3 Doors Down’s Away From The Sun 20th Anniversary Tour stopped at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. PNC Bank Arts Center is an extraordinary venue for me because it is the first concert venue I ever went to. My dad took me back in 2004, and even though we were on the lawn, we still had the time of our lives. The way that the venue is set up, even if you have lawn seats all the way in the back, you still feel like you are front row for the show! I’ve been listening to 3 Doors Down since their Away From The Sun album first came out in 2002. This was a highly anticipated concert for me and many other fans. They brought Candlebox out on tour with them as their special guest.
Candlebox is an American Rock band from Seattle celebrating 30 years together as a band. They opened up the show and were very electric on stage. The lead singer could be seen leaning into the guitarist at some points. The drummer played passionately in the back. Their music went from calm to rocking back and forth, an excellent transition. The singer even threw out two drumsticks to fans in the middle of the set! This is something that I usually see at the end of a set, but it was cool to see it in the middle. The lead singer, Kevin, brought out an acoustic guitar at one point, which was very nice. The band dedicated a song to people who couldn’t be here with us today. I love when bands do that because it makes the song personal for everyone in attendance. The crowd went crazy toward the end of their set for their more popular songs. The band told the fans to put their hands up and reminded them they loved them. Candlebox recently released Live at the Neptune, an exceptional performance from November 5, 2021, featuring their original members.
Candlebox setlist:
Don’t You, Change, Blossom, No Sense, What Do You Need, Arrow, He Calls Home, Mothers Dream, Cover Me, Far Behind, You
It was my first time seeing 3 Doors Down live after listening to them for 20 years, and I was so excited! They had a very elaborate setup that was unique and different from what I had seen before. They had stairs on all sides of the drum kit leading up to it, giving a cool aesthetic. They also had light bars behind them which changed colors throughout the set. The first song they played didn’t make it on the record back in the day, so many fans didn’t know it, but it sounded great. The lead singer Brad made a joke out of it after saying what a way to start the tour by playing a song no one knows.
After that, they played a lot of songs that were chart-hitting. The guitarists had a fabulous stage presence; I watched them a lot. At times they would come together, which made for very cool moments. 3 Doors Down played old and new songs, which was nice to hear a good mix. It was undeniable that the crowd loved the setlist, and I also found myself singing along. The guitarists had a lot of excellent solos. They even got up close and personal with the crowd stepping over the speakers.
Brad was very passionate while singing, which was reassuring to see. He asked how the crowd felt so far and said they looked good. Brad explained that when this album came out back in 2002 that they were coming off a lot of success with the first record. They had a few months to write a second one after that, and many songs were written from a dark place. Thankfully they aren’t in that dark place anymore. At the time, they didn’t feel any love, and just because they had that success doesn’t mean they felt love. He reminded the crowd that they will always be loved and they will always be with them. This tour will be going on all the way until October. Some dates have low tickets, so grab your tickets soon!
3 Doors Down setlist:
Pop Song, When I’m Gone, Away From the Sun, The Road I’m On, Ticket to Heaven, Let Me Go, Running Out of Days, Here Without You, I Feel You, It’s Not My Time, Be Like That, Duck and Run, Dangerous Game
Changes, Loser, Sarah Yellin’
Encores:
Landing in London, Kryptonite
