Home > Photo Galleries

11/17/2023

Emblem3 Live at The White Eagle, Portland 11/15/2023 / Photo Gallery and Review

By MATTHEW SARGENT // There was hardly a moment where fans were standing still as the band played songs from every album in their catalog that spans over a decade. Emblem3 also debuted a new single called “Looks to Kill”, 

For the first time in nearly ten years, Emblem3 returns to Portland on the last leg of their North American Tour! The trio made up of Drew Chadwick and brothers Wesley and Keaton Stromberg packed the historic White Eagle Saloon on Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 to the delight of fans of all ages. Since making their debut on The X Factor in 2012, loyal fans from all over the world have been following the band to venues across the globe. Portland was no exception. The cozy venue comfortably hosted the band and their supporting acts while fans shook the walls with their singing and dancing.

As doors opened for guests, they navigated down the tight corridor of the White Eagle toward the stage where three support acts would be playing ahead of Emblem3. The first of which is Samantha Anastasia, a 22-year-old pop singer from The San Francisco Bay Area playing her 5th show ever! Sam’s light and airy vocals paired with thick and slow bass guitar licks were lowkey enough for fans to get comfortable within the venue and captivated the spectator's attention for the entirety of her set. Midway through her set, Samantha invited her father Paul to play guitar for her unreleased song "I’m A Tree." Samantha’s set ended with her dancing and singing in the crowd with several fans before thanking the fans and stepping off stage.

Following Samantha Anastasia, a familiar face for Emblem’s fans took the stage. After a stellar performance on Emblem3’s Songs From The Couch Vol.II Tour earlier this year, Yarin Glam was invited back to play her pop-rock singles and show off some unreleased tracks as well. Glam was joined on stage by her guitar player Jake Faun and Emblem3’s drummer Jack Mudd. Yarin’s voice and Faun's beefy guitar fills echoed through the venue as onlookers began to pack the stage's viewing area. Glam’s original music is filled with upbeat melodies sounds, and lyrics that range from self-empowerment and being carefree, to her struggles with anxiety. Excited fans sang along and screamed with joy as Glam ended her night with a cover of Billie Eilish’s "You Should See Me In A Crown." Before walking off stage, Yarin thanked the Portland crowd and invited them to say hi at the merch table after her set.

Direct support for Emblem3 was an up-and-coming pop-punk artist named Noah Cunane. As Cunane is playing the last few shows on his first-ever tour, he has an impressive resume of sold-out shows all over Los Angeles and is growing a very impressive following in Hollywood’s punk rock scene. Noah’s clique is made up of guitarists Gino Rannochio, Shawn O’Donnell, and Bankston while Johnny Lugo bangs on the drums.

The ensemble has made a name for themselves on this tour for their hard-hitting lyrics, high-flying stage presence, and fan engagement. Fans couldn’t look away as members of the band were often jumping off of any elevated surface they could find, swinging their instruments around, or even joining in on the mosh pits in the crowd. Cunanes' set is composed entirely of original songs with themes of mental health, missed connections, losing friends, and the sobering reality of partying like a rockstar. After their final song, Cunane and Co. begin an Emblem3 chant that ends with a hardcore punk breakdown, and a bow from the band.

As anticipation grew for Emblem3’s return, a buzz was felt throughout the Portland crowd. The lights cut out and the voice of Wesley Stromberg fills the room with the opening lines to their song “Cobain.” The band makes their way through the tightly packed crowd and takes the stage while the drum fills of Jack Mudd are drowned out by the screams of adoring fans.

There was hardly a moment where fans were standing still as the band played songs from every album in their catalog that spans over a decade. Emblem3 also debuted a new single called “Looks to Kill”, a hard-hitting pop-punk track that features impressive vocalizations by Keaton Stromberg. Emblem continued the night with fan favorites such as “Sunset Blvd”, “Rush”, “Young Wild Wasted” and of course their most popular single, “Chloe”. Guitar player and vocalist Drew Chadwick wasn’t afraid to get into the mosh pits with fans as they sang with him during “Morrison” an alt-rock track off of their latest album Songs From The Couch Vol. II.

After every show on this tour, the band immediately walks off stage and directly to the merch table where they sell a range of clothing and signed memorabilia, as well as take pictures and sign autographs for any fan who wants to wait in line. Even as fans left the White Eagle Saloon and the die-hard Emblem fans stuck around, the entire tour stuck around to chat with the lingering fans and locals while packing their equipment.

Emblem3 has a small handful of shows remaining on their North American Tour, with their grand finale being held at The Viper Room in Hollywood on November 20th, 2023. Emblem3 has said that they’re going to be working on some new music after the conclusion of this tour and will be embarking on a South American tour in April of 2024. Tickets for the remaining shows can be found on their website and updates about the band are shared regularly on their Instagram @EmblemThree

Comments