The Sound of Animals Fighting: A Delivery In Performance Art

A momentous performance that stood tall amidst a stacked Kill Iconic Fest.

Photograph by Joshua Alvarez

Words, Photos by Joshua Alvarez (@joshua.jam3s) at the

House of Blues in Anaheim on January 8, 2023:

One part Circa Survive/Saosin, two parts Rx Bandits, and one part total chaos is what you get with The Sound of Animals Fighting. Last year saw the supergroup release new music after 14 years, which came celebrated with a small tour across the U.S. and a headlining slot at the first (and sold out) Kill Iconic Fest at the House of Blues in Anaheim. The band shared the stage with The Fall of Troy, Hail the Sun, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, and newcomers from the Kill Iconic roster, but The Sound of Animals of Fighting led the charge with ease. Once the band hit the stage, you could feel the excitement in the air with a vibrant audience taking over the House of Blues for the next hour.

As the article title would suggest, this was more than a simple musical performance, but one of audiovisual splendor. Artist Norton Wisdom sat on stage among the playing band, painting and interpreting the music being played on canvas. One image was that of a guitar wielding robot and the other a sinister looking face staring at the sea of people.

Photograph by Joshua Alvarez

Aside from the painter, there were tube lights that created ambient light along the swinging lightbulb that frontman Anthony Green had in hand, adding an element of symbolism to the otherwise atmospheric performance. Regardless of the band, Green never fails to deliver an explosive showcase and this evening was no exception with the crowd singing along until the very end. One could feel the floor moving from the utter excitement of the many in attendance.

Photograph by Joshua Alvarez

The band played through an extensive set that covered a majority of the older material, including fan favorites, Act 1 through Act 4. The Sound of Animals Fighting is unique as an audiovisual entity, not meant to be compared with the bands associated with each of their members. That said, we'd be remiss not to recommend hitting up one of their upcoming tour dates. Prepare to be perplexed.

Enjoy a photo gallery of the exquisite performance below.