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Linkin Park wasn’t always Linkin Park. In fact, in the early days, they were originally called Xero and later tried out Hybrid Theory, before eventually settling on Linkin Park.

Regardless of the name they ultimately chose, Chester Bennington (lead vocals), Mike Shinoda (lead and rap vocals), Brad Delson (lead guitar), Joseph Hahn (turntables), Dave “Phoenix” Farrell (bass) and Rob Bourdon (drums) had no idea they would eventually become one of the biggest rock bands of their generation.

In 2000, they released their first full-length album, Hybrid Theory, which is certified Diamond and became the bestselling debut album of the 21st century. Seven additional albums followed — Meteora, Collision Course, Minutes To Midnight, A Thousand Suns, Living Things, The Hunting Party and One More Light — as Linkin Park established themselves as heavyweights in the genre.

Let’s not forget Collision Course, a collaborative effort with legendary rapper Jay-Z, which sold more than 300,000 copies in its first week alone and became just the second ever EP to top the Billboard 200. In all, Linkin Park has earned multiple Grammy Awards, sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and notched five number one Billboard debuts.

After the tragic loss of Bennington in 2017, the band came to a devastating halt. Grief and unanswered questions obscured any thoughts of their future. Over time, in their words, friendships led the way. Shinoda, Delson, Hahn and Farrell began making music together again. They met Emily Armstrong (lead vocals) and Colin Brittain (drums). Jam sessions organically morphed into recording sessions, and Linkin Park quietly assembled a collection of new material “channeling the open-hearted spontaneity of starting over: From Zero.”

The latest evolution of Linkin Park was on full display in Baltimore, Maryland, during the fifth stop of the North American leg of their massive 59-show “From Zero” World Tour. The 13,000 fans who packed into CFG Bank Arena were rewarded with a two-hour, 27-song marathon performance that far exceeded any reasonable expectations.

The show kicked off with “Somewhere I Belong,” the band’s first single from their second studio album, Meteora. Picking such an iconic and well-known song to jumpstart the evening was clearly no accident, and only encouraged fans to sing along with the 2003 hit track. The next two songs — “Points of Authority” and “Crawling” — further invited those in attendance to accompany Armstrong, formerly of Dead Sara, in the singing of each chorus.

Even in an era where album sales have waned, Linkin Park became the first rock band to achieve more than one billion YouTube views. Fast forward to today, and they garner more than 48 million monthly streams on Spotify, which ranks them right around 50th overall on the platform.

The band’s new album, From Zero, dropped last November and was an immediate success — peaking at number one in 14 countries. “The Emptiness Machine” was the lead single of the album, so it’s only fitting that it was the first new song to be played live for Baltimore.

One of the biggest standout moments during the show was the performance of “Waiting for the End.” Those familiar with the lyrics know the song focuses on some heavy stuff, like denial of a broken relationship and/or the loss of a loved one. After Bennington’s death, a song like this carries heightened meaning for so many fans of the band, with lyrics like: “All I wanna do is trade this life for something new. Holding on to what I haven’t got.” More than a few fans in attendance were understandably emotional during this offering, wiping their eyes as they attempted to sing along.

A few songs later, “Two Faced” showed a completely different side of the band, one with an abundance of ruthless aggression. Armstrong’s primal screams kick off one of the standout tracks of the new album and rejuvenated the energy in the arena.

For the first time on tour, “One Step Closer” featured a special cameo by opener Grandson. This shouldn’t come as a massive surprise to anyone who has heard his cover of the song, but it was still a fun and enjoyable moment during the third act.

“What I‘ve Done” is a perfect example of how Linkin Park honors and respects the legacy of the original version of the band. Armstrong isn’t Bennington, and that’s okay. It’s different, but clearly it works. And it’s good. For two straight hours the crowd was more than happy to sing along and constantly roared their approval at songs old and new.

As the show concluded, I found myself legitimately blown away by how good Linkin Park sounds live. And, considering this was just the fifth stop on their first tour with this group, it’s noteworthy how everything already seems so polished and well oiled. The tour features captivating visuals, an impressive light show and, best of all, you can tell everyone on stage – and off it – is having a blast.

With multiple Grammy nominations, a crossover collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion and a newly-released critically-acclaimed album, Spiritbox are riding high in 2025.

To kick off April, the Canadian metal band — comprised of vocalist Courtney LaPlante, guitarist Mike Stringer, bassist Josh Gilbert and drummer Zev Rose — embarked on the “Tsunami Sea” North American tour, which features 24 shows across North America.

Spiritbox, along with Loathe and Dying Wish, rode a wave of anticipation and excitement to their sold-out MGM National Harbor show, April 11.

The band’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Tsunami Sea, dropped March 7. The title and inspiration for the new album comes from Vancouver Island, where LaPlante grew up.

Since its release, Stringer has described “Fata Morgana” as a mission statement for the album. With it, the band comes out swinging and immediately sets a heavy tone. Both the album and the live show benefit greatly from such an emphatic introduction.

Before the audience had time to recover, Spiritbox next dove into “Black Rainbow,” which is quite possibly the heaviest track on the album. Kicking off a live performance with these two in-your-face tracks gives a very distinct ‘zero to 60’ type vibe, which induced a visceral reaction from those in attendance eager to form a pit and/or crowd surf as a sign of approval.

Mercifully, the melodic single “Perfect Soul” was next, giving fans a brief moment to catch their breath. It was the first track I was drawn to on Tsunami Sea, and it’s even better live. LaPlante’s soothing vocals had the packed venue swaying and singing along to the chorus.

After initial delays due to the pandemic, Spiritbox’s first album, Eternal Blue, dropped in 2021 and debuted at number 13 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Amazingly, when the band started working on the material that ultimately became Eternal Blue, they had played a total of just 10 shows together. By now, they’re a well-oiled machine averaging 3.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify and it definitely carries over to their live performances.

While the sellout crowd was eager to hear the new music, the biggest reaction of the night came halfway through the set when Spiritbox played “Secret Garden” and “Circle With Me” back-to-back. In relatively short order, LaPlante has established herself as one of the dominant and most dynamic voices of the genre.

Later in their set, Spiritbox performed all three tracks from 2022’s EP titled Rotoscope. Up first was “Rotoscope,” a slow-burning, atmospheric single featuring haunting vocals and lyrics that explore themes of introspection and self-discovery. The early hypnotic vibe of “Hysteria” could easily lull a concertgoer into a false sense of security before LaPlante’s intense vocals re-ignited the pit of thrashing metalheads in the center of the venue.

The night came to an emphatic conclusion with “Ride the Wave,” which works beautifully as both a closing number and a metaphor for where Spiritbox finds themselves these days. Clearly they’re a force of nature that’s riding high with the critically acclaimed release of their second album. I, for one, am excited to see where the wave takes them next.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Disturbed hit the road for a North American tour, along with Three Days Grace and Sevendust. During the anniversary tour, the Chicago-based band performed The Sickness album — which to date has sold more than five million copies — in its entirety, followed by a second set comprised of greatest hits.

With nearly 14 billion streams and countless sold-out shows around the globe, Disturbed — which consists of frontman David Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, bassist John Moyer and drummer Mike Wengren — has forged a distinct identity over the last two and a half decades thanks to an aggressive sound, introspective lyrics and Draiman’s distinctive vocals.

Released on March 7, 2000, The Sickness was a commercial success thanks in part to the hit single “Down with the Sickness,” which peaked at number five on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The album itself peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart and is certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In total, Disturbed has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide, with five of their albums achieving platinum certification in the states.

Just days after the Chicago Bulls were forced to remove all six of their championship banners from the rafters of United Center due to “minor damage” from pyrotechnics during a Disturbed concert, the band rolled into the nation’s capital ready to spread the sickness. With the Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup banner safely on the other side of Capital One Arena, the packed venue could safely settle in for marathon of madness.

In a nod to Anthony Hopkins’ cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, from the 1991 hit movie The Silence of the Lambs, the show began with Draiman wheeled out onto the stage in a straitjacket and facemask, setting the tone for a memorable evening. Like the album itself, the live show was designed so that each track built off of the previous one. While the lighting and performance of “Voices” was simple and straightforward, the stage was illuminated with an abundance of pyro and blasts of fire throughout “Stupify.”

Because they played the entire album in order it meant their biggest single, “Down With The Sickness,” came barely 15 minutes into their set. While it’s a smash hit that is typically best served during an encore, it still garnered the loudest ovation of the evening. Speaking of the sickness, Draiman admitted that he was still recovering from a recent bout of bronchitis. Fortunately for everyone involved, the frontman still sounded great, and the show itself lived up to the heightened expectations.

Disturbed’s cover of “Shout” by Tears For Fear stood out as another highlight of the opening set. It was, in fact, one of three cover songs featured throughout the night, along with “Land of Confusion” by Genesis and “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel. All three tracks earned roars of approval from the enthusiastic crowd which was eager to join in on the fun.

Prior to the performance of “Meaning of Life,” Draiman was strapped into an electric chair, sentenced to death and then sparks flew as the switch was flipped. As the rest of the band kicked into the track, the frontman stood in his orange prison jumpsuit and, with fake blood dripping down his bald head, dove into the final track of The Sickness.

After a short intermission, Disturbed returned to the stage and requested “Ten Thousand Fists” in the air, which the rowdy crowd at Capital One Arena was happy to oblige. The band’s newest offering, “I Will Not Break,” followed and was clearly well received. This shouldn’t really be a surprise because singles from all eight Disturbed albums have reached the top ten of the Mainstream Rock charts.

“Shall we kick it into the next gear?” Draiman asked. As the band began playing “Bad Man,” a dark and menacing character towered over the stage.

With a single light and a piano on stage, “The Sound of Silence” provided a haunting highlight of the second set. As Draiman’s vocals soared on the song’s iconic chorus, hundreds of cell phone lights illuminated the venue and thousands provided backing vocals, loudly singing along to the timeless classic. And because it was a Disturbed show, the piano inevitably ended up with giant flames protruding from the top of it.

The closing track, “Inside The Fire,” provided a reasonable excuse to utilize even more flames and pyro shooting up and out in all directions as the nearly two-hour sing-along came to a conclusion. When the band took their final bow, they received a well-deserved standing ovation from a captive and appreciative audience at Capital One Arena.

Three Days Grace has withstood the test of time to become one of the most consistent and respected acts in hard rock. Their accolades include 18 number one records at Mediabase Active Rock and 17 number one hits at Billboard/BDS Active Rock. Most impressively, the band averages a staggering 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify – remaining one of the most listened to rock bands in the world.

The band’s original lead singer, Adam Gontier, was with the group from 1992 to 2013. He was known for his distinctive vocals and songwriting contributions to many of their hit songs. But in 2013, Gontier left the band due to health issues and creative differences and was ultimately replaced by Matt Walst, formerly of a band called My Darkest Days.

Matt has been the lead singer of Three Days Grace since then, and has appeared on their albums Human, Outsider and Explosions. Despite the lead singer change, Three Days Grace has maintained a loyal fan base while producing high-energy rock music that resonates with audiences globally.

Last October, the band formally announced the return of Gontier, who now shares lead duties with Walst, marking a new chapter for the band. The dual vocalist setup works great and provides a unique dynamic in the genre.

With Gontier and Walst providing vocals, along with guitarist Barry Stock, bassist Brad Walst and drummer Neil Sanderson, Three Days Grace continues to show why their music has been streamed more than five billion times. Highlights for their D.C. show included some of their most successful tracks, such as “Animal I Have Become,” “I Hate Everything About You” and “Riot.”

Sevendust has consistently brought the heavy since their inception back in 1994. Formed in Atlanta, Georgia, Sevendust is a quintessential heavy metal band known for their aggressive sound, thought-provoking lyrics and intense live performances.

Their music style is a fusion of metal, hard rock and some alternative, with a heavy emphasis on melody and vocal harmonies. Think of a blend between Pantera’s groove metal, Alice in Chains’ heavy riffs and a hint of southern rock swagger. With an impressive 14 studio albums to date, Sevendust has built a loyal and passionate following while touring globally with iconic acts like Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Creed and Disturbed.  

Sevendust – lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon, lead guitarist Clint Lowery, rhythm guitarist John Connolly, bassist Vince Hornsby and drummer Morgan Rose – have sold more than seven million albums worldwide. Along the way, they’ve notably collaborated with everyone from members of Deftones, Daughtry and Staind to Alter Bridge, Periphery and Xzibit.

The last time I had the pleasure of seeing Sevendust live was way back in 2007, during a show in Baltimore. While the quintet’s time was limited in Washington, D.C., they absolutely made the most of the 30-minute set by packing in some of their biggest, heaviest hits from the last few decades. Witherspoon, sporting an Alex Ovechkin t-shirt which was deservedly well received in the House that Ovi Built, sounded as soulful as ever, bellowing out the chorus during iconic hits like “Denial,” “Enemy” and my personal favorite, “Praise.”

Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., who is better known as T.I., was born in 1980 and grew up in the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. It is said he had a pretty tough childhood, but he found solace in music. He started making music at an early age and was heavily influenced by hip-hop legends like Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas.

But T.I.’s style was always a little different, thanks to his unique blend of street smarts, lyrical skill and Southern charm that set him apart from other rappers of his era. Early on, he was part of the hip-hop collective P$C (Pimp Squad Click) and started making a name for himself in the Atlanta music scene.

While T.I.’s big break came in 2001 with the release of his debut album, I’m Serious, it was his second album, Trap Muzik, that really put him on the map. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it established T.I. as one of the leading figures in Southern hip-hop.

From there, T.I.’s career took off — with a string of successful albums, including Urban Legend, King and T.I. vs. T.I.P. He also collaborated with big-name artists like Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Justin Timberlake, and even started his own record label, Grand Hustle Records.

But T.I.’s talents don’t stop at music. He’s also a successful actor, with roles in movies like “ATL,” “American Gangster” and “Takers,” and appearances on TV shows like “Entourage” and “The Simpsons.” T.I. is even part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the role of Dave in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp. He’s a true entrepreneur and a testament to the power of hard work and determination.

On this night, T.I. packed everything he could into an abbreviated set, spanning his impressive catalog as quickly and effectively as possible. Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” Drake’s “Fancy” and “Whatever You Like” earned some of the loudest ovations of the evening. 

T.I. also performed “Bring Em Out” with help from the Washington Wizards dance team, which was fitting because the local professional basketball team used that particular track as its player entrance music for years. Another highlight of the night came courtesy of “Shoulder Lean,” which T.I. performed with Young Dro.