The Killers, Passion Pit, Tegan and Sara headline Wrex the Halls

By Logan Broyles | SDUN Reporter

Santa is coming early this year for music fans, and whether you have been naughty or nice it does not matter because he has decided to give the gift of Wrex the Halls.

Organizers for 91X’s annual Christmas-themed music festival have pulled out all the stops this year, boasting an all-star lineup of arguably some of the most popular bands in the country. They will all share the same stage at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena Dec. 7.

Headliners include international sensation The Killers, Passion Pit, M8, and Tegan and Sara. The three-piece Welsh indie rock band The Joy Formidable, lead by female lead singer Ritzy Bryan, are scheduled to perform, and Youngblood Hawk, Imagine Dragons as well as San Diego’s own Audio Addiction will all be taking the stage, too.

Audio Addiction is a rock and roll and punk band helmed by San Diego music scene veterans Brian Sheerin (of the band Mower), Kevin Stram (Buckfast Superbee, The Makeup Sex), Keith McBean and Johnny Crittenden (Liquid Image, Stained Glass Saints), and Jimmy Ray (Chasing Claymores, Crushed On You).

“This is the first time Audio Addiction is performing at Wrex The Halls,” Sheerin said, who sings lead vocals. “We wanted to be a part of the event because someone needed to show up and walk around with their zipper down and their rock ‘n’ roll hanging out.”

Audio Addiction’s newest track “Dangerous” was featured on 91X’s Local Break after the band was designated as the local artist of the month for November.

Last year’s Wrex the Halls was a two-day event, featuring Florence & the Machine, Death Cab for Cutie, Blink 182 and Social Distortion, among others. Organizers this year scaled down to one heavy-hitting night.

The Killers have been selling out arenas for years since their debut in 2001 and seem destined to deliver the goods this time around. Identical sisters Tegan and Sara Quin form the two-part indie rock band that hails from Canada. Their latest single, “Closer” has been a surprise hit, and will be released on the forthcoming album, “Heatthrob.”

Passion Pit, an electronic indie-pop band from Cambridge, Mass. is in the midst of arguably the band’s best year since inception. The group’s latest album “Gossamer” was released over the summer and has received critical acclaim. The hit single, “Take A Walk” makes the rounds on the radio on a daily basis.

Fans of Passion Pit will be ecstatic to catch a rare live performance by the band, as lead singer Michael Angelakos suffers from bipolar disorder, which can limit the group’s touring schedule. In July, the band cancelled several performances, which lead to Angelakos making a public statement on the bands website.

After apologizing for the cancellations, Angelakos said, “In order for me to ensure that there will be no further disruptions, I am going to take the time to work on improving my mental health. … I hope to see all of you very soon in a much different light.”

The hottest rising stars among the lineup may be M83, a French electronic music band that has been around since 2001 but has only begun to develop a following in the United States. Their hit song “Midnight City” recently found its way onto the airwaves.

But Audio Addiction’s Sheerin said revelers will come out for reasons beyond the music.

“People should come to Wrex The Halls because everyone performing is very good looking,” Sheerin said, joking. “Just look at Audio Addiction as an example. We are strikingly handsome. Also, our drummer and his drum kit rise 20 feet into the air, our bass player spits blood and fire and our guitarist shoots fireworks and smoke from his guitar while our singer pouts a lot and has a hairy chest and we all wear face-paint and platform boots. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

Indeed, it most definitely will be.

Tickets for Wrex the Hall start at $20, and Viejas Arena is located at 5500 Canyon Crest Dr. The evening event starts at 5:30 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets visit 91X.com or call the SDSU box office at 619-594-6947.