Shinedown packed the Hard Rock Live in Gary, IN, for their Revolutions Live Tour, with support from newcomers Sleep Theory.
It’s been a busy year for Sleep Theory. For the last three years, the band has been a studio project, but since January, they have released their first single, got a record deal, and are now on tour, opening for Shinedown. Not bad at all. The Hard Rock Live was already looking pretty packed by the time the Memphis band took to the stage, and it’s fair to say they grabbed everyone’s attention right from the get-go. Just to make sure they really did have everyone’s focus, they even performed a cover of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye.” Hard rock fans need to keep an ear out for this band as they are sure to be popping up a lot more.
Next up, it was time for the headliners, Shinedown. If you’ve ever seen this foursome before, you know what to expect from their live performances, but this in no way takes away from the thrill of seeing the extravaganza. You know there’ll be plenty of pyro, flames shooting up from the stage, and an energetic performance that is difficult to rival. Their show at the Hard Rock Live in Gary, Indiana was no exception to this.The band recently wrapped a sold-out arena tour, and has confirmed a Fall tour with Papa Roach and Spiritbox which will begin in September. This year is proving to be another busy one for the foursome, with these additional summer dates bridging the gap. The stage setup might not be as big as that of the arena tour earlier this year, but you certainly did not feel that the show was missing anything at all. The high-octane performance that we’ve all come to love and know from their shows was ever-present.
As the venue lights dimmed in anticipation of their set beginning, the large screens at the back of the stage came to life. They showed various behind-the-scenes video clips of the band members, of times when they’d met with fans and taking each other by surprise with Nerf gun attacks. It was a nice touch and received a few laughs from the eager audience as the excitement built. As the video came to an end, four silhouettes could be seen in a line across the stage before they took to their rightful positions and the stage (quite literally) exploded to life.
After the first song, Brent paused the show while security removed someone from the center of the crowd. Before continuing on, he checked that everyone else was doing well before picking up exactly where they left off, not allowing one person ruin it for everyone.
As ever, this Shinedown performance was a feast for both the eyes and the ears. There was always something going on. One moment Brent would be grasping everyone’s attention when he was front and center of the stage demonstrating just how powerful his voice is. The next he’d be walking around the entirety of the stage, with Zach and Eric taking turns in the center spot. Usually at shows it can be quite difficult to see the drummer at the back of the stage, but Barry was given a prime elevated position and could be seen bashing the living daylights out of his kit as his hair was flying around.
Their set included their latest single, “A Symptom of Being Human,” as well as “Dead Don’t Die” and the title track from their most recent album, Planet Zero. Changing gear a little, Zach and Eric alternated taking over the vocals for their cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” which saw the audience singing along. The evening was rounded out with a performance of the equally infectious, “Cut The Cord.”
If you didn’t get the chance to catch them this time around, fear not – they’ll be back on the road this September and October. Be sure to check out the dates now as this is the adrenaline rush you know you need.
The Hard Rock Live venue in Gary, Indiana, is one of the newer music venues in the area and is definitely worth a visit. They are attracting some decent-sized acts to their schedule, so be sure to check out what they have lined up.
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