Five Finger Death Punch put on an energy-filled show in Noblesville – report of the show

On the hot summer day of August 8th, fans began lining up early outside of Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. Five Finger Death Punch had come to town as part of their 20th anniversary tour, and no one wanted to be late. Along for the ride were opening acts Eva Under Fire and Cody Jinks, who turned out to win over the fans in a heartbeat that night.

Eva Under Fire started our night off with a bang, with vocalist Amanda ‘Eva Marie’ Lydberg giving us not only impressively strong vocals but also working the crowd of over 20,000 fans with ease. The band gave us a solid setlist, featuring some of their greatest hits including “Blow” and “Villainous.” It was also a special set for the band, with their families at the show for the night since the band hails from the nearby city of Detroit.

Switching things up genre-wise was the second act, Cody Jinks. Jinks’ music combines the storytelling elements of honky tonk with classic Southern rock, paving his way into a unique genre of outlaw country. The fans didn’t mind the change of pace, though, and enthusiastically cheered throughout his set.

This was my first time seeing Five Finger Death Punch live, and one thing I learned quickly is that it’s much more than a concert; it’s a full experience. From huge screens onstage that displayed lyrics and animations for each song to vocalist Ivan Moody’s costume changes to constant crowd interaction, there was never a dull moment onstage. You got plenty of opportunities to come home with a little piece of the show, too, as they shot T-shirts and fake money into the crowd during the encore, and at least 20 guitar picks were tossed out during the set. The band was having a great time onstage, and the crowd was mirroring that energy back to them.

Moody took plenty of time to talk to the crowd during the set, letting the night feel a bit more personal. At one point, he mentioned the large number of children in the crowd and how he felt bad swearing in front of them, though this did not stop him from doing so the rest of the night. He also discussed how they’d been a band for twenty years and asked the crowd if any of them had been at their job or married for that long, which quite a few had. Towards the end of the show, Moody even managed to take a phone from someone on the barricade and recorded a video of himself and the fans with it.

The antics onstage didn’t take away from the killer setlist we got, either. We not only got some of their greatest hits, such as “Wrong Side of Heaven” and “Jekyll and Hyde,” but we also got some deeper cuts and newer releases. There was also a brief teaser moment with two-line covers of “Enter Sandman,” “Last Resort,” and “Livin’ On A Prayer,” but the only full cover song we got that night was “Bad Company,” which is its own greatest hit for the band. They gave us a full-energy, three-song encore and closed out the night on “The Bleeding.”

Five Finger Death Punch still has over two months left of touring the United States before heading over to the United Kingdom and Europe for a shorter winter run. Be sure to head over to their website and see if there’s a date near you. It’s a show you won’t want to miss.

Setlist

1. Welcome to the Circus
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Legacy
4. Wash It All Away
5. Jekyll and Hyde
6. Lift Me Up
7. Bad Company
8. De Oppresso Liber
9. Burn It Down
10. Drum Solo
11. Burn MF
12. Remember Everything
13. Wrong Side of Heaven
14. IOU
15. Enter Sandman / Last Resort / Livin’ On A Prayer
16. Trouble
17. Never Enough
18. Under and Over It
19. Sham Pain
20. The Bleeding