Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch reigned over Tulsa, OK during their stop on the co-headlining tour with Shinedown. The tour revolves around both the latest record A Decade of Destruction and the much-anticipated release of And Justice For None, which became available worldwide May 18th.
An unexpected children’s theme song rang through the arena speakers as the crowd sang along to the childish tune. A giant skull oversaw guests that were shocked by the massive stage decor once revealed. Towards the front was the usual spike mic stand, which front-man Ivan Moody did not hesitate to cling to as the band dominated the stage. Tracks “Under and Over It” and “Never Enough” were blasted through as crowd favorites, starting the night off with a promising notion. FFDP spend the most time interacting with fans during a performance that I’ve ever seen, making their appreciation to fans known.
Fans chanted “USA” as Moody brings out an American flag. The bright white lights showed the audience as Moody told a story about his family. “My motto as of late is if you don’t like this flag, I’ll help you fucking pack. I grew up in a family full of Army, Navy, and Air Force vets… shake their hands. Thank them” proclaimed Moody. Two gentleman directly in front of my seat raised their hands that each served and had turned to each other to shake each other’s hands. This was a beautiful sight throughout the arena as a chant for USA grew louder.
As the fans continued to get fired up, Jason Hook brought in grungy guitars for the classic “Bad Company” cover. Illuminated by red, white, and blue, guitarist Zoltan Bathory continuously flipped his dreads while head banging along. Striking green lasers shot from the giant skull, animating the scenery and piercing the arena crowd. A personal favorite was the twist at the end; FFDP picked up the pace near the end and created as essence of a grand explosion.
New track “Fake” made its way into the set with high energy. Ivan and Chris bounced around the stage, and the crowd matched the activity. A mosh pit erupted and covered about a quarter of the arena floor. A gentleman crowd surfing high-fived Ivan on the way out of the front. Jason and Chris’ background vocals were strong during this track, echoing throughout the venue.
Purple and teal lights highlighted the skull while a sweet guitar interlude played, transitioning into an acoustic set which revealed just Jason and Ivan. “I always love this part of the show, because it means so much to me” Ivan confessed. The band took the time to bring about 40 lucky children onto the stage to help sing “Remember Everything.” The performance was definitely an endearing moment, and the crowd participation was at an all-time high while Ivan showcased his raw vocals against the gritty acoustic humming.
Once the children left the stage, Ivan opened up about his recent troubles and demons over the past few years. He took a moment to confess about what the crowd has “probably heard on social media.” “I’m not ashamed of it… I refuse to let a liquid control my fucking life.” He proudly shared he’s doing much better before playing on the words, “plus I just got caught on the wrong side of heaven.”
The set continued strong with rapid fire drums from Jeremy Spencer and show lights to match on “Burn.” The band displayed passion and angst, giving the performance everything they had. They also threw a chanting contest mid-song before completing with one of the sickest breakdowns I’ve heard for the track. Ambient rumbling shook the arena before the band slammed into “Wash It All Away.” Multiple mosh pits formed on the floor while Jason could be seen stomping his foot on the speaker along to the beat.
A slightly salty moment came when the band was being told to wrap it up. Ivan semi-joked about how Shinedown ran over 15, so they were being told to cut their set short. “I know my band and myself, and I’m wiling to pay the fucking fine” as they informed the crowd it was $1000/minute from here on out. Moody shouted out a fan on the front row who presented it was her 14th FFDP show, and he gave the baseball bat he was carrying for the previous track to “this beautiful little princess in the corner.” FFDP continued on and delivered a solid rest of the set, ending with their very first single “The Bleeding.” The band requested phones and lighters up for the track, and the audience did not disappoint. Even the sound tech had his phone light in the air as he swayed to the beat. Confetti canons blasted red confetti as the night came to a close. The band took the time to interact with fans once the performance was done, taking their devoted time and undivided attention to hand out goodies.
One last “Five Finger Death Punch” chant roared throughout the arena. With a chuckle, Ivan said, “Don’t you ever fucking forget it.”
Order And Justice For None here.
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