"For many in the crowd, this was their first concert since the COVID-19 pandemic began and the three bands did not fail at giving them the best concert back."
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Must See
By Bruna Cucolo
After the release of their latest album, Below, on June 25, Red Bull Records-signed band Beartooth has set off on their headlining The Below Tour. With 31 total stops throughout the U.S., the band, along with Wage War and Dragged Under, made a fifth tour stop in Portland, OR at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom on August 19. For many in the crowd, this was their first concert since the COVID-19 pandemic began and the three bands did not fail at giving them the best concert back.
Opening the show was Dragged Under, a hard-rock band that fit in well with the lineup. They might remind people of Beartooth, but more lowkey, which is why they were the perfect way to begin an unforgettable night, warming up the crowd with enthusiasm, high energy and lots of jumping with their seven songs performed that night.
The Christian metalcore band Wage War was next with a slightly longer set that got the crowd riled up even more. The energy in the room grew as they played on with audience members cheering along to every song.
The wait between the second opener’s set and the headliner’s was longer than the first, but that only created more anticipation within the venue. Everyone was eager to see Beartooth, and during this wait was when the crowd was recharged and ready to experience loud, heavy music which they would headbang to throughout the rest of the night. When the stage lights went down, which made the crowd scream wildly, bright white lights began shining from the stage and around the venue before the first song on the setlist, “Below,” finally kicked off.
With a 15-song setlist plus two encores, one might wonder how the fans could maintain so much energy as though each song was the first song off the setlist — the crowd seemed to never get tired as they jumped incredibly high and put their hands up in the air. And it wasn’t only the crowd that made this concert incredible, but the band members also performed with such a passion that those in the room could really feel and embrace it.
The songs performed that night ranged from new to old with “Devastation,” “The Lines,” “Bad Listener” and more including one of the encores “The Past Is Dead.” Frontman Caleb Shomo gave it his all and it could be heard through his vocals. In response, audience members sang, cheered and screamed lyrics back as loud as they could.
Probably the most special moment of the night was toward the end when Shomo gave a long speech. He shared how the band cares about all their fans and how performing live is therapeutic to him. He added, “I’ve had a lot of people come up to me and say that this music has helped them in a very significant way, or that this music has saved them.” He continued by addressing the fans with, “You all saved me.” Emotions did arise within the crowd, and this showed how they, including the band, are a family.
After two final songs, the concert was over and memories that will stick with many for a long time were created. Especially to those whose first show since COVID-19 was this one, it was a great way to kick off the joy of going back to concerts. Beartooth may have left the stage for that night, but they also left wonderful moments behind.
There are many more U.S. stops through September, and tickets for them can be found here. If fully experiencing a concert through visuals, sounds, emotions and more are what you’re looking for, then this is the right tour for you.
