man Standing,” “Monster You Made," and “Boss’s Daughter.”
The band’s momentum continued with the addition of new member and lead guitarist Nick Fuelling for 2013’s Onyx, an album that put Pop Evil in the top 40 of the Billboard 200 for the first time and boasted three chart-toppers in "Trenches," "Deal with the Devil," and "Torn to Pieces." Their next release, Up, reached the top spot on the Independent Albums in America list and made it to number 25 on the Billboard 200. It featured several top-five rock songs (among them “Ways to Get High,” “Take It All,” and “If Only for Now”), as well as a chart-topper in “Footsteps.”
Their 2018 self-titled set, featuring the addition of UK-born drummer Hayler Cramer, included the hits “Waking Lions” (number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart), “Be Legendary” (number two), and “A Crime to Remember” (number seven). From there, 2020’s Versatile scored two chart-topping rock songs in “Breathe Again” and “Survivor," and to date, Pop Evil has amassed four gold-selling singles and are approaching one billion career streams. Regarding this year's Skeletons, Pop Evil founder Kakaty said, "First, it’s about our musical identity. This is about us as a band stripping everything down to the bones. It’s more up-tempo, it’s got bigger riffs, and we’re trying to capture the energy of our live show. But it’s also a positive message. I know it’s a morbid visual, but behind every skeleton, there’s a story and something worth talking about. Overall, it’s about looking at something in a positive way. And I’m excited for everyone to hear that.”
Pop Evil brings their "Skeletons Tour" to East Moline on August 15 with an opening set by Eva Under Fire, admission to the 7 p.m. concert starts at $29.75, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheRustBeltQC.com.
