Periphery’s “Hail Stan” tour wrapped Saturday night at NYC's Brooklyn Steel with support from Plini and Arch Echo.
Vocalist Spencer Sotelo was forced to sit out the band’s performance in Silver Spring the night prior due to laryngitis. After already being one member down with Mark Holcomb sitting out the tour, Sotelo's absence would, for many bands, be enough to warrant canceling the show – but Periphery instead saw it as an opportunity. The remaining trio, jokingly introduced as “Animals as Leaders” by guitarist Jake Bowen, played an all-instrumental set. The packed crowd at The Fillmore, excited to experience this rare treat, sang every word at the top of their lungs.
The next day, the band regrettably announced that Sotelo would be forced to sit out again for the Brooklyn performance. Though the fans were understandably bummed, the prospect of another night of Periphery instrumentals did anything but deter them. Fans eagerly filed into the venue when doors opened, and the room was packed when Arch Echo took the stage. The prog fusion quintet played a fantastic five-song set that set the tone for the evening. They were followed Australia’s Plini, who kept the night's master class in musicianship going strong with a high energy set.
As the house lights dimmed and the strings track of Periphery's 16-minute anthem “Reptile” began to play through the speakers, fans erupted in cheers as Spencer Sotelo took the stage with mic in hand. Sotelo, determined to make the last night of the tour count, announced that he'd be trying his very best to sing, but only on the condition that the crowd help him fill in the blanks. It was an offer that the fans in attendance eagerly accepted. "Reptile" then reached its breaking point, Sotelo unleashed his signature scream, and it became abundantly clear that laryngitis was no match for him.
Despite their setbacks, Periphery delivered one hell of a set. They were joined by Plini and Arch Echo for their encore performance of "Lune", which closed out the night (and the tour) perfectly.
Arch Echo
Plini
Periphery
