August Burns Red: Keeping The Circle Pits Going For 20 Years

Leg One of the 20-Year Anniversary Tour Wraps Up at The Fillmore Charlotte

Say it isn’t so! It may be impossible to think that August Burns Red has been on the scene for twenty years now, but it’s true. The young high-school friends turned Warped Tour regulars are all grown up and have been rocking our asses off for two decades now. Who remembers the first time seeing them live? Was it at Warped Tour? Were you in the pits? Ah, memories. But, just like a fine wine, August Burns Red just gets better and better as time goes on. Their latest record 2020’s Guardians was one of their best yet and in less than a week, the band will be releasing a brand new album, Death Below, which is sure to be another banger. In honor of their 20 years in metal, ABR has been out on the road celebrating their time in true metal style, bringing along The Devil Wears Prada and Bleed from Within for the ride. Leg one of the tour closed out this week with a stop at The Fillmore in Charlotte and let me tell you that it was beyond epic.

The show was officially sold-out and the line of fans waiting to get in was already wrapped around the corner when I arrived. I wasted no time getting in and getting ready because I did not want to miss even one second of what I knew was going to be a crazy, action-packed night of metal mayhem. Kicking off the evening was a little metal from across the pond with the Scottish band Bleed from Within. This was my first time seeing them and I can say that they are legit., the real deal.

The band consists of Scott Kennedy on unclean vocals, Ali Richardson on drums, Craig Gowans on lead guitar, Davie Provan on bass, and Steven Jones on rhythm guitar and clean vocals. The band released their latest album Shrine last summer and we were treated to a short but solid set that showcased everything the band had to offer. Bleed from within did a great job of getting the crowd hyped up early with a powerful sound that resonated throughout the venue and great interaction with the fans. Kennedy even went out into the crowd for one song while the crowd held him up. It was a great start to the night. If you haven’t checked them out yet, be sure to give them a listen.

After a short break, the venue lights went dark and fans anxiously awaited the arrival of the next band The Devil Wears Prada. TDWP hit the stage like a force of nature, wild but beautiful in its chaos.

Their set weighed heavily on their latest album Color Decay kicking off with “Watchtower.” The stage lights flashed between extreme darkness and blindingly bright as lead vocalist Mike Hranica spun, jumped, moved, and zoomed all over the stage. Grabbing his mic stand with both hands and leaning back into it, his voice was a punishing contrast to the cleans offered up by rhythm guitarist Jeremy DePoyster.

Kyle Sipress was absolutely masterful on lead guitar, mind-blowingly blistering all night long. At this point of the night, the crowd activity really started heating up. Bodies were coming over the barricade at a rapid pace as the crowd surfers brought it on. Their set was everything I have come to expect from TDWP over the years and I even got to hear “Danger: Wildman” off their With Roots Above and Branches Below album which is one of my favorites. The intensity of this band in a live setting is no joke. The Devil Wears Prada puts on a show!

After such a wild and dynamic set, you would think that everyone needed a b&b break (beverage and bathroom), I know I certainly did, but it wasn’t long before the chants of “ABR!, ABR!” began in earnest across the venue. Soon, it was time, the moment we were all waiting for. The venue lights went dark once again and the stage lights revealed a huge ABR logo lit up at the back of the stage above Matt Greiner’s drumset which was situated on a platform with risers on each side.

The lights flashed and the band began to run out one by one before going quickly into overdrive with “Composure.” Frontman and lead vocalist Jake Luhrs was in terrific form, sounding great as he sang, shouted, screamed, and did everything in his power to put on a fantastic show. The cryo went off and he was crouched down on a riser at the front of the stage in between the plumes of fog dangling his microphone in front of him. In fact, Luhrs is quite the master of the microphone whether he is singing into it or swinging it wildly about like a musical yo-yo.

The lighting was wild, from green washed with fog to vivid, bold colors at times. It’s a metal show after all and when it comes to metalcore shows, August Burns Red knows how to do it. JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler were putting in some serious riffage while Greiner and Dustin Davidson kept the rhythm section ferociously driving the pace.

Since it’s a 20-Year Anniversary Tour, the band is going all out with a setlist that encompasses their entire catalog. We heard everything from early gems “Your Little Suburbia Is In Ruins” to a few songs from their upcoming album including “Ancestry” and “Backfire.” The crowd was going insane and when Jake called for a circle pit, they happily obliged, holding up the “Pit” sign and going wild. It felt like a family reunion in many ways, albeit a much, better metalhead version of one, as we all came together to mosh, headbang, and enjoy these masters of metalcore. In fact, it was a family reunion as Jake’s mom was in attendance as he gave her a loving shout-out, dedicating a song to her.

This was one of those shows where you didn’t really pay attention to everything that was happening on the stage because you were simply getting lost in the moment. Whether you were in the pit, crowd surfing, or just enjoying the show with friends, it was a truly magical night that nobody wanted to see come to an end. But like all good things, it did, but not before ABR whipped us all into a frenzy with a two-song encore that brought the heat in every way. Bodies were slamming, people were surfing, girls were screaming, and everyone lost for a glorious ten minutes or so. What an amazing night!

Whether you are new to the scene or if you yourself have been in the pits for the last 20 years, August Burns Red is a must-see live. The band is headed back out on the 20-Year Anniversary Tour in mid-April so there will be plenty of chances for you to get in on the action.