DES MOINES – On June 16, the doors to Hinder’s concert at the Val Air Ballroom opened at 6 p.m., to a long line of fans. The Oklahoma City rock outfit are best known for “Lips of an Angel,” off their triple-platinum debut album “Extreme Behavior.”

Originally opened in 1939, the Val Air Ballroom is a small venue with a large, lower dance floor which holds 2,700 people. Raised merchandise and seating areas border the retro layout of this dance hall turned concert venue. 

The live music began later than expected when Acidic opened the concert around 7:15 p.m. This alternative rock band from Southern California played original songs about getting busted for selling marijuana and strippers, respectively. The band was really into the Val Air audience, climbing down into the audience.

Devour the Day appeared next; members of this hard rock band from Memphis, Tenn., were very active, as well. They performed “Blackout,” a song challenging the audience to connect with people offline, and their single “Good Man.”

After Devour the Day left the stage, there was a wait for Hinder. DJ Samantha Knight from Lazer 103.3 came onto the stage to introduce Hinder. She gave a shoutout to all the fathers in the crowd, as this concert fell on Father’s Day.

Hinder finally appeared on a dark stage, and when their music began, so did their extravagant light show. Many bright beams of colored light swung out from the stage.

Singer Austin Winkler and drummer Cody Hanson sat alone on stage when they performed “Get Me Away From You,” with Winkler singing and Hanson on acoustic guitar. Though they weren’t aware of it, the audience was getting a glimpse of Hinder’s songwriting process.

“What usually happens is Cody and I get together with an acoustic guitar and that’s kinda how the whole thing starts, every record, every song that’s been on the record,” Winkler said. “We just kinda get together and write about what’s going on in our lives.”

Hinder performed many songs off of their new album, “Welcome to the Freakshow.” This tour supports the release of this album and allows the members of Hinder to do one of their favorite things: Connect with their fans.

“We like to tour and we like to meet our fans and hear how our music has affected them in their lives, how they can relate to our songs,” Hanson said. 

Hinder’s crowd of fans at the Val Air Ballroom ranged in age from elementary school students to senior citizens. What they shared was an enthusiasm for the party-loving music of Hinder. The crowd danced and cheered as Hinder moved through their set list.

The crowd reacted wildly to Hinder’s live performance of “Lips of An Angel.” Members of the audiences swayed and waved cell phones while singing along to this popular rock ballad.

Hinder exited the stage, but soon returned for an encore, egged on by the crowd. They finally ended their concert with hit “Get Stoned,” which Winkler introduced to the audience as a song “about marijuana and hate sex.”

Hinder will continue touring throughout the United States until early October 2013. After that, Hinder is unsure of which path they will take.

“Definitely some exciting things coming … nothing we can really let out of  the bag,” Hanson said.