I've had the opportunity to photograph more shows than I can count. Some of those shows leave me as a new fan of a band I've yet to hear before, and sometimes there's one or two on the bill that I've been dying to see or have been listening to for years. Well... I was granted the luxury to cover a co-headline tour that if 10-year old me could see, he would think it was the coolest thing ever. Yes, I'm talking about the Seether & Daughtry Co-Headline Tour, with support from P.O.D. and Kami Kehoe. If you missed out on this show, you absolutely missed out on an outstanding show that is sure to be talked about for months to come.
Kami Kehoe was first out to the stage and hit the stage with an insane amount of high energy. I've been familiar with Kehoe for a while now and it was absolutely stunning to see her live, finally. With a stage presence made for a headlining act, Kehoe did a phenomenal job getting the crowd ready for what was yet to come. Two moments stood out to me, with one being on stage and one off. During her performance, Kehoe took over drum duty for a bit to showcase her musical talent, and it was as stellar as you could imagine. The other moment had to be post-set when Kehoe spent hours by the merch area to meet fans, take photos, and show her appreciation for the city of Dallas (or, I guess, Irving in this case).
P.O.D. was next to the stage, and my history with this band is hysterical. I found them by accident in the most idiotic way. So... it was 2005, and the Longest Yard remake came out, and I wanted to download "Here Comes the Boom" by Nelly, but accidentally downloaded the wrong song and that's how I came across P.O.D. I was instantly hooked ever since, and can't believe they've been a band for 34 years! With their high level of stage energy, hardcore dancing, and ability to move a crowd, you'd think they were one of these new headline acts. Words can't even begin to describe the immense joy I felt listening to these songs that I've been singing for over half my life, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one in the crowd who felt that way.
Daughtry was next to take the stage and I knew I'd be blown away by their performance, but their entry really took the cake in my opinion. Known for being a "mom band", Daughtry took the stage to a deafening roar of applause and cheering, only to hand that energy back with blast beats and a breakdown immediately. Right away I looked around, thinking to myself, "...is Daughtry heavy now? What's going on?" Accompanied by some metalcore-sounding vocals for certain songs, and a quick feature from Kami Kehoe, I'm sure there wasn't a single person in attendance that wasn't having the time of their life during the performance. Truly the worst part of the set had to be when Daughtry exited the stage after the last song.
After much singing, jumping, and waiting, it was finally time for Seether to take the stage. With over two decades of exceeding musical expectations and milestones, it was an honor and pleasure to finally see this performance. With that classic "S" as a backdrop (you know the one, and if you were there, you get it) and a mic stand full of what appeared to be severed doll heads, Seether was ready to bring down the house. Hearing some of my favorite songs like "Fake It" and "Country Song", among others, was nothing short of spectacular. Every fan in the front row was on their feet during the band's set and gave no indication of ever stopping or calming down.
This closing statement will be short and sweet. If you think rock, metal, heavy music, or whatever you want to call it, is dead or dying, this tour proves that statement incorrect on so many levels. The spirit of rock is alive thanks to artists like Kami Kohoe, P.O.D., Daughtry, and Seether. If you unfortunately missed the chance to attend one of the dates on the tour, you missed out on something special.
