On January 9, 2018, Grammy-nominated August Burns Red brought the heat to the House of Blues in Cleveland. From a musical standpoint, it’s sometimes a challenge to think of bands that have been performing for 15+ years and still release “This could be there best album yet!” music, that still play with the vigor and ferocity of a band that just got their first big break, of a band that continues to inspire musicians new and old alike. August Burns Red comes to mind with these statements. Having had their current lineup since 2006, you can tell with each show and song released how well these guys meld together. Each album has potential to be your favorite yet, and each show has an unmatched energy to it.
The first time I saw ABR perform live was only one year prior to this show during the Messengers 10th Anniversary Tour. While that show was one of my favorite shows of the year, I have to say this one blew it away. The energy ABR has on stage shows how much love and sincerity they have in the music and fans. While John “JB” Brubaker shredded through the songs of the band’s new album, The Phantom Anthem, it never ceased to impress. My hands hurt for him as he unflinchingly tapped out “Invisible Enemy.” The band, overall, are masters of their craft. They know their audience. They know their music. The stage presence blows me away with ABR. Never standing still other than to play these crazy solos, the band worked the crowd who screamed every word.
Of course, much of their setlist came from The Phantom Anthem, though they pulled some fan favorites from their extensive backlog. Nevertheless, songs like “Spirit Breaker,” “Provision,” “Marianas Trench,” and (my fanboy favorite) “White Washed” were a treat to see live. Notably, they were humble enough to not only dedicate “Dangerous” off the newest album to their sound engineer, but also play him a lovely rendition of “Happy Birthday.” To start off their 4-song encore (which included the birthday song for the sound engineer) was, arguably, the most impressive part of the night: Matt Greiner’s beyond impressive drum solo. Now, I’ve seen some incredibly talented drummers play in the many concerts I’ve been privileged enough to see. However,
Greiner’s solo set a new drumming standard in my comparisons. I swear, the guy essentially ran a full marathon in the several-minute drum solo. Non-stop double bass kicks and well-rehearsed fills stole the show. It was truly a sight to behold.
While I haven’t been a fan of August Burns Red as long as many of my friends, I truly appreciate and respect what they do in the metal/metalcore genre. They never cease to impress and blow me away with each new release or time I see them. They are definitely in my top 5 albums of 2017 and top 10 shows of the past 14 years I’ve been going to concerts. As a metal fan, I highly recommend to fans of talented musicians to give them a listen if, for some reason, they haven’t yet. Catch them on their current tour for 2017’s The Phantom Anthem, and dive deep into their musical catalogue to find some of the best metalcore out there.
Setlist:
King of Sorrow
Empire
The Frost
Spirit Breaker
Identity
Ghosts
Hero of the Half Truth
Invisible Enemy
Provision
Beauty in Tragedy
Marianas Trench
Float
White Washed
Encore:
Drum Solo
Happy Birthday (to their sound guy)
Dangerous
Composure
August Burns Red Tour Dates:
1/24 – SAN DIEGO, CA – HOUSE OF BLUES
1/25 – LOS ANGELES – BELASCO THEATRE
1/26 – PHOENIX, AZ – THE MARQUEE
1/27- ALBUQUERQUE, NM – EL REY THEATER
1/29 – DENVER, CO – SUMMIT MUSIC HALL
1/30 – LAWRENCE, KS – GRANADA THEATRE
1/31 – ST LOUIS, MO – READY ROOM
2/1- MEMPHIS, TN – NEW DAISY THEATRE
2/2 – DALLAS, TX – GAS MONKEY LIVE
2/3 – HOUSTON, TX – WAREHOUSE LIVE
2/4 – AUSTIN, TX – EMO’S
2/6 – TAMPA, FL – THE RITZ YBOR
2/7 – FT LAUDERDALE – REVOLUTION LIVE
2/8 – ORLANDO, FL – THE BEACHAM
2/9 – ATLANTA, GA – MASQUERADE
2/10 – GREENSBORO, NC – ARIZONA PETE’S
2/11 – NASHVILLE, TN – MARATHON MUSIC WORKS
2/12 – NORFOLK, VA – THE NORVA
2/14 -BALTIMORE, MD – SOUND STAGE
2/15 – SAYREVILLE, NJ – STARLAND BALLROOM
2/16 – WORCESTER, MA – THE PALLADIUM
2/17 – NEW YORK, NY – IRVING PLAZA
2/18 – PHILADELPHIA, PA – THE TLA
Photos and review by Alex Horn, RockRevolt Journalist
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