Rupp Arena was full of energy and fans up on their feet Friday night. Five Finger Death Punch was back in town and it was obvious that the fans were astatic.
Fire From the Gods opened the show with what seems like a very quick 25-minute set. The stage seemed super dark but the band members let you know they were there. They started off super hard to get the crowd out of their seats and up on their feet and it worked. It was obvious that several people had no idea who this band was, but were very interested in their sound. I heard several people say “we have to go home and look these guys up! They are amazing!”
Bad Wolves hit the stage next with a truly heartfelt and energetic 30-minute performance. Before singing “Remember when” singer Tommy Vext made sure to point out that this time of the year is very hard on a lot of people. The holidays bring out a lot of happiness for some families while it is extremely sad for others. He admitted that he himself had attempted suicide at one point and that everyone needed to reach out to their loved ones and make sure they were ok. He then said “Turn to the person you brought with you and give them a hug. Be happy they are here. You are never too metal for a hug.”
While the stagehands were prepping the stage for the next performance, Lexington native Chris Kael (Five Finger Death Punch bassist) grabbed everyone near the stages attention. He came out from behind the stage and was throwing guitar picks out to the crowd. Chris is super proud to be from Lexington and made sure everyone knew it by wearing his Kentucky Jersey with his name on the back.
Three Days Grace was up next and came out starting their set with “The Mountain.” The crowd was up and chanting! You could tell they were ready to see these guys and they did not disappoint. They performed several of their hits including “Pain Killer”, “Break”, “I Hate Everything About You”, “Animal I Have Become”, “Never Too Late”, and “Riot.” During “Riot,” singer Matt Walst surprised everyone by running up into the bleachers to visit the fans and shake a few hands.
Finally, it was time for headliner Five Finger Death Punch and they came out with a bang (literally)! The crowd roared with excitement as the white curtain came down revealing the massive skull with laser eyes and crisscrossed bats suspended above the drummer. Chris Kael was the first to come out which really got the crowd roaring! They played one song before Chris quickly went backstage and put his Kentucky Jersey back on!
Five Finger is known for their support for people who serve this country and their love of kids. Normally, they bring a bunch of children from the crowd up on stage, but this time they did not. Ivan stated that the venue would not allow the children to be brought up on stage and he made sure everyone knew he was NOT happy about it. He threw candy out to kids and apologized that they were not going to get to come up. One lucky fan even got to go home with Ivan’s silver chain!
Rumor has it, that a few of the band members were sick with possible flu and the venue was worried about the kids getting sick. If true, totally understandable! No one wants to be sick with the flu! Guitarist Jason Hook still played his acoustic set, which of course was amazing.
Five Finger never disappoints! With lots of pyro, glittery confetti, and constant crowd interaction, they make for a truly entertaining performance.
If you want to see a concert with high energy that will keep you on your feet all night, this is the tour to see! There are only a few more dates in the US before they take a break for the holidays then head across the pond!
Upcoming dates include
12/9/19 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, IN
12/11/19 Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI
12/12/19 Amsoil Arena in Duluth, MN
12/14/19 CHI Health Center in Omaha, NE
12/15/19 Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA
If you can’t make it to these shows, don’t worry. They will be back in the US for their Spring 2020 tour which is another solid line up including Papa Roach, I Prevail, and Ice Nine Kills. Tickets for those shows are on sale now!
