I am not exactly sure how to begin this one…all I know is that for the past few days, I have wanted to be back at this show. The high from this one just hasn’t even begun to fade. The bands that were chosen were a great mix of hard rock and metal. Archetypes Collide was the first opener for this tour. This was my third time photographing them and I was blown away by their growth as artists since the last time I had seen them. Their stage presence was amazing, especially from guitarist Jared Knister and vocalist Kyle Pastor. These two never stopped moving and rocking the fuck out, and it stepped their performance up tenfold. These guys are on an upwards trajectory and I don’t see them stopping any time soon. They came out swinging with their song “Parasite” and ran through an energy-packed 7-song set that included songs like “Destiny”, What if I Fall” and a cover of “One Step Closer” by Linkin Park. They closed the set with their biggest hit “Misery” which is the song that really put them on the map when it was picked up by Sirius XM’s hard rock station Octane. 

                  After a short intermission, we had a heavy metal band from the UK called Malevolence hit the stage and these guys really upped the ante. They got the pit moving, they had the crowd surfers going, and shit was really starting to get wild. This band was such a fun group. They were laughing and joking with the crowd, they had smiles on their faces and you could tell they were just happy as fuck to be there. Malevolence has been around since 2010 and their hard work is really paying off. They ran a tight set that kept the crowd going nuts for their entire performance. They played a 7-song set which included songs like “Malicious Intent”, “Still Waters Run Deep”, and “Keep your Distance”. Vocalist Alex Taylor had such a fun disposition. The entire set was just an all-around good time. They closed out their set with “On Broken Glass”. 

                  Up next, we had a band that has changed the lives of so many people. I for one know that they changed my life for the better. At one point this band helped keep me alive. Beartooth vocalist Cable Shomo has been an outspoken proponent of mental health awareness from day one. His music is heavily laden with his own struggles concerning mental health, dealing with depression, anxiety, and so much more. so naturally the emotional response that this band evokes is a visceral one. People lose themselves in the throes of catharsis. What outsiders see may be described as unhinged, and maybe even violent…but to those who understand…we see healing. Beartooth came out and immediately jumped into “Devastation”, This song is an explosion of pure intensity and Caleb Shomo was just going absolutely nuts under the strobing stage lights. The crowd went from still to feral in the blink of an eye. I couldn’t help but throw my head back and scream along. I knew we were in for a wild ride and I was more than ready. Within the first 30 seconds, the crowd surfers were coming over the barricade.  Beartooth dropped a fucking hydrogen bomb of pure sonic healing in that venue and I for one am still wishing I was there. They played a set of 13 songs, and all of their biggest hits made the list like, “The in Between”, “The Lines”, “Bad Listener”, “Sunshine”, and so many more! This set was amazing from beginning to end and they kept the crowd going nuts till the last riff. The crowd interaction was phenomenal. Shomo gave fives to crowd surfers when they got over the barricade, he even gave me a high five when he saw me rocking out while I was photographing the set. There were a lot of “I sing, you sing” moments, and during their final song “The Last Riff” Caleb hops into the crowd with his guitar and makes his way to the center of the floor to play the song while rocking with the fans. It was such a badass moment to watch. I am forever grateful for this band and what they’ve done to keep me here simply by being themselves and sharing their experiences. 

                  Finally, we had heavy metal heavyweights Trivium. Their stage setup was pretty badass with a Japanese shrine-looking themed drum riser and dragon-type statues on either side of the stage. The band came out and opened their set with “Rain”. Trivium always puts on a fun show. Matt Heafy is a beast on the guitar and it is always a pleasure to watch him shred. I swear he had his tongue out the entire time he was playing, giving fans horns, pointing at people, and flashing his brilliant smile. It was such a good time. Trivium might not be that old, but they give off old-school metal vibes. I always feel like I am watching a metal band from the 80s when I see them. Their stage presence is great, they rock hard as hell, they have some pretty heartfelt and meaningful choruses, and they interact with one another in a way that just turns the whole show into such a fun time. During their song “Until the World Goes Cold” Matt actually had to stop the song in order to break up a fight that was happening in the mosh pit. Luckily it was over quickly and they were able to get back to their set. They played a 12-song set consisting of songs like “Like Light to Flies”, “Feast of Fires”, “Down from the Sky”, and “In Waves”. They closed out the night with their song “Pull Harder on the Strings of your Martyr”. 

Overall, this Triv-Tooth tour was pretty badass. It was a great time from Archetypes Collide, all the Way to Trivium’s last song. We had survived yet another barrage of epic heavy music and we all left better off than when we arrived (except maybe the guys who got into a fight). Heavy music just has a way of making you feel like you can take on the world, and hopefully, that feeling is something that keeps you going throughout life. I know for s fact that heavy metal has been the only thing that kept me going numerous times in life and being able to experience it live leaves you with memories that you can always draw support from in times of need. This tour is over but these bands will be back on the road soon enough. Keep your eyes on their socials for tours and one-off announcements. We are also in the midst of the festival season and I know some of these bands will be gracing the stages of some of the biggest festivals of the year so stay on the lookout!