It was an early misty spring night on May 1st as the crowd anticipated the rock n roll sensation that is Denmark’s very own – Volbeat. For anyone not familiar with the Sands Casino Event Center located in Bethlehem, PA – All you need to know is that it’s your traditional rock venue with a newer, shinier polish to it.

The venue was absolutely PACKED which was amazing for any Volbeat enthusiast. The outpouring of support this band has received over the past year has been unbelievable as their popularity continues to blossom her in the states.

Before getting full force into the Volbeat performance, it must be noted both Digital Summer and Trivium absolutely rocked the house as the evenings warm up acts. These two did a phenomenal job at opening up the show and carrying the crowd through as they anxiously awaited the rockabilly / metal headliners.

It was shortly after 10:00 when Volbeat came on stage and kicked things off with Doc Holliday, a catchy little country western style rock anthem. It’s the perfect song to start a show with its banjo introduction and heavy rhythmic guitar in the background. Once Doc Holliday got going into its main riff, there was no looking back as Volbeat rocked the crowd for a solid show.

Personal Show Highlights:

The Set-list – From start to finish, Volbeat hit the mark with its entire set-list. One omission this author wanted to hear was Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood, a personal favorite. But that’s a small time complaint compared to how amazing the rest of the show actually was.

Evelyn – It was about half way through the show when I realized the audience was witnessing something special. Michael Poulson introduced Matt Heafy and Cory Beaulieu back on stage from Trivium and they played the heavy-duty song Evelyn. Heafy was awesome as he sung the growling, hardcore verse segments while Poulson hit it home nailing the chorus segments of the song. It was one of the coolest metal moments I have ever witnessed as the collaboration was a great experience.

Thanks – One of the great things about a Volbeat show is it’s for people of all ages, kids included. Volbeat puts on a clean show while not taking away from the metal feel we all love to experience. It was really no surprise when the band played one of it’s trademark songs “Thanks” and invited all of the kids in the crowd on stage. It was so cool to see these youngsters interacting with the different band members and singing along to the song. The whole experience culminated with Poulson putting his guitar around a little girl and continuing to the play along. That will be a moment she’ll never forget and has hopefully solidified her as a metal fan for all eternity!

Set List:

Doc Holliday

Hallelujah Goat

BOA (JDM)

Lola Montez

Sad Man’s Tongue

Heaven Nor Hell

16 Dollars

Dead But Rising

Fallen

Connect

Evelyn feat. Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu of Trivium

The Mirror And The Reaper

Satan (new song snippet)

Breaking The Law (Judas Priest Cover) (snippet)

Maybellene I Hoftenholder

Still Counting

Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza

The Hangman’s Body Count

Thanks

The Human Instrument / A Warrior’s Call

Michael Poulson is one of the best rock front men right now as he continuously acknowledges the crowd throughout the show – giving his thanks and admiration for the unbelievable support they receive. It doesn’t stop with Poulson though as it’s easy to decipher this band is truly having the time of its life. The crowd energy was cranked to 10 for the entire night and Volbeat fed on it as it rocked us from beginning to end with a purely awesome set-list and show.

If you’re a fan of this unbelievable act, I highly encourage you to take the time to go and see them. You will not be disappointed with their unique sound and style. Volbeat has introduced the world to something it’s never heard and the band will continue to be a success moving forward with quality music and their personal story telling.