One of the heaviest tours out there right now made a stop in Baltimore, MD on Thursday night. The Concrete Confessional tour featuring Hatebreed, with special guests DevilDriver, and Devil You Know left the Baltimore Soundstage in ruins by the time the night was over. Getting the evening started was Devil You Know, led by the ex front man of Killswitch Engage, Francesco Artusato. There set set the mood for the night, getting the crowd fired up and ready for the rest of the evening. Next up was DevilDriver, who are out touring in support of their latest release, “Trust No One” which was released on May 13th. The setlist which contained only two songs from the new album consisted mostly of material from the first three DevilDriver albums. Before Hatebreed took the stage I had the chance to sit down with Wayne Lozinak and Matt Byrne. The guys talked about the current tour, as well as the new album. You can see the transcribed interview below. Hatebreed who is currently out touring in support of their latest release “Concrete Confessional” took the stage to a near capacity crowd kicking the night off with “Destroy Everything”. then moving on to “Looking Down the Barrel of Today” off of the new album. The entire setlist for the night can be seen below. The new album which debuted at #13 on the Billboard charts can be purchased HERE.
Side Stage Magazine: You guys are currently out with DevilDriver on one of the heaviest tours out right now, how
have the shows been so far?
Wayne Lozinak:The shows have been going great, these are probably some of our best shows that we’ve been doing as
a headliner. Every show has been packed, a lot of the shows have been sold out, and the crowds have been great.
The bands have been great both Devildriver and Devil You Know, so its great when you get to hang out with all the
band members and all the crews have been great as well. The shows just have a really good vibe all around.
Matt Byrne: Yeah its a really diverse package every band brings something different to the table. Its kind of
cool because it’s a three band package and not a five or six band package like we’ve done in the past, so it’s not
like you’re seeing the same band over and over until the headliner.
The tour is starting to wrap up at this point, how have the crowds been?
WL: Great
MB: Yeah great man, its cool to see them latch on to the newer stuff with every show we play. As the tour
progresses they’re getting more familiar with the newer stuff on the new album. Like they know where the drums drop
in or they already know the anthem like vocals and stuff.
WL: Yeah like “Looking Down The Barrel Of Today” people are singing the lyrics from the first day it came out,
singing it even louder than some of the old stuff.
You guys are getting ready to tour Europe are you excited for that?
MB: Its like going anywhere else at this point. We fly so much anymore and we spend so much time in Europe.
WL: I think were in Europe more than we are in the U.S.
So are you concerned with any of the recent activities that have happened in the last year over there?
MB: No, no I mean we spent a lot of time in Brussels airport ain the past so its kind of weird to know that we’ve
been sitting in that Starbucks I don’t know how many times you know and that’s where it all went down.
WL: It could happen anywhere, it just happens to be that that’s where it happened. It could happen anywhere you
go.
MB: Yeah I mean if you’re concerned with that, then they win.
You guys just recently released the new album “Concrete Confesional”, which seems to hit on a lot of todays
frustrations in society. Were there any specific events that played into the writing of the album?
WL: That’s more Jamey’s view on stuff.
MB: Yeah I wouldn’t say there was one specific event triggered us doing the record or using specific material to
write about. The Hatebreed formula hasn’t changed at all between the past records and this one. The new material
stands up to any past material we’ve done. It’s just business as usual.
The album has been the highest debuting album for you, what are your thoughts on chart numbers as a musician, and how do you rate the success of an album?
WL: I just like the feedback from the crowd. The numbers matter to the industry people so we have to try to keep them happy, even though no one is buying albums these days. It’s really hard, that’s why we tour so much. Personally the chart numbers don’t matter to me.
MB: Yeah you’re always going to have the people sitting in the office and that’s all they’re combing over.
WL: Yeah the chart numbers are much more for the business aspect of it. I’m glad that it did so well, that means people are still into it and its gotten a lot of really good feedback. That’s what matters to me is the comments from people when they see you in person they tell you they love the new album and they just don’t want to hear all the old songs they actually like the new stuff which is good. Were not just a nostalgia band that people are coming to see.
MB: Yeah right, it’s not like there’s revitalized interest in the band because we havent been around for ten years and then we reunite. Were a career band we tour all the time, the cycle for us is usually three years between albums and we spend most of that time on the road. You know we haven’t done much in the states extensively, we’ve spent a lot of time touring internationally, so its cool to see now that were doing a month-long tour hitting a lot of territory that we haven’t been to in a while. Its great turn outs at the shows with a lot of sell outs.
How much of the new album is in the current setlist?
WL: Right now there’s threes songs that we’ve been playing. Were looking at adding another one but we havent gotten around to it. Were doing “AD”, “Looking Down The Barrel Of Today”, and “Somethings Off”.
So going back to the days of Headbangers Ball where most of us used to hear about new music, where are kids going to now to get that info?
WL: Everything’s on the internet, YouTube you can just search for it, back in the day we used to have to wait for it to come on now everything’s right at your fingertips.
MB: Yeah or you’re trading bootlegs or something, by the end of the show tonight there will be clips of tonight’s show up on YouTube. Things are happening so fast right nowadays in general. If you want to find out anything or see anything it’s all right there.
Personally I miss the days of Headbangers Ball and seeing all the new music when it came out.
WL: Me too, I used to look forward to it.
Well guys I want to thank you for taking a few minutes to talk to us here at Side Stage Magazine.
WL: Thank you
MB: Yeah thank you very much.
Devil You Know Setlist:
Consume the Damned
Embracing the Torture
Seven Years Alone
A New Beginning
Stay of Execution
The Way We Die
Shut It Down
Devildriver Setlist:
End of the Line
These Fighting Words
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
Daybreak
I Could Care Less
Nothing’s Wrong?
My Night Sky
Before the Hangman’s Noose
Clouds Over California
Ruthless
Meet the Wretched
Hatebreed Setlist:
Destroy Everything
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
This Is Now
Something’s Off
As Diehard as They Come
To the Threshold
Doomsayer
Become the Fuse
Everyone Bleeds Now
In Ashes They Shall Reap
Live for This
Smash Your Enemies
Before Dishonor
Last Breath
Perseverance
Tear It Down
Empty Promises
Under the Knife
Honor Never Dies
A.D.
I Will Be Heard
