Concert review: The Dark Horizon Tour feat. In This Moment, Motionless in White, Fit for a King, and From Ashes to New | 08.15.23, Ford Theater (Evansville, IN) (with photo gallery)

Photo of by Erica Vining

Tuesday is my second least favorite day of the week, but Tuesday the 15^th proved to be my favorite second least favorite day I’ve had. The Dark Horizons Tour made its way to Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, featuring a powerhouse lineup of From Ashes to New, Fit for a King, Motionless In White, and In This Moment. The weather was beautiful, so naturally the show was indoors, but the walk from my car to the venue was at least enjoyable. The concert brought a crowd to the arena despite its school night status, with vibrant face painting and carefully planned outfits creating visual art that was a photographer’s dream.   

From Ashes to New (FATN) took the stage first, hiding backstage while “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys blared through speakers before taking the stage and diving immediately into “Nightmare” off their newest album Blackout. The Pennsylvania band has seen numerous lineup changes through the years with Matt Brandyberry the only original member remaining in the group. Through the roster changes their sound has evolved into a catchy blend of rock and rap with elements of punk and electronica woven in. The seven-song set wrapped up with “Through It All” off their debut LP Day One. Fog machines set a dramatic scene that perfectly matched the energy of the remaining bands for the night.

Fit for a King followed FATN and I was excited for this set because I’d seen them open once before for I Prevail and their energy is off the charts. I was not disappointed as bassist Ryan “Tuck” O’ Leary was airborne more than he was on the ground. His side hurdlers rivaled my high school cheer team, and his bass flips were both terrifying and captivating. Fit for a King also played a seven-song set and the crowd surfers were abundant. At the end of the set, O’Leary joined the crowd, leaping onto their extended arms with his bass in hand before surfing back to the waiting security in the pit.

A white drape was lifted following Fit for a King and the scene behind the curtain was one of chaos as the stage was set for Motionless in White’s debut. Giant fans featuring the word CYBERHEX were wheeled into place and frontman Chris Motionless’ steampunk-esque skeleton mic stand found its way center stage. The band took the stage in full makeup to screams from a waiting crowd, launching into the title track from their sixth studio album, “Scoring the End of the World.” Vocalist Ryan Kirby of Fit for a King joined Motionless midway through the set to perform “Slaughterhouse” off the same album. Motionless in White cut no corners for this tour, with pyro to rival Rammstein’s show in Chicago last year. Twelve songs were simply not enough for me with hits like “Brand New Numb” notably absent. Motionless In White closed the set with “Eternally Yours” off Graveyard Shift as Chris threw long stemmed roses to adoring fans in the crowd. Perhaps my favorite moment from this set was near the end when I glanced stage left to catch bassist Justin Morrow giving in to his intrusive thoughts and licking his entire microphone before giggling and continuing on. I missed the last half of that song because I was laughing so hard I choked and nearly needed revived. Death due to microphone licking certainly wasn’t on my bingo card this year.

The final act of the night, In This Moment, required an extensive set change which again occurred behind a hanging curtain this time featuring a black widow. Band members side stage burned incense and mingled with crew as a full theatrical backdrop went up behind them. I’ve seen In This Moment several times so I know what to expect from their performance, but watching the stage be assembled left me with a new appreciation for the work stagehands put in behind the scenes. The show was nearly delayed by a medical emergency, but medics and security were able to stabilize the situation with mere seconds left to showtime. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” filled the stands as the curtain dropped to reveal Maria Brink elevated in a doorway atop a staircase looking over the crowd. If you’ve never seen In This Moment play, I would strongly encourage you to catch them on their next stop as the show is an entire theatrical performance, transcending a concert into pure art. Fog and pyro alternated with water raining down on the crowd as Brink sang her way through “The Purge” off her upcoming album GODMODE, releasing in October of this year. “The In Between” followed with bursts of fire for every hell, and cold foggy blasts for every heaven, creating an interactive experience for the crowd singing along. I was a bit confused by a short set, only seven songs, which felt out of place for the co- headliner. I can only assume that time is limited due to the extensive set changes throughout the show. Brink closed the night with “Whore” and thanked her entire crew, a humble ending to an incredible night of music.

Maybe Tuesdays aren’t so bad after all. | Erica Vining