Looking Back at the Breaking Benjamin Concert MYTH 2016

Sitting here, drinking my coffee there a certain show that pulls me back to October.  This show was one to be remembered as my buddy was also in attendance waiting for what seemed like years when we got tickets back in August.  We stood in line for a couple hours, about 15 people from us to the door, to get as close to the stage as possible.  It’s about 30 minutes to the show and we’re talking with an ex-security guard of the venue about different bands we’ve seen there.  20 minutes to show time, the backstage crew is waving to us from the top of the roof to amp up the crowd, 10 minutes to show time and people are losing it.! They want to get inside so badly, especially those about 6-10 blocks back.  Suddenly the doors open and we’re ready to go!

The opening act went on and interestingly enough one of the guitar picks thrown out hit my buddy in the neck giving him the opportunity to get a pick from a band called Via which had a great sound but a very awkward stage presence.  With a little work they may be able to rise to stardom but need a better overall stage presence to help their sets move in rhythm.  Once the opening act was off there was a stillness of anticipation and talk of what was to come.

After the guitars where tuned properly Breaking Benjamin came on with their hit So Cold from the record Shallow Bay and the crowd went absolutely nuts!  Everyone was joining in on the song and knew all the words to every single verse.  We were all interconnected there for a moment as they continued to rock the stage with even a surprise or two for us coming up later in the show.  Right out of the gate there was high anticipation and high expectation for what was to come.

As Breaking Benjamin was nearing the middle of the set the band started playing the Imperial March after Benjamin Burnley (lead singer and guitarist) announced that Star Wars was an event that united nerds and geeks alike which meant we were going to send up a tribute to Lord Vader, Kylo Ren and The First Orde!  The Imperial March went into Schism by Tool, which was followed by Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana and concluding with Walk by Pantera.  All songs where performed to the utmost perfection which stunned the crowd ending in thunderous applause making it a great surprise for all of us in attendance.  There’s no way the band could’ve possibly done anything else to make our night better… or so we thought.

The second and final surprise was during Give Me A Sign in which we were asked to take our phones and lighters out to light up the stage.  It was absolutely stunning how the fans could come together as one and emit a glow so great that it lit up the entire venue.  The band told us we can do great things when we unite towards a common goal, that we should remember that but not let it sit as a thought that is idle but act upon that idea every day so we can continue to do great things throughout our lives.  Such a great message to deliver to a crowd of all ages to help us come together as one!

All in all, the performance by Breaking Benjamin touched a lot of people including myself that night.  There were songs that were played brilliantly that helped us once get through some dark times and songs that got us up and moving.  The final review is 5 out of 5 stars for great stage presence, excellence in musical ability and the ability to get the crowd involved in a way, which many bands don’t.  I thoroughly enjoyed their performance and am looking forward to their next album coming out in 2017!

Chris Huss
474theMiX Rock Radio
Station Promoter/Blogger