One of Atlanta’s newest music venues, The Eastern, played host to hometown rockers Sevendust on a severely soggy Wednesday night in the South. Out on the road marking the 21st anniversary of their Seasons album, Grammy-nominated Sevendust was supported by Horizon Theory, Return to Dust, and 10 Years. Opened as recently as September 1, 2021, in the historic Reynoldstown neighborhood off the Atlanta Beltline, this state-of-the-art 37,000 square foot venue sprouted up as part of the redevelopment of the Atlanta Dairies plant that supplied milk to local families and schools in the mid-1940s. The industrial-looking, reclaimed materials complex boasts retail shops and eateries, anchored by the multi-tiered Eastern that can handle a capacity crowd of 2,300 concert goers.
First up on the night at 6:30pm was Michigan-based metal band Horizon Theory. Featuring a talented lineup of Chris Black (guitars), Jeff Hafer (drums), Josh Harrington (lead vocals), and Luen Murr (bass), the band immediately amped up the early audience with their punch-you-in-the-face tone and active stage presence. Self-described as a band that “has the ability to take you on an emotional roller coaster while maintaining a hard rock sound with metal elements,” Horizon Theory delivered upon that promise.
I respect metal bands like Horizon Theory that dig for deeper meanings behind their songwriting, which for me was highlighted by their track “Nowhere To Go.” Driven by Harrington’s emotionally-laden vocals, this was a killer tune with a hopeful message about overcoming challenging times in your life through seeking help from others. If you are looking for something new and fresh to add to your playlist, mark down that Horizon Theory’s new full length album, Radio Silence, is expected to be released in November.
Horizon Theory:
Chris Black – Guitars
Jeff Hafer – Drums
Josh Harrington – Vocals
Luen Murr – Bass
Setlist:
1.) Astronomer
2.) Darkness
3.) Dying Vengeance
4.) December
5.) Nowhere To Go
6.) Past Life
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, youth rockers Return to Dust took the stage at 7:15pm. Out on the road in support of their recently released self-titled debut album, Return to Dust’s lineup includes Gen Zers Matty Bielawski (rhythm guitar/vocals), Graham Stanush (bass/vocals), Sebastian Gonzalez (lead guitar), and London Hudson (drums). What I loved about Return to Dust was their ability to tap into the influential metal musical themes from the ’90s, but elevated them with a more raw and modern youthful exuberance.
While Hudson hammered the skins with joyful anger, Bielawski and Stanush showcased a dual microphone threat, vocally guiding the band through bangers like “Black Road” and “Belly Up.” Flanking Bielawski was Gonzalez, an energetic guitarist that complimented the band with crunchy and gritty riffs, completing Return to Dust’s unique sound. The future is bright for Return to Dust, and it was clear the legacy Sevendust fans enjoyed their enthusiastic performance.
Return to Dust:
Matty Bielawski – Guitars, vocals
Sebastian Gonzalez – Lead guitar
London Hudson – Drums
Graham Stanush – Bass, vocals
Setlist:
1.) About the World
2.) Black Road
3.) No Love
4.) Live Like This
5.) Belly Up
6.) Cellophane
7.) When You Look at Me
Formed in neighboring state Tennessee back in 1999, alternative metal band 10 Years stormed to the stage at 8:15pm to “Shoot It Out,” a tune pulled from their fifth studio album, Feeding the Wolves (2010). Anchored by founding band members Brian Vodinh (guitar) and Matt Wantland (guitar), along with long-time vocalist Jesse Hasek, 10 Years was rounded out by Chad Grennor (bass) and Luke Narey (drums).
With an announced street date of October 11th for their pending digital EP release, Inner Darkness, 10 Years teased out the new offering with two blistering singles in “The Optimist” and “Rise.” Hasek’s vocals were haunting and heavy throughout the night, never more present than when the band delivered a resounding cover rendition of Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box” mid-set. 10 Years wrapped up their enjoyably exhausting set with the fan-favorite chart-topper “Wasteland” from their third studio album, The Autumn Effect (2005).
10 Years:
Chad Grennor – Bass
Jesse Hasek – Lead vocals
Luke Narey – Drums
Brian Vodinh – Lead guitar
Matt Wantland – Rhythm guitar
Setlist:
1.) Shoot It Out
2.) Chasing the Rapture
3.) Dancing With the Dead
4.) Beautiful
5.) Rise
6.) The Shift
7.) Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana cover)
8.) Fix Me
9.) Novacaine
10.) The Optimist
11.) Wasteland
Following the final equipment turn of the night, the house lights dimmed at 9:30pm making way for Atlanta’s own, Sevendust. Out on tour celebrating the 21st anniversary of their fourth studio album Seasons (2003), the band launched into the lead track from that release, “Disease,” to kick off their set. Appearing in Atlanta was Sevendust’s consistent band lineup for decades of John Connolly (guitars), Vince Hornsby (bass), Morgan Rose (drums), with Lajon Witherspoon taking center stage behind the microphone. However, as recently announced, guitarist Clint Lowery was sitting out this tour due to a neck injury, and on Wednesday night was replaced by manager and long-time friend Tim Tournier.
Taking a pause after a rousing performance of the ever-popular second track off Seasons in “Enemy,” Witherspoon thanked the hometown crowd for braving the elements to come out and see them, and jokingly reflected upon his early days in Atlanta when he was making pizza’s (poorly, at that, he claimed) at Fellini’s just to make ends meet before the band took off. He also thanked Tournier for racing over to support them, as he was still Creed’s manager and they were playing down the road at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre.
Even after all these years, it was clear that Sevendust has not lost their edge or angst. And if you have never seen Rose play live before, he is one of the most violent and pleasantly aggressive drummers out there. Backing Witherspoon’s iconic vocals, the band blasted through the entire Seasons album, in original track order, before retiring for a quick encore. The final track from Seasons was of course “Face To Face,” a crowd favorite that brought cellphones into the air to capture the moment.
When the band returned to start their encore session, they offered up a three-song journey that bridged their deep musical catalog, starting with “Pieces” off their fifth studio album, Next (2005). If that wasn’t enough to keep the audience energy up in The Eastern, Sevendust then pivoted back to their second release, Home (1999), and delivered a punchy version of “Rumble Fish,” before closing out their rocking night with “Bitch” from their 1997 self-titled debut.
Sevendust’s fall tour celebrating the 21st anniversary of Seasons continues on for just a few more weeks, where it will wrap up at The Depot in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Tuesday, October 8th.
Sevendust:
John Connolly – Guitars, backing vocals
Vince Hornsby – Bass, backing vocals
Clint Lowery – Lead guitar, backing vocals (* did not perform due to injury)
Morgan Rose – Drums, backing vocals
Tim Tournier – Guitars (touring substitute for Clint Lowery)
Lajon Witherspoon – Lead vocals
Setlist:
1.) Disease
2.) Enemy
3.) Seasons
4.) Broken Down
5.) Separate
6.) Honesty
7.) Skeleton Song
8.) Disgrace
9.) Burned Out
10.) Suffocate
11.) Gone
12.) Face to Face
Encore
13.) Pieces
14.) Rumble Fish
15.) Praise
Follow Horizon Theory Online
Follow Return to Dust Online
Follow 10 Years Online
Follow Sevendust Online
Elliott is a music photographer covering shows in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The highlight of his photography career was back in the early ’90s, when he sold Neil Diamond the rights to his negatives from a show and then purchased a set of tires for his 1979 280ZX during college with the money.
