In the music industry parlance, sometimes a Iine-up makes too much sense. For two bands with similar career arcs and having even been on festival bills together, it seems odd that Tremonti and Sevendust have never toured together in the USA. Both of them also have recent new albums out at the same time, another cool confluence of events. The Paramount was packed on this night, as it is for most shows if import. Both bands had a throng of fans in the house to see them.

Thanks to amazingly bad traffic coming in from the city on a weeknight no less, we missed all of the opening bands. Long Island has its pluses as a place to live, but the traffic blows. But every Sevendust show is a family affair, where you see old friends and make new ones. Tonight was one of those nights. 

Tremonti hit the stage to face the happy crowd and ripped into their set. The band is tight, played with a lot of skill, and generally seemed to have a blast up there. It had been quite some time since I had seen the band, but really drove home with me how great they are and possibly underrated too.

With a pretty fast change over, the crowd was ready to get their 7D on! Last time this area was blessed by the band, they relied on a few new songs and greatest hits. Tonight the band was armed with a recent album, All I See Is War, their first for Rise Records.

Sevendust his the stage to the strains of the very first song people knew them from, 1997’s ‘Black’!  The lyrics to this song sadly still ring true today. Of course, as is customary, the fans sang along loudly, at times taking over for singer LaJon Witherspoon, as he sometimes instructs the crowd.

The band put on their typical exciting show, tearing through a set of mostly deep cuts with only a few hits. Few other bands could pull this off nowadays. After twenty plus years in the game and many deep albums to draw from. The band knows how to build drama throughout their set. The highlights of the night was when they dedicated ‘Angel’s Son’ to a friend that had recently passed away, and the emotional and deep ‘Feel So’ from the Home album. Hard to believe it’s been two decades since that came out.

The band continues to outdo themselves year after year show after show. Their loyal fans ride or die with this music and it’s easy to see the passion they collectively share.

WORDS BY KEITH CHACHKES

PHOTOS BY OMAR CORDY