Kicking off their long-awaited 2019 Evolution Tour, Disturbed electrified fans from all over the world with an incredible performance in San Diego on a chilly Wednesday evening. Their 16-song set took “Disturbed Ones” on an incredible journey into the heart and soul of one of the world’s most beloved metal bands and left little doubt why they still reign supreme on the altar of all things metal.
Let’s be frank, there are literally hundreds of bands touring the globe right now spanning all genres of music. From punk to pop (and everything in between), one can easily find a live show to drop their hard-earned money on. More difficult is finding a band that is worthy of your investment. How many times have you walked out of a gig shaking your head wondering why you came in the first place? Seems to happen to me all the time, but not Wednesday night as Disturbed kicked off their highly anticipated 2019 Evolution Tour in San Diego. This show had it all and then some.
Opening the evening’s festivities were Canadian rockers Three Days Grace. From the first notes of their latest single “The Mountain” to the final crescendo of 2006’s classic “Riot,” this band fired on all-cylinders with what could have been a “headlining set.” Matt Walst’s vocals were dialed in all evening and the musicianship of brother Brad Walst (bass), Barry Stock (guitars), and Neil Sanderson (drums) were second to none. If you have not checked out their 2018 release, Outsider, do yourself a favor and give it a spin at your earliest. It’s an instant classic.
Now on to Disturbed. What more can be said about these Chicago legends that has not already been said countless times before? For one—their setlist was straight fire. 16 killer tracks spanning 2+ decades of metal greatness. Second, they upped their stage show with pyro, lasers, and incredible graphics that spanned the entire width of the stage.
Most importantly though was a touching moment mid-set by frontman David Draiman, sharing the band’s thoughts on some of the more recent losses in the music community due to depression and addiction. He pleaded with fans to be part of the solution and to “speak up” versus sitting idly by until it was tragically too late. Draiman, Moyer, Donegan, and Wengren ventured out into the pit on a secondary stage and played a beautiful version of “A Reason to Fight” which literally brought tears to my eyes and is a testament to who this band really is. This, my friends, is what rock and roll is all about.
Unfortunately for us fans, the show had to come to an end at some point and did so in fine fashion with 3 classics including “The Game,” “Stricken,” and “Down with The Sickness.” For me, these songs capture the true essence of Disturbed and was a great way to end what turned out to be an incredible performance. Sure, there were a few technical glitches throughout the evening. But that would be expected on the very first night of any tour for any band anywhere on the planet. How you handle that is another story, and this band did so like true professionals. This said, I have no doubt that Disturbed’s 2019 World Tour will be epic and am glad I got a chance to be one of ten thousand fists in the air on Wednesday night in San Diego!
THREE DAYS GRACE
If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or addiction, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the National Addiction Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-662-HELP.
