Ice Nine Kills at Uptown Theater, Kansas City MO (2025-05-06)

ICE NINE KILLS TOUR DATES

Metal horror opera has a new standard – The Silver Scream-A-Thon!

Horror-inspired Boston theatrical metalcore band Ice Nine Kills has currently embarked on the most ambitious tour of their 25-year career, logging back-to-back nights in each city for two completely different live experiences wherein the band play their albums The SilverScreamon the first night and The Silver Scream 2: Welcome To Horrorwood in full on the second night (along with a selection of deep cuts and fan favorites).

Each night has its own distinctive character, with a bevy of different opening acts to distinguish each night’s show as well. And, if that weren’t enough, the band has also recently announced a forthcoming live album, “I Heard They KILL Live 2””- a hometown show recorded in Lowell, MA back in 2022 during the Trinity of Terror Tour, so it really seems like it’s an I9K world that we’re just living in.

We only covered the opening night but immediately felt a great sense of FOMO to not be able to be present at both- save yourself that feeling and book the two-day passes that are available at each stop. The entrance line for this sold-out show ran long around the block, and the merch line once inside was long as well, so plan accordingly.

Night One began with a short set from Melrose Avenue, a rising Aussie pop metalcore group featuring singer Vlado Saric from Sydney and who are celebrating being on their debut full-length US tour with this run. Latest single is “Body Bag” released in March (via Hopeless Records) and one which they played early-on in their energetic set, which was all spotlighted (literally) by a girl on stage armed with a bright light that followed Saric and band members.

Most of the younger crowd seemed already familiar with the newish quartet from Down Under and their mix of melodies, hardcore screams, and attention to social media, all of which make them ones to watch, and who are just getting started.

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The Funeral Portrait would be next- an Atlanta theatrical emo hardcore band who formed a decade ago, out in support of last year’s “Greetings from Suffocate City” full-length and a companion EP, Casanova (From Beyond the Abyss). The album’s title track was a collab on record with Ice Nine Kills’ singer Spencer Charnas, and their more recent single, “Holy Water” featured their pal, Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch- both tunes were performed live to close out their brief set.

The band’s interaction on stage kept the crowd engaged but also came off slightly awkward as we couldn’t determine if singer Lee Jennings and guitarists Cody Weissinger and Caleb Freihaut were just having a laugh with each other, or if there was more than met the eye.

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Phoenix hardcore was represented by The Word Alive, out in support of their seventh studio album, 2023’s “Hard Reset” which also represented a lineup change in the band with the departure of founding guitarist Zack Hansen and drummer Daniel Nelson, and a move from Fearless to Thriller Records.

The crowd showed their approval of the newer music and current lineup by crowdsurfing over the railings and a general shared chaos on the venue floor. The band’s been playing the yet-to-be-released, brand-new “Eyes Above” which thrilled the diehards, and ended their set with “One of Us” (a collab with Bad Omens and not the Joan Osborne song) and “Life Cycles” which dates all the way back to 2012 and their second studio album.

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Finally, it was time for the main act as the stage was set and the intro music of the Nick Cave classic, “Red Right Hand” (who we just saw live the night before downtown) cued up the emergence of Ice Nine Kills to the stage for a unique and immersive performance, beginning with their 2018 album, The Silver Scream, played in its entirety.

Singer Charnas went through some character changes, consistently engaging the audience as onstage props, twisted characters, and backdrops conjured an environment filled with inspirations from all the popular horror film classics. Killer clowns, bloody hockey masks, skeletons and coffin motifs were all a part of this horrorscape come to life, taking the mantle from the likes of Alice Cooper, to present a modern and darker version of this kind of theater.

Deeper cuts from the album pleased the most devoted fans – hearing “Enjoy Your Slay” performed non-acoustic, “Freak Flag” played for the first time on this tour, and bringing songs like “The World in my Hands” (inspired by Edward Scissorhands) back into the setlist.

“IT is the End” would end the album and main set, inspired by the now-classic Stephen King story and films with Charnas singing, “IT cannot be fought, we all float down here” along with some creepy clown images that can’t be unseen.

Of course, the movie inspirations continued into the encore, beginning with 2014’s memorably titled vampire-laden number, “The Fastest Way to a Girl’s Heart Is Through Her Ribcage” then it was back to 2007 for “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, a story of murderous love and loss.

The night would finish with 2021’s “Meat & Greet” from the 2018 album’s sequel (which would be played in full on the following night) and the band appropriately singing, “Bid farewell and close the casket” but also, “This dance never ends” meaning it may have to be goodbye to Night One, but Night Two was to follow.

This is no mere concert and no simple horror film homage – this is a true event, and plans should be made to bear witness to Ice Nine Kills and The Silver Scream-A-Thon! when it comes to your city.

ALL PHOTOS BY JASON DOMINGUES

(click on any image to enlarge and to see in full)