Mudvayne’s "L.D. 50" 25th Anniversary Tour, joined by Static-X and Vended, brought that energy to Steelhouse in Omaha, Nebraska. From the moment the lights dropped, the night was less about looking back and more about honoring the legacy and community the genre has created. There’s something uniquely powerful about anniversary tours. They’re not just a trip down memory lane. They’re a celebration of albums that shaped a generation.
I was late to the game in catching Vended live. While I've followed them online since their initiation, this was my first time seeing them live and I was thoroughly impressed. The energy and crowd work from Griffain Taylor (Vended Vocalist and son of Corey Taylor) was gripping from the moment he ran out on stage and screamed "We are Vended from Des Moines F*cking Iowa". With Des Moines only being a couple short hours down the road, Omaha ate it up, and the energy for the night kicked into high gear immediately.
Griffain asked the audience to give the band their all, and they promised to return the favor, which was followed through on. The performance was as visually and emotionally stimulating as it was musically. From masks, overalls, and face paint to windmailing guitarists and guttural screams its clear they know how to work a crowd. Griffain gave a short speech before their last song about living up to other expectations, and the audience clearly received it, as the first circle pit of the night opened up the heart of Steelhouse.
Vended has had a lot of hype in the midwest from the jump of their career due to connections with Slipknot but I now see why they have developed a reputation that carries their name independent of the Slipknot legacy, allowing them to share the stage with other legends from the same era such as Static-x and Mudvayne.
Static-X was a party from start to finish. The set started with a giant pumpkin head walking out on stage, giving a spooky Halloween type speech. Immediately after the self proclaimed (by bassist Tony Campos) “Evil Disco” began, lights, smoke, bubbles, inflatables, and giant monsters appeared on stage to consume the next hour of the evening.
Xer0, the singer of Static-X, following the legacy of Wayne Static, ran onto stage with his space-like suit and laser eyes, and absolutely ripped the performance. The character of Xer0 was created to allow Static-X to continue performing and honor Wayne Static's legacy, rather than replacing him. I personally had not seen the band since Wayne’s passing, and in my opinion, they made an excellent choice.
The venue was filled with waves of bouncing fans as the band covered an array of hits throughout the years with a particular focus on tracks from "Wisconsin Death Trip" album. It was really cool to see them still do a tribute to Wayne on the video walls during the song "Cold". The band stopped after to recognize the deep friendship between them and Mudvayne for the past 25 years, and how it was so special to share the stage with them one last time before wrapping up the set with a couple of their biggest hits, “Loser” and “Push It.”
A few short years after their return from a 12-year hiatus, and a few short fresh off the energy of Louder than life festival, Mudvayne finally took the stage for their 25th anniversary of their landmark debut album "L.D. 50," which went RIAA Gold back in 2000. The set started off right away with the iconic “bah, bah, ding” from the song "Dig," and the room went nuts. There was immediately so much crowd-surfing and it was intense being in the pit as a photographer.
Right after the first song, Chad Gray stopped and addressed that Greg Tribbett, their guitarist, was absent due to his wife passing from cancer the week before. He asked the guitarist what he could do to help them, and he said I cant be there, but I need you to go and put on one hell of a show for our fans. Gray mentioned part of him not wanting to be at the show so he could support them, but an even bigger part wanted to be here in Omaha with his heavy metal family.
The set included much of the "L.D. 50" album, with songs such as "Internal Primates Forever" and "Death Blooms," but also hitting fan-favorites such as "Not Falling," and even the band's first new single in 16 years, "Hurt People Hurt People," released August 2025.
My favorite part of the set, Gray stopped and the band left the stage for him to talk for about 5 minutes. He talked about how the world is so angry. We all carry resentment for each other and politics and the world as a whole, but how the metal community is a tribe and we come here to leave our baggage at the door and let it all go with our “tribe.” He said “When I ask you to scream, I want you to let it all out and exorcise your f*cking demons.” The crowd roared and he continued “See, doesn't that feel good. It’s probably one of the main reasons I do what I do. I have shit I left on the bus, but when we walk out that door and pick up our baggage again, it feels so much lighter.”
Anniversary tours aren’t just about nostalgia. They’re about legacy, community, and the power of music to carry us through the years. Vended showed they’re more than their bloodlines, Static-X proved that Wayne Static’s spirit still fuels their spirit, and Mudvayne reminded everyone why "L.D. 50" remains a landmark in heavy music. From circle pits to heartfelt speeches, the night at Steelhouse wasn’t just a concert, it was a reminder that heavy metal is a family that grows, heals, and celebrates together.
