Concert Review
Avenged Sevenfold
Poppy
Sullivan King
Wednesday March 6, 2024
KeyBank Center
Buffalo, NY
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
It was a ten year gap between Buffalo area shows for Avenged Sevenfold but they finally made their way to town last night. In support of their latest album Life Is But A Dream… released last year, this was the first night of this leg of the tour. The band put on a solid performance despite a small crowd at KeyBank Center.
The cool thing were all the images appearing on the background screens that were corresponding to the songs played. On top of all that was the bands set list which featured many songs that have not been played in quite some time such as “Cosmic” being played for the first time ever and served as the encore.
The band sounded loud and fresh which was really good considering it was the band’s first show of 2024. The first few nights of a tour usually contains the most hiccups but there were very few if any at all. Since 2015 the lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, guitarists Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ and drummer Brooks Wackerman.
I gotta give props to the band for going back and pulling out many tunes they haven’t touched in a while. Shows like that make it extra special for the diehards. “Hail to the King” was the best song of the night as we give the nod to “Blinded In Chains” and “The Stage” as honorable mentions.
I think most of the crowd felt they were cheated from possibly seeing two other solid bands on the bill. The lineup for this show featured Sullivan King opening followed by Poppy. Sullivan King would get the nod here as the better of the two although both seemed out of their league compared to Avenged Sevenfold. Perhaps the promoters were hoping to strike lightning in a bottle like they did when Jelly Roll played on Shinedown’s 2023 tour. Jelly Roll has since gone on to become a star in the making and will be playing KeyBank Center as the headliner in October. After witnessing Poppy and Sullivan King I don’t think that will happen for them anytime soon.
Set List
Game Over
Mattel
Afterlife
Hail to the King
We Love You
Shepherd of Fire (First performance since 2018)
The Stage
Roman Sky
Blinded in Chains (First performance since 2006)
Bat Country
Nobody
Nightmare
Unholy Confessions
Save Me (First performance since 2011)
Cosmic (Live debut)
