In support of their latest release titled Tsunami Sea, Spiritbox announced a North American tour. To no one’s surprise, it is almost entirely sold out. With support from Dying Wish and Loathe, I knew this was a tour that couldn’t be missed.
The night kicked off with Dying Wish — a band on my radar for the longest time, but somehow I never managed to get the chance to see them. Even having a short set being the first on stage, they managed to get the crowd warmed up for the night. The full thirty-minute set was filled with heavy riffs and high energy, and the crowd fed right off the intensity, opening pits up and crowd surfing to songs.
Up next was Loathe, who I had the pleasure of seeing in 2024 while they supported Knocked Loose, where I left a fan of the band. At The Wellmont, Loathe took us on a journey, showcasing the dynamic range of genres their songs cover. From the melodic, shoegaze-esque song “Is It Really You?” to the heavy-hitting song “Gored,” there was something for everyone to appreciate — and even converting my friends that attended the show into fans.
As Loathe’s set ended, very few people left the crowd to take a bathroom break or grab a drink. The floor was packed solid of fans eager to watch Spiritbox take the stage. In such a short time as a touring band, they’ve cultivated a massively dedicated fan base, who show up for the band every time. This tour is only their second North American headlining tour ever, and they sold out almost every show seemingly effortlessly both times, and upgraded to larger venues for this second run.
I’ve been fortunate to watch the band grow over the years – from seeing them on Louder Than Life in 2021, to attending their first headline show in the US in 2022 in Grand Rapids, and being trusted to photograph a few shows of their first headline tour in 2023. Each year, they get better, perfecting their craft in every way. Their confidence on the stage has grown tenfold, they’ve found the perfect way to convey their songs visually with their stage production, and their live sound has never been better.
There’s no denying they put in extraordinary effort into everything they do. Music aside, the band always puts such thoughtfulness into everything. Every album is eloquently put together, with definitive storytelling and branding. Each show is beautifully done, from both the performance and the production. There’s not a thing Spiritbox overlooks before putting it out into the world — they are only giving their fans the best of the best.
Throughout the night, fans were captivated from start to finish by Courtney LaPlante’s incredible vocals, who can effortlessly switch from screaming to ethereal clean vocals. Drummer Zev Rose never missed a beat, and both guitarist Mike Stringer and bassist Josh Gilbert moved effortlessly across the stage while they played, seamlessly switching out with LaPlante to have their moments in the spotlight.
The setlist consisted of a perfect mix between songs of Tsunami Sea and their earliest works from Eternal Blue onwards, ensuring both fans, new and old, would be satisfied. My only wish was that “Blessed Be” made the cut — a personal favorite of mine if you haven’t listened to it before.
I left the show full of adrenaline and already looking forward to when I may be able to see them next. If you can manage to grab tickets to any remaining shows, get them if you can. If you are a fan, this isn’t a show to miss.
Truthfully, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see Spiritbox headlining arenas in a few years. And you can count on me being there to cheer them on when they are.
Spiritbox
Loathe
Dying Wish
