Photos ane review by Kate Drexel
Like a Storm show photos HERE
Hellyeah show photos HERE
Devour the Day show photos HERE
The Blood For Blood Tour headlined by Hellyeah started the weekend on a killer note, with the unique supporting lineup, Like A Storm and Devour the Day. For those who had not seen either of these bands were in for a major treat and by the end of the night; all of the bands had gained quite a few new members to their fan base. The first to take the stage, enchanting everyone with their intriguing sound, was Like A Storm.
The overhead lights dimmed and the mixed chatter melted into cheers of excitement as each member emerged from the darkness. Frontman, Chris Brooks brought his didgeridoo and began to play the eerie intro to their first song, “Chemical Infatuation.” The fans (a.k.a. The Stormtroopers) threw their horns up in the air, singing and cheering on the band. Like A Storm continued their set with “Never Surrender,” a fantastic cover of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” followed by the mesmerizing sound of a didgeridoo solo. They ended their short but sweet set with their current single from their latest record, Awaken the Fire, “Wish You Hell,” another cover of AC/DC’s “TNT,” and saved one of their best songs for last, the single that got their name out there; “Love the Way You Hate Me.” Brooks hopped off the stage and walked up to the barricade towards the end of the song, and reached out to the fans whilst singing to them; the fans becoming one with the band. To say the least, the three Brooks Brothers brought their own drive to the stage; from Chris’ outstandingly powerful vocals, didgeridoo skills as well as his talents with the slide guitar during “Wish You Hell;” to Matt’s sick guitar riffs and perfect imitation of the intro to “Gangsta’s Paradise;” to Kent’s killer 808 beats and highly-energized dancing on the stage; to Zach Wood’s awesome talent behind the drum kit. They certainly woke up the crowd and warmed them up for some Devour the Day.
It was not too long before Devour the Day took over the stage and revealed what was up their sleeves. They kicked off the set with the heavy hitter, “Respect.” Flashing white lights were accompanied with the beat of the song, provided by the wicked drumming skills of Ronnie Farris. Frontman, Blake Allison encouraged the crowd to throw their arms up in the air and bounce them along to the beat of the next song on their high-powered set, “Blackout,” immediately followed by “Get Out of My Way,” and “You and Not Me.” Bassist, Joey “Chicago” Walser’s energetic moves were an absolute sight to see and added to the liveliness that Devour the Day brought to the stage. After performing “Check Your Head,” from their debut re-released album, Time and Pressure, they played “Heaven Sam,” their current single, “Faith.” As soon as Allison played the opening notes to hit single and their last song, “Good Man,” a few cheers escaped from some of the fans and they started to sing aloud. Rhythm guitarist, David Hoffman’s riffs were a perfect complement to song. Overall, Devour the Day ended their captivating set on an amazing note. They certainly got the crowd more than ready for the final band to conquer the stage, Hellyeah.
Fans of Hellyeah were starting to get antsy as they waited for the band’s arrival. After what seemed like an eternity, the venue was consumed in darkness and the overly excited cheers from the crowd erupted as they saw drummer, Vinnie Paul, emerge from his drum kit. His fellow band mates, guitarists Tom Maxwell and Christian Brady, bassist Kyle Sanders, and frontman Chad Gray, made their presence known as they started their set without further hesitation with “Hellyeah,” “Matter of Time,” and “Sangre por Sangre (Blood for Blood).” Gray’s energetic presence washed over the crowd, causing the circle pits to form. Following “Demons in the Dirt” and “War in Me,” Hellyeah continued their highly-energized set with their current single, “Moth,” “Cross to Bier (Cradle of Bones),” “Band of Brothers,” and “DMF.” Sanders moved throughout the stage, whipping his long dreads to the beat of their songs, Maxwell unleashed his beautiful skills on the guitar, and Gray’s screams and jumps were what made their show so mind-blowing. Hellyeah’s time on stage was sadly coming to a close as they continued with “Drink Drank Drunk,” “Say When,” and “Alcohaulin’ Ass.” The band ended their extremely impressive set with “Cowboy Way,” and “You Wouldn’t Know.” They left the crowd with satisfied grins plastered on their faces and the post-concert blues, all in hopes that they would catch Hellyeah in the not too distant future.
All in all, these three bands together made this tour a memorable one. The invasion at The Trocadero was certainly a night to remember for all who came out to witness this incredible lineup. Be sure to check out future tour dates for all three bands, each put on a show that you will not want to miss!