Bullet for My Valentine and Trivium brought something truly special to Omaha over Easter weekend with the Poisoned Ascendancy Tour, an all-star lineup of seasoned veterans, each iconic in their own right. What made this tour even more memorable was Bullet for My Valentine and Trivum performing, in my opinion, their best albums, The Poison & Ascendancy, front to back. I’d been counting down to this show, knowing it would take me right back to the days when these records inspired me to pick up a guitar, start a band, and ultimately kick off my career in the music industry. The influence of these bands along with August Burns Red hit me hard as a teenager nearly two decades ago and changed the course of my taste, passions, and career as an adult.
Bleed From Within, a name I was excited to see on the bill as I hadn’t heard of them in years, kicked off the night. While they had a short set, they made sure to make every second count, not wasting any time between songs and keeping the energy flowing. This Glasgow group brought the energy of a headliner early in the evening, setting the tone for a great night to come.
August Burns Red hit the stage opening with a surprising cover of "Chop Suey" by System of a Down. While this was far different from what I’ve normally seen them do, it was a great switch up. They definitely grabbed the crowd's attention. They were arguably the most polished set of the night, which was no small feat. I’ve seen them numerous times and even covered them before. Although, they were typically headlining, which again puts a spotlight on the magnitude of this tour package. It always astounds me how this band plays such complex music seemingly effortlessly proving why they have earned their spot as a staple in the scene for so many years.
Trivium was the one artist I had not yet seen and was most excited for and turned out to be my favorite set of the night. Two things really stood out to me about their performance. First, Matt Heafy is an excellent showman. He is one of those performers that you can tell feels every moment on stage and shares that excitement with the audience. He stopped and spoke about how songs like “Suffocating Sight” and “Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" were personal tracks about how he saw himself and they still ring true today. He took a moment to relate to the audience about having a hard year the year prior and putting in the work to become a better family member, friend, and musician for his fans. Secondly, I was very impressed with how clean and close to the album every vocal part sounded. After over 20 years of performing, many artists have to switch octaves, rely on backing tracks, or you can just tell it doesn’t sound the same. Trivium didn’t falter on a single note, successfully pulling us back to the early 2000s like it was yesterday.
You could feel a noticeable shift in the room as Bullet for My Valentine took the stage. Fans packed the main floor at Steelhouse in eager anticipation to relive the nostalgia of the album, The Poison. Their set started with a highlight video recapping the band's history with a montage of interviewers and reporters stating their name, Bullet for my Valentine. While every song had the audience singing along, it was nothing to when Matt Tuck stated “This next song is a song that hasn’t left the Bullet setlist in 20 years, its a favorite of mine, and a favorite of yours. This is Tears Don’t Fall.” As the opening notes of the track began to echo through the room the crowd roared, singing every word of the iconic song that put BFMV on the map.
This tour celebrated the 20th anniversary of the most iconic albums in metalcore. Both albums are landmarks that helped create the statute of these bands leaving a lasting impression on fans, even two decades later. While this was a new experience for some and an evening full of nostalgia for others, everyone had an unforgettable night that they won’t soon forget.
