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An incredible band, concert close to home

By Candice Black - | Jun 8, 2023

(Photo by Candice Black)

It’s been a decade since I saw my favorite band live for the first time and even though I’ve watched Shinedown perform eight times, I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. And luckily, Huntington has my back.

Most of the Shinedown shows I’ve gone to have been in Huntington at the Mountain Health Arena and being able to see my favorite band in a town just a couple of hours away is absolutely awesome.

The first show I went to was in 2013 when the band had its “Carnival of Madness” tour with Skillet. I knew a few of their songs but was mostly excited to see Skillet. After experiencing the show not far from the stage, I was hooked. Attending Shinedown concerts and incessantly listening to their new albums even became a family affair.

What I remember the most about that first show was their stage presence. Brent Smith, the lead singer, had this electric, contagious energy along with guitarist Zach Myers, bassist Eric Bass and drummer Berry Kerch. About three-fourths of the way through the show, Brent talked about the importance of music, specifically rock-n-roll and how, for some, it saves lives.

At the time, I was in a crucial point in my life where I had a lot of decisions to make. And hearing him speak, listening to the lyrics and reflecting on that performance was really a turning point for me.

(Photo by Candice Black)

I could go on and on about my love for them not only as a band, but as individuals. Brent, Zach, Barry and Eric truly bring something special to the table that is unmatched. But, for the sake of space, I’ll talk more about their most recent show in Huntington. It was The Revolutions Tour with Three Days Grace and From Ashes to New. Shinedown was the headliner and played for nearly three hours, during which I had an absolute blast singing my lungs out and rocking out with my sister.

With stage effects like lasers, flames, lights and even a piano descending from the ceiling, I was in awe. But the most magical part happened when Brent asked everyone to turn on their cellphone flashlights.

The entire arena lit up while they performed “A Symptom of Being Human,” my favorite song from Shinedown’s newest album “Planet Zero.”

Another cool thing about their shows is the audience. Shinedown fans are in a niche group and they literally range in age from 8 to 80. I’ve seen more young kids at Shinedown concerts than any other. If and when Shinedown comes back to Huntington, and I’m sure they will, I highly encourage people to check them out. I guarantee you will never forget the experience.

Photo by Candice Black

Photo by Candice Black