SHINEDOWN

With Diamante and The Pretty Reckless

Mohegan Sun Casino Arena
Uncasville, Connecticut
April 16, 2022

Photos & Review by Tom Bogus

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Shinedown performed in front of an energized crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena in support of their upcoming studio album release Planet Zero. The album release date was changed from April 22nd 2022 to July 1st 2022 due to the delays of physical production of vinyl and cds.

Shinedown’s stage set up for the tour was much different from what I was used to seeing. They usually have your basic stage set up with ramps, risers and all different types of pyro. This stage had an approximately seventy foot extension attached to the main stage, which extended down the middle of the floor area. This allowed more fans to get a closer look at the band while they performed. There were also two huge LED video screens at the back end of the stage.

At around 7:30pm Diamante hit the stage. Singer, Diamante Azzura was wearing a glamorous white bedazzled catsuit that reflected the light as it hit it. They wasted no time opening with their hard hitting single “Ghost Myself” from her most recent album release entitled American Dream. She moved up and down the stage almost like a runway model as the rest of her band stayed to the rear of the stage. During the set, they performed a selection of great songs an amazing cover of the Goo Goo Dolls song “Iris,” which was well received by the audience. Diamante closed out their set with “War Cry,” by that time the crowd was warmed up and ready for The Pretty Reckless to take the stage next.

DIAMANTE photo gallery

The Pretty Reckless is fronted by former actress/model Taylor Momsen, along with guitarist Ben Phillips, bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins. The band is on tour supporting the release of their fourth studio album Death By Rock And Roll, which was released in early 2021.

The Pretty Reckless kicked the set off with “Loud Love,” a cover from the 1990’s Grunge band Soundgarden. This grungy number would set the pace for the rest of the as the band went to perform many of their older hits like “Make Me Wanna Die,” “Heaven Knows” and introduced a couple new songs “Death By Rock And Roll,” ”Only Love Can Save Me Now,” and “And So It Went.” They ended their set with one of their hits “Take Me Down.”

THE PRETTY RECKLESS photo gallery

It was time for Shinedown, they took to the stage approximately 9:45pm the house lights went dark and the two big LED video screens at the back of the stage played a video with some behind the scenes band videos followed by a woman talking, a voice that said, “Welcome to Planet Zero. Planetary regulations require you to check your screens for a list all approved speech, protected classes and acceptable behaviors. We hope that you enjoy your stay. And as always you are required to start your day with outrage.”

The two video screens had then opened up exposing the band in silhouette form in which bassist Eric Bass, frontman Brent Smith, drummer Barry Kerch and guitarist Zach Myers walked down the center of the extended stage shoulder to shoulder, all the way to the front of the stage while being cheered and embraced by the whole crowd.

The band quickly got their instruments and kicked into “The Saints of Violence and Innuendo”. The whole band was full of energy, running all over the stage in a frenzy weaving through the walls of flames that shot from the stage. The setlist was focused on spanning  their whole catalog of songs by playing 2 to 3 songs from most of their albums. They played many older favorites such as “45,” “Fly from the Inside” and “Second Chance” along with some newer favorites like “Bully,” “Enemies” and “Monster.”  They also introduced a couple of songs that appear on their upcoming release, Planet Zero.

As the night began to come to an end, Zach Myers and Eric Bass performed a heartfelt version of “Wheels” from the Foo Fighters in honor of drummer Taylor Hawkins who passed away earlier this year. The band then played “Call Me”, “Simple Man” and closing with their heavy hitting song “Sound of Madness”

SHINEDOWN photo gallery

SETLISTS

DIAMANTE:
1. Ghost Myself
2. Haunted
3. American Dream
4. Serves You Right
5. Iris
(GOO Goo Dolls cover)
6. Sleepwalking
7. War Cry

THE PRETTY RECKLESS:
1. Loud Love
(Soundgarden cover)
2. Since You’re Gone
3. Death by Rock and Roll
4. Only Love Can Save Me Now
5. And So It Went
6. Make Me Wanna Die
7. Witches Burn
8. Going to Hell
9. Heaven Knows
10. Take Me Down

SHINEDOWN:
1. The Saints of Violence and
Innuendo
2. Devil
3. Planet Zero
4. State of My Head
5. 45
6. Get Up
7. Fly From the Inside
8. Bully
9. Daylight
10. Enemies
11. Cut the Cord
12. Second Chance
13. Unity
14. Monsters
15. Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay
Boom-Lay Boom)
16. Wheels
(Foo Fighters cover)
17. Call Me
18. Simple Man
(Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
19. Sound of Madness