Three Days Grace is without a doubt one of my favorite bands. Originally from Canada, the band was formed in 1992 under a different name, eventually becoming Three Days Grace in 1997. Their genre is officially classified by critics as alternative metal and hard rock. However, they have also been considered post-grunge, alternative rock and nu metal. According to their website, Three Days Grace has sold more than six million records in the United States. Additionally, the band has had seventeen number-one songs on the “Billboard” magazine “mainstream rock” chart.
The concert was hosted at the TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 19, 2023, which can accommodate around 6,000 people. The venue boasts both lawn seating and pavilion seating. Their first opener was Loathe, a band that I had never heard of before. I arrived just after their second opener took the stage, though, so I was not able to see Loathe.
After Loathe came Chevelle, another band which I love. They are similar to Three Days Grace, being classified as hard rock, nu metal, alternative metal and post-grunge. To my own amusement, I noted multiple times during Chevelle’s performance that the lead singer was nearly unintelligible; I had no idea what the lyrics were. Nevertheless, it was a good performance. Admittedly, I did not know any of the songs that they played until “Self Destructor,” the fourth song in their setlist. After that, I recognized more of their songs.
The most notable thing that happened during Chevelle’s performance, though, was the fact that there was an accident in the crowd during the song “I Get It.” The crowd went still until the incident was resolved. The staff and band did not reveal what exactly happened, but the fan got back on their feet again and was deemed okay. The song ended early, though, and since “I Get It” was their second to last song, Chevelle skipped to their final number. They then left the stage, and the audience waited for Three Days Grace.
After a brief interlude, Three Days Grace took the stage and opened with “So Called Life,” a song with a rather bleak message from their latest album, “Explosions.” I think that the most interesting thing about Three Days Grace’s performance by far was the visuals that they used. For example, when the band first came out onto the stage, the screen displayed a pyrotechnic heart, but they used the same screen to play some of their music videos later. After playing some of their more well-known songs, such as ”Animal I Have Become,” “I Am Machine” and “Pain,” I finally got to hear “Painkiller,” my favorite song from this setlist. I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard it for the first time in person. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
Notably, when the band performed “Just Like You,” they brought two fans up to sing with them. The fans’ microphones were turned off, but it was fun nonetheless. Additionally, the crowd seemed to enjoy “Lifetime,” a song about unexpectedly losing someone, as evidenced by the amount of people that sang the lyrics and the amount of flashlights that were displayed.
Next was “I Hate Everything About You,” a song that has been the band’s staple for years after it peaked at number one on the Canadian rock chart. For “Never Too Late,” a song with a heartfelt anti-suicide message, the crowd was invited to use their phone flashlights to mimic lighters and hold them up in the air. I have always loved when bands do this. The venue looked gorgeous with thousands of lights held up by fans adorning it.
Lastly, the band ended with “Riot,” which my family and I walked out to in an effort to avoid traffic. I feel like that was the perfect final song, as it is another one of the band’s most well-known songs. Although it was nearly eleven at this point, the crowd still had an immense amount of energy.
While Three Days Grace has not played my all-time favorite song of theirs, “Human Race” – which I have been listening to on repeat for months now – since 2016, I was still a little disappointed that it did not make an appearance. Perhaps one day it will; despite that, though,Three Days Grace’s 2023 tour with Loathe and Chevelle was still the perfect experience for me – and an exciting way to spend a Tuesday night.
I truly do love music. I am an avid music lover and always have been. This year alone, I have been to see several different bands and people – my favorite three being Phish, Badflower and, of course, Three Days Grace. There is no way I would have rather spent my Tuesday night than at a beautiful venue listening to amazing music.
