Update: The show in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 23rd has been moved to Tulips!
The Word Alive has announced the first leg of The Hard Reset Tour, promoting their forthcoming record Hard Reset. The metalcore quartet will be playing a career-spanning set and are bringing along special guests Dark Divine and Nerv. You can get tickets and VIP at wearethewordalive.com!
8/14 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center*
8/15 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre*
8/18 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield*
8/19 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory*
8/20 – Tucson, AZ – The Rock
8/21 – El Paso, TX – The Rockhouse Bar and Grill
8/22 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s Sports Cafe
8/23 – Fort Worth, TX – Tulips
8/25 – Nashville, TN – The End
8/26 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
8/27 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club
8/29 – London, ON – London Music Hall**
8/30 – Pittsburgh, PA – Enclave
8/31 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
9/1 – Iowa City, IA – Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon
9/2 – Wichita, KS – TempleLive at Wichita Scottish Rite Center
9/3 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
* Supporting Underoath, The Ghost Inside, and We Came As Romans
Alabama-based rockers Brother Cane are celebrating 30 years with special guests Jared James Nichols and Cage Willis – and four shows with Orianthi! This will surely be one for the books: Brother Cane is phenomenal live! I took my dad to see them for his birthday last year. So be sure to get your tickets at brothercane.com!
10/26 – Woodstock, GA – MadLife Stage & Studios*
10/27 – Huntsville, AL – Mars Music Hall*
11/1 – Richmond, VA – The Tin Pan
11/2 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage
11/3 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho Theater
11/4 – Lititz, PA – Mickey’s Black Box
11/5 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
11/7 – Lakewood, OH – The Winchester
11/8 – Covington, KY – Madison Live!
11/9 – Edwardsville, IL –Wildey Theatre
11/10 – Columbus, OH – The KING of CLUBS**
11/11 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille**
11/12 – Dunellen, NJ – Dunellen Theatre
11/15 – Milwaukee, WI – Miramar Theatre
11/16 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
11/17 – Westland, MI – The Token Lounge**
11/18 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre**
11/29 – Knoxville, TN – The Concourse
11/30 – Chattanooga, TN – The BarrelHouse Ballroom
The Doobie Brothers are celebrating 50 years with an anniversary tour featuring Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, and John McFee. You can get tickets and VIP at thedoobiebrothers.com – and I highly suggest you do. I’ve seen them twice and they are a lot of fun!
6/7 – Highland, CA – Yaamava Casino (New date!)
6/9 – Sparks, NV – Nugget Casino Resort
6/11 – West Valley, UT – Maverik Center
6/14 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
6/15 – Springfield, MO – Great Southern Bank Arena
6/17 – Sioux City, IA – Tyson Events Center
6/18 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
6/20 – Duluth, MN – Amsoil Arena
6/21 – Madison, WI – Breese Stevens Field
6/23 – Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
6/24 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center
6/26 – Huber Heights, OH – The Rose Music Center
6/28 – Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre
6/30 – Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena
7/1 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
7/3 – Portsmouth, VA – Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion
7/6 – Reading, PA – The Santander Performing Arts Center
7/8 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre New Jersey
7/9 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre New Jersey
7/11 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
7/12 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
7/14 – Canandaigua, NY – CMAC (New date!)
8/18 – White Park, MN – The Ledge Amphitheater
8/20 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl
8/23 – Camdenton, MO – Ozarks Amphitheater
8/25 – Memphis, TN – Memphis Botanic Garden’s Live at The Garden (New date!)
8/26 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater
8/28 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
8/30 – Huntsville, AL – Orion Amphitheatre
8/31 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
9/2 – Macon, GA – Macon Centreplex
9/3 – Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena
9/6 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheater at Heritage Park
9/7 – Greensboro, NC – White Oak Amphitheatre
9/9 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium
9/23 – Redondo Beach, CA – Beach Life Ranch Festival 2023
10/5 – National Harbor, MD – The Theater at MGM National Harbor
10/6 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
10/8 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
10/13 – Halifax, NS – ScotiaBank Centre
10/14 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
10/16 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
10/17 – Oshawa, ON – Tribute Communities Centre
10/19 – St. Catharines, ON – Meridian Centre
10/22 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
10/24 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
10/25 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
10/27 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place
10/28 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre
After kicking off The Revolutions Live Tour last spring in North America, Shinedown decided we needed another run, this time with From Ashes To New and Three Days Grace along for the ride. I was fortunate enough to catch Shinedown twice in 2022, and when they announced a Huntsville date for early 2023, I bought tickets so fast it would have made your head spin! This concert was extra special as it was my mom’s first time seeing Shinedown.
Unfortunately, we missed openers From Ashes To New, but I have been to one of their shows and can say that I’m sure their set was spectacular. The VBC was positively buzzing when we got there, so FATN definitely pumped up the energy in the building.
Three Days Grace then came out swinging, opening with “So-Called Life” and ripping through several of their well-known tracks in succession. They utilized the extended portion of the stage, leaving only drummer Neil Sanderson and his kit to fill the main stage. (I had always referred to the extension as a catwalk, but I recently learned the appropriate term is “the thrust”.) As the band launched into the song that started it all – “I Hate Everything About You” – the audience erupted, shouting the words back at vocalist Matt Walst with gusto.
I assumed that would be the highlight of their set; however, I was wrong. Before the fans had finished cheering, Matt announced a special guest: “An OG member of Three Days Grace, Adam Gontier!” The noise level was roughly equivalent to that of an explosion as Three Days Grace founding member/singer/rhythm guitarist Adam Gontier strode into the spotlight. His huge grin was visible even from our seats in the balcony. After waving to the ecstatic crowd, he moved to the center of the thrust and the band began “Never Too Late.” Adam stayed on the stage for the final number, “Riot,” and he and the current members converged to take a bow and a few photos.
Anticipation crackled in the air as we anxiously awaited the headliner. It seemed ages, and yet no time at all, when the room went dark and the familiar intro of Outkast’s “Bombs Over Baghdad” filled the air. The early 2000s hit neared its end and faded, and the two giant split screens that shielded the main stage from view came to life. Video clips of past Shinedown performances, off day outings, and backstage shenanigans played, earning laughter and cheers. Gradually, the images distorted, crackling with static, and were ultimately interrupted by a broadcast from a female AI welcoming the audience to Planet Zero.
“We hope that you enjoy your stay. And as always, remember to start your day with outrage.”
The screens flashed bright white then parted, revealing the silhouettes of four men surrounded by fog: frontman Brent Smith, guitarist Zach Myers, bassist/pianist/guitarist Eric Bass, and drummer Barry Kerch. Screams and applause echoed through the expansive space, and the foursome made their way to the end of the thrust to wave and bask in the excitement, if only for a moment. Barry soon jogged back to his kit while Zach, encouraging the fans to get louder, grabbed his guitar and Eric slung the strap of his bass over his shoulders. Without further ado, Shinedown tore into “Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)” and we were off!
📸 Me
I won’t focus on the set list, just in case you’re going to attend a show and want to be surprised. Instead, I want to tell you about the energy, the non-stop high octane exuberance that Shinedown deliver in every performance. Choosing where to look is next to impossible. Between Brent’s strong, otherworldly vocals and overall charming demeanor, Zach’s interaction with the crowd and continuous rock star poses, Eric bouncing all over the place like a madman, and Barry attacking the drums with a fierce grin and flying dreadlocks, there is a feast for the eyes everywhere – and that’s without mentioning the pyro!
While there were several highlights, including Eric and Zach and their cover of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, I have to take a second to write about Brent’s speech. If you’ve seen Shinedown, this is nothing new. If you haven’t, I’ll prepare you.
Brent gives the most heartfelt, encouraging speeches each tour, mostly in regard to mental health and everyone belonging when it comes to the music family. On this run, he is addressing mental health and suicide. Shinedown has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, donating $1 from every ticket sold for The Revolutions Live Tour directly to them. “And you have already raised over $150,000,” he announced. He went on to say that life is a journey, that we are all a work-in-progress, and he requested that the crowd light up every cell phone, just for the next song, then the band flowed into “A Symptom of Being Human.”
Shinedown carried us on a journey of emotions, bringing us up with bangers such as “Sound of Madness” and “Planet Zero,” only to tug the heartstrings with “45,” “Second Chance,” and “Monsters.” Their cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” was met with resounding enthusiasm, and they wrapped the evening with an anthemic high note in “Cut the Cord.”
📸 Me
Shinedown is a band that never disappoints, and this show was no exception. My mom and I left the venue in high spirits, and they only climbed higher when we joined my friend and his daughter near the buses. Within half an hour, Zach had emerged to say hello and take pictures before heading to the airport.
It was a night to remember, and I’ll end this with Mr. Brent Smith’s catchphrase.
Mostly Music 