Bigs Bar Breakdown: Autumn Academy, Smile Empty Soul, 12 Stones
Bigs Bar, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Walking into Bigs Bar, the stage setup looked more like a science project than a rock gig — a transparent drum kit wired up with lights glowing like a jellyfish in captivity. Autumn Academy, the three-piece opener out of Michigan, leaned into it. They played tight, their energy was steady, and for a band at that early stage, they’ve already got bones. With only one vocalist, the songs missed the stacked harmonies that could’ve added more punch. Still, it worked. If they can round that out, they’ll move from “solid” to “dangerous.” I wanted to drop the obvious joke about needing to “go back to school,” but honestly — they passed the test for an opener.
Smile Empty Soul: Straight to the Point
Then the lights dimmed and Smile Empty Soul walked out with zero small talk. No banter, no filler, just straight into the set. Honestly refreshing. Two guys. Guitars and drums. That’s it. They didn’t need extras. “Silhouettes” has been a longtime favorite of mine, and hearing it live reminded me why — those riffs still cut deep, and the vocal grit carried harder in person than through any speaker system. No gloss, no flash, just impact.
12 Stones: Memory vs. Reality
Then came the headliner. Anthem for the Underdog has been glued in my personal top-five albums for years, so 12 Stones walking on stage brought a wave of old excitement. They sounded strong, no question, but they took liberties metalizing some of their tracks to hit heavier. I usually lean heavy, but part of me wanted the versions burned into my memory.
The bigger surprise wasn’t the sound — it was the frontman. In my head, I still pictured the 2000s version of him, and what I saw on stage didn’t line up. He looked strung out, which made it even more jarring when he announced he’s seven years sober. His eyes rolled back a lot during songs, and it left me more unsettled than hyped. When I shut my eyes and just listened, it was the 12 Stones I came for. When I watched, it felt off.
Still, music wins. They hit the notes, the crowd was fed, and despite my mixed feelings, I walked away glad I came. Sometimes you don’t get the exact snapshot you wanted, but you still get a show worth filing under “glad I was there.”