I Heard a Voice (Live from Long Beach Arena)

AFI’s December 2006 appearance at Long Beach Arena in California was the biggest show the veteran band had played up to that time. More than 13,000 fans filled the stadium. Since breaking through to mainstream rock radio, AFI had mastered the art of the big rock song, and tracks like “Girl’s Not Grey,” “The Leaving Song Pt. II," and “Silver and Cold” were tailor-made for this setting. Here, the songs electrify the gigantic venue, and this audio recording perfectly captures the waves of crowd noise as the massive audience sings along to each big hit. Though the setlist primarily draws from the group’s post-2003 albums, earlier songs feel particularly epic in this environment. For example, “The Days of the Phoenix” plays like a passionate punk anthem for a crowd united underneath the dark and scary backdrop of the 2000s. Lead vocalist Davey Havok proves inexhaustible in this setting, even as each new song seems to demand every ounce of his energy. Special credit should likewise be given to guitarist Jade Puget, whose brilliant guitar work jumps from the surface of “Dancing Through Sunday.”