Shinedown have toured relentlessly since they released "Amaryllis" in March 2012. The album peaked at the top spot on Billboard's Rock Chart and has since produced a trio of chart-topping singles. They also headlined the successful UPROAR Music Festival in addition to their own tour and a number of large summer festivals. The second night of their current tour rolled into the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisc. on Feb. 2, 2013. Three Days Grace co-headlined the bill with P.O.D. opening the show.
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Fast-forward to 2013 and Shinedown continue to mesmerize fans with a stage show that features a mammoth stage, complete with pyro and other effects. However, even more impressive is their ability to outperform their studio recordings in a live setting. Their sound was pristine and they took it to another level given the unrelenting energy of Zach Myers and Eric Bass.
When the curtain dropped it revealed Barry Kerch alone on stage, smiling, as he wailed on his drums. He sat near dead center, flanked by stairs that led to a rear platform that rested above and beyond his massive kit. At the opposite end of the arena floor were Bass, Myers and vocalist Brent Smith performing "Enemies" from a small platform. Brent Smith's ponytail was missing. Instead they all wore well manicured haircuts and smart attire. Dressed in jackets with matching vest and tie, they rocked with a purpose. By the end of the first song the trio had joined Kerch on the main stage.
As they moved into "Devour" it was obvious that Smith works the stage with a mission. His platform at center stage leveraged his stature and he commanded his fans as an awe inspiring figurehead. Projecting his voice to the outer reaches of the Alliant, Smith's vocals were clean and unfaltering.
Myers fretwork on the guitar also appeared effortless. Touching upon every square inch of the stage, he's also shredded ultra-clean lead breaks and solos while sporting a constant smile. They continued to unleash a string of #1 hits, "Unity," "The Crow & the Butterfly" and "Save Me" followed before they performed latest single "I'll Follow You." The co-headline billing limited their time on stage to roughly 90 minutes, and all but reaffirmed an evening of hit songs.
Concussion charges during "Diamond Eyes" and a shower of sparks on "If You Only Knew" kept the crowd on their toes at a show that did not contain a single lull. Shinedown left the stage after "45," but returned for a four song encore that began with "Sound of Madness." "Second Chance" ensued before Smith and Myers made their way to the far edge of the arena floor where the show began. At this point the two did an acoustic rendition of Skynyrd's "Simple Man." The poignant "Bully," and more pyrotechnics, put the finishing touches on the night.
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Shinedown setlist:
Enemies
Devour
Unity
The Crow & The Butterfly
Save Me
I'll Follow You
Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)
If You Only Knew
Amaryllis
45
Encore:
Sound of Madness
Second Chance
Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
Bully
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