Sometimes things happen. Sometimes shows get scheduled for one venue but get moved to another venue near the original one. And sometimes this works out in your favor. This is one of those times. This tour was scheduled to make its local stop at a larger amphitheater, but due to some challenges at that venue, it got moved to The National. For me, this was ideal as I was in fear that the show would get cancelled completely like other shows had this week. There was a band on this bill that I have been trying to see for years and I was excited to go! The National is in downtown Richmond in a repurposed theater. It is one of my favorite smaller (1,500 capacity) venues anywhere, as it still has the sloped theater floor which allows a good view of the band on stage from anywhere in the venue without having to look at the back of someone’s head all night.
But we’re here to recap the show, and what a show it was. The night started early with doors at 5:00 with a 5:30 start time. The first band of the night was Post Profit, a Texas (USA) based nu metal band that has one album, and one EP released thus far and another album on the way in 2025. My take was hard charging rock with many genres covered and very entertaining stage presence. The band consists of:
Matt Jackson – Vocals/Guitar
Nick Hawner – Guitar
Zach Hicks – Drums
Charles Horin – Bass
Their setlist for the night was:
Speak
Life Isn’t Beautiful
Smother!
Keep Your Excuses
Kamikaze
Two Toxic
Cancer Culture
POST PROFIT
Next up on the stage was a band I’ve been trying to see for years. But every time I thought I could, life got in the way, and I missed the show. Not just once either. Like, 5 or 6 times. And to make matters worse, they’re based out of Lancaster, PA (USA), which is only three hours away from me. From Ashes to New formed in 2013 and I stated listening to them in 2017. I can see the influence Linkin Park had on these guys as they remind me of them from the early 2000s. Their energy is infectious as they are very adept at involving the audience in their show. They have four albums, and five Eps have been released to date. Tonight, they kicked it off with Nightmare from their 2023 album, Blackout. It was clear they were here to play. It was everything I expected and more and I will catch them again soon. The band consists of:
Danny Case – lead vocals
Matt Brandyberry – rap vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, programming, clean vocals, bass, rhythm guitar
Lance Dowdle – lead guitar, bass
Mat Madiro – drums, percussion
Tonight’s setlist was:
Nightmare
Dead to Me
Heartache
Monster in Me
My Name
Barely Breathing
Panic
Through It All
ASHES TO NEW
Next up was Tampa, FL (USA) Set It Off. I’ve seen them a few times over the years since their formation in 2008. They can be categorized as alternative or pop punk. It is a show with catchy songs by a group of guys who have been doing it right for several years. To date, they have five studio albums and five Eps. The band consists of lead vocalist Cody Carson, guitarist and bassist Zach Dewall, and drummer Maxx Danziger. The band came to be known from Cody Carson’s YouTube channel. So those of you who don’t understand why people pursue creating YouTube videos, this is another example of it paying off. Their shows are always entertaining, and I will catch them again. Tonight, they had a 14-song set which included:
Parasite
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Fake Ass Friends
Points of Authority (Linkin Park cover)
The Haunting
Evil People
Kill the Lights
Creating Monsters
Hypnotized
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
Win Win
Killer in the Mirror
Why Worry
Punching Bag
SET IT OFF
And then it was time for the band that just about everyone was there to see. It was time to scream (sing) to the songs we all know It was time to see what sort of evil engineering of a drum set the Jonny Hawkins could envision, what level of audience participation the crowd could be involved in, who in the crowd was going to help play the drums, who was going to strum the guitar and who was going to strum the bass (yes, these things really do happen). It was time for Nothing More. Nothing More formed in 2003 in San Antonio, TX (USA) and didn’t have immediate success. Lead vocalist Jonny Hawkins started out on drums when he formed the band with Mark Vollelunga on guitar, and Daniel Oliver on bass. They had several vocalist changes in the early years before Jonny moved to the front of the stage but still didn’t have the right drummer behind him and this changed when Ben Anderson joined the band in 2015. Nothing More’s stage show is always changing and an epic experience, to the tune of “what is Jonny going to do next?” In past tours he has had an articulating drum set, a painted body and to quote Jonny in an interview with LA Music Blog in 2020, it’s “some sort of twisted, rock ‘n roll adaptation of Blue Man Group — if Blue Man Group ever opened for Rage Against the Machine.” They opened with House of Sand, and had a energy filled 16 song sed, culminating with Jonny’s crew handing drums to members in the crowd to hold while Jonny, Mark and Daniel let the crowd help them pay the song. It’s something you will have to see while they are out on The Carnal (released 2024) Tour. It’s not just a show, it’s an experience
Nothing More consists of:
Jonny Hawkins – lead vocals, drums
Mark Vollelunga – guitar, backing vocals
Daniel Oliver – bass guitar, backing vocals
Ben Anderson – drums, percussion
And tonight, they played:
House on Sand
Angel Song
If It Doesn’t Hurt
Don’t Stop (with Matt from Post Profit)
Go to War
Let ’em Burn
FREEFALL
Tired of Winning
Ships in the Night
EXISTENTIAL DREAD
STUCK
SPIRITS
Fadein/Fadeout
Jenny
Ocean Floor
This Is the Time (Ballast)
NOTHING MORE
Another great show by a bunch of great bands. There really is something for everyone on this tour. Catch it while you can.
