93X Family Reunion 2024

 

Chevelle Setlist Young Wicked Self Destructor Door to Door Cannibals Face to the Floor Hats Off to the Bull Family System Send the Pain Below The Red Mars Simula

Wage War Setlist THE SHOW’S ABOUT TO START Low Stitch Circle the Drain NAIL5 BLUR MAGNETIC Manic

NOTHING MORE Setlist House on Sand Angel Song If It Doesn’t Hurt Go to War Jenny This Is the Time (Ballast)

Sleep Theory Setlist Fallout Enough Gone or Staying Stuck in My Head Numb

Any one of the bands during 93X Family Reunion tour could have had their own headlining show, but alas, this website is not called WeHeartHeadliners, so on a beautiful Thursday night 9/26/24 here are a few takeaways.

It was evident that each band was appreciative of the sponsors and of the audience, so much so that even the time spent at the Xcel Energy Center was respected. In other words, I was astounded that a metal show started when the ticket said it would. Whether we were referred to as St. Paul, a general “Minnesota!”, or even the repeatedly “Minneapolis and the surrounding areas” by one opening band in particular, every band was (Minnesota) nice enough to throw out guitar picks and drum sticks.

Sleep Theory played a tight set with just five songs starting with “Fallout” and ending with “Numb.” They thanked the crowd hurriedly and rocked all the songs that get played on the radio station 93X. Even Wage War had said that it was OK if that’s “how you came to find us.”

Nothing More played a half dozen songs. Before they playing “Jenny,” the lead singer Jonny Hawkins said it was about his sister. The song is famously about her mental health and is even more poignant during September in that it’s Suicide Prevention Month. The band is asking for their fans support @afspnational. Check out their Instagram page for more information.

Speaking of pathos, Wage War’s new album is also catching all the feels. “Stigma,” which was released June of this year, was described in reference to the movie Inside Out 2 which has a Minnesota connection. WeHeartMusic have been a fan of theirs in the past and this time around, the audience did stand up and listen. You could say they and we will always be magnetic; we hopefully will be able to pull them back every time.

Chevelle played a couple of songs from 2016 and 2021 before rhyming “here’s some old sh** for the mosh pit.” Is that the same banana suit from the Metallica concerts? The yellow surfer brought me an ear-to-ear smile. The band appropriately played “The Red” to a blood red background. Prior to their set and after, the video game Pong was on the screen. Godsmack’s curtain started to come down so lead singer Pete Loeffler stated it was probably a sign for them to “get off the f***ing stage” but that they had one more song for us. The curtain fell down to the ground after they played their last song “Mars Stimula.”

There was a 20-minute intermission before Godsmack’s video came on detailing their 26 year history. It started out with the band member’s names and ended with a shot of the band walking the halls of the venue onto the stage. They opened with “Surrender” and each song was back-to-back bangers. At one point, two drum sets were on stage with Sully jamming out with Shannon, the mix of music being covers including but not limited to AC/DC, Metallica and Aerosmith (one of their hometown favorites). Lead vocalist Sully Erna said that this night was the first day of their last concert of the year.

The first encore was Sully at the piano for “Under the Scars” with a QR code on the screen. He explained it was for their nonprofit charity The Scars Foundation, whose mission is all inclusive. It not only sheds light on suicide prevention and all forms of mental illness but even those affected by bullying. Pictures of artists lost to us scrolled on the screens of Chris Cornell, Amy Winehouse, Eddie Van Halen, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, and so much more.

Finally, the night ended with “Bulletproof” and “I Stand Alone” with balloons and confetti raining down on the masses.