Staind, Breaking Benjamin and Wage War descend upon West Palm Beach

Not even a hurricane could stop this show.

Stained and Breaking Benjamin along with Wage War brought the show back and loud to West Palm Beach. Last year Hurricane Milton caused the cancellation of the show along with the show in Tampa, Florida. This was a makeup date and people packed the house on a Tuesday night to see it

Wage War  was first up with a large following. They’re local artists and I’ve seen them multiple times. They have a great following, never stop moving and there’s a lot of potential for this Metal Core band. They’re ever present and equally loud. It is one of the great things about Florida and it’s variety of  artists that are born here. You can find many styles just around the corner.  It’s harder to get enough exposure. Drop them anywhere else in the scene and you’ve got some serious fire there.

Staind led off  the heavy hitters and they did not disappoint. Aaron Lewis, who has been quite controversial and unapologetic, still has a great voice and he interacts with many fans and brings them in closer. The general mood throughout was unity  through music.  It was a great fan-focused set.

Breaking Benjamin brought down the house with a very strong headliner set in complete contrast to Ben’s lighting as usual. I’m not complaining though I get what I can and I don’t worry too much about it. It’s more so about the music than the photography. It’s quite a beautiful show, to be honest and not unexpected. It’s great all the way around and visually,  makes the best use of the LED boards. It’s always been a certain type of mood and I don’t expect that to change in the near future. It was an all-around good feeling evening.  Everyone seemed happy to be there, which is always a positive in this business. In fact, there was a group in the front that had travelled internationally to see them. Now that’s dedication.

Suffice it to say it’s Florida in mid-May it was hot It’s always hot. Doing outdoor shows I’ve learned a great deal about ways to keep cool in the oppressive heat. It’s going to be a long summer. In general the venue is  well maintained with  lots more security in place to keep everyone safe. It’s generally an outdoor party of 12,000 or more fans every show. I don’t know how they keep pace.

Prices this season are commensurate with most shows. I did find a food truck that featured arapas, which are these delightful little corn cakes with mozzarella cheese in between It’s a pretty neat version of the grilled cheese sandwich and worth the $9 that it cost. I hope they’re here all year. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house some of the best, and the most expensive are the VIP sections with the box seats. However, it’s kind of the difference between buying first class and economy.  Once you’re there you don’t really want to change back to a lawn seat. The  staff is quick and responsive and willing to assist with most anything you might need.

All in all, the artists  put on a really good show It’s nice to see the ones who survive the decades It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years for most of them.  time just flies by. 

Words and pictures by Belinda Reedy Hinton – The Metallicougar

Set lists

Wage War:

NAIL5
Godspeed
Low
Stitch
Circle the Drain
BLUR
TOMBSTONE
HAPPY HUNTING
MAGNETIC
Manic

Staind:

Lowest in Me
Eyes Wide Open
Right Here
Unknown
Epiphany
(Aaron Lewis solo acoustic)
Something to Remind You
Wannabe
Outside
Better Days
Paper Wings
So Far Away
For You
It’s Been Awhile
Mudshovel

Breaking Benjamin:

Failure
Until the End
Evil Angel
Red Cold River
Blow Me Away
Follow
So Cold
Dance With the Devil
Awaken
Breath
Polyamorous
Without You
Dear Agony
Blood
I Will Not Bow
The Diary of Jane