On April 15th, 2026 (and despite it being a Wednesday night), fans packed into Capital City Music Hall to help support some of the best rising talent in the music scene right now. It was profusely hot, but fans stuck around through it all — still screaming chorus after chorus. Joining Zero 9:36 on this 3½-week tour as support are artists elijah and Downswing.
The night started out with New York natives Downswing, with their sound encapsulating the classic tone of East Coast metal while still bringing their own unique twist and flair to their music. My favorite song they performed was “Emptiness Remains," which has an absolutely amazing opening part to the song. The fact that they already have such a vast following is a good sign that these guys are going to get pretty big within their genre in the future.
Next up was elijah — and when I first heard the name, I thought it was a pretty interesting choice. Even his logo is unique in itself – and the simplicity of it all clearly defines him and his brand. After seeing him perform for the first time, and as a fan of the metalcore scene, I can absolutely guarantee that his performance won’t be one easily forgotten.
elijah absolutely took over the entire room, and it was by far one of the best performances I’ve gotten to witness this year so far. Fans got to hear original songs like “EASY TO DROWN” and he even ended his set with a banger with “harder to lie.” The lights on the stage almost made it seem like there was a galaxy above the whole set, making it truly feel like an otherworldly experience to be there.
Crowd surfers made their way to the front of the room, and the center of the pit even clashed into one another upon his command. elijah stems from Nashville, Tennessee, and completely writes and produces his own music. The other great thing that I loved to see was how he truly connected with fans while on stage and also through his sound. You can truly see how much he cares about his fanbase and his work, and I expect nothing but big things from him for years to come.
Finishing up the night, Zero 9:36 entered the stage to a deafening roar, swiftly beginning to play some of my top listens like “Make Me Feel” and “Here to Bleed." Being able to watch them literally control the room like that was an insane experience. This tour was set in motion shortly after their announcement of their new album under the same name. If you’re interested in finding new artists that combine the classic tone of rap and rock, you’ll have to add these guys to your library.
All three artists on tour even have a song together, and we highly recommend the listen.
If you haven’t had a chance to catch these artists yet, there are still 10 show dates left to catch them live. Not sure if they’re coming to your city? Catch the flyer below.
