Concert Review
Breaking Benjamin
Three Days Grace
Return To Dust
Wednesday September 17, 2025
Darien Lake Amphitheater
Darien Center, NY
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
It was a seasonably hot day for September out at Darien Center Wednesday. When the temp of the night air began to cool things got hotter once the bands took the stage. An estimated crowd of some 14,000 strong felt the impact left by the lineup. While it had been a lighter rock lineup than usual this summer out at the Amphitheater, this show brought everyone out. Who says rock is dead? This show appeared to be a sleeper when first announced but ended up being perhaps the finest show of the season as the Amphitheater nears the end of it’s 32nd season.
The main selling point on this tour was the newly configured lineup of Three Days Grace. Sure it still featured the same lineup as it had since 2013 with vocalist Matt Walst, bassist Brad Walst, guitarist Barry Stock and drummer Neil Sanderson. As an added bonus original vocalist Adam Gontier came back into the fold setting up the rare situation of two lead vocalists. Gontier had left in 2013 and the band has never been stronger with his return.
The band also is touring in support of their new album Alienation which came out last month. The band gave kind of a now and then scenario by playing new song “Kill Me Fast” following it with the first song they ever released in “I Hate Everything About You”. The band mixed three new songs in all into the set alongside gems like “Pain”, “Never Too Late” and opener “Animal I Have Become”.
Breaking Benjamin headlined the affair and they faced a real tough task of following a red hot Three Days Grace. Being the experienced band they are they simply let their music do the talking.
The band has remained unchanged for the most part since 2014. The lone change was the very recent addition of drummer James Cassels who is filling in for Shaun Foist who is battling a health concern. The rest of the band was of course the band’s leader Benjamin Burnley on vocals and guitar, Jasen Rauch on lead guitar, Keith Wallen on rhythm guitar, backing vocals and Aaron Bruch on bass, backing vocals.
The band is in the process of recording their latest album. The band’s last album Ember was released in 2018. Breaking Benjamin opened with “Awaken”, which is slated to appear on the upcoming untitled seventh studio album when it is released.
Burnley and his band are built for the live show as they delivered the crowd pleasing songs “Breath”, “I Will Not Bow” and of course their biggest song “Diary of Jane” to close out their 75-minute set. It was a night many will never forget given the monumental lineup for this show.
Photos
Breaking Benjamin
Three Days Grace
Return To Dust
Set List
Breaking Benjamin
Awaken
Follow
Blow Me Away
So Cold
You
Evil Angel
Failure
Red Cold River
Blood
Dear Agony
Dance With The Devil
Polyamorous
Without You
Until the End
Breath
I Will Not Bow
The Diary of Jane
Three Days Grace
Animal I Have Become
So Called Life
Break
Home
The Mountain
Mayday
Pain
Kill Me Fast
I Hate Everything About You
I Am Machine
Time of Dying
Apologies
Rooster (AIC Cover)
The Good Life
Painkiller
Never Too Late
Riot
Return To Dust
Summer Rain
Shine
Face Down
Abyss
Downfall
Black Road
Bored
Belly Up
