Just before heading out on The Last Hero Tour with Alterbridge, hometown heroes Nonpoint returned to South Florida for a kick off sold out show. The line of patrons wrapped around Revolution Live long before the doors opened, with everyone talking about how many times they'd seen the band perform in the past. A solid majority of those fans had freshly gotten off the Shiprocked Cruise earlier that day and were ready to keep the party going.
With the club already packed, and more fans finding their way in, Nashville's The Dead Deads took the stage to start the night. We had seen The Dead Deads previously with Halestorm back in 2014 but the Dead's are just getting better in time. With their signature black X's over their eyes they treated the crowd to their mix of post-grunge hard rock, heavy metal, and pure punk tunes. The Dead Deads had been on the Shiprocked Cruise and by the crowd's reaction at Revolution they were clearly a fan favorite. While back in 2014 the five-piece were just breaking out and making themselves known, their fanbase has become exponentially larger – with the crowd chanting their lyrics back to them. Highlight of the set? Definitely “Murder Ballad.” Because what can top a love song to a serial killer?
Nonpoint took the stage to an insanely receptive crowd kicking off with “Mindtrip.” When we spoke recently with vocalist Elias Soriano he told us how he's more anxious performing back home, as the crowd is filled with family and friends – you'd never know it though, the band still holds the same amount of crazy energy that made them so popular twenty years ago. With razor-sharp precision the band pounded through hits like “Victim” and “Broken Bones” before leading into their latest single “Generation Idiot” off The Poison Red. When the opening chords of “What A Day” blasted over the speakers, the crowd amped up their already intense moshing, belting out the lyrics they'd been singing for almost two decades.
Both Elias and drummer Robb Rivera (the two original members in the band) addressed the crowd with Elias discussing the recent tragedy of Fort Lauderdale's airport shooting and getting through tragic events. Rivera shouted out to Elias' mother at the side stage, thanking the family (and fans!) for all their support over the past twenty years. These hometown shows definitely exude a more intimate feeling (size of the crowd aside) as the band and crowd play off of each other like old friends. As “In The Air Tonight” trailed in, you could barely hear Elias over the crowd shouting the lyrics along with him. It was definitely a sight to see and hear, as the entire room reverberated with the lyrics. As usual with a Nonpoint song the night closed out with “Bullet With A Name” the crowd in a frenzy enjoying the last few minutes of the show.
To no one's surprise Nonpoint dominated the stage at Revolution and once again proved that with twenty years under their belt their music and live show are just getting better with age.
Setlist:
1. Mindtrip
2. Victim
3. Endure
4. Your Signs
5. Broken Bones
6. Generation Idiot
7. The Wreckoning
8. Hands Off
9. I Said It
10. Divided ... Conquer Them
11. What A Day
12. The Truth
13. In The Air Tonight
14. Alive and Kicking
15. Standing in the Flesh
16. Rabia
17. Orgullo
18. El Diablo
Encore: Breaking Skin
My Last Dying Breath
Bullet With A Name