HURT opened the show without much of a sound check, so it took a couple songs for the audio to get balanced. By the time they began playing the third song of the set, "Ten Ton Brick", the sound issues were resolved and the crowd really started to get into the performance. A good sized mosh pit formed, and then the pit collapsed as the entire floor surged forward toward J. Loren, HURT's vocalist, as he climbed up onto the security barrier. They were only able to play four songs, but it seemed like they put an hour's worth of energy into that short period of time.

Seether's set was incredible. The band had a lot of energy and the large stage suits them very well. They have employed the skills of guitarist Troy McLawhorn of Dark New Day to help augment their sound for this tour, and you could tell they were very happy to have him on board. Vocalist, Shaun Morgan, seemed to be having an exceptionally good time. During the set, Adam Gontier and Barry Stock from Three Days Grace joined Seether on stage for a performance of "Broken".

The crowd exploded for Breaking Benjamin. Most of the shows I attend are in smaller venues, so it's always refreshing to see the collective power of a cheering crowd in a venue this size. During Breaking Benjamin's performance, the guys from Three Days Grace came out again to play while Benjamin Burnley passed out bottled water to the crowd. Another highlight of their set was when the band was able to strut their stuff during a drum solo and rock melody which included songs by Led Zeppelin and AC/DC.

By the time Three Days Grace hit the stage, the venue was starting to get hot. They had to carry several people out of the pit for medical attention. Their performance was equally hot. The jam-packed crowd couldn't help but move and get into the music. The pyro was a cool touch, more flash than boom, but it really added a lot to the show. It's no wonder why these guys have the type of following tha they do. They work hard to put on a great show, and the crowd loves it.

My photographer had the opportunity to go to the Atlantic City, New Jersey show the next night. She told me it was even better, and many of the guys in the bands got to hang out with some of the fans in one of the casino lounges. For those of you keeping track, Shaun says the word of the day is "virago." For all the bands on this tour, my word of the day for you is "prodigious."

| 02.15.2008 | Review by J. Pierson | Photos by Kristen Pierson |