Review & Photos: Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Jinjer astound Cincinnati

TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE TOUR

DISTURBED,

BREAKING BENJAMIN, JINJER

RIVERBEND MUSIC CENTER

CINCINNATI, OHIO | AUGUST 15, 2023

By Neil Shumate, OOTB Publications

Fans roared last night as Chicago-based hard rock quintet Disturbed stepped on stage and ripped into “Hey You” from their latest album Divisive. From there the band performed for nearly two hours, vibrating Riverbend’s foundation from the venue’s front seats to the rear lawn.

The band not only warmed fans with their album-matching hard rock sound, but also with their overall production that brought an onslaught of pyro engulfing the stage from top to bottom.

After reflective words on mental health, addiction and suicide awareness by vocalist David Draiman that was teleprompted on screens, the band performed healing, positive song “A Reason To Fight.”

Following the performance, Draiman delivered a heartfelt, emotionally charged personal speech that connected the crowd on many levels (abbreviated):

"The demons of depression and addiction are real. It’s a disease. Depression and addiction grows like cancer… no one chooses to be afflicted with cancer and no one chooses to be afflicted with depression and addiction. I miss Chester, I miss Chris, I miss Scott, I miss Keith. This past February I almost joined them… what kept me here was my son and each and every single one of you."

Since forming more than two decades ago, Disturbed has continued to release hits with their distinct full sound and Draiman’s wide vocal range; fans were treated to: “Stupify,” “Prayer,” “Down With The Sickness,” “Ten Thousand Fists,” “Are You Ready,” along with popular covers “Land Of Confusion,” “The Sound Of Silence” and many others, including intermittent instrumental solos.

Breaking Benjamin has been on the road quite a bit since returning in 2014 after a brief hiatus. The solid lineup shared the stage with sturdy unity, sharing vocals with each other, and they performed a phenomenal greatest hits set which included: “Blow Me Away,” “Breath,” “Failure,” “I Will Not Bow,” “So Cold,” “The Diary Of Jane.”

Jinjer opened with fury. The energy of the Ukrainian band was contagious and the proggy metal they released never had a lid.

The not-to-miss Take Back Your Life Tour proves that rock and metal are here to stay; a sincere rock-and-roll show from start to finish.

See Tour Dates Here

DISTURBED (click photos to enlarge)