A Day To Remember: The Least Anticipated Album Tour 

ADTR Puts on a Show to Remember 

A Day To Remember, easily one of the most popular mainstream metal bands, took the stage at Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC, this past Tuesday (7/2/24). True to their name, they put on “A Show to Remember.” Accompanied by Pain of Truth, Four Year Strong, and The Story So Far, ADTR wowed not only me but also the thousands of people in attendance with their iconic songs and a party-like atmosphere. My first experience seeing ADTR was in 2021 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival. At the time, I was not a fan of the metal scene, yet I discovered that just about anyone can have a good time at an ADTR show. From commanding rhythms and beats to CO2 cannons, pyrotechnics, and even beach balls, the show was an intoxicating euphoria. Now, three years later, I am such a big fan of the metal scene and genre that I am volunteering as a mixed media concert journalist just so I can attend more shows. I can’t help but feel that my initial experience with ADTR played a large part in that development.

While ADTR may lean slightly more towards mainstream/pop metal, they definitely showcase an affinity for the heavier side, as evidenced by the first band of the night. Opening the show was Pain of Truth, a band quickly making a name for itself in the hardcore scene. Led by frontman Michael Smith, their set was a visceral, adrenaline-fueled display of anger, attitude, energy, and rage. The lineup includes Nik Hansen and Ridge Rhine on guitars, Chris Rini on drums, and Zach Stachura on bass. If you’re curious about their pedigree, just look through their features; with names like Terror, Bad Seed, King Nine, Billy Club Sandwich, and many others, it’s evident that this band is destined to leave a mark on the scene. It was clear from the start of their set that those who had arrived in time for the opener were there specifically for Pain of Truth, not just to secure a good spot for the main event. In terms of moshing and reckless engagement, Pain of Truth undoubtedly ignited the most activity I saw in the audience all night.

Taking the stage next was Four Year Strong, a band technically categorized as American easycore/pop-punk from Worcester, Massachusetts. The four-man band consists of Alan Day and Dan O’Connor on guitars and vocals, Joe Weiss on bass, and Jake Massucco on drums. Their most recent album, “Brain Pain,” was released by Pure Noise Records on February 28th, 2020.

They kicked off their set with the title track “Brain Pain,” and proceeded to play a variety of their tracks, including the song” uncooked” from their not-yet-released album “Analysis Paralysis,” due out on August 9th, 2024. The crowd responded energetically to the new material, showcasing the band’s ability to blend catchy pop-punk melodies with hardcore intensity. 

The Story So Far, hailing from Walnut Creek, California, took the stage after Four Year Strong. Named after a 2002 song by New Found Glory, with whom they later toured in 2012, the band has gained recognition in the pop-punk realm. Their LP “Under Soil and Dirt” was ranked in Rock Sound’s list of The 51 Most Essential Pop Punk Albums of All Time, alongside other iconic bands like Simple Plan, All American Rejects, Green Day, and The Offspring. However, I found their performance to be lackluster and unenergetic, a sentiment echoed by many fans post-show. Lead vocalist Parker Cannon spent the majority of the set with a subdued demeanor, clutching the microphone and his pants, showing little emotion. This was further reflected in my photographs from the event, where he appeared detached throughout the performance.

ADTR was everything I remembered and everything I hoped for. The audience was thrilled with anticipation, and the energy was palpable. Just like the last two times I saw them, they kicked off with a bang, literally. Confetti cannons fired during their opening song “Sticks & Bricks,” setting the tone for the exhilarating show to come. ADTR’s history is as rich as its discography. They signed what many called a deal with the devil with Victory Records in 2007, and were notoriously mistreated by the label’s owner, Tony Brummel. Credited with ending this mistreatment, they won their lawsuit against Victory, which eventually forced Brummel to sell the company. They continued to release music independently, proving with their album “Common Courtesy” and hits like “Right Back At It Again” that they didn’t need major label backing to succeed. Recent legal troubles led to Josh Woodard’s departure from the band, and he has been replaced by an unnamed and unidentifiable guitarist for their “Least Anticipated Album Tour.” Despite my searches on the band’s Instagram, website, and the internet, I couldn’t find any information about this mysterious guitarist who appears in all the show photos.

After my three songs were up and I was permitted to re-enter the venue, I was eager to recapture the euphoria I had felt previously, now as a more committed fan of the scene. It was upon re-entering that I noticed the venue’s segregation. For me, concerts are a place of equality—especially rock, metal, and hardcore shows—and it didn’t sit right with me that the majority of the audience was excluded from “The Pit” where moshing and crowd surfing take place, simply because they didn’t purchase upgrade tickets. Perhaps I’m more accustomed to bands at festivals or smaller venues, but being unable to get close to the action and feel the energy seemed unfair. While I stayed and enjoyed ADTR from a distance, I found myself constantly on my tiptoes, trying to peer over into the VIP area to gauge the size of the mosh pit or catch some cool crowd surfing. Speaking of which, if you’ve never been to an ADTR concert, they have a unique bit where they encourage the audience to stand/surf on top of someone who is already crowd surfing—a staple of their performances. I believe this division in the crowd is likely a venue regulation, not a tour ploy to make more money.

In the end, this night with A Day To Remember and the rest of the lineup at Red Hat Amphitheater was a full-throttle blast from start to finish, reminding me why I fell in love with the metal and hardcore scene. Despite the slight disappointment with the venue’s segregated sections, the concerts showed that music—especially the kind with guitars cranked up and drums that hit hard—still has the power to unite us. Each band brought something unique to the stage, from Pain of Truth’s raw ferocity to ADTR’s anthemic bangers that had us all reaching for the sky, even if from a distance. And while the mysterious new guitarist for ADTR added an element of intrigue, the night was ultimately about the music and the community it fosters. As the lights went down and the final echoes of the encore faded, I walked away with my ears ringing, my heart full, and a renewed sense of connection to this wildly pulsating world of metal and hardcore music. No matter the barriers, the spirit of the pit—unyielding and wild—lives on in every chord struck and every lyric belted. Tonight, just like that first time at Blue Ridge, I was reminded why this music, this scene, is a relentless force in my life.

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you captured any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see. 

Tour Dates:

July 9, 2024: Rio Rancho, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center
July 10, 2024: Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
July 12, 2024: Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
July 14, 2024: Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater
July 15, 2024: Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds at Moda Center
July 18, 2024: Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
July 19, 2024: San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
July 21, 2024: Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
July 22, 2024: Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 24, 2024: La Vista, NE – The Astro Amphitheater
July 25, 2024: Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
July 26, 2024: Milwaukee, WI – The Rave-Eagles Club
July 28, 2024: Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium