Staind Marks 25 Years of ‘Break the Cycle’ at Darien Lake Amphitheater

Staind / Seether / Hoobastank / Hinder – Darien, NY

***Staind – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien, NY***

Hinder opened the night at Darien Lake Amphitheater with a short set before Hoobastank and Seether took the stage ahead of Staind. The lineup brought together several bands that have been part of the rock landscape for more than two decades, leading into Staind’s 25th anniversary celebration of Break the Cycle. It was also the final Saturday concert of the season at Darien Lake, with a sold out crowd filling the venue for the occasion.

Hinder opened the night with a short but familiar set that included “Lips of an Angel” and “Get Stoned,” two songs that were nearly impossible to avoid in the early 2000s. You did not have to be a Hinder fan to know the words, and both songs immediately felt familiar. Singer Marshall Dutton handled the vocals while drummer Cody Hanson and bassist Mike Rodden kept the rhythm moving underneath the guitars of lead guitarist Joe “Blower” Garvey and touring guitarist Justin Shipley. Their short set was a straightforward introduction to the night.

Hoobastank followed with a high energy set led by frontman Doug Robb, who wasted little time getting people on their feet and dancing. It was obvious that this is a band that enjoys being on stage together, and that energy translated easily to the audience. Robb was joined by guitarist Dan Estrin, bassist Jesse Charland and drummer Chris Hesse.

Estrin added plenty of personality throughout the set, playfully working the crowd while firing off energetic guitar riffs. Charland and Hesse stayed tightly in sync, with the bass and drums giving the songs plenty of weight. Robb also brought his young son out as a special guest, with him joining his dad on stage wearing headphones and wielding a toy guitar. It was a fun moment that added a personal touch to the set.

Hoobastank closed with “The Reason,” followed by the high energy “Crawling in the Dark,” giving the set a familiar finish.

***Seether – Darien Lake Amphitheater, Darien, NY***

It had been nearly a decade since Seether last played the area, and their return was one of the more anticipated moments of the night. Shaun Morgan has one of those voices you recognize almost immediately, with a roughness and darkness that still carries plenty of vulnerability. Seether moved through 11 songs with very little interruption, letting the music speak for itself.

Songs like “Fine Again,” “Rise Above This,” “Fake It” and “Remedy” showed the range of Seether’s catalog, from darker and more restrained moments to some of their biggest rock songs. Morgan was joined by bassist Dale Stewart, drummer John Humphrey and guitarist Corey Lowery.

Seether’s songs have always carried a mixture of pain, anger and vulnerability, and hearing them live years after they first became rock radio staples showed why they connected with so many people. Their set was arguably one of the strongest performances of the night, with the band making the most of their long awaited return to the area.

Staind closed the night with a set built around the music that first made Break the Cycle such an important part of their catalog. While the tour celebrates the album’s 25th anniversary, Staind did not perform it in its entirety or in its original track listing sequence. Instead, the band pulled from across their catalog for a 16 song set that balanced the aggressive guitar work of their earlier material with the more introspective songs that helped define the band.

Aaron Lewis was joined by guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April and drummer Sal Giancarelli. From the opening notes, the band settled into a steady, deliberate performance with very little crowd interaction between songs. Staind largely let the music carry the night, moving from one song directly into the next.

Lewis delivered the familiar lyrics with a weathered, resonant voice, particularly during songs like “So Far Away,” “Outside” and “It’s Been Awhile.” Mushok provided the heavy guitar work that has been a defining part of Staind’s sound, while April and Giancarelli kept the songs grounded with a solid rhythm section.

These songs were more than rock radio hits for many of the people in the crowd. They became connected to relationships, breakups, anger, regret, depression and growing up. More than twenty years later, those personal connections were still easy to hear in the way people responded to the music.

The band closed the night with songs that still carry much of the emotional weight they did when they were first released. Many in the crowd had been listening to Staind since these songs were new, and when those familiar choruses hit, age did not really matter. Everybody knew the words.

On a sold out night at Darien Lake, Staind closed the venue’s concert season with a set that showed why these songs have remained part of so many people’s lives for more than two decades.