Highly Suspect’s ‘Ice Cold Winter Tour’ Brings the Heat to St. Louis
Fans rejoice as Highly Suspect wraps up their headlining U.S. tour
Abby Gillardi/Wikimedia Commons
Lead singer Johnny Stevens belts during a 2014 performance in St. Louis. He remarked during the most recent show, “St. Louis has always felt like home.”
March 14, 2023
Live music fans in St. Louis, Mo. have a reputation for their passion and energy, and rock group Highly Suspect certainly experienced this first-hand during their sold-out show at The Pageant on March 2. Lead vocalist Johnny Stevens paused between songs to express his appreciation, gazing out at the crowd and declaring, “St. Louis has always felt like home.”
Highly Suspect, originally from Cape Cod, Mass., started as a humble cover band but have since become a 3x Grammy-nominated group that shows no signs of slowing down. They recently headlined the U.S. leg of the “Ice Cold Winter Tour” with a UK leg planned for September, and will also be supporting established artists Muse and Evanescence on tour this April.
The tour’s sole opening act was supposed to be Dead Poet Society, but a change was made to the lineup mere hours before the St. Louis show. Silly Goose, a novice group that had been following Highly Suspect around the country and playing impromptu shows in parking lots, was granted a 20-minute set by the band. Silly Goose took full advantage of the opportunity, playing to an audience of more than 2,000 people, starting and joining multiple mosh pits, all while expressing their gratitude to Highly Suspect for the life-changing experience.
The opening acts had already set a high bar with their electric performances, but when Highly Suspect took the stage with a 15-track setlist (plus a 2-track encore), the crowd’s energy reached a fever pitch. While the band only played four songs from their newest album, “The Midnight Demon Club,” they showcased their versatility and wide-ranging appeal, keeping the audience on their toes with each new song.
Juggernauts like “My Name Is Human” and “Lydia” were instant fan favorites of the night, but it was the more stripped-back tracks such as “Arizona” and “Serotonia” that really allowed the crowd to savor the power of live music. Highly Suspect also brought some fresh sounds to the mix with their new singles “Ice Cold” and “Natural Born Killer,” which added a refreshing synth pop-rock vibe to the sonically heavy setlist.
In a world where live music has been sorely missed, Highly Suspect’s St. Louis show was a reminder of just how transformative a great concert can be. The band’s passion and energy were palpable, infecting the crowd with a sense of joy and unity that will be remembered long after the final notes fade away.
Jeannine | Apr 4, 2023 at 8:10 pm
Hello Kay ,this is the second article I have read written by you about the band highly suspect. As I totally agree with the information and how you felt towards the band and this piece but I literally just clicked off of a story you wrote about the same band and a different light. Not just different but literally bashed them saying that their new music and their new album The demon nightclub is to techno and the fans weren’t satisfied with new album basically I’ll try to link it with this but then I’m just confused because after reading that piece they that k wrote. And now I’m reading this piece so I wonder how you truly feel?
Kay Copeland | Apr 5, 2023 at 8:20 am
Hello Jeannine and thank you for your comment! I would love to further establish my stance:
1. My review of The Midnight Demon Club merely includes my initial reaction to that album and by no means includes my full, nuanced opinion of the band and their discography.
2. TMDC, in my opinion, is not their strongest album and very much strays away from their original “sound.” That doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy their music.
3. My album review was by no means to “bash” the band. Highly Suspect happens to be one of my favorite bands. Instead, that story’s purpose was to bring attention to a viewpoint (held by a number of long term fans I know), that wasn’t fairly popular for fans to express at the time.
4. I urge you to keep in mind the timeline of when these two stories were published. My review on TMDC was published months before my concert review, before the album had time to grow on me. Now, following the concert, my view on the album has evolved a bit – I now think that TMDC thrives in a live setting in comparison to the studio album.
To put it plainly, my opinion of Highly Suspect (and specifically The Midnight Demon Club) is not cut and dry. I am able to both be a fan and point out what I believe to be areas for improvement. I thank you for your inquiries and hope I was able to adequately explain myself.