Killswitch Engage Unleashes The Fury In Charlotte

Band Brings All The Favorites To The Fillmore

There really is nothing quite like the feeling of being at a metal show. The fans are hyped up, the band is killing it onstage, and the feeling of family surrounds you because you know that for just a short amount of time, everyone in the venue is there for the same thing. Metal fans are one of a kind and being a part of that community is something incredibly special and in a way sacred. Because at a metal show, that is our time to forget about all the crazy shit going on in our lives and leave it all behind. We can mosh, crowd surf, head bang, and release all those pent-up feelings that we otherwise could not. And there is absolutely no better band in the world to guide you through this experience than Killswitch Engage.

I’ve seen Killswitch Engage more than a few times over the years whether a small club show or touring festivals like Trespass America back in 2012 or huge rock festivals like Epicenter Festival and they are hands down one of my favorite bands to see live. When I heard the news that KSE was going to be doing five dates in April and one right here in Charlotte, I knew I had to be there. The crowd was just as pumped as I was because we knew what was about to go down. Fans packed the barricade in anticipation and the PIT banner was flying high. It was going to be a wild one and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

The lights went down and KSE took the stage and got things cranking early in the set with fan favorite “My Curse” off their 2006 album As Daylight Dies. As the lights and lasers lit up the stage and fog consumed us, it was easy to see why KSE is such a great live band. Frontman Jesse Leach sounded amazing but it’s really his crowd interaction that gets things moving. He was all over the stage, from the front to the back and side to side, pumping his fist in the air and beating his fist over his heart as the veins in his face and neck pulsed. His blood was definitely pumping hard and so was ours as we embraced the chaos and rode the storm with him.

Guitarist Joel Stroetzel is quiet but deadly jamming out the riffs and holding his guitar in the air. Of course, Adam Dutkiewicz is well Adam and we all love him for it. Sporting his signature look with his “BEER” headband and his “I’m With Stupid” tee shirt, Adam is energy encapsulated in human form, bouncing all over the place and giving the fans a crazy show. Drummer Justin Foley was in total beast mode behind the kit, lights flaring down around him as he pounded away, driving the ferocious pace of the music. Let’s not forget bass guitarist Mike D’Antonio who is not only one of my favorite bassists of all time but also an incredible showman as well. Mike was everywhere, hair flying as he jammed and delivered vigorous basslines that propelled the music to a new level.

Killswitch Engage was indeed putting on a masterful show of what a metal show can be and the fans were showing their appreciation. Heads banged, devil horns were in the air, and bodies were swiftly moving over the barricade in the hopes of getting a high-five from Jesse’s outstretched arm as they made their way to the front. The band played and gave it their all through an 18-song set that encompassed their catalog and had us singing along and moshing to all our favorites.

What a show! Killswitch Engage is definitely a must-see for all fans of metal. You will definitely leave sweatier and happier than when you arrived and it doesn’t really get much better than that. The band is not currently on a full tour but has a handful of dates and festivals coming up. In the meantime, we are patiently waiting for new music and a full-blown tour hopefully sooner rather than later. But as all with all good things, it will be worth the wait. See you soon at a Killswitch Engage show, all in due time.

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