After 20+ years, Static-X and Sevendust are on tour again and my inner teenager me couldn’t be any happier! This loaded bill brought an onslaught of metal, mayhem, and evil disco to Fort Wayne.  I was fortunate to cover the Rise of the Machine Tour with Static-X, Fear Factory, Dope, and Cultus Black back in March here at the Clyde Theater, but this time it’s more nostalgic for me.  This time Static-X triumphantly returned to Fort Wayne, this time with co-headliner Sevendust, Dope, and Lines of Loyalty for the Machine Killer Tour.  

Lines of Loyalty started off the eventful evening.  This melodic trio consists of Glenn “Nubz” Morrison on vocals/guitar, Redo Ianni on bass/vocals, and percussionist, Brayden Pike. This new-to-me band is a harmonious blend of rock peppered with a little hip hop.  They opened their set with their debut album’s title track “Hurts to Be Human” and they followed up with their most catchy tune, “I’m Not the One”.  About halfway through their set, they slowed things down a bit with “With or Without You” and their single “My Addiction”.  Lines of Loyalty brought out guest vocalist Rikki Storbeck for “Murdered Memories”, and as per the bands Facebook post, this was the first time they played this song live. Their catchy riffs, confident and charisma certainly made a fan out of me.  Lines of Loyalty dropped their debut album on October 1, 2023. If this tour package is coming near you, I suggest you get there early and check out this remarkable young trio.   

Second up was NYC natives, Dope. I cannot express how many times I’ve seen Dope, but it’s always a killer show. The current touring lineup consists of founder Edsel Dope on lead vocals/guitar, Jamie “Madrox” Spaniolo of Twiztid on bass, Daniel Fox on guitar, and Chrissy Warner rocking on drums. As the lights fell dim and the Dope stepped on stage, they spun right into “Blood Money” from their 2019 release Blood Money Part One and “Bring It On” from 2003’s Group Therapy.  Edsel being the showman that he is, took a moment to express his appreciation to their audience for all the years of support and dedication.  He went on saying that as we get older, going to a show isn’t as easy as when we were younger, and he truly appreciated each and every person at the Clyde this evening for showing up as always whenever they come to town.  They continued crushing through their set with hits such as “Bitch”, “Die MF Die” (everyone’s personal favorite) and closed out with their infamous Dead or Alive cover, “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”, which Edsel proclaimed being “the stupidest fucking song ever recorded,” which I tend to agree with, yet it’s still one of those earworm songs.  I will say I was very surprised Dope didn’t play anything from their 2023 album Blood Money Part Zer0 on this run, but nevertheless, it’s always great to see Dope!

Next in line was my beloved Sevendust.  These iconic proclaimed pioneers of numetal formed way back in 1994 – nearly 30 years and 14 albums later, the same 5 guys that started are still together and going strong.  If you’ve been living under a rock for the last three decades, Sevendust is led by vocalist Lajon Witherspoon, guitarists John Connelly and Clint Lowery, bassist Vince Hornsby, and the best drummer I have ever witnessed, the unrivaled Morgan Rose.  From the very first time I heard Lajon’s voice on “Black” from their self-titled debut album way back in 1997 I was enthralled.  Ever since I was a teenager, I have loved this band, thanks in part to my older brother who introduced them to me.  Lajon has one of those entrancing voices that just pulls you in and holds you there – and his stage presence is incomparable.

As they took the stage, I could feel my heart was pounding and I was filling up with so much excitement – then there they were – Sevendust standing not 3 feet in front of me.  They started their electric set with “I Might Let the Devil Win” and “Truth Killer” both from their 2023 release Truth Killer.  They continued on with classics “Alpha”, “Hero”, and “Denial” Their loaded discography including albums of such caliber like Home (1999), Animosity (2001), and Seasons (2003) led to their set being filled with hit after hit, such as “Bitch”, “Denial” and “Trust”.  Although they didn’t play my favorite song “Waffle”, I’ll let it slide as they closed out with another personal favorite “Face to Face” from Seasons.  Sevendust always pulls out all the stops during their shows and this night was no exception.

Closing out the evening was Static-X. Getting to see them twice in a six-month period was never something I could imagine.  Albeit it’s not with Wayne (RIP), having original members Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda, and Kenneth “Ken Jay” Lacey is always great to see.

What typically to expect with the new Static-X set is snow, smoke, and high sensory visuals throughout – what not to expect is a giant chrome pumpkin head making its way across the stage to a backing track of Vincent Price’s voiceover from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video and taunting the audience.  Once the pumpkin head faded into the darkness of stage right, Static-X came out and blew the roof off The Clyde Theater opening with a two-song run from 2020’s Project: Regeneration Vol. 1, which included “Hollow” complete with sparks shooting behind Xer0, and “Terminator Oscillator” with a special appearance from the Terminator Oscillator character with an illuminated smoke gun shooting all over the crowd and across the entirety of the stage. They then blasted to the past with “Love Dump”, “Sweat of the Bud”, “Wisconsin Death Trip”, “Fix” and “Bled for Days”, all from 1999’s Wisconsin Death Trip.  

They then returned to present day with “Z0mbie” from their upcoming album Project: Regeneration Vol. 2 set to be released January 2024.  Accompanying Static-X during “Z0mbie” was another new character, Frankenstitch, a 15’ tall puppet that maneuvered around the stage.

Slowing things down towards the end, Static-X paid homage to the late Wayne across the large screen behind the band showing behind the scenes and studio footage of Wayne all perfectly synced with “Cold” from 2001’s Machine.  Xer0 was back on his platform, snow falling over the crowd and an entranced audience just singing along. Static-X closed out the evening ended with Wisconsin Death Trip singles, and possibly their most recognized songs, “I’m With Stupid” and “Push It”.

For all of us that have been mourning the tragedy of Wayne’s passing since 2014, please know Static-X’s show is a heartfelt tribute to him and a gift to all of us that want to keep evil disco alive. This tour was set to run through the US for a few more weeks, ending its run in Los Angeles, but it was recently announced that a second leg of this tour will continue until February 2024.  With the second leg being added, there is no excuse to miss this tour!