Falling In Reverse Zombifies Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
On the mild, sunny Sunday evening of September 15th, Falling in Reverse performed at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, MI. Accompanying them on the stacked bill were Jeris Johnson, Tech N9ne, Black Veil Brides, and Dance Gavin Dance.
JERIS JOHNSON
First to get the party going was Jeris Johnson; a modern-day Viking dawned in a fur vest and yielding an era-appropriate sword and very modern-looking visors. Joined by a drummer and guitarist, Jeris beckoned the crowd with anticipating chanted phrases following the stage-welcoming bass and baritone a cappella opening to “Welcome to Valhalla.” A set full of long hair whipping, sword slinging, and true warrior levels of performance, this show was officially on the road.
TECH N9NE
Next on the bill was arguably the outlier of the tour lineup (on paper at least) if you don’t take into account the recent feature he had on the Falling in Reverse song “Ronald.” Yes, this is taking into consideration that the self-proclaimed “Dragonborn” opened the show just prior. Tech N9ne, known for his long-standing legacy in the rap game, the Worldwide Chopper himself along with his full live band trotted onto the stage to capture and maintain the momentum of the audience. A highlight for me was hearing the legendary song “Worldwide Choppers” live for the first time. Busting out moves and spitting his lyrics quickly as he is notorious for, Tech ensured that anybody who wasn’t hyped before certainly was by the end of his set.
BLACK VEIL BRIDES
Reaching the halfway point of the night, as the sun was beginning to reach its golden hour of the night, Black Veil Brides took to the stage. Drummer Chris Mora, also known by his stage name “CC,” stood atop his drumset with double raised metal horns as a warm welcome and introduction to the impending riffage. From their beginnings as a household name in the 2010’s and in the peak Warped Tour era, they easily remain one in the rock scene they inhabit with fans both old and new. Dawned in all black clothing, makeup, and paint, BVB expertly molds the look they are known for with the modern edge of their newer material. These guys know how to rock, plain and simple. If you were at this show and didn’t enjoy this performance, I wouldn’t believe you were there.
DANCE GAVIN DANCE
Before the headliners of the night, it was time for Dance Gavin Dance to shine. I was personally looking forward to seeing vocalist Andrew Wells, known for fronting the band Eidola, stepping into his new role after the departure of Tilian Pearson. Given that the band has a history of vocalist changes, as well as Andrew featuring on multiple songs in the past, I had no doubts the band would have a great show.
Bassist Sergio Medina, who has the incredibly difficult task of filling the shoes of bassist Tim Feerick who sadly passed away in 2022, ended up stealing the show in my eyes due to his immaculate stage presence. I had a difficult time keeping my lens off of him to be quite honest. I digress though, as the whole unit had such a fun energy about them. Unfortunately, during the 3rd song, the set had to be paused and eventually cut short due to more than one person collapsing in some fashion, requiring intervention from security and medical staff.
FALLING IN REVERSE
At last, it was that time of the night. Attention was fully fixed on the stage dawned with rings of stage set pieces that softly sparked in unison, foreshadowing the intricate pyrotechnic art show awaiting unbeknownst to the audience. A video playing on the massive screen depicted Falling In Reverse appearing to just be waking up on their tour bus and departing to get ready for the show, walking in a pack. I wasn’t the only one who assumed it was a pre-recorded video they played each night, but when I started seeing the familiar gate on the outskirts of the venue along with the backstage area just out of view, it became clear that this was live.
Taking the stage in the dark, the show began with a soft spotlight on vocalist Ronnie Radke during a Prequel before hammering into the opening notes of the popular 2022 single “Zombified.” Then it was time to let the flames begin, and it was far from the last time they would come out to play. In classic FIR fashion, Ronnie was upstage on a platform that he would traverse between stage left and right, while the guitarists were just behind and below him, and drummer Luke Holland recessed all the way in the back aligned perfectly with the picturesque towers of rising fire.
Playing a mix of discography with fan favorites like “The Drug in Me Is You” and “Just Like You,” much of the newer hit singles were saved for close to the end during a 5 song encore beginning with “All My Life” and ending the night with aforementioned “Ronald” in which Tech N9ne made an appearance to recite his part as the night came to a close on the Freedom Hill.