Photos and Review by David Kasiorek
Disturbed brought their 25th anniversary tour to PPG Paints arena this Saturday, following a trend of anniversary tours that we’ve been seeing from various acts that last few concert seasons. Playing their first album “The Sickness” from beginning to end was a great way to celebrate their career as one of the top metal acts of the modern era (or maybe not so modern anymore?). The show kicked off with singer David Draiman being wheeled out on a dolly in a straight jacket before taking center stage and getting the party started with opening track “Voices”. As Disturbed ripped through their first album with hits like “Down With The Sickness” and “Stupify” or deep cuts like “Conflict” and “Numb” it was evident that even after 25 years Disturbed plays with the same intensity and drive that put them on the map all those years ago. The first set ended with David Draiman being sentenced to death by electric chair in front of the packed PPG crowd following album closer “Meaning of Life” in which the crowd followed chants of “Get Psycho!”.
In between sets there was a 20 minute intermission with a mini documentary playing on screen showing Disturbed through out their career. The second set opened up with the new single “I Will Not Break” followed by 2005s “Ten Thousand Fists”. The second set was a mix of old and new but it was during “Indestructible” that the show came alive when Disturbed’s maskot “The Guy” made an inflatable apperance and hovered behind the band for a few songs. Throwing in a few covers like the rocking “Land of Confusion” originally done by Genesis and the stripped down version of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” played on a piano engulfed in flames. David Draiman makes it a tradition to bring a child from the audience up on stage and he did just that for “The Light” bringing 12 year old Abigal and her mother on stage to prove that metal is for everyone no matter how young or how old. The two hour show ended with heavy thumper “Inside The Fire”.
From the opening acts (Nothing More and Daughtry) to the celebration of Disturbed’s career back dropped with stage show, theatrics and crowd interaction it’s safe to say that Pittsburgh is down with the sickness and will eagerly wait for Disturbed to return to the city for another show in the future.
Daughtry:
Nothing More:
