Photos and review by Micah Gummel and Tom Bogus
Five Finger Death Punch show photos HERE (Tsongas Center)
Five Finger Death Punch show photos HERE (Mohegan Sun)
Volbeat show photos HERE
Hellyeah show photos HERE
Nothing More show photos HERE
Volbeat and Five Finger Death Punch joined forces for this tour. It was said This fall’s Five Finger Death Punch and Volbeat co-headlining tour has been “years” in the making, according to Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory. It was worth the wait indeed they lit up the stage playing to a packed house at the Tsongas Center Arena in Lowell MA. This was an interesting dynamic for the crowd. Getting things rolling after the opening bands ( Nothing More and Hellyeah ) was Volbeat. Having seen them numerous times at smaller venues it was refreshing to see them play a larger stage.
Volbeat is one of the hottest rock bands in the world today Danish hybrid Volbeat. With the massive success of Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (2013), Volbeat continue to tour the USA into 2014, playing to dedicated and newly converting followers
The Danish heavy-metal band bulldozed their way through an intense 18-song . Their set list included a song or two from their past five albums but as expected, was heavy on their latest release, including songs like ‘Doc Holliday,’ ‘Dead But Rising,’ ‘Lola Montez,’ ‘Pearl Hart,’ and ‘The Hangman’s Body Count.’Despite the band’s thrashing guitar riffs and highly energetic live performance, Volbeat is more conceptually a metal outfit than in reality. Singer Michael Poulsen commented “Ladies and gentlemen, I grew up listening to Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash and, later, Slayer,”.
The band’s early influences like Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley bleed from every show delivered by a four piece that seems more focused on melodic verses than on pounding their skulls. But that’s not to say the band has all but ignored its heavier rock brethren either and it’s this musical hybrid that makes Volbeat so virtually unique. Their similarity to bands like Metallica can hardly be ignored- from sound to stage presence. Behind each drumstick smash and killer guitar licks lies the band’s identity, trademarked by frontman Michael Poulsen’s signature vocals- deep and bellowing and truly distinctive for any genre.
It’s clear that Volbeat is a band with a plan to take over America. Each trip they make to the states gets them one step closer. To become a mainstream band in this country is difficult in this era of American Idol and The Voice. To make it big as a metal band is even harder. However, I truly believe Volbeat has that hunger in time I would not be surprised if we see this band headlining arenas soon.
Next up was Five Finger Death Punch! One of the hooks Five Finger Death Punch has is there ability to be melodic when they choose to, heavy when they want and have radio-friendly hits. Not so much melodic tunes this night we were in the eye of the storm, frontman Ivan Moody came out stalking the stage with a skull mask bandana wheedling a baseball bat spewing sprays of water in to the front row. Giving guttural vitriolic verses into arena-size singing, generating the perfect contrast of dynamics alongside his band mates.
As every element cascaded into an all-encompassing assault, spotlights, strobes, and multi-colored lights shone from the back of the stage, heightening the emotions of every song. Moody bowed to Zoltan mid-song on “Salvation” as the guitarist flawlessly churned out more fret fireworks. Between Bathory and Hook, there was no shortage of mind-blowing guitar playing especially during a blazing “American Capitalist”. The track also gave Moody space to once again slip from demonic to melodic like only he can. “Hard to See” grew into the monster of “Menace”. 21st century thrash has never sounded so tough, especially as Spencer’s double bass drums lit up while he pummeled sporting a skeleton suit and face paint.
Moody giving all of himself on these lyrics and it’s impossible not to feel. With inimitable charisma and panache, Moody dedicated “Bad Company” to “our brothers and sisters” in the Armed Forces overseas. During “White Knuckles,” he invited all of the kids in the crowd on stage introducing them as “the next generation” to an audience roar. Spencer’s drum solo saw his riser elevate high above the stage as the lights continued pull the crowd into the world of American Capitalist.
Moody’s vocals serenely carried “Never Enough” and “Far From Home” from hell to heaven, while the set closer “Burn It Down” saw the band steamroll everything in its path. The masterful madness culminated on “The Bleeding” another brutally beautiful gem from the group.
If you want to catch a good show look below for one near you. You will not be disappointed this was one of the best shows so far this fall
Tour Dates
Five Finger Death Punch / Volbeat / Hellyeah / Nothing More Fall 2014 Tour Dates:
9/16 — Salt Lake City, Utah — Maverik Center
9/17 — Billings, Mont. — MetraPark
9/18 — Bismarck, N.D. — Civic Center
9/20 — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — US Cellular
9/21 — Grand Rapids, Mich. — Delta Plex
9/23 — Syracuse, N.Y. — The Oncenter
9/25 — Baltimore, Md. — Baltimore Arena
9/26 — Lowell, Mass. — Tsongas Center
9/27 — Albany, N.Y. — Times Union
9/28 — Uncasville, Conn. — Mohegan Sun Arena
9/30 — Portland, Maine — Cumberland County Civic Center
10/01 — Reading, Pa. — Santander Center
10/03 — Newark, N.J. — Prudential Center
10/07 — Fort Wayne, Ind. — Allen County War Memorial Arena
10/10 — Huntington, W.V. — Big Sandy Superstore Arena
10/11 — Duluth, Ga. — Gwinett Center
10/12 — Knoxville, Tenn. — Civic Center
10/14 — Orlando, Fla. — CFE Arena
10/16 — Biloxi, Miss. — Coast Coliseum
10/17 — Little Rock, Ark. — Verizon Arena
10/22 — Rio Rancho, N.M. — Santa Ana Star Center
10/24 — Las Vegas, Nev. — The Joint
Five Finger Death Punch show photos (Tsongas Center)
Finger Death Punch show photos (Mohegan Sun)
Volbeat show photos
Hellyeah show photos