Noah Sebastian was only 17 when his band, Bad Omens, signed with Sumerian Records. During those early days, money was tight enough that the members all lived together in a two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, that also housed their band equipment and merchandise stock.
Fast forward a little more than a decade and Bad Omens is crushing their first full-scale arena headline run, selling out shows every night during their massive “Do You Feel Love” North American Tour, with special guests Beartooth and President.
Roughly halfway through their 20-date tour, the Richmond, Virginia band swung through CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, for a captivating 90-minute set that proved why Bad Omens is one of the biggest acts in the genre today.
President
Concert-goers of a certain age might recall a group of bank robbers donning masks of Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson in “Point Break,” the 1991 film starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves.
The masked sensation at the center of President — the anonymous UK metal band making its inaugural visit to the states — could clearly feature in a reboot of the cult classic should Hollywood decide to revive the franchise. For now, they’ll just have to settle for being one of the fastest rising bands today.
Although they have been together for less than a year, President is already making people take notice. When vocalist The President, guitarist Heist, bassist Protest and drummer Vice announced their first U.S. concert, it sold out in 60 seconds. A band that’s existed for roughly six months with exactly two live shows under its belt does not typically garner that level of attention. President is clearly not a typical musical act.
Their debut EP, King of Terrors, dropped last September. Their 30-minute set consisted of the six tracks featured on that release plus their February single, “Angel Wings.” While the song has been out for just a few weeks, it was easily one of their most popular tracks, with a large portion of the audience eager to sing along. It’s worth noting that the “Angel Wings” video features the quote: “Some people wear masks to hide; others to be free.” This, of course, is a not-so-subtle nod to the fact that all four band members prefer to remain unknown while letting the music speak for itself.
Although the band members prefer to keep a low profile, their music still manages to connect with the masses, as evident during “Conclave,” when a sea of cell phone lights beautifully illuminated the venue as the enigmatic frontman sang an introspective song about emotional struggles during a war within. It was, without a doubt, one of the most memorable moments of the entire evening.
For their final act, President won over the crowd in a landslide with their biggest hit, “In the Name of the Father.” The massively popular track, which focuses on anger and spiritual conflict after personal loss, has been played more than 19 million times on Spotify. Clearly, it’s a message music fans can get behind, and it’s even better live and in person.
setlist
Fearless
Dionysus
RAGE
Angel Wings
Conclave
Destroy Me
In the Name of the Father
——
Beartooth
Caleb Shomo’s musical journey started with a lesser-known band called Attack Attack! The Westerville, Ohio act featured a teenaged Shomo on the keyboard. While the band’s career was relatively short lived, it’s worth noting that their lineup also featured Austin Carlile (now with Of Mice and Men) and Johnny Franck (also known as Bilmuri).
At the age of 10, Shomo suffered from depression and anxiety and was misdiagnosed with ADHD because he had trouble concentrating. While still with Attack Attack! Shomo began writing songs for the band that would eventually become known as Beartooth as an outlet for his mental health.
Since their debut album dropped in 2014, Beartooth has been on a steady trajectory, thanks to an ever-expanding catalog of hits and one of the best live shows in the industry.
On this night, Beartooth set the tone early with “Might Love Myself” as their opening number. The popular single addresses the importance of self-acceptance, recovery and learning to be okay with yourself, and was presented in a slightly stripped-down rendition for Baltimore. The band’s most popular song, “In Between,” was up next and immediately got the blood pumping. It’s always one of the loudest audience participation songs and this performance was no different.
Midway through their set, Shomo and friends unveiled their latest single, “Free,” a testament to letting go of past burdens. Caleb’s raw and unfiltered vocals carried through as he sang about his emotional liberation. As I’ve said in previous reviews, Shomo’s search for inner peace and happiness is incredibly personal and uplifting, and his willingness to share with others is incredibly noble and important.
Beartooth’s final two songs of the evening were “The Past Is Dead” and “Riptide.” Both high-energy anthems have received ample love and attention since their release and closed their set on the highest of notes.
setlist
Might Love Myself
In Between
Doubt Me
ATTN.
Disease
The Lines
Free
Sunshine!
You Never Know
The Past Is Dead
Riptide
——
Bad Omens
As the lights dimmed in the final moments before the headliners took to the stage, an image of an old school cassette player appeared on the CFG Bank Arena screens. Then, the first in a series of prerecorded messages played, adding a complex cinematic layer to the proceedings. Powerful visuals coupled with ominous music and the narration of each individual message made for incredibly effective storytelling. The entire presentation was reminiscent of a top-quality television show like “True Detective.”
Tape 1:
You’re probably wondering why you’re back here. The truth is we’re not alone anymore. I didn’t think you’d make it this far. Hell, I didn’t think I’d make it this far. But if you are listening to this, I can only assume that you felt it too. A warm pulse beating in your ears, a quiet hum, a static in the rain. Pulling you towards a feeling that you can’t quite explain, but you can’t seem to abandon it either. I know. You had hoped to find some meaning in it here. But don’t bother. It’s just gonna get lost. Seeking, until light comes in. Lost. Unable to finish what I started, worse off, than I would have been, if I had just left well enough alone. I’m tired, old friend. Time works differently in this place; and I feel that I’m becoming nothing more than a ghost of it. A passenger, a specter. Footsteps in the snow. And I left to lead you home.
Bad Omens is comprised of frontman Noah Sebastian, guitarist Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson, bassist Nicholas Ruffilo and drummer Nick Folio. When those gentlemen create music, people take notice — as evident by their 6.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Last fall, they released four new singles over the span of four months — “Specter,” “Impose,” “Dying to Love” and “Left For Good” — all of which featured heavily on hard rock charts and metalcore playlists.
The lyrics “Do You Feel Love” come from the song, “Specter,” so it made sense to feature as the opening track of the night. The single, which has been streamed more than 56 million times on Spotify, starts slow and builds nicely while showcasing Sebastian’s impactful vocals.
It’s been a decade since the release of the band’s 2016 self-titled debut album, but the first track of their first album is still a guilty pleasure for Bad Omens fans. If “Specter” is more of a slow burn, “Glass Houses” is the opposite — an act of aggression designed to get your attention as quickly as possible.
Cover your ears and shut your eyes
‘Cause what I’m about to say is gonna ruin your night
This song was originally called “Bad Omens,” but the band liked the name so much they decided to use it for themselves and renamed the track “Glass Houses” instead. “THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND” kicked an already amped up audience into a frenzy, with the entire sellout crowd erupting into a full-throated singalong to one of the band’s most popular singles. A sea of red lighting with bursts of smoke and pyro only enhanced the moment.
“Nowhere to Go” featured a surprise cameo from Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo, who made the most of his roughly 60 seconds back on stage, head banging and spinning Tasmanian devil-style while singing the chorus with Sebastian.
While Poppy is not a part of this current tour, “V.A.N.” still represents one of the highlights of the set. The Matrix inspired lighting and visuals were my personal favorites, and the crowd roared with its approval with the largest circle pit of the evening. Clearly, they had no issue with embracing a little violence against nature.
As the night began to wind down, the fifth and final cassette tape played on the screens.
I remember now. I remember everything. What happened, why you’re here. The way this used to feel. It was beautiful. I’m sorry I got so upset. I don’t know why I always go too far, why I always push everyone away. Why I have to walk to the edge just to know that I’m – that I’m really there. I guess I was never really there. And for what it’s worth, I’m not angry anymore. But I know, it’s too late. I know you can’t stay. This place, it’s not meant to hold the both of us. You don’t belong here, anyway. You never did. Goodbye, friend.
When the taped message concluded, a sea of smoke and blue hues filled the stage as the beautiful vocals of Sebastian began. After the first verse, the rest of the band rejoined their frontman as the song’s tempo began to pick up. Lasers flashed and flickered throughout, and the smoke billowed out into the crowd before an explosion of confetti erupted throughout the arena as Sebastian’s primal screamed echoed throughout.
It’s no secret that Bad Omens likes to utilize “Dethrone” as their closer, but before diving into the final song of the night, Sebastian started the encore with a call and response with the audience. He barked out “CONCRETE” and the crowd eagerly responded with “JUNGLE.” Once things had built to a frenzy, the closing track commenced.
The energy was palpable, so much so that Sebastian dropped and started doing push-ups as lights pulsed and flames erupted from all corners of the stage. It was an aggressive and emphatic way to send the masses home exhausted and thoroughly entertained.
setlist
Tape 1
Specter
Glass Houses
THE DRAIN
THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND
Tape 2
Dying to Love
CONCRETE JUNGLE
Nowhere to Go (with Caleb Shomo)
Limits
Tape 3
ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE
V.A.N
Left For Good
ANYTHING > HUMAN
What Do You Want From Me?
Tape 4
What It Cost
Like a Villain
Just Pretend
Tape 5
Impose
Encore:
Dethrone
words + photos: Brian Murphy