Concert Review: Controller with Cyanide Sayonara and Tearing Down the Masquerade from Stan's Room at Piere's in Ft. Wayne, IN!

It’s too bad the weather couldn’t match the heat coming from Stan’s Room at Piere’s Entertainment Center in Fort Wayne, IN on December 19th, 2025. Although it was winter, it might as well have been July.  The “Christmas in July December” show that was originally set for July, happened this night instead.  Cyanide Sayonara, Tearing Down the Masquerade, and Controller packed up the heat of summer and brought it on stage and ignited the place, with no apologies to the winter season.  This was a night to enjoy these three local bands.  I’ve said it numerous times before, but seriously, Fort Wayne, Indiana has some super underrated local musicians in the rock/metal scene.  It’s amazing to witness such talent so frequently, so close to my own domain.  

The first to take the stage was Cyanide Sayonara.  This band is made up of three chill dudes from Fort Wayne.  They have a clearly evident emo/punk rock sound and when I found out their first ever show was back in March, I was shocked.  They play and sound well seasoned.  With inspiration from Deftones, Blink-182, and Counterparts, they were my kind of music.  DJ (lead vocals and bass player) immediately took the attention and band mates Rick (guitar) and Sam (drums) both equally had me convinced they had been playing live shows together much longer. At one point, DJ jumped off the drum riser with a perfect landing and continued on with his insane vocals and bass playing simultaneously, without falter.  These guys are far too talented to be hidden down the street.  Be sure to check them out on social media and on bandcamp.com 

Tearing Down the Masquerade popped off next.  They came with their 90’s grunge vibes and poetic lyrics.  They have a polished sound that belongs in arenas across the nation.  This was my second time hearing them live, and it’s been worth it both times.  I imagine that each time will only be better than the last.  Their music matches the songs of my formative years and that makes them feel familiar, even though I have just recently discovered them.  Imagine that you put the base ingredients that make up bands like Alice In Chains and KoRn, with the grungy beautiful vocals and beefy bass sounds and a beat that keeps it all tied together, into a blender and pour it out into a delectable drink.  This band is gonna have you feelin’ good.  The band is made up of Zack (lead vocals), Dori (drums), Kyle (lead guitar), Sean (rhythm guitar), and Logan (bass and songwriting).  They played unreleased tracks “Fading Away,” “Closer to you,” “Rat Race,” and “Hourglass” that are coming out soon.  They also played currently streaming songs “Crazy Waves,” “Break Away” (personal favorite), “Blame it on You,” and “Jackie” (written by Logan at just thirteen years old).  They did a couple of covers, immaculately I must add, especially the cover of “Toxic” by Britney Spears.  To be honest, it was the best cover of “Toxic” that I’ve heard.  It has been mentioned on their social media that Zack has only been singing for five years.  If this is what he is capable of at only a few years in, they will make their mark.  The songs are catchy and the melodies are memorable.  I see much larger stages in their future. 

Alt/Metal band Controller headlined the night.  They were established in 2011 and have been ever changing and evolving ever since.  I had been seeing promotions for them around for a while now and have been wanting to check them out.  It was definitely a great choice.  The second they came out, the energy was infectious.  It is so obvious that each member is so passionate about what they do.  Bob is their lead vocalist, Stephen is on guitar, Chad is on the bass, Jeffrey is the keys and vocals, and then Kris held the pulse on drums.  These dudes are entertainers at their core.  It’s a good thing they were headlining, because I imagine that their energy would be hard to match.  They have a new EP out now called “Decennium of Visions” that you should check out on streaming platforms.  

As I left the place, the cold hit me right in the face, but I was still warm and fuzzy after a spectacular night of live music.  Each of these three bands are special and deserve so much recognition.  I urge you to follow them on social media and check out a show. Hopefully, they will tour near you in the future.  If you’re around the Fort Wayne area then you’re in luck, because their shows are sure to be a great night out!