Beartooth • February 11, 2024 • Jannus Live — St. Petersburg, FL • Photos by Randy Cook — instagram.com/horns_raised

REVIEW — Beartooth 

February 11, 2024 /// Jannus Live, St. Petersburg, FL
Review By: Randy Cook /// @horns_raised

Selling out a concert on Super Bowl Sunday is an impressive enough feat, but Beartooth sold out their show at Jannus Live well in advance of the big game, which just shows they have a solid and faithful following. Joining Beartooth at their stop in St. Petersburg, FL for the North American 2024 tour are The Plot in You, Invent Animate and Sleep Theory. We fans were in for a solid night of some serious rock and metal. A beautiful, sunny, 80 degree Florida Sunday gave way to an almost chilly forecast of low 60s for the show and as I arrived at the venue just as the doors opened an hour before show time there was a line around the block for those awaiting entry.

Being a people watcher, I find the age demographics of the Shows I Go To fascinating and I was surprised how many youngsters there were in the crowd this evening. I met a family who had their young son with them and after taking and sharing a family photo with them I said how their son would be the coolest kid in school tomorrow and their reply was “…he’s only four….he’s not in kindergarten yet!” I asked if this was his first concert and even the little guy shook his head and said “no!” That is some awesome parenting right there! Also, later in the show during Beartooth’s set I noticed a young girl, as young as the little dude I had seen earlier. Her name is Haley and she was holding up a sign she made saying how her birthday was last week and thanking Beartooth’s lead singer for the show. She misspelled the band’s name on her sign (which made it extra cute and even more heartfelt in my opinion), but I tell you, it was the freaking cutest thing ever to see and I am not ashamed to say it melted a Chief Metal Officer’s heart in the moment. While I again applaud the metal parenting for bringing her to the show, but get that girl some ear plugs!

This would be my second time seeing Beartooth, and first time even hearing of the opening three bands, so I greatly appreciate the opportunity to experience new bands that I am not familiar with. Beartooth and Sleep Theory had just bookended Orlando and St. Petersburg stops before and after the ShipRocked 2024 Cruise they performed on. So I was certain that we would hear some stories including about how their ship hit and damaged the pier in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I am sailing on the 2024 Monsters of Rock Cruise in a couple of weeks and we cruisers were notified that because of the pier damage sustained during Shiprocked 2024, our Jamaica stop was being re-routed to Cozumel, Mexico.

Sleep Theory, a relatively new band, formed in 2020 with vocalist Cullen Moore, guitarist Landen Terry, bassist Paolo Vergara, and drummer Ben Pruitt. Their music is described as a blend of metal, R&B, and pop and I found them to be entertaining. After my three songs from down front I went to seek out a friend who works at the venue so I did not really “see” any more of their set, but by the crowd reaction and the conclusion of their last song that the crowd was already primed and ready to rock.

Invent Animate was up next and the band consists of vocalist Marcus Vik, lead guitarist Keaton Goldwire, rhythm guitarist Trey Celaya, bassist Caleb Sherraden, and drummer Brody Taylor Smith. Definitely a metalcore and djent band, I for sure enjoyed the heaviness of their breakdowns. I got my best ever 360 camera pic of a band playing on stage and when the fellas came off the stage they immediately went for a cell phone to check the score of the game and were close enough that I showed Caleb my 360 shot and he said “DUDE!!!! Send me that!”

The Plot In You were tasked with the crowd’s final preparation for the headliner. The band features Landon Tewers on guitar and vocals, Ethan Yoder on bass, Michael Cooper behind the drum kit and Josh Lewis Childress also on guitars. I had to laugh as before this band began the security team had a group meeting to mention how this was the heaviest band of the evening and they expected many crowd surfers. The reason I had to laugh was that the band’s song played for the crowd before they came out was “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver, which the crowd sang along to. Thankfully, the crowd surfers waited until we were out of the photo pit, but from my vantage point where I watched the rest of the set it was a continual stream of surfers who made their way to the barrier and security passed led them out the enclosed area and back into the crowd. Surprisingly I saw quite a few people leaving after this set and not staying for the headliner.

Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Beartooth was founded by the multi-talented Caleb Shomo, who performed every instrument when in the studio on their early releases, before being joined by a four-piece band while on tour. With their music fitting into too many genres to list or describe, and the member’s influences literally all over the musical tree it is hard to label the band’s music. Rounding out the band is Oshie Bichar playing bass, Connor Denis on drums, Zach Huston on lead guitar and Will Deely playing rhythm guitar, with all members contributing backing vocals. This show was the first time ever I had a tour manager gather the photographers (there were only two of us) and he went over exactly what to expect in terms of lighting, confetti cannons, CO2 cryo jet guns and where the ‘small stage’ would be where Caleb would be to sing two songs mid set. We were specifically instructed to make sure our camera lenses were not in the line of the CO2 jets.

The headliners took the stage to a well-primed audience. Caleb comes out to the front of the stage alone under a directed spotlight and the crowd roars their approval and readiness as the rest of the bursts onto the stage with explosive energy and tear into their opening song ‘Sunshine!’ As expected, the confetti cannons shoot off on either side of the stage within the first few seconds. The band continues into ‘The Past Is Dead’ and as the conclusion of ‘Bad Listener’ is when the C02 cryo jets shoot off and I was sure to be out of their way. After my three songs up front, I settled back into the crowd on the elevated platform and just took in the band and the reaction of the crowd as the band played. Honestly not being familiar with their music beyond what I have heard on both terrestrial and satellite radio, I liked what I heard. By the amount of people I witnessed who knew every word and were singing along for every song it is apparent beyond just selling the show out this band has a faithful and passionate following.

As the set list progressed, as promised Caleb popped up on a small stage near the soundboard facing back to the main stage which made for an interesting dynamic as I snapped a few photos of him profiled from behind, yet visible on the screen behind the stage. It was a really moving few minutes as he began a very impassioned story about how tomorrow is more important than yesterday, how your past is dead and gone for a reason and it should be left behind. He went on to say that the only real truth is the here and now, to remember to live in the moment and how your future can be whatever you decide it to be. In fact, he said that the next time Beartooth plays the area they will be headlining an arena sized venue! To which the crowd roared their approval and one of the people next to me yelled out his reply “…f*ck yeah! I’ll be there!”

Props to the behind the scenes team as all four bands this evening started exactly on time. There is a ton of coordination that goes to get this precision timing down and keep things running smoothly. I applaud the crew that no one sees. I highly enjoyed myself at this show and recommend anyone who is on the fence of seeing the tour to get your tickets and go check out a night of great rock and roll – see Beartooth’s upcoming tour dates here — https://beartoothband.com

\m/

▼ SHOWS TO GO TO ▼

Check out our South Florida SIGT Website! 

Shows I Go To South Florida Giveaway, Reviews, Photos, and more

Please support our friends who support us! Tell them Shows I Go To sends love! 🙂