LIVE REVIEW: Beartooth Sells Out Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia, PA 1/23/24
There is no doubt that Beartooth is one of the best bands in metal right now. They are currently embarking on their 2024 North American tour with support from Sleep Theory, Invent Animate, and The Plot in You. Beartooth stopped in Philadelphia, PA last Tuesday and brought their brilliant and charismatic show to the sold out Franklin Music Hall.
Sleep Theory
Sleep Theory kicked off the night. The four piece officially planted their roots in 2019, and since then have gained great popularity with their genre-defying beats, passionate vocals, and inspiring origin story. Sleep Theory consists of lead singer Cullen Moore, guitarist Daniel Pruitt, bassist Paolo Vergara, and drummer Ben Pruitt. The band opened their set with “Fallout” and “Enough”. They played seven songs in total, and ended with “Numb” and “Another Way”.
Invent Animate
Invent Animate was next on the lineup, and was one of my favorite bands of the night. Invent Animate is a metalcore band consisting of vocalist Marcus Vik, guitarists Keaton Goldwire and Trey Celaya, drummer Brody Taylor Smith, and bassist Caleb Sherraden. The band, while metal at its “core”, incorporates cinematic elements into their soundscapes that I greatly appreciate. They opened with “False Meridian” and “Shade Astray”, and closed their set with “Without a Whisper” and “Immolation of Night”.
The Plot In You
The Plot In You proved to be a fan favorite Tuesday night. The American rock band put on an energetic and fun show that invited waves of crowd surfers. The Plot In You consists of lead singer Landon Tewers, bassist Ethan Yoder, drummer Michael Cooper, and guitarist Josh Childress. They opened their set with “Divide”, “Paradigm”, and “Face Me”, and ended with “DISPOSABLE FIX” and “FEEL NOTHING”.
Beartooth
At 9:45pm, Beartooth took the stage. Flashing strobes and blaring sirens signaled the band’s arrival. As the noise finally came to a halt, Caleb Shomo, their lead vocalist, walked out and simply stood at the end of the stage. He stood stoic, beckoning for the crowd to scream and chant as loudly as possible, which they did with no hesitation. Beartooth needs no elaborate opening or grand entrance. Once they took the stage, you could feel the energy in the venue shift. Their commanding presence set the tone for the rest of the performance.
They opened with the track “Sunshine!” off of their latest album, The Surface (2023). Bright amber colored lights engulfed each member as they performed, filling the venue with a brilliance that so perfectly harmonized with the excitement of the crowd. Yellow confetti also erupted from the stage, and rained down on us like 24k gold. It was the perfect start to an incredible set. They then transitioned to “The Past Is Dead” and “Bad Listener”.
Beartooth’s lineup consists of vocalist Caleb Shomo, bassist Oshie Bichar, guitarists Zach Huston and Will Deely, and drummer Connor Denis. Since forming in 2012, the metal band has released several incredible albums such as Disgusting (2014), Aggressive (2016) and Below (2021).
Beartooth is easily one of my favorite bands to see live. They are so powerful and so electrifying. Every note sounds crisp and every word feels like it is being sung straight to you. That isn’t by chance–Shomo has made it abundantly clear that he absolutely loves what he does. Halfway through their set, he made his way to a makeshift “B” stage at the top of the balcony across from the stage. Shomo, with tears in his eyes and a choke in his voice, explained that we must save ourselves if we wish to make our lives better. It is up to us, and us alone, to make our dreams a reality. He spoke fervently about how he had dreamed of being a musician, of getting to share his music with people. He stood before us in disbelief that he was performing in front of a sold out crowd in North Philadelphia. It was a moment where the flashy lights were turned off and the confetti had long fallen. It was just us and him. Beautifully intimate, and beautifully raw.
The rest of their set was filled with costume changes, gorgeous visuals, and more confetti. Beartooth’s live show is always bright as it is incredibly tight. Everyone is at the top of their game, and together they are so polished that you swear you are listening to the studio version. Beartooth closed out their set with classics “Riptide” and “In Between”.
If you haven’t seen Beartooth live, I highly recommend checking out their current North American tour. You can find additional tickets and dates here. Be sure to follow Beartooth on Instagram and Facebook.
