I had the pleasure of seeing the fantastic Fever 333 for the third time last night (4/30) at Wooly’s in Des Moines, IA. For the third time I was absolutely blown away. The band’s stage presence has grown since our last encounter and so have the crowds!
The small club was pretty packed for a Tuesday night, as Fever 333 made their last stop on the first leg of their headlining Demonstrations 2019 tour.
To give you a little background on who Fever 333 is, they are more than a band, they are a call to action! In a world where social media consumes our daily lives, the opportunities for face to face discussions about community issues becomes smaller and smaller. Fever 333 is here to change that.
Every Fever 333 show or “demonstration” is designed to be a safe space to discuss ideas with people of all ages, races, religions, or sexual orientations without fear of judgment. Over the years, I’ve seen many bands with a political flare and they’ve always tried to push a certain agenda. Fever 333 has the same ferocity of Rage Against the Machine, the punk rock attitude of Anti-Flag, and the swagger of Bob Marley, but Fever 333 is not here to tell you what to think. All that they ask is that you do think.
It’s crucial that we take the time to have discussions that will help us make smart decisions for future generations. -Fever 333 lead singer Jason Aalon Butler
I was able to catch up with lead singer Jason and guitarist Stephen when they were in Omaha last summer to discuss Fever 333’s platform for change, the band’s early influences, and why Deftones makes the best baby making music. I will be forever grateful for that time and hope to catch up with them again when they are in Kansas City later this month.
Now that you know a little bit about the band, let’s get to the good stuff!
So just like the last two Fever shows I attended, a white sheet covered the stage to keep the crowd waiting with anticipation. Soon, the bass started to thump and a buzzy guitar note rang out. The curtain dropped to reveal three of the most energetic dudes I’ve ever seen! The band had full jumpsuits with custom Fever 333 bulletproof vests that looked so cool! Where do I get one?
Fever went right into “Burn It” from the recently released “Strength in Numb333rs” album. The crowd pumped their fists as Jason jumped back and forth like a man possessed. Stephen did spins and Aric stood on his drum seat and leaped high in the air.
After “Burn It” Fever played another new track “Only One.” With breakneck drum beats and ripping guitar this song started the first of many mosh pits to happen throughout the show. The third song was a throwback to last summer, the title track from the band’s “Made an America” e.p.
Many of Fever 333’s songs speak of police brutality, poverty, and the struggles of growing up bi-racial in an underserved Inglewood neighborhood, something that Fever 333 lead singer Jason is very familiar with. “Made an America” deals with the struggle of knowing America was built on the backs of slaves and the problems minorities still face today.
A few songs later, Fever played their new single “One of Us” and there was a noticeable increase in crowd participation. I’ve heard the song a few times on our local station 89.7 the River and recently Jason shared a video on Instagram of the song getting played on the famous KROQ Los Angeles and he was really psyched.
After “One of Us” Jason brought out a second drum kit and Stephen had a stand up kit as well. The guys went wild with an awesome drum circle jam session. I had a lot of fun watching them trade beats.
Before the next song started Jason brought up three young girls that couldn’t have been older than 9 or 10. They stood with nervous excitement as Jason spoke with them about the possibility of the future and how they can achieve great things in this life. It was a really touching moment and I’m not gonna lie, I may have had a few tears in my eyes.
Fever 333 went on to play several more songs from “Strength in Numb333rs” before a two song encore. During the break the crowd chanted “333!, 333!” They cheered like crazy when the guys came back for “We’re Coming In” and finally “Hunting Season.” During “Hunting Season” Aric leapt from his drum kit and climbed up a pole right in front of me! Jason pushed Aric’s drum kit platform close to the stage before grabbing and smashing one of the drums.
At the end of the set the band stood in front of the chanting crowd triumphantly. Jason closed his eyes and looked up to soak in the moment. You could tell the guys really enjoyed the show and were so grateful for the positive response from the crowd.
We’ll definitely be back. In the Midwest, when y’all follow a band y’all REALLY follow a band. -Fever 333 lead singer Jason Aalon Butler
Immediately following the show Stephen approached the fans and started shaking everyone’s hand.
After I got home many fans mentioned that the band stayed for almost two hours after the show to talk to all the fans and sign autographs. Young bands take note, this is how empires are built, one fan at a time!
Before I wrap I have to give a special shout out to fans John and Amber. John won tickets on the radio by being lucky caller 13 and he was stoked! He told Jason “You totally won me over!” Jason told him thank you and had the biggest smile. I have no doubt I’ll see John and Amber the next time Fever 333 plays Des Moines.
Lastly, I have to thank RoadRunner records for the photo access! You can purchase Fever 333’s new album “Strength in Numb333rs” here or wherever you stream music.
Thanks for reading. If you like what you read, please share! Every share, like, comment, and social media follow helps keep the dream alive!
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