Have you ever gone to an event, your friend or coworker asks you how it was and the only thing your brain can come up with is “it was great?”
That’s kind of how I feel after Sunday night’s Revolutions Live tour at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Don’t get me wrong, the show wasn’t bad, or even just “ok.” It was honestly freakin’ great in a way that’s both expected from chart-toppers like Shinedown and Papa Roach, and also pleasantly surprising because despite their long careers, neither band has ever phoned it in. But I’ll get there in a second.
Spiritbox kicked off the night with a resounding heaviness that set the stage and made people pay attention. The band has been getting some well-deserved buzz of late, and for good reason. Their sound is fresh in a way that they manage to straddle that line of melodic and heavy-metal, making their songs accessible to a wider audience. This was my first time catching them live, and it was a fully enjoyable experience. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who went home to check out their Spotify after the show.
Full disclosure–I’ve been listening to Papa Roach since my high school days when “Last Resort” was all the rage. Yes, I’ve just aged myself, but I figured I’d add some context. Whenever a tour is announced for the area, I try to be there not because I’m actually a die-hard fan, but because their life show is just that good. 20+ years since Infest, and Papa Roach continues to put on a thoroughly engaging show, shock-full of anthemic sing-along tracks old and new. Sure, the production has gotten grander, but at its heart, it’s the band’s energy that gets fans riled. In all the best ways, mind you.
Over my last several years of covering Shinedown, one thing sticks out above all else–the production showiness might have increased, the stages gotten bigger, the audiences grown but Shinedown at its core remains a consistent powerhouse. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever not be impressed by Brent Smith’s flawlessly clean vocals. While the band is on tour in support of the latest studio album, Planet Zero, the 19-song setlist was delightfully balanced with a mix of newer tracks and older fan-favorites like “45,” “State of my Head,” “Sound of Madness” and the best “Simple Man” cover to date. The show wrapped with the explosive “Cut the Cord,” which definitely left fans buzzing well into the night.
In all, super strong tour lineup and not a dull moment, in my opinion. There’s a few more weeks left, so if you’re along the tour routing (see dates below), get yourself a ticket. It’ll be worth it.
Remaining Revolutions Tour Dates:
with Papa Roach & Spiritbox
September 26 – Simpsonville, SC @ CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
September 27 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
September 29 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
September 30 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
October 3 – Franklin, TN @ FirstBank Amphitheater
October 5 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
October 6 – Allen, TX @ Credit Union of Texas Event Center
October 8 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
October 9 – San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
October 12 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
October 13 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
October 15 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre
October 17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater
October 19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
October 20 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
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