Co-headlining North America tour Five Finger Death Punch and Breaking Benjamin along with Nothing More and Bad Wolves was the hot ticket at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California on July 27. Nothing was stopping the die-hard fans, from banging their heads for five hours, not even the 100-degree heat.
Not only is this the HOT ticket, but the co-headliners will donate $0.50 from each ticket sold to two charity organizations close to their hearts. Five Finger Death Punch has chosen C.O.P.S. – Concerns Of Police Survivors and Breaking Benjamin chose Prevent Child Abuse America. This touches my heart, what a beautiful gesture.
Opening the stage at 6:00 PM making a statement was Bad Wolves based out of Los Angeles, California. I was first introduced to Bad Wolves when I photographed the Loudwire Music Awards Black Carpet; I was looking forward to seeing them perform for the first time. The intro tape starts to play “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf“.. classic!!!
The powerhouse quintet of frontman Tommy Vext (Snot, Divine Heresy), and co-founder drummer John Boecklin (DevilDriver), guitarist Doc Coyle (God Forbid), bassist Kyle Konkiel (Vimic, In This Moment) and rhythm guitarist Chris Cain (Bury Your Dead) took command of the early crowd opening with Officer Down. Their six-song set was focused on their recent release Disobey via Eleven Seven Music. Midway through the set special guest Diamante joined Vext on stage for Hear Me Now. Closing out with Zombie (Cranberries cover) which has charted on multiple Billboard Charts.
As I stated earlier, Bad Wolves made a statement musically and with their florescent high tops. Bad Wolves are currently dominating the #1 spot on the Mainstream Rock and Metal charts. Loved them!
Bad Wolves Setlist:
Intro – Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf
Officer Down
Learn to Live
No Masters
Hear Me Now
Better the Devil
Zombie (Cranberries cover)
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All photos by Tammy Greene
©2018. Please DO NOT copy or use without permission.
Bad Wolves
As the stage is being turned over fans are grabbing something cold to drink. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the sun’s intense rays that are beating directly on the stage. Nothing More, from San Antonio, Texas, is another band I was introduced to photographing the Loudwire Music Awards Black Carpet. With three Grammy nominations under their belt, these boys are coming into their own, touring behind the recent release The Stories We Tell Ourselves via Better Noise Records.
Drummer Ben Anderson, guitarist Mark Vollelunga and bassist Daniel Oliver join the stage, frontman Jonny Hawkins barefoot and bare-chested kneeling on and pounding the drum to Do You Really Want It, my first thought is you’re crazy, my feet were burning just watching him, and I had shoes on. Following with Let ‘em Burn both off the album The Stories We Tell Ourselves, rounding out the first three songs with Mr. MTV from their self-titled album Nothing More. Everyone gives it all; full of infectious raw energy. But there is more…..
Hawkins initially was the drummer. Not finding a frontman that would fit, Hawkins, stepped up front. It’s like taking the kid out of a candy store, Hawkins still needed to bang the drum. Bassist Daniel Oliver built The Scorpion Tail out of scrap metal and motorcycle parts which Hawkins stands on while moving and hitting parts to make electronic sounds as it rises up to 15 feet tall. Creativity at its finest. Closing out their 45 minute set with Salem (Burn the Witch) from the album The Few Not Fleeting. They turned up the heat. Loved them!
Nothing More Setlist:
Do You Really Want It?
Let ‘em Burn
Mr. MTV
Go To War
Just Say When (version 2.0)
Jenny
Ocean Floor
This Is The Time (Ballast)
Salem (Burn The Witch)
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Nothing More
The stage has gone through a significant change. The crowd is growing, the sun is setting and the stage lights have come on but I can’t say it’s any cooler. The backdrop is beautiful, it’s the cover of their recent release Ember via Hollywood Records (April 2018). Breaking Benjamin from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania hits the stage. Their set had a darker ambiance with fantastic pyrotechnics throughout the show.
Guitarist Jason Rauch and Keith Wallen come together center stage, to play their part, drummer Shaun Foist appears behind the monster drum kit arms stretched high, bassist Aaron Bruch takes his place, as frontman Benjamin Burnley enters raising his arm flashing the horns to the cheering fans, opening with Red Cold River from their new release Ember, following with I Will Not Bow, from Dear Agony, this is what the fans have been waiting for, rounding out the first three songs with Never Again from Dark Before Dawn.
Breaking Benjamin had the most extended setlist with sixteen songs from the albums Ember, Dear Agony, Dark Before Dawn, We Are Not Alone and Phobia, Burnley doesn’t address the fans much, he lets the music fill their soul. Five songs in and the stage goes dark; a small drum kit was being wheeled out to center stage with lightsabers around it, Burnley appears behind the kit, lighting each red lightsaber, banging a mini drum solo while the band perform a mix of the Star Wars Imperial March, Tool’s Schism, Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, Pantera’s Walk and Metallica’s Sad But True, followed by Foist drum solo. I was waiting for Darth Vader to show up, it was awesome.
Breaking Benjamin closed out their 75 minute set but inviting the kids to join them onstage for The Diary of Jane from the album Phobia. I was curious about the kids on stage, so I did a little research. Breaking Benjamin is very involved with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their mission of finding cures and saving children. The heat was turned up a bit more. Loved them!!
Breaking Benjamin Setlist:
Red Cold River
I Will Not Bow
Never Again
Breath
Imperial March/Schism/Smells Like Teen Spirit/Walk/Sad But True
Drum Solo
Sooner or Later
Blow Me Away
So Cold
Angels Fall
Psycho
Failure
Until the End
Believe
Torn in Two
The Diary of Jane
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Breaking Benjamin
The black curtain drops in front of the stage, while another transformation takes place. Each one of these band had an impressive looking scene, and the pyrotechnics were HOT!! I would like to take a moment to give kudos to all the stagehands that put these elaborate stage productions together for the fans to enjoy!
Yes, you’ve guessed it, we are coming to the end of the show. The fans are packed in and anxious, trying to push their way to the front, security having to step in the calm the situation down as us photographers were given instructions: if the body surfing puts us in danger we will be asked to step out of the photo pit. Closing out the show from Las Vegas, Nevada heavy metallers Five Finger Death Punch, 5fdp touring behind their recent release And Justice For None (May 2018).
The introduction tape starts to play, from Barney’s television series I Love You, the fans are all singing along. The black curtain drops, fireworks shot off, drummer Jeremy Spencer behind the monster kit, dressed in his skeleton garb and makeup, bassist Chris Kael, rhythm guitarist Zoltan Bathory, guitarist Jason Hook, frontman Ivan Moody enters the stage in white with his signature red hand print over his right eye, waving with a big smile on his face greeting the fans. Kicking it off with Lift Me Up from the album The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell – Volume 1, following with Trouble off their recent release And Justice For None, rounding out the first three songs with Wash It All Away from the album Got Your Six. HOT… HOT. HOT.. with all the pyro, so exciting.
The tributes, the gratitude, and celebration of life was a recurring theme throughout the night. Moody dedicating Bad Company (Bad Company cover) from the album War Is The Answer to all the Military personnel in the audience and in general. To Moody’s bandmates for not giving up on him through the shit, he put them through, dedicating The Wrong Side Of Heaven from the song titled album. Clearing the stage, as Moody invites the kids to join him onstage, Hook playing an acoustic guitar for Remember Everything from the album American Capitalist as the kids sang some of the choruses. A memory of a lifetime for these kids and parents, I was touched.
Unfortunately, there was an injured fan, as paramedics were called, during the fifteen-minute delay Moody apologized to the fans in the stands, stating “he would have done it for them too.” Moody sang a verse of Gone Away (Offspring cover), then decided to sign autographs. Stepping off stage for a moment to pick up his signature bat, he spoke to the fans about his sobriety stating the next day would be his anniversary, asking the fans to shout out their number. As Moody works the stage talking with the fans, he stops in front of a gentleman, I believe he was in a wheelchair sitting right up against the rail, Moody leans down handing him the bat and says you’ve been sitting here all night, this is for you. I was choked up then and now writing this.
The show must go on, but FivePoint Amphitheatre has a curfew of 11 PM, ending this kick ass show with The Bleeding from the album The Way of the Fist, as the confetti was blasted out of cannons.
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This is a phenomenal show; from start to finish, all four-bands deliver giving it there all. You only live once, so live!! Don’t miss the show, the tour runs till the beginning of September, near you!!
Five Finger Death Punch Setlist:
Intro – I Love You
Lift Me Up
Trouble
Wash It All Away
Jekyll and Hyde
Bad Company (Bad Company cover)
Fake
Wrong Side of Heaven
Remember Everything
Coming Down
Burn MF
Gone Away (Offspring cover)
The Bleeding
Five Finger Death Punch
Remaining tour dates. Dates with an asterisk (*) do not include Nothing More.
8/6/18 – BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove – Southaven, MS
8/7/18 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
8/9/18 – Heritage Park Amphitheatre – Simpsonville, SC
8/11/18 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre – Tampa, FL
8/12/18 – Verizon Amphitheatre – Atlanta, GA
8/14/18 – KeyBank Pavilion – Pittsburgh, PA
8/15/18 – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ
8/17/18 – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain – Scranton, PA
8/18/18 – Xfinity Center – Boston, MA
8/20/18 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
8/22/18 – Lakeview Amphitheater – Syracuse, NY *
8/24/18 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA
8/25/18 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ *
8/28/18 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
8/29/18 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL
8/31/18 – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Indianapolis, IN *
9/1/18 – DTE Energy Music Theatre – Detroit, MI
9/3/18 – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien Center, NY
9/6/18 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY *
9/7/18 – XFINITY Theatre – Hartford, CT
9/9/18 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland, OH *
Five Finger Death Punch and Breaking Benjamin’s announce fall 2018 tour:
Nov. 6: Wichita, KS — INTRUST Bank Arena
Nov. 7: Colorado Springs, CO — Broadmoor World Arena
Nov. 10: Phoenix, AZ — AK-Chin Pavilion
Nov. 12: Fresno, CA — Save Mart Center
Nov. 13: Sacramento, CA — Golden 1 Center
Nov. 15: Portland, OR — Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Nov. 17: Bozeman, MT — Brick Breedan Fieldhouse
Nov. 20: Minneapolis, MN — Target Center
Nov. 21: Lincoln, NE — Pinnacle Bank Arena
Nov. 23: Sioux Falls, ND — Denny Sanford Premier Center
Nov. 24: Green Bay, WI — Resch Center
Nov. 26: Grand Rapids, MI — Van Andel Arena
Nov. 27: Cedar Rapids, IA — US Cellular Center
Nov. 29: Oklahoma City, OK — Chesapeake Energy Arena
Dec. 1: North Little Rock, AR — Verizon Arena
Dec. 3: Biloxi, MS — Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Dec. 7: Fayetteville, NC — Crown Coliseum
Dec. 8: Huntingdon, WV— Big Sandy Superstore Arena
Dec. 10: Albany, NY — Times Union Center
Dec. 11: Portland, ME — Cross Insurance Center
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Thank you so much, Mark! And thanks for the continuous support! Till next time. 🙂