Its somewhat of a tradition down here in balmy South Florida that before and after the popular “Shiprocked” cruise that some of the bands will do a local gig to kickstart the week of rock, and this year was no exception. Just one night before embarking on their festival on the ocean, Sevendust brought along Letters From The Fire to the sold out Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale for a night of loud music and good vibes.
Having never seen Letters from the Fire before, I was instantly impressed with their energetic stage presence. For me, a bands performance live is just as important as their music, and I was never left feeling bored while watching their set. That aside, their music is well written and easily translates well to the live setting, not something every band can achieve. I look forward to seeing these guys again in the future (and as it turns out, I didn’t have to wait long – See my next review for that).
After being properly warmed up, the crowd was more than ready for Sevendust to take the stage. Without any remorse, they unleashed an aggressive set filled with the loudest and hardest hitting songs that the fans were eager to devour. Its not every show that you see where its obvious the band is having fun on stage, but thankfully this is one of those performances that there’s no doubt that these guys love what they do. Frontman Lajon Witherspoon has been consistent throughout the years as a force to be reckoned with in the metal scene and to this day its clear to see why, having never slowing down and belting out loud vocals through a 13 song set. Overall, everyone in attendance walked out satisfied (and sore from slamming into one another), which is a goal I wish every band that came through town achieved, and it is because of that that I always recommend catching them whenever they’re in your area…you will not be disappointed.
Setlist: 1. Pieces 2. Face to Face 3. Hero 4. Ugly 5. Denial 6. Disease 7. Waffle 8. Enemy 9. Angel's Son 10. Praise 11. Shine 12. Decay 13. Thank You