By: Chelsea Brunette
Double platinum Canadian recording artists These Kids Wear Crowns had fans cheering during their headlined concert at The Observatory.
The 19+ show was hosted by the Algonquin Students’ Association on Sept. 11. Pop-punk band Courage My Love opened the show for These Kids Wear Crowns and got the fans excited by having them singing and dancing to their songs.
The show marked the three-year anniversary of their first performance back in 2009. Throughout the past three years together the band has enjoyed many successes such as releasing a record, going around the world a couple times, going gold and going double platinum.
“We’re doing it! We’re really doing it guys, there were a few of those going around today,” joked band member Joshua “Gypsy” McDaniel.
These Kids Wear Crowns is a six-member band comprised of Alexander Johnson, lead vocals, Alan Poettcker, bass and vocals, Matt Vink, keys and backing vocals, Joe Porter and McDaniel, guitar and backing vocals and Josh Mitchinson, drums .
“These places aren’t really built for shows, so they don’t sound very good, but we still have fun, we still give it our all,” said McDaniel on performing at smaller venues.
“It’s fun for us because it’s more like kids are right up against the stage, right, so we get to slap them in the face or whatever,” Porter said jokingly.
“Or they slap us in the face,” interrupted McDaniel.
Prior to taking the stage, These Kids Wear Crowns held a meet-and-greet in The Observatory with four of their fans who won the contest via Twitter through the SA’s Twitter feed. The winners got the chance to bring a friend during the meet-and-greet, have their picture taken with the band and get a signed poster.
Their opening number was their cover of Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Their set list also included some of their more popular songs Jumpstart, Break It Up and a couple other cover songs like Beyonce’s Single Ladies.
Half-way through their show they grabbed several of their band T-shirts from their merchandise booth and tossed them out to the audience, which made the fans roar even louder. During their final song, McDaniel braved jumping onto the giant set of speakers set up in front of the stage, luckily finishing their performance without any injuries.
And as for any aspiring musicians, Porter and McDaniel’s advice is to work hard, go on tour and write good songs.
“Not in that order,” said Porter while laughing.