Photos and Review by Mark McGauley
It was January of 2020 when Disturbed announced a massive tour celebrating 20 years of their iconic album, The Sickness. The tour was scheduled to stop at amphitheaters all across the U.S. from July until September. Unfortunately, the entire tour was rescheduled due to COVID-19 for the following year. Sadly, as the rescheduled dates approached in summer of 2021, the anniversary plans were scrapped due to the continuation of the pandemic.
In the years since the canceled tour, Disturbed kept busy making a new album and touring behind it. Even after releasing new material and headlining other massive tours, the itch for The Sickness was still there. To no surprise, the group announced there would be a 25th Anniversary Re-release of The Sickness that included a vinyl box set and giant list of tour dates. The 25th Anniversary Tour would include two separate legs, with opening support from Three Days Grace and Sevendust on the first half, and Daughtry and Nothing More on the second.
Last Saturday, the tour made a stop in Pittsburgh, PA at the sold-out PPG Paints Arena. Looking at the tour dates and seeing SOLD OUT next to many of the cities definitely shows the love fans have for the album. Having promised to play all of The Sickness in its entirety from start to finish, long time fans felt nostalgia as they were brought back in time 25 years, while new and younger fans had the chance to hear songs that are now rarely played live.
The show kicked off with openers Nothing More and Daughtry. Both bands have been very active after recently putting out albums, singles and touring non stop. Nothing More’s most recent album CARNAL featured Chris Daughtry, lead singer of Daughtry and David Draiman, lead singer of Disturbed.
As the arena lights went dark the stage curtain played a suspense building intro video before slowing rising up. The band appeared on stage behind a thick layer of smoke without any sight of lead singer, David Draiman. Soon after, Draiman was wheeled onto the stage on a restraint dolly, fully equipped with a straitjacket and restraint muzzle. As he was set loose from the dolly, the recognizable intro to the song Voices, first song off The Sickness, began to play, instantly bringing the crowd to an excited roar. Draiman slowly removed his muzzle and it was finally time to start the show. After a long 5-year wait, it was time to hear one of the best Nu-Metal albums of all time.
The group tore through the album starting at “Voices” straight to the closer “Meaning of Life.” Throughout the entire album performance, the sold-out crowd was on its feet, singing along with every word.
After the anniversary portion of the night, there was a 20-minute intermission. During this short break, the curtain played old videos of the band in the studio and old performance clips.
Following the intermission was a “greatest hits” style set including a few newer songs such as Disturbed’s new single “I Will Not Break” and the ever popular and successful cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence”. The night ended on a strong note with “Inside the Fire,” off the band’s hit 2008 album, Indestructible.
After the U.S. tour wraps up at the end of May, Disturbed takes a short break before heading to Europe to do it all over again with special guest Megadeth. It is safe to assume the 25th Anniversary Tour will continue well into a 26th year anniversary. It’s clear the disturbed ones want to hear The Sickness and that the hype Nu-Metal is still very much alive.
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