The AfterLife Tour
Noblesville, Indiana
Photos by Andrew Perkins
Review by Laura Fox
Indiana loves Five Finger Death Punch, and I believe the feeling is mutual. The Las Vegas-based band has included Indiana venues on their headlining tours almost every year since at least 2014, including their current AfterLife 2024 tour.
The night of August 16 was perfect for an outdoor concert, and both the lawn and pavilion at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville were packed. After face-melting sets by The Funeral Portrait, Slaughter to Prevail, and Marilyn Manson, the crowd was more than amped for headliner Five Finger Death Punch (5FDP).
The band came out swinging with the first tune, “Welcome to the Circus.” The single from their 2022 album, AfterLife, set the tone for a 15-song set that was loud, heavy, and extremely well executed. They played a great variety of tunes, but I was really disappointed they didn't play my favorite song, "A Little Bit Off."
When it came to stage presence, frontman Ivan Moody and bandmates Zoltan Bathory (rhythm guitar), Chris Kael (bass), Charlie Engen (drums) and Andy James (lead guitar) totally nailed it. When you see these guys on stage, you know they’re a badass metal band. Moody, Bathory, and Kael in particular used both body language and attitude to make it clear they owned the stage Friday night.
I loved the way 5FDP engaged the crowd. The band's energy fed the crowd, who then radiated the energy back to the band. In between the head banging and fists in the air, there was mutual love and respect.
Moody was at the top of his game. In between songs, he joked around with the audience and fellow band mates. He mugged for fans and took selfies with their phones, also tossing water bottles, sweaty towels, and even cash into the first few rows. The fans ate it up.
There were a few serious moments, too, such as when the band stopped to honor veterans and gave one of the many veterans in the crowd an autographed U.S. flag. Toward the end of the show, Moody paused and said,"Don't let them divide us. There is no left. There is no right. There is just us." Normally I don't like when artists get political at live shows, but this was a message I really appreciated.
At the very end of the set, Moody, who had spotted a young girl sitting on her dad's shoulders, invited the pair up to the front of the stage. He presented her with his bat, saying how excited he was to see the next generation of fans. He then brought them onstage for the last song. That girl was grinning from ear to ear; I'm sure it's an experience she'll remember the rest of her life.
For more tour dates and info on 5FDP, click here:
Check out Fiver Finger Death Punch's latest video, "This is the Way," featuring DMX:
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