Usually when people think Lancaster County, they think of the Amish. Well, slowly creeping up the popularity charts is the five-member metal band, August Burns Red. After watching the success of their first three full-length albums - Thrill Seeker, Messengers and Constellations - they decided to embark on creating a live CD and DVD to add to their fans' collections. What better way to create this recording than in their own backyard as they invaded the confines of the Warehouse54 music venue in Manheim, Pennsylvania.

The Warehouse featured three local openers to get the crowd pumped up as they eagerly waited for the doors to the gym to open for the August Burns Red set. Free The Fallen started things off in the new side of the Warehouse venue. It didn't take too long for the crowd to get moving to the screams coming from the band. Following Free The Fallen's set, Embrace The Beauty took over the stage and kept the crowd energetic. Last but not least was I, The Breather. I, The Breather was playing one of their last shows before embarking on this summer's Scream The Prayer tour with Maylene & The Sons of Disaster and For Today. After I, The Breather finished their set, the crowd slowly made its way towards the doors to the gym where the camera and security crews were getting prepared for the headliner of the evening.

Finally after a brief delay, the doors were opened as the crowd made its way into the gym. Chants of "ABR" were heard throughout the gym as they were eagerly waiting with excitement for the Lancaster-based, Dove Award nominated band to take the stage. After hearing the rules for the evening, the intro rang out through the gym and one-by-one each band member stepped on the stage. As the intro ended, they went screaming into their first song, "Back Burner" and it sent the crowd into a frenzy as kids starting crowd surfing and throwing themselves around in the pit. They took the end of "Back Burner" and went straight into "White Washed," which they just recently released a music video for. They took an opportunity to settle themselves down for a bit and went straight into "Your Little Suburbia Is In Ruins" and "Eleventh Hour." Then, they kept the crowd moving for "Meddler," "Truth of a Liar," "Marianas Trench," "Thirty and Seven," and "Existence." Throughout the night, the band made references to the increasing warmth in the gym as the whole place was heating up. JB Brubaker also made a reference to the Stanley Cup Finals as the Philadelphia Flyers were playing the same night and how he knew that if the fans weren't at the show, they would all be watching the game. Following a little break to wipe themselves down as they continued to sweat along with the crowd, they went into "Meridian." This was the first time that they ever played it live and Jake took the opportunity to walk off the stage and hang out with the crowd for a little bit. They finished their set off with "A Shot Below The Belt," "Up Against The Ropes," and "Composure." As they finished up "Composure," the band started walking off the stage leaving the crowd wanting more. Finally after constant chanting and begging from the crowd, ABR ventured back onto the stage to finish the night with their end of times song, "The Seventh Trumpet," off the Thrill Seeker album. Throughout the song, it seemed as if the crowd was gaining their second wind and security seemed to have their hands full with crowd surfers and the pit. With the last note, August Burns Red left the stage and put a wrap on their live CD/DVD shoot.

Overall, the show was certainly a great way to start the summer and could very well be the best show of the year at the Warehouse venue. Some people might remember the show for the heat in the gym, while others might remember the fact that this could be the best show that August Burns Red ever put on. Some fans ventured all the way from Houston, Texas and others only had to walk down the street, but that just shows the growing popularity for this five-piece metal band. As for ABR's fans in Central PA, they will have to wait till the Purple Door Festival in August to see them again as ABR ventures over to England and Japan before hitting the summer festivals.