After a delay of a few years, Sevendust have undertaken a Canadian tour, bringing with them Crobot and Red Tide Rising as support. One stop on the tour was The Opera House in Toronto, and judging by the line at the door and the minimal amount of elbow room inside, I’d say I wasn’t the only one who was anticipating this evening.
Denver-based Red Tide Rising were the first to hit the stage. Since forming in 2012, they’ve had the pleasure of touring in support of In This Moment, as well as Starset and Gemini Syndrome among others. They have obviously paid close attention to their peers, and learned from them as far as showmanship and stage presence is concerned. They delivered a fast-paced, energetic set that had the crowd jumping, featuring songs from their latest release, ‘Voices.’
Crobot, out of Pennsylvania, were up next, and they were a pleasant surprise. Although I had heard of them, I had never really listened to them before. But when I did, I became an instant Fan. With a sound similar to Led Zeppelin and Rival Sons, mixed with a little Myles Kennedy along with FANTASTIC energy and stage presence, you can expect these guys to be around for years to come. Singer Brandon Yeagley was a dynamo, covering the stage like a seasoned pro, and at the same time delivering a pitch-perfect vocal performance that really must be heard to be believed. If you get a chance to see Crobot perform near you, you won’t be disappointed.
After Crobot’s set,the lights dimmed, and Sevendust hit the stage running. These Atlanta boys are seasoned veterans, and their live energy was high from the get go. Morgan Rose is one of the most dynamic and entertaining drummers in the business, and is always a frenetic blur to watch, and one of my personal favourites. Lajon Witherspoon is one of the nicest, humble, and down-to-earth people you’ll ever meet, yet when the switch is pulled, he gets down to business in an instant. He delivered songs from their newest release ‘Kill The Flaw,’ — as well as past favourites like “Decay”, “Denial”, and “Angel Son” — in a way that only he can.
As a long-time fan, the only qualm I had with this gig was the lack of stage lighting. With zero front lighting and occasional bursts of blinding back light, it was basically impossible to see the band at all, other than as silhouettes on stage. While sounding fantastic, it was disappointing not to be able to see and engage with the band during their performance. Lajon sang with his all, often giving us goosebumps and even getting teary-eyed while engaging with the crowd, so it was a little disappointing for me to not have this element to the show. And this was a sentiment shared by many in attendance. Putting that aside, Sevendust definitely delivered the goods, to the pleasure of a sold-out crowd.
Also check out our Photo Gallery of the gig here!
