From Ashes To New Touch Down in St. Louis
- Michelle Zigler
- Sep 28
- 3 min read
Last Saturday in St. Louis was a jam-packed night for music lovers at Delmar Hall. The sold-out evening consisted of four epic performances of music spanning across the alternative-rock genre spectrum. The four included Not Enough Space, Until I Wake, Magnolia Park, and From Ashes To New as the night’s headliner. Each group brought their own personal flair to the stage, all unique and memorable in their own ways.
As the first opener, Not Enough Space knew exactly how to make an entrance. This five-person metalcore band from Orlando, Florida gave their all from start to finish, with lead vocalists Elizabeth "Lizzie" Raatma and Olivia "Liv" Mitchell overtaking the stage with their voices. Stage lights brightly illuminated the two as they screamed into their mics–the sound like a beautiful horror movie you didn’t want to turn away from.
Their set was the perfect way to get the crowd going and segue right into Until I Wake, who share that similar aggressive style of performance. With four band members, Cody Jamison took the lead as vocalist and frontman, towering over the crowd growling lyrics with incredible lower range. He’d frequently perch himself on the edge of the stage, closely engaging with fans just beyond the rail.
If you’ve ever been to Delmar Hall, you know that it’s a pretty narrow venue, and for a sold-out show with four major performances, personal space becomes insignificant. It was a tight squeeze maneuvering through the crowd, plus with Magnolia Park up next, I knew the audience was bound to go crazy with excitement. Like Not Enough Space, Magnolia Park is also a five-person group formed originally in Orlando, Florida, but they create music with more of a pop-punk emo vibe. Vocalist and frontrunner Joshua Roberts had the crowd moving as much as he was, pacing back and forth across the stage and yelling lyrics with his middle finger up in the air–the perfect representation of the pop-punk scene right in front of us. Since the pandemic, the band has blown up in popularity and have released five albums in just four years, most recently VAMP which was released earlier this year.
Each band packed a bigger punch, but there was plenty more to be had once the headliner had their turn on the stage. From Ashes To New was greeted with the roar of fans, and as the saying goes, they definitely saved the best for last. From Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, this group has been making waves in the alternative metal and rock music scene since 2013. What set them apart from the other performances was their alternative boy band-esque personas. Each member, whether singing or playing an instrument, had a part on the stage, and no one went unnoticed. Their songs, while occasionally gritty and aggressive, were often paired with an energetic and upbeat melody. Their performance had a lot of genre crossover, switching between hard-hitting vocals to fast-paced rapping, keeping the audience engaged at every moment.
St. Louis was the first city to kick off From Ashes To New’s tour, New Disease, for their most recent album with the release date still unannounced. In July, the album’s title track was released, giving fans plenty to anticipate as they tour until mid-November. This performance was everything the city needed to scream and headbang the night away free of judgement, and even after my voice was long gone, I still found myself wanting more.
