PHOENIX — Halestorm and I Prevail brought their co-headlining tour to Arizona Financial Theatre last Friday night, delivering a night of unforgettable performances. With Halestorm taking the final slot this evening, the packed crowd was treated to a high-energy show. Hollywood Undead and Fit for a King added their own powerful sets to the lineup, making the night a standout for rock and metal fans. 

Fit for a King

The mindblowing evening started with the American metalcore band from Tyler, Texas, Fit for a King (FFAK). The band members—Ryan Kirby (vocals), Bobby Lynge and Daniel Gailey (guitars), Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary (bass), and Trey Celaya (drums)—have been melting faces since 2007. They played a blistering eight-song set that fired up the crowd, even igniting a circle pit among the general admission audience in front of the stage.

Hollywood Undead

Up next was the American rap rock band, Hollywood Undead, formed in 2005 in sunny Los Angeles, California. The current lineup includes Jorel “J-Dog” Decker (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Dylan “Funny Man” Alvarez (vocals), George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan (vocals, bass), Jordon “Charlie Scene” Terrell (vocals, guitar), Danny Murillo (vocals, keyboards, guitar), and finally, Matt “The Cat” Oloffson (drums).

They recreated the “Cali” vibe with four light-up palm trees on stage, two trash fire barrels, and a cardboard sign hanging from the keyboard with “Hotel Kalifornia” handwritten on it. Hotel Kalifornia is their most recent album, released in August of 2022.

Hollywood Undead’s twelve-song set kicked off with “California Dreaming,” and by the third song, the fully-engaged crowd headbanged to “Riot” with contagious energy spreading like wildfire. The band threw beach balls into the crowd, which bounced above the audience as they rocked out. Right before starting the song, “Comin’ In Hot,” they brought up an eleven-year-old girl from the audience to jam on stage with them. Concertgoers sang and danced along to their cover of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” and Hollywood Undead wrapped up their set with “Bullet” and “Undead.” 

I Prevail

The third band to take the stage was I Prevail, a rock band from Southfield, Michigan. The current band members are Brian Burkheiser (clean vocals), Eric Vanlerberghe (unclean and clean vocals), Steve Menoian (lead guitar), Dylan Bowman (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Gabe Helguera (drums), and Jon Eberhard (bass, keyboards).

They rose in popularity in 2013 after releasing a metal cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” on YouTube. Since then, they have released three studio albums, with their single “Bow Down” earning a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” in 2019, and their album Trauma receiving one for “Best Rock Album” that same year.

When they took the stage, the venue shook—like literally shook. It made eardrums buzz, hearts race, and it knocked old confetti from past concerts down from the rafters to gently fall onto the crowd below.

I Prevail started with a video of an anonymous speaker talking about fear before starting “There’s Fear in Letting Go.” Vanlerberghe told the crowd that it’s been ten years since the band dropped their cover of Swift’s song, and they hate singing it, but they added it to the setlist for the fans. Everyone cheered and threw up their horns.

Before playing “Breaking Down,” Vanlerberghe got personal with the audience, talking about how he is doing well in therapy and to talk to someone if you need to. That mental health is important. I Prevail gave the crowd everything they had, just as they promised.

Halestorm

Wrapping up the heavy metal night was Halestorm, the American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, formed in 1997 by lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale and her brother, drummer Arejay Hale. Other members include Joe Hottinger as guitarist and Josh Smith as bassist.

Grammy-Award winning Halestorm introduced their set with Lzzy singing an a capella “Raise Your Horns” before launching into “I Miss the Misery.” She shows no reserve for showcasing her unparalleled vocals, with an almost-menacing, growling belt prominently featured from start to finish. She figuratively blew the roof off the venue, jaws dropping, during the “I Get Off” interlude of Heart’s “Crazy On You.”

Lzzy addressed the crowd: “It’s for all the letters that you’ve given me, all of the love online, you guys just standing out here singing every word. I can’t believe it, man, I can’t believe it. It blows my mind. So, this one is for all of you tonight, this is called, ‘Familiar Taste of Poison’”. They played the long-beloved song from their first album, self-titled Halestorm.

Also in support of mental health, Halestorm has teamed up with the mental health organization Sound Mind Live to encourage fans to pledge their support, helping to fund free mental health programs that will be available to communities across the country.

The band members’ percussive skills were on display as they played a taiko-style mid-set drum ensemble. Lzzy’s in-your-face stage presence admirably dominated throughout the night, and she delighted with moves such as a backbend contorting her body down to the floor as she shredded on her guitar.

Vanlerberghe rejoined the stage to sing the duet of “can u see me in the dark?” with Lzzy. Halestorm wrapped up the night with “Mz. Hyde” and “The Steeple.” Fans were left with ringing ears and giant smiles as all departed the venue into the blazing Phoenix night.

View Setlists

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately:
Halestorm  | I Prevail  | Hollywood Undead  | Fit for a King

Halestorm, I Prevail, Hollywood Undead, & Fit for a King – Arizona Financial Theatre 8-16-24

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.

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Brittney Coon

Music Journalist at Burning Hot Events

ASU grad, works box office at Marquee Theatre, published author, screenwriter, filmmaker, concert addict, roadie wannabe, road trips, photography, graphic designer, always randomly mentions the show Friends in conversation, cat lover