By Sheila Rinere
Editor in Chief of The Stylus

   
Fans of all ages “partied hard” to the sounds of Apex Theory, Lost Prophets and Andrew W.K. last Thursday at The Water Street Music Hall. Despite the increasing heat, the excitement and energy in the room never dwindled.
    The California band Apex Theory, who were in Rochester March 4 with Alien Ant Farm on the Sno Core Rock tour, opened the show and got the crowd going with their unusual sound and exciting guitar riffs. The band, composed of Sammy J. Watson, drummer; David Hakopyan, bassist; Andy Khachaturian, singer; and Art Karamian, guitarists. The band got the audience energized by running around the stage, asking for audience participation and by playing many of the songs from their first EP.

The UK band Lost Prophets kept the energy going with their heavy sound, enthusiasm and, like many other groups today, turntables. The six-man band, who are promoting their new CD “The Fake Sound of Progress,” is made up of Stuart Richardson, bassist; Mike Chiplin, drummer; Lee Gaze, guitarists; Jamie Oliver, vocalist/DJ/turntablist; and guitarist Mike Lewis.

Andrew W.K. knows how to keep the excitement of the crowd going by opening his set with “It’s Time to Party.” The man known for his photos of his bloody nose never stayed in one place for longer then a few seconds, standing on the railing separating the crowd from the stage and jumping into the crowd of fans. He shook the hands of every kid who body-surfed their way to the front and pulled some fans on stage with him before security ripped them back off. At least two people were escorted out of the hall.

A classically trained pianist, Andrew W.K. mixes pop, punk and metal to the site of classic ‘80s head-banging, complete with sweat and bottled water dripping hair.  Many of the people in the crowd were fans and could be seen participating in the songs by singing the lyrics to “I Love New York City” and “Party Hard,” and punching the air during the chorus.
At one point during the show Andrew W.K. pulled a handful of 10-11-year-olds on stage who had been allowed to stand “backstage.”