LIVE REVIEW: Sevendust's Animosity Tour at the Theater of Living Arts in Philadelphia, PA on May 11th, 2022

Photos and Review by: Gina Monahan
Lineup: Sevendust, All Good Things, Plush, Deepfall
Date: May 11th, 2022
Location: Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Sevendust’s Animosity 21st Anniversary Tour rolled through the bustling South Street of Philadelphia, PA last Wednesday. Sevendust, a heavy metal band who have been prevalent in the scene since the 90s, is currently out on a headline tour celebrating the 21 year anniversary of the release of their acclaimed album Animosity.

The lineup for the Animosity tour was nothing short of spectacular. Deepfall was a welcomed opener to the night and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed their set. Deepfall consists of Terry DeWit on lead vocals, Tim Ossenfort on guitar, Jim Sully on drums, Taylor Brandt on bass, and Tim King on keys. They quickly made a fan out of me, and I look forward to their future projects.

Plush was the second band to take the stage. Their energy and raw talent made it easy for the crowd to dance and head bang along to every single one of their songs. A special highlight was their cover of Heart’s “Barracuda”. Plush consists of Moriah Formica on vocals, Brooke Colucci on drums, Bella Perron on guitar, and Ashley Suppa on bass.

All Good Things was the third band to perform. They always put on an entertaining and high-energy show. I was lucky enough to have just seen them on their tour with Starset back in November. All Good Things consists of Dan Murphy on vocals, Andrew Bojanic and Miles Franco on guitar, Liz Hooper on bass, and Tim Spier on drums.

By the time Sevendust was ready to take the stage the small theater was absolutely packed. You could barely move through the crowd, everyone cemented in their spots eagerly anticipating the Atlanta Georgia-native band. Sevendust’s tape intro was a hauntingly perfect way to begin the set. Before long the whole band was on the stage, beginning with their song “T.O.A.B.” from the Animosity album. Sevendust consists of Lajon Witherspoon on lead vocals, Morgan Rose on drums, Clint Lowery and John Connolly on guitar, and Vince Hornsby on bass.

The night was full of energy and nostalgia as the band played their Animosity album in its entirety. Sevendust could feel the love from the crowd, who were moshing and dancing the entire night, and reciprocated that love by throwing out guitar picks and praising the crowd’s enthusiasm. Lajon joked that Philadelphia’s iconic South Street was the only place you could get a tattoo, a cheesesteak, and go to a concert all at once.

“Angel’s Son” was definitely a highlight of the night. The band dedicated the powerful track to those affected by the conflicts in Ukraine. After the last track from Animosity, “Crucified”, the band left the stage only to return minutes later to the crowd chanting “Sevendust!” at the top of their lungs. They ended their set with “Blood from a Stone” and “Face to Face”.

Sevendust’s love for their fans could be felt from the front to the back of the house. There is nothing more exhilarating than a band who appreciates their fans as much as we appreciate them. One quote from Lajon stuck out to me. Towards the end of their set he said, “You’re not at a concert, you’re at a Sevendust family reunion!” That is the perfect way to describe it.

You can see additional tour dates here. Follow Sevendust on Instagram and Facebook.