There’s something about early Fall that makes an outdoor rock concert just feel right- and when Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Daughtry and Lakeview came through Noblesville, Indiana, the sold-out crowd was ready to throw down.
After Lakeview closed out a country-styled rock set, Daughtry took the stage. Last time the band was in Noblesville, things were very different for them. Last time, they opened for Nickelback on a rescheduled show during the week. This time around, they’re independent, heavier, blowing up at rock radio, and the show was on a Friday night.
The blasted through a set that was balanced between newer, heavy tracks from their last record and the upcoming EP, as well as a few songs from their debut self-titled record from 2006.
The crowd was loud and into every minute of it from the start, including “The Dam,” an unreleased song from the upcoming Shock to the System Part I, for which Chris Daughty encouraged fans to record and post all over the internet.
Breaking Benjamin was up next and played a set that, though it was still daytime out, you still could not see well at all. The stage lights were so low, between dark red and just dark, that fans struggled to really see the band throughout the set.
They were joined by Chris Daughtry for “Breath,” which got the biggest eruption of the night and was a fun surprise. Their set was loaded with hits and Breaking Benjamin classics, taking fans back in time for a journey through their career.
Staind closed the night with a set that was ballad-heavy, though they made sure to throw in the hard stuff that fans love just as much. Aaron Lewis didn’t take a lot of time to talk to the fans during the set but did tell them how much the band loves them and how much the band appreciates the 25 years of support.
The chemistry and onstage dichotomy between Lewis and guitarist Mike Mushock was so much fun to watch.
While Lewis stood stationary at the mic stand, smoking a cigarette for the majority of the show, Mushock was much more animated, jumping around and headbanging during almost every song- and not just the heavy ones. During the ballads, it was fun watching Mushock try to contain himself, and then let the animal loose when it was time to go heavy again.
For many fans, this was the final concert of the summer season for them and, though both headline bands played Ruoff Music Center last summer, it didn’t stop fans from packing the place out again and leaving ready to do the same next year if the bands return.
-Reggie Edwards