Photo/Written by Robin Ervolina
The date is Friday, August 21, 2015. The venue is House of Blues, Chicago, Illinois. The event is the much anticipated return of Disturbed. After a five year hiatus, David Draiman, Dan Donegan, John Moyer, and Mike Wengren join together once again to treat a sold-out crowd to the long awaited reunion and premier of their new CD Immortalized.
Fans lined up around the block hours before the doors opened. Clad in Disturbed, Device, or Fight or Flight t-shirts, the cue was alive with talk of favorite tunes off Immortalized, and predictions as to which "classics" would be featured in the concert. As the line slowly moved from street to venue, ticket-holders were able to view a big-screen showing of the documentary Decade of Disturbed. The banter from the street continued inside the venue until the lights went low. As cheers erupted from the crowd, the curtain drew back and the silhouette of Elias Soriano of Nonpoint appeared center stage. Playing enthusiastically to a crowd needing no warm up, Nonpoint punched a hole through the pit and assaulted fans with staples like "Bullet With a Name," and their cover of Genesis' "In the Air Tonight." While anticipation was high for the feature act, Nonpoint was well received by Disturbed fans. When Elias said, "All you motherf*ckers jump," the floor bowed under the weight of the sold-out house.
After a brief intermission, Disturbed took the stage to a deafening roar of unbridled screams. Opening with "Ten Thousand Fists," Disturbed would go on to play a 25-song set, premiering much of Immortalized, and performing fan favorites such as "Stupify," "Hell," and "Stricken." One lucky audience member was even gifted with a serenade of "Happy Birthday" sung by Draiman himself. The Disturbed three-song encore opened with "Voices," followed by the second Genesis cover of the night, "Land of Confusion." Then, with a rousing "Ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah," Disturbed ended their two-hour show with "Down With the Sickness."
The Immortalized premier exceeded expectations. Draiman's voice, if possible, is even more controlled with soaring octaves and guttural growls. Donegan and Moyer play their guitars with the abandonment of a child unsupervised at Disney, as Wengren grins maniacally while breaking sticks. It was obvious that the guys of Disturbed have maintained a chemistry that elevates their individual contributions to epic heights. During the show Draiman confessed he had concerns that fans wouldn't turn up after so long a break. When the venue sold out in two minutes, Draiman knew his "brothers and sisters" would always be there for him. He then led the crowd in a chant of "We are Disturbed," before resuming the mayhem.
Disturbed has announced tour dates beginning in March of 2016. Visit www.disturbed1.com to purchase tickets before they sell out.
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