My first chance to cover Atreyu came when they visited Baltimore in November of 2021. My second chance to cover Atreyu came when they visited Baltimore in November of 2022, as the opening act for the Trinity of Terror tour.
It’s always a tough task to walk onto a cold and quiet stage as the opener, but Atreyu did a phenomenal job of setting the tone for the evening with a high-energy set that included several of the band’s biggest tracks and even a guest appearance from Zero 9:36, who joined the Orange County, California-based band on stage to perform their hit collaboration “Warrior.” And just when you thought you’d see it all, Atreyu decided to throw a curveball and play a little gag on the unsuspecting audience.
The band had a little fun with the crowd as they temporarily dove into Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” before lead singer Brandon Saller killed the bit and reminded everyone they were still at a heavy metal show. Atreyu then finished their portion of the evening with “Blow,” a fun throwback of a track that seemed like the perfect ending to an enjoyable set.
If this is now an annual event, I absolutely look forward to covering Atreyu for the third time when they visit Baltimore in November of 2023.
