Disturbed: The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour

Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California: It’s an uncommonly sweltering day in early
May, as temperatures flirt with the triple digit 100-degree mark. Legions of concert goers
are lined up, gripped with apprehension awaiting the official “doors open” time.

It’s written on each face I see. It’s evident in the garb that adorns each person. I witness
excitement, nervousness, and yells of cheer with unexplained joy. There seems to be a
buzz on the fringes of electric. This also borders somewhere near malcontent. Perhaps
this is viral in nature. It is not a virus, however. This. Is. The. SICKNESS!

Hungry attendees file into the 19,000-capacity venue to the welcome chill of the air-
conditioned arena. These spectators are not hungry for food. Their hunger is much
deeper. This is the hunger that dwells even deeper that the pit of one’s stomach. This is
the hunger that pierces the soul.

Thankfully, the menu this evening brings much respite. Grammy Award nominated
Disturbed has brought fellow Grammy Award nominated artists Daughtry and Nothing
More along to deliver a soul shattering night of Hard Rock and Metal mayhem.

Although I was familiar with the name, Nothing More, I was unfamiliar with the band or
their music. Fronted by Johnny Hawkins, Nothing More delivered a brutally electrifying
high-energy albeit abbreviated performance.

When a band begins their set at 6:30, one would think that the arena would be mostly
empty. That was not the case for Nothing More! As I gazed out over the crowd to the
spectacle of thousands of raised cellphone flashlights raised high.

The band was joined onstage by Chris Daughtry to perform their collaboration of
‘Freefall’, from their “Carnal” album. Disturbed’s lead vocalist, David Draiman also
unexpectedly made an appearance to help perform ‘Angel Song’, also from the album
“Carnal”.

To say that I was pleasantly surprised with Nothing More’s performance would be an
understatement. With Hawkins’ dominating stage presence and vocal prowess, Nothing
More is a force to be reckoned with. I hope to catch them on a headlining tour soon.

Speaking of a force to be reckoned with…. Daughtry kicked off his set with the
anthemic, ‘The Reckoning’, off the band’s EP “Shock to the System (Part One)”. This is
NOT the American Idol Chris Daughtry. This is the Chris Daughtry that is ready to rock!

He may not have had anything to prove, but this Chris Daughtry had something to say!
During the band’s blistering set, Daughtry seemed to get the weight of the world off his
chest.

Fan favorites ‘It’s Not Over’, ‘Home’, and crowd participated ‘Separate Ways’ (Journey
Cover) were expertly woven into the set. Daughtry, was met with well-deserved
tumultuous applause after their 60-minute set.

It’s time. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. The raucous applause of 19,000 fans
shook the arena as the curtain begins rising from the stage. Smoke is billowing across
the stage floor when John Boyer on bass, Mike Wengren behind his drum kit, and Dan
Donegan on guitar are finally revealed.

Seconds later, while strapped to a board, a straight-jacketed David Draiman (lead
vocalist) is rolled onto the stage by an orderly. Aside from the straight jacket, Draiman is
also donning a muzzle.

The excitement from the crowd is palpable as the orderly first removes the straps, then
releases Draiman from the bondage of the straight jacket. Smoke continues rolling
across the stage floor as David Draiman slowly saunters over to the microphone.
Draiman then removes the confines of his muzzle, raising it victoriously, yet defiantly in
the air.

Draiman is no longer oppressed. He is free to move and to speak freely. I believe it’s
much more than that, however. David Draiman is emboldened! He is now ready to
unleash ‘The Sickness’!!!

The multi-platinum selling band that is Disturbed blazes into ‘Voices’ from their debut
album, “The Sickness”. True to the name of the tour, the band performs the entire
‘Sickness’ album in its entirety.

Throughout their performance, Disturbed unleashes a barrage a thundering guitar riffs,
hard driving bass, back splitting drumbeats, with rhythmic baritone vocals. This right
here is the absolute Metal assault that the crowd had been hungering for. As if
Disturbed’s music performance was not enough, the spectacular light show complete
with ample pyro was the perfect union.

Speaking of perfect unions, after the band’s performance of ‘Sounds of Silence’, which
was part of their ‘greatest hits’ set, Draiman asked his girlfriend, Sarah Uli to join him
onstage, where he proposed to her. She said, “yes”, by the way.

It’s hard to believe that ‘The Sickness’ album is 25 years old. It sounds as amazing
today as it did back then. It is even better to witness live. Perhaps we’re simply better off
to be “down with the Sickness”.

Disturbed Setlist