Why in the world would a concert at the Honda Center start at 5:30? That’s not the time of the doors opening. That’s the actual start time of the show. Maybe it’s because there were two headliners, Staind and Breaking Benjamin, playing full sets, along two openers, Daughtry and Lakeview. It was pretty obvious by the packed house that the audience knew there was going to be a lot of great music coming at them.

First up was Lakeview and they were everything you’d want in an opening act. Energetic, passionate, and owning the stage like they were the headliners. This is the first arena tour for the duo from Nashville-by-way-of-Pittsburgh, but they didn’t show it in the least. Jesse Denaro and Luke Healy mash Country, Rock, and Metal into a heavy Americana sound that is without a genre and still being defined. Whether it’s “Yallternative”, “Heavy Country” or some other definition yet to be put out there, vocalists Denaro and Healy, flanked by guitarists Alex Drizos and Jordan Tomb, with Cory Muro on drums, took full advantage of the large Honda Center stage and brought Lakeview’s self-titled debut album to life.

Next was Daughtry. While that’s the actual name of the of band, there’s no mistaking that singer and namesake Chris Daughtry is the main focus. Fortunately, Daughtry the singer has the voice and Daughtry the front man has the presence to warrant the attention. Clad in a tank top and sporting a physique that gets him featured in Muscle & Fitness, Chris Daughtry showed he had the vocal prowess to match the look. 

Daughtry the band featured Brian Craddock on guitar, Elvio Fernandes on keyboards, Marty O'Brien on Bass, and Jeremy Schaffer on drums. Since Daughtry headlines as well as supports other acts, again the audience was treated to a performance that warranted being in their seats on time. Daughtry made sure you don’t want to be stuck in a concession stand or merch line as they launched into the powerful opener, “The Reckoning” from the EP Shock To The System (PART ONE). Daughtry is back delivering arena rock at its best.

Co-headliner Staind was first on stage for this date. The giant curtain dropped to reveal the powerful foursome of vocalist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Sal Giancarelli. There was a gap of 12 years between Staind albums, so opening the show with “Lowest in Me”, their No. 1 hit from 2023’s Confessions of the Fallen, made total sense.

The 15-song set delivered hit after hit with the songs creating a sense of catharsis for many audience members. One fan leaning against the pit rail held up a sign the read, “Staind music saved my life.” Even though Lewis lives in Massachusetts, he was sporting an anti-Newsom (Governor of California) sticker on his American flag guitar. He also finished the show with a profane rant against the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President.

Finally, it was time for Breaking Benjamin. Led by founder and frontman Benjamin Burnley, the band started out with “Failure” from the album, Dark Before Dawn. It was immediately evident that the stage setup was a little different. What looked like two air conditioning units separated Burnley and bassist/vocals Aaron Bruch with a space in between. Filling that space, dead center on stage, was Burnley’s 10-year-old son, Ben AKA Cheech. The young man was not brought out as a guest or a stunt, he was there from the moment the curtain dropped. He often played guitar face to face with his obviously proud father and even threw guitar picks into the adoring crowd.

Besides young Ben, the band was rounded out by lead guitarist Jasen Rauch, rhythm guitarist Keith Wallen, and drummer Shaun Foist. Breaking Benjamin powered through a 16-song set filled with hits and audience sing-a-longs.

Staind and Breaking Benjamin have had constant airplay since the early 2000’s. Staind has had 12 top 10 singles, while Breaking Benjamin has produced 10 #1 hits, and they are still creating new music today. And by the looks and sound of it at the Honda Center, both bands are still delivering killer live sets to a loyal fan base.

LAKEVIEW SETLIST

1. Hits Different

2. LOSER

3. See Me In A Suit

4. Money Where Your Mouth Is

5. Neon Nightmare

6. Lips of an Angel

7. Home Team

8. Son Of A

DAUGHTRY SETLIST

1. The Reckoning

2. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

3. Pieces

4. It’s Not Over

5. The Dam

6. Home

7. Over You

8. Heavy Is the Crown

9. Artificial

STAIND SETLIST

1. Lowest in Me

2. Eyes Wide Open

3. Fade

4. Right Here

5. Not Again

6. Here and Now

7. Something to Remind You

8. Raw

9. Outside

10. Wannabe

11. Better Days

12. So Far Away

13. For You

14. It’s Been Awhile

15. Mudshovel

BREAKING BENJAMIN SETLIST

1. Failure

2. Until the End

3. Red Cold River

4. Evil Angel

5. Blow Me Away

6. Follow

7. So Cold

8. Dance With the Devil

9. Crawl

10. Breath

11. Polyamorous

12. Without You

13. Dear Agony

14. I Will Not Bow

15. Had Enough

16. The Diary of Jane