Photos and Review: Chris Besaw
Avenged Sevenfold’s Life is But a Dream Tour Pt.3 kicked off in Buffalo, NY at the Key Bank arena this past Wednesday evening. Heavy rain and dismal skies didn’t stop the fans from coming to enjoy a night of metal and mayhem.
Kicking things off was the Los Angeles based metal-EDM hybrid artist Sullivan King. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was in for, but interestingly enough he caught my attention with his combination of live guitar work and DJ skills. Definitely not something I’m used to seeing but I can see why his fan base keeps growing. Sullivan King gets you moving, moshing and mad raging! I also liked that he gets right up front and connects with the audience, essentially making them feel like a part of the show! Some notable musical pieces that were noteworthy and high energy were “The Dead March,” “Let Me Go,” and “Blame” which is his newest release. All in all, if you are a fan of metal and EDM, you should definitely check him out.
Next up was the Boston based surrealist performing artist Moriah Rose Pereira or more well known by her stage moniker, Poppy. Poppy is a multitalented singer, songwriter, YouTuber, and model. She first earned recognition for starring in surreal performance art videos on YouTube as an uncanny valley-like android who commented on and satirized internet culture and modern society. More recently she signed with Sumerian Records releasing her third studio album I Disagree which is a blend of metal and industrial rock.
The stage is smothered in smoke and the eerie image of her name flashes on the screen as she kicked off her set with “BLOODMONEY” from her current release I Disagree. Poppy performed an impressive fifty-minute set for the amped up crowd at the KeyBank center. Some other tracks that resonated well with the crowd were “Church Outfit,” “Hard” and “Scary Mask.”
The arena goes dark and heavy amounts of smoke creep out onto the stage and roll into the crowd. There are screens displaying various animated art scenes from the band’s current release Life is But A Dream. There is a solitary chair on the stage with a black masked figure poised in it. It’s M Shadows! The sweet and deceiving intro for “Game Over” begins before the band rips full steam ahead.
Accompanying M. Shadows are Zack Vengeance (guitar), Synyster Gates (guitar), Johnny Christ (Bass) and Brooks Wackerman on drums! I wasn’t sure what to expect from Avenged Sevenfold because it’s been a while since I last saw them in concert, and they have released several albums since then. Well, they did not disappoint. M. Shadows proclaimed that they were, “going to play some songs that they had not played in a while.” A huge treat was “Shepherd of Fire” which has not been played since 2018 and “Blinded in Chains” played for the first time since 2006! In addition to some old school songs, the crowd was treated to some debuts including, “Roman Sky” and “Cosmic.” Avenged played a little something for everyone including their mega hit “Bat Country.”
Overall, it was an incredible night of music that kicked off right in the city of Buffalo. Avenged Sevenfold will be on tour in the US through the end of March before heading overseas through the summer. So, get out and check out this tour, it won’t disappoint!
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