Nothing More was formed back in 2003 when Jonny Hawkins and Mark Vollelunga met as teenagers at a church camp, bonded over music and began jamming together. The San Antonio-based musicians launched the band after high school and spent the 2000s recording independent releases and touring regionally while undergoing frequent lineup changes. They’ve come a long way since those early days, back when Hawkins wasn’t even the lead singer. Initially, Hawkins was the band’s drummer.
During the subsequent two decades, Nothing More has continually evolved and is now a mainstay on hard rock stations across the country. The band’s critically-acclaimed seventh studio album, Carnal, features four chart-topping singles and had some of the biggest names in the industry lining up to collaborate with them.
Nothing More — with support from Catch Your Breath, Archers and Doobie — kicked off the North American leg of the “Carnal Nature World Tour” at The Fillmore, in Silver Spring, Maryland. The show marked the first of 37 headlining shows across the United States and Canada, rampaging into 2026 in style.
Each of the supporting acts put on a fantastic show and, by the time frontman Jonny Hawkins, guitarist Mark Vollelunga, bassist Daniel Oliver and drummer Ben Anderson all took to the stage, the standing-room-only crowd roared its approval.
For the first song on the first night of the tour, the three-time Grammy nominated performers opted for “House of Sand” (which features Eric Vanlerberghe from I Prevail on the album version). It’s an aggressive, in-your-face manifesto designed to kick the doors in and get the party started as quickly as possible. Mission accomplished.
The second track of the night was “Angel Song” (which features David Draiman of Disturbed on the album version). This radio-friendly anthem was another smart choice as an early tone setter for the evening, showcasing each member of the band in a highly-energy fashion.
As always, Hawkins took to the stage both shirtless and shoeless. With boundless energy, he prowled every inch of the stage ensuring fans in all corners of the building were acknowledged and felt appreciated. It’s also worth noting the jacked frontman donned body paint, creating an aesthetic that would make a professional wrestler proud. After the show, Hawkins admitted on his social media that he had dealt with a serious migraine throughout the show, but much to his credit, no one else in attendance had a clue.
Witnessing “Let ‘em Burn” live and in person was a high-intensity experience that felt both visceral and deeply personal. When Hawkins bellowed “Everybody!” he could have been talking about all those in attendance hanging on his every word.
“If It Doesn’t Hurt” is the sort of track designed to be blasted at full volume on a road trip or during an all-day music festival. At this point, the connection with this evening’s audience was readily apparent. A constant theme during Nothing More live shows is a sense of community and passion. While they draw a diverse crowd — ranging from little ones up way past their bedtime on a school night to crowd-surfers dressed in Slipknot masks and jumpsuits — everyone was smiling and singing along.
“Go to War” is arguably the band’s most popular and successful song. It was Grammy nominated, featured in promotional material for “War for the Planet of the Apes” and used in several television spots and sports broadcasts. The band’s high-octane performance of the smash hit was easily a highlight of the night. Another incredible moment was when the charismatic frontman slowed things down to honor the memory of his sister with a touching performance of “Jenny.” Had the band only played those two tracks and then called it a night, it would have been worth the price of admission alone.
The video for “FREEFALL (featuring Chris Daughtry)” tells the story of a firefighter struggling with his mental health who unexpectedly finds a new life direction after a chance encounter with a homeless dog. The touching video features actor Michael Lombardi, who previously played a firefighter in the hit show “Rescue Me.” Additionally, Nothing More partnered with K9s For Warriors, an amazing organization that provides highly-trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, at no financial cost to the veteran.
Music with a message is nothing new for the band. They previously donated money from ticket sales during past tours to a non-profit named To Write Love on Her Arms — an organization dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.
Because of their willingness to address important themes, like mental health, social injustice and personal growth, it’s easy to support a band like Nothing More, especially when they come to town. The final track of the night was “This Is the Time (Ballast),” which longtime fans likely know is the song that helped put Nothing More on the map, in many ways. After years of independent released music, it helped them break into mainstream rock radio and touring circuits. Twelve years later, the track still delivers.
These four gentlemen pour their hearts and souls into their music and continually raise the bar with both their music and their live performances. If this is what they deliver on a night when members of the band were less than 100 percent, it’s easy to see why Nothing More has such a tight bond with their audiences as they sell out venues across the country.
Setlist
House on Sand
Angel Song
Let ’em Burn
If It Doesn’t Hurt
Don’t Stop
Go to War
FREEFALL
Drums/Guitar/Bass Solo
Jenny
SPIRITS
STUCK
Fadein/Fadeout
Ocean Floor
This Is the Time (Ballast)
Drum Solo
Photos + Words: Brian Murphy