Formed in 2005, Dayton, Ohio’s very own are a metalcore institution, and a reflection of where the scene has come from and where it’s headed. TDWP is ¼ of the way through their “Flowers” tour in support of their 2025 album of the same name, and Friday’s show was in Riverside, California.
Riverside is 60 miles east of Los Angeles, and put its name on the map as the birthplace of California’s robust citrus industry in the late 1800’s. Making the two hour and forty-five-minute commute during Friday rush hour traffic gave me time to 1) notice there are no longer any orange orchards in Riverside or the surrounding area, 2) question certain life choices – specifically why I was still in my car after two hours, 3) reflect on how truly immense Los Angeles is, and 4) come to the realization that I wouldn’t make this drive for many bands.
Friday night’s concert was at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, which was initially built as a World War 1 Memorial in 1928, before gradually being converted to a concert hall over time. Despite it’s relatively small 1500 capacity, the Spanish style venue feels much larger. The exterior has a belltower, tiled domes on the roof, and palm trees that surround the building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and it’s hard to imagine the people in attendance at that ceremony having any idea that several decades later, a state-of-the-art PA system would be blaring loud guitar-driven music, people would be circling in mosh pits, crowd surfing, and up to plenty of other shenanigans in the darkened hall of their forefathers.
There were three opening bands before The Devil Wears Prada, and by the time they finally took the stage at 9:30pm, the audience was already worked into a lather. This was a good night of live music top to bottom, and the assembled crowd was down to make the most of it. There’s nothing better than being in the photo pit, mere feet (and sometimes inches) away from incredible musicians doing their thing for the first three songs, but when the crowd really gets going, it can be a little precarious while holding cameras with your back turned to the madness, even with security trying to protect the crowd surfers and (hopefully) you. Tonight was one of those nights.
The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada played seven songs from the new album. There was some controversy among diehard fans with the band bringing in outside songwriters and excluding guitarist Kyle Sipress from writing and recording on “Flowers” – a point that went public when Kyle wrote on his socials that he was learning the songs for the tour. Regardless of how the album’s tracks came to be, the audience in Riverside went crazy for the new material, just as they did for the old. The show was a massive success, and the completely full Riverside Municipal Auditorium shook with soundwaves and the stomping of feet all the way down to its stone foundation.
The Devil Wears Prada are:
- Kyle Sipress – guitar
- Jeremy DePoyster – clean vocals/guitars
- Mike Hranica – vocals
- Johnathan Gering – keyboards
- Giuseppe Antonio Capolupo – drums
Setlist:
1) Where the Flowers Never Grow
2) So Low
3) Danger: Wildman
4) Watchtower
5) Salt
6) Broken
7) Everybody Knows
8) Supernova
9) Outnumbered
10) Dogs Can Grow Beards All Over
11) Ritual
12) When You’re Gone
13) For You
14) Kansas
15) Dez Moines
16) Chemical
17) Sacrifice
Four Year Strong
I didn’t know Four Year Strong before the show started, but it was clear that I was in the minority. As I made my way around the venue, everyone within view was passionately singing along, song after song. It wasn’t just the singing that was eye-opening. It was announced with three songs remaining that the Worcester Massachusetts band needed more crowd surfers, and more crowd surfers was exactly what they got. I think I’ve only seen more surfers at Aftershock Festival – they came fast and furious, and I’m sure the security staff in the pit had their hands full.
Four Year Strong are:
- Joe Weiss – bass
- Jackson Massucco – drums
- Dan O’Connor – vocals/guitar
- Alan Day – vocals/guitar
Split Chair
The second band of the night was Split Chair from the UK. These guys were great, and were totally appreciative to be on the tour, mentioning how incredible it was to be touring the US with The Devil Wears Prada. They put on a great show, and the audience really liked what they heard and saw on stage.
Split Chain are :
- Bert Martínez-Cowles – vocals
- Aaron Black – drums
- Jake Reid – guitar
- Tom Davies – bass
- Oli Bowles – guitar
I Promised The World
Right out of the gate, Texas-based I Promised the World hit the stage and energized vocalist Hunter Wilson simply took over – from jumps to singing into every camera in the pit and every fan on the rail. They made the most of their 7:00pm time slot, and judging from people’s exited talk after their set, they made many new fans.
I Promised the World are:
- Caleb Molina – vocals/guitar
- Hunter Wilson – vocals
- Mason Nowlin – guitars
- Aidan Vickers – bass
- Mason Zschau – drums
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