Spinning Into Oblivion: The Wheel Tour Hits L.A.
I See Stars ‘The Wheel’ tour spun into the El Rey Theatre with seismic, explosive energy that never let up. From Diamante’s hard rock/glam metal fusion to Until I Wake’s metalcore brutality and Mothica’s cinematic dark alternative, the lineup felt meticulously crafted to keep the intensity peaking. By the end of the night, the audience was blissed out, swept through mosh pits, crowdsurfing waves and human beyblades tearing open the floor. It was the kind of euphoria you have to experience to fully understand.
Opening the night, Diamante transported the crowd back to 1982, a fitting homage, given L.A.’s legacy as a breeding ground for hard rock and rock ’n’ roll greats. That legacy felt alive again as she modernized the genre with a commanding presence and powerhouse vocals that carried all the way to the back of the venue. Electrifying guitar solos paid tribute to the era while seamlessly blending into metalcore-inspired soundscapes, creating something distinctly her own. Tracks like ‘Haunted’, ‘Ghost Myself’ and ‘Silver Bullet' showcased her range, but ‘1982’ stood out as a defining moment. Its sonic cohesion, paired with a stripped-down instrumental break that spotlighted her vocals, drew roaring cheers. The track’s breakdown ignited a pocket of chaos at the barricade, with fans thrashing and headbanging in unison. Closing with ‘Bite of the Beast’,she delivered a high-octane finish and a statement that she’s a force pushing glam rock into a new era.
Until I Wake wasted no time unleashing chaos, immediately demanding the pit to open and the crowd answered. From the first crushing riffs, the audience matched their intensity, bodies colliding in sync with the band’s breakdowns. ‘For the Record’ ignited the set, with drinks spilling and limbs swinging as the crowd two-stepped and windmilled into ‘Fool’s Paradise’. ‘Separated’ escalated things further, as a call for a wider pit led to the emergence of a human beyblade - two fans locked together, spinning like a wrecking ball through the chaos. ‘Octane’ brought a surge of crowdsurfers, while ‘Self Medication’ offered a rare moment of unity, the venue glowing with phone lights and voices singing in unison. Closing with ‘Inside My Head’, the band led a thunderous call-and-response that echoed through the theatre. With bodies slipping across the pit floor, surfers diving over the rail and chants of “one by one” ringing out, their set stood as one of the most kinetic and unrelenting of the night.
Shifting the atmosphere entirely, Mothica delivered the most intimate performance of the evening. The L.A.-based artist took the stage with a quiet confidence that quickly captivated the room. Opening with ‘The Void’ her dark electronic soundscape and haunting vocals enveloped the venue, enhanced by flickering lights that mirrored the song’s mood. ‘Toxins’ elevated the energy with an infectious yet eerie melody, striking a balance between vulnerability and momentum. A standout moment came with her cover of ‘Can You Feel My Heart’, which sent the audience into a collective emotional surge, voices rising together as she reimagined the track with her own crystalline, electronic edge. ‘Weapon’ carried a heavier presence, blending ethereal tones with an underlying intensity. Between songs, her candid banter and thematic storytelling deepened the connection, weaving tracks like ‘forever fifteen’ and ‘Vices’ into a cohesive, introspective narrative. Closing with ‘SENSITIVE’, she left the crowd in a state of hypnotic awe, her blend of allure and darkness lingering in the air.
Then came I See Stars and with them, a complete eruption. Opening with the mechanical tension of ‘Ten Thousand Feet’, the band launched into their set with no need for instruction; the pit moved instinctively. Devin Oliver’s soaring clean vocals collided with guttural screams, fueling nonstop motion as the crowd bounced, shoved and surged through an ambitious set. ‘New Demons’ triggered a massive circle pit, while the band’s crushing breakdowns pushed the chaos further. During ‘Filth Friends Unite’, the wall of death became one of the night’s most violent spectacles, bodies colliding with a force that echoed through the venue’s walls.
‘The Wheel’ became the centerpiece, not just musically, but physically. The crowd leaned fully into the theme, spinning into controlled chaos as human beyblades tore through the pit, fans lifting and rotating each other like makeshift battering rams. It was reckless, euphoric and somehow perfectly in sync with the band’s energy. ‘Are We 3ven?’ and ‘Violent Bounce’ pushed that fusion of electronic elements and metalcore even further, with the crowd bouncing in unison as if the entire floor had minutes before giving out.
‘Flood Lights’ offered a brief but powerful contrast, transforming the venue into a sea of glowing lights and swaying bodies – a moment of collective breath before the storm returned. That calm didn’t last long. ‘Murder Mittens’ detonated the room once again, unleashing a frenzy of moshers and crowdsurfers, with Devin Oliver diving into the crowd to join the chaos firsthand. Seeing the frontman disappear into the crowd and re-emerge mid-breakdown blurred the line between performer and audience, reinforcing the intimate venue energy that defined the entire night.
By the time ‘Anomaly’ closed the set, it felt like the final release of everything the crowd had left. Confetti rained down as voices rose over the band, every lyric shouted back with purpose. Even as the last notes rang out, the energy lingered. It wasn’t just a finale; it was a culmination of controlled chaos, connection, and mayhem that made their set unforgettable.
I See Stars curated an experience that showcased some of the most exciting voices in metalcore and alternative music today. Each act brought a distinct identity, yet together they formed an immersive journey that left the audience exhilarated and exhausted in the best way possible. By the final note, the night felt less like a concert and more like a shared adrenaline-fueled release. When the wheel spins through your city again, don’t hesitate - step into the chaos and see where it takes you.