Author: Randall Resch

Throughout their existence, AWOLNATION has blurred the lines of sounds and genres. The band has achieved critical acclaim and smash singles over the past 15 years. Frontman Aaron Bruno’s emotional vulnerability, intelligent songwriting, and high-energy antics have won over a legion of dedicated fans. Like many, I was taken aback when he announced that their recent release, The Phantom Five, may be their last.

Following that Earth-shaking revelation, AWOLNATION announced a tour of the same name. I was beyond excited to see Summit in Denver, on the list of venues getting a show. It’s an ideal location for an intimate concert.

I met a super-fan in line who had been to the prior three shows in Kansas City, Omaha, and Minneapolis. Even with the same opening acts and a similar setlist, she was so thrilled throughout the night that you’d swear it was her first! That infectious energy is the norm at their concerts.

An All-New Greatest Hits Album?

It was a soul-stirring few years before the new release, with Bruno pulling from positive and negative experiences. He lost his home and studio in a tragic fire while on tour. This provided an atmosphere for the album Angel Miners & The Lightning Riders. After completing that heartfelt masterpiece in 2019, the band was set to embark on tour in the summer of 2020. And we all know how that went — not just for AWOLNATION, but everyone planning a tour that year.

Some magical things came out of the period as well. Bruno welcomed twin sons in 2023, his first children. Meanwhile, AWOLNATION released a collaborative covers album titled My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers, and Me. It features a bevy of current musical stars performing the sounds from recent decades of rock and pop hits.

When he was writing Phantom Five, Bruno had a unique mindset. He wanted to make an album that sounded like it could be a greatest hits collection. In a recent interview, he said he’d gotten the idea back in a studio where Ric Ocasek was also working on Weezer’s Green Album. When Bruno asked how the album sounds, Ocasek said: “It feels like a greatest hits album.” Bruno loved that response and the vibe it gave, and it stuck with him.

Bringing Phantom Five Alive

While this isn’t necessarily a farewell tour, the May 2nd show at Summit in Denver had all the feels. AWOLNATION played a perfect mix of hits from their previous records with new faves like “Panoramic View” and “Barbarian.” The crowd was treated to a special song that didn’t make the covers album. Bruno ascended the drum kit and pounded out the beats for the cut. Meanwhile, guitarist Zach Irons handled the mic duties as they played a stirring rendition of the Pearl Jam classic, “Black.”

The opening acts brought positive energy to the stage for Friday night’s show. The night kicked off with Hawaiian surf-punk styles from Makua. They had the crowd rockin’, and a sing-along of Jane’s Addiction classic “Been Caught Stealin'” was a highlight of their set. Bryce Fox and his band delivered pop sensibility with groovy hooks and clever lyrics. Denver helped launch his career with regular radio play of the iconic track “Horns” a few years back. It was great to see him live again.

I Still Believe in Magic

Whether or not the band makes new music again, you can bet that Bruno isn’t going anywhere. Catch him back in Denver in September, along with the band, but not at an AWOLNATION show!

Instead, the recently formed metal monster The Barbarians of California will open for The Deftones on their fall tour. While I hope that this isn’t the end for a band that provided a soundtrack to my adult life, I’m grateful that I got to experience this moment in time. And it serves as a good reminder: See the bands you love while you can. Life, music, and these moments that make them so special are fleeting — don’t take them for granted!