Sevendust blew the roof off of the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, TN on May 2, 2018. Their highly anticipated new album “All I See is War” is dropping this Friday May 11th. This tour is being supported by Madame Mayhem, Fire From the Gods and Memphis May Fire. All of these bands are heavy hitters and made for the one of the sweatiest nights of rock and roll that I can remember.
Madame Mayhem is a Manhattan born singer-song writer of the rock persuasion. She has a couple of albums under her belt including her latest “Ready for Me” which was released in 2017. Madame Mayhem and her killer band knocked out 7 songs in a fast paced 30 minute set. I have a super soft spot for female rock vocalists so I was stoked to check out her set; she did not disappoint. Her vocal style reminds me of Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil. Madame Mayhem’s band was really good as well most songs are very lead guitar driven and heavy on the drums. It was a very good start for this lineup.
Fire From the Gods from Austin, Texas is quickly becoming one of my favorite live bands. Fire From the Gods consists of AJ Channer (vocals), Jameson Teat (guitar), Drew Walker (Guitar), Bonner Baker (bass) and Richard Wicander (drums). I saw them for the first time a few months ago when they were on tour with Of Mice and Men and they blew me away. The second time around was even better now that I was more familiar with their material. This band is the most energetic rock/metal bands around. They are super interactive with each other and the crowd. Bonner is my favorite, he’s a crazy jumper and never stands still. He saw me trying to take photos of Rich and stuck his foot playfully in front of my camera and smiled. Most people would have probably been annoyed but I was happy for the moment of interaction. Check them out if they come your way, you won’t be sorry.
Memphis May Fire, the hometown hero’s of the night hailing from Nashville, TN. They are a Christian/Faith metal band consisting of Matty Mullins (vocals), Kellen McGregor (guitar, vocals), Sam Penner (guitar, vocals), Cory Elder (bass), and Jake Garland (drums). To be honest here, they were good, but Fire From the Gods left really big shoes to fill on that stage. Matty’s vocals were good and the band itself was really awesome. I’ve heard so much hype about this band, but for me they fell just a little short of the other metal bands I’ve seen on tour in recent months. Their last album “This Light I Hold” was released in 2016 and are currently working on new music. I will give them another try in the future and hopefully they will live up to my expectations.
Sevendust is a band that has been through their up and downs, but they have never disappointed on stage. Sevendust is comprised of Lajon Witherspoon (vocals), Clint Lowery (lead guitar, vocals), John Connolly (rhythm guitar, vocals), Vince Hornsby (bass guitar), and Morgan Rose (drums). Their self-titled album was released on April 15, 1997 and their newest release, “All I See is War“, drops this Friday. I was lucky enough to photograph and review one of their 20th anniversary shows last year so I am really looking forward to the new album and to where the next 20 years is going to take this kick ass band.
Sevendust is known for their intense high-energy shows and this one was no exception. They opened with their new single Dirty. When I first heard this song I said there it is, finally some good new release in the modern rock industry. I have been so underwhelmed by music that has been released in the last six months that when this song hit the airwaves, it was like an avalanche. This song is true to their style and sound, Lajon’s vocals on this hot Nashville night were on fire. One of my favorite parts of a Sevendust show is the whole bands interaction with the crowd. Each member spent a lot of time at the edge of the stage going back and forth with the crowd who was singing loudly and moshing up a storm.
They played a bunch of my favorites including Denial, Enemy, Trust and Decay. I was able to walk around to the back of the venue after photographing the first 3 songs to watch the show for a bit. It was crazy to feel the energy resonate from the stage all the way to the back. Its one thing for a performer to captivate the first few rows but it’s another beast to command an entire venue. Clint is infectious to watch from up close or from afar. He is so energetic and nearly dives down to the floor while playing, the pure joy he has for what he does is clear. Vince spent nearly the entire set on the edge of the stage with one foot up on a monitor. He was smiling and pointing to fans in the audience the night. There’s nothing better than seeing a band appreciate the fans that are there to celebrate life with them.
Sevendust closed out their blistering set with two hits and definite fan favorites, Black and Face to Face. Every time I hear Face to Face it gets stuck in my head for days, it’s a lyrical chant that filled the entire venue, and without a doubt, the blocks surrounding the place. The set was only 14 songs and myself and the audience could have used a few more. Sevendust is on the rise again; with the new album coming out we can expect to see and hear a lot more of them in the near future. This tour package runs through June 2nd, catch it while it’s hot.
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