Life Is but A Dream Tour Part 3: An Unforgettable Night with A7X,Poppy and Sullivan King at PNC Arena

April 7, 2024 rocknews

Beautiful weather, Easter weekend, and metal music were the three major components that fueled the fire at PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC, on March 29th. Bringing three kick-ass groups of musicians to an 8-foot-tall stage on a warm Friday evening, Raleigh, NC, was the second-to-last stop of the A7X “Life Is but a Dream Part 3” Tour.

Fans flocked to the gates fast, ready to see Sullivan King, Poppy, and Avenged Sevenfold rock the arena. Once inside, they grabbed their merch and drinks before heading out to the floor.

Sullivan King

Greeted by a huge DJ booth that stood high above the stage, it was time for Sullivan King to hit the stage. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, King brings strong EDM and electric guitar-centered heavy metal performances to a higher level of greatness. He brought an insane array of laser lights, strobes, and colorful displays on screens in the background, as well as a display wrapped around his booth. And nothing makes for an awesome show without pyrotechnics.

As fire filled the rear of the stage, all eyes were on the King. Coming out from behind his DJ booth, guitar in hand, and moving to the front of the stage, he gave fans a treat filled with metal-inspired chunky riffs. Super talented Sullivan King. DJ, guitarist, singer, and screamer? Yes! Fans were seen throwing their bodies back and forth to the beats blaring out of the PA. Massive bass drops shook the arena. If you have not seen Sullivan King live, make it a must-see. What a performance!

Poppy

After a hell of a warm-up by Sullivan King, fans were eager for Poppy to hit the stage. The YouTube star turned rockstar brings a mixture of pop, industrial, metal, rock, experimental, and electronic with her live performances. Tonight, Poppy was magical. Opening with her explosive song “BLOODMONEY,” she gracefully danced on stage with strobes flashing high above. Fans waved their hands in the air, dancing and grooving to the music.

Poppy played a variety of great songs such as “Church Outfit,” “Bite Your Teeth,” “I Disagree,” “X,” “Hard,” and “Sit and Stay.” A personal favorite of the set was V.A.N. (Bad Omens Cover). It was a crowd favorite as well. Poppy continued to dance across the stage, having fun with her music, and giving fans a great show. She had taken dance lessons for 11 years before deciding to become a musician.

Her sound was amazing, with perfect decibel levels and lighting. She took fans by surprise with her performance. Other favorites included “Fill the Crown,” “Anything Like Me,” and “Scary Mask.” She closed out her set with “Concrete.” It was a great show! Despite some negative rumors about Poppy, I would have to disagree with that negativity. I enjoyed her style, her wit, demeanor on stage, and overall performance. I would definitely see her live again. And you should too!

Avenged Sevenfold

Two great warm-up performances by two great musicians led us to the final band of the night, heavy metal legends Avenged Sevenfold a.k.a A7X. They hit the stage head-on, headlining the “Life Is but A Dream” tour. Fans could not wait to see them perform.

From Huntington Beach, California, and formed in 1999, the band’s current lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman. Known for their dramatic imagery on everything from album covers to merchandise, it was evident in their visual displays during their set.

Their introduction began with their latest cover art displayed in the background from the “Life is But a Dream” album. The song “Nightcall” (Kavinsky song) played over the house speakers. A little over 3 minutes later, lead vocalist M. Shadows appeared on stage wearing a mask and sitting in a chair (as he is known to do at his shows) for their opening song “Game Over.”

With a spectacular light display, the band performed flawlessly. A little more than 2 minutes into the set, M. Shadows stood up from his chair and gave fans one hell of a show. He even stated that “Raleigh was the best crowd of the whole tour.” Fans were loud and attentive.

The band’s stage presence was great, the sound was phenomenal, and the lighting was bright with many strobes, not oversaturated with color. A7X played some new songs and some classics. One of those newer songs was “Mattel,” written about everyday life in American society as being based more on fantasy than reality. Other songs on the setlist included “Afterlife,” “Hail to the King,” “Shepherd of Fire,” “The Stage,” “Roman Sky,” and “Blinded in Chains.”

Their song “Unholy Confessions” ended with a killer drum outro by drummer Brooks Wackerman, who continued the legacy of legendary drummer “The Rev.” A7X closed the night out with the song “Cosmic.” This band is another “bucket list” show. They put on an amazing show, a must-see!

The tour ended on March 31st in Newark, NJ. They pick back up again with a small overseas run in Hamburg, Germany, on June 5th before heading back to the states for Rocklahoma on August 30th – September 1st. Catch more on A7X in the links listed below.