BY PAM WHISENHUNT | Go Venue Magazine
August Burns Red brought their 20th Anniversary tour to Omaha, NE, April 26, 2023. This trip around they brought a powerful supporting line up with The Devil Wears Prada and Bleed From Within.
It was a beautiful spring evening, perfect for hanging out on a patio somewhere, but over 600 people chose to hang out and get sweaty with these three metalcore giants. Even from the start, the venue was packed and nearly impossible to move about.
The night started off with a Scottish band from Glasgow, Bleed From Within. This was their first tour in the United States, and we were pretty jazzed about it. I haven’t been to a lot of concerts where the crowd was totally into the opener, but this crowd was. Bleed From Within had the pit opened most of the set. I was really impressed how Scott Kennedy (lead vocals) was able to direct the crowd to the center and got them to carry him off the stage for the final song. This is a feat for a seasoned band with a strong following to pull off, but I guess they’ve been performing for almost two decades and have it figured out. Not to take anything away from Kennedy, but I’m sure it helped to have a sold-out venue with plenty of veteran metalheads knowing how to take direction. Bleed From Within absolutely set the tone for the night.
Main support, The Devil Wears Prada, took the stage with gusto and didn’t stop. It was apparent there were as many The Devil Wears Prada fans as August Burns Red fans. The pit continued to be active. The venue posted “No Stage Diving or Crowd Surfing” signs everywhere, so all the energy was focused on the pit and it consumed the floor. Mike Hranica (lead vocals) worked his way back and forth across the stage, only pausing momentarily to scream at those hanging on the rail. I heard comment about how The Devil Wears Prada’s sound has changed over the years. Regardless if someone was there for their old or new sound, they got a fueled performance.
Metalcore masters, August Burns Red topped off an already intense night with a scorching 17 song set, encapsulating 20 years of music. Jake Luhrs (lead vocals) took center stage, stepped up on his platform and gave the crowd his signature rally cry. Luhrs made sure we all knew he wore a fresh shirt just for us. The connection between the audience and the band was apparent. The crowd knew the songs and treated it like a celebration 20 years in the making.
August Burns Red’s extensive 20-Year Anniversary tour is over half way complete. There are 8 more shows stateside and 5 in Canada. Most shows are sold out or have low tickets at this point. For upcoming dates and availability, can go to https://augustburnsred.com.
August Burns Red
The Devil Wears Prada
Bleed From Within
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