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Live: Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, Underoath and Fight The Fury show rock\’s alive and well in Evansville

Just in time for the Summer season, Breaking Benjamin have hit the road for a monster Spring Tour with Skillet, Underoath and Fight the Fury- a short run that recently hit Evansville\’s Ford Center for a night that did not disappoint. Starting the night off early was Fight the Fury, the new band from Skillet singer John Cooper and guitarist Seth Morrison, which generated buzz last Fall before any music was even officially released. The excitement in the Ford Center amongst fans was through the roof and the crowd showed up early to make sure they had a chance to see the band on what was only their second U.S. trek and probably their final before Skillet returns later this year with new music. They breezed through a quick four-song setlist that lived up to everyone’s expectations and showed they’re a staying force in metal. “I Cannot,” “Dominate Me,” “My Demons” and “Soldier” were all in the setlist and the only downside was that they didn’t play longer than they did. Underoath took over next for a 10-song set that threw in classic Underoath material with tracks from their latest record, Erase Me, finding a way to satisfy long-time fans with the new ones and it worked flawlessly. They didn’t take a lot of time to talk in between songs, choosing rather to play as much as they possibly could, thanking fans for their support from time to time and fans appreciated every second they had. Next up was Skillet, who took the reigns and didn’t look back. This was the second set of the night for singer John Cooper and guitarist Seth Morrison, who played earlier with FTF, but it didn’t show at all. From the very onset of “Feel Invincible” to the conclusion of “Rebirthing,” there was no denying Skillet and they stole the show through and through and raised the already-high-set bar exponentially for Breaking Benjamin. They threw in a few new songs to keep it fresh and the fans ate it up. The two new tracks are from the band’s upcoming 10th album and each had its own identity. Stylistically, the songs were a mix of Unleashed, Rise and Invincible and only made fans more antsy for the new music. Drummer Jen Ledger is currently on two tours at the same time- this one and the Winter Jam arena tour, so when she can’t play the Skillet dates, former Flyleaf singer Lacey Sturm has been filling in. Not in Evansville, though, as Ledger was present and at the top of her game and you would never know she’s on two massive tours at once. Skillet definitely set the bar high for Breaking Benjamin, who brought a different kind of set to the table and took that bar and shattered it. The stage wasn’t lit completely, with very dark reds and blues illuminating the stage while singer Ben Burnley was hardly lit at all, making for a very intimate show. Burnley crept around the stage, singing to every part of the crowd he could possibly reach, even leaving the stage at one point to find a young girl in the side seats and singing directly to her. They threw in numerous Breaking Benjamin classics as well as some new tracks, giving fans a glimpse of what’s to come over the summer when they hit the road with Three Days Grace, Chevelle, Dorothy and Diamante, which is going to be nothing short of a scorching set and the Evansville show sent the Breaking Ben faithful away having had the concert experience they came looking for. -Reggie Edwards \"\" \"\" \"\" \"\"