Nothing More The Carnal Tour 2024
The year 2024 is most definitely proving to be a year for some hard-hitting shows! The Carnal Tour with headliners Nothing More and their friends: Set it Off, From Ashes to New and Post Profit was no exception. Buffalo Riverworks hosted this stop on the tour, quickly becoming one of the more popular venues for bigger bands to stop by in the 716 area. Even with a Buffalo Bills Monday Night Football game happening the same night, the venue still was packed with long-time Nothing More fans. The merch line heavily extended from one end of the venue to the other with the floor packed with people waiting to see some pretty admired opening acts. Fans happily sang along to the venue’s playlist, anxiously awaiting for the first act to come on. Excitement grew as soundcheck began onstage and the first band got ready to kick off this insane night.
Post Profit was the first to hit the stage and make an impact they did. Unfortunately, traffic prevented me from getting to the venue in time for the first three songs but the band’s energy and hard-hitting lyrical hooks could be enjoyed and appreciated no matter where you stood in the venue. Originating from Texas, the band catapulted some crazy energy. With a perfect blend of alternative and hardcore rock, the crowd instantly vibed with Matt Jackson’s intense vocals and made for the perfect opener to start the night off.
From Ashes to New hit the stage next. It’s no surprise that this band is popular with the crowd. With a unique blend of metal and rap, the band brings a refreshing unique sound that is raw and real to music fans of all ages. Their stage setup included two large TV screens on either side of the stage along with high platforms and smoke machines. From Ashes to New always puts on an entertaining show, especially with member Lance Dowdle always sporting a sick signature mask. With a sound similar to bands like Linkin Park and I Prevail, the band’s huge following is no surprise. The infectious vocals of Danny Case meshed with the smooth rapping of Matt Brandyberry compliments the band’s overall sound to such a degree it’s hard not to find yourself being consumed by their sound. I’ve been a fan of From Ashes to New for a while now and their set never disappoints. Tracks off the bands album Blackout dominated throughout the night. “Barely Breathing, “Nightmare” and “Monster in Me” were among a few songs that fans were feral for.
Set It Off took the stage next. With a mixture of pop-punk orchestral lines, catchy choruses and one or two rap verses thrown in, these guys came to dominant. Their faster-paced sound flawlessly switched between genres. Joyful melodies, and a range of layered vocals made for a creatively unique addition to the tours lineup. The hard-hitting energy was popular with the crowd, blending one song into the next. “Parasite” instantly had fans singing along with lead singer Cody Carson, who energetically ran from one side of the stage to the next. The bands voltaic energy had the walls of Riverworks shaking and fans vibrating with excitement. This was my first time hearing Set It Off live and they did not disappoint. Crowd surfers seemed to emerge out of nowhere as fan after fan made their way to front stage. “Fake Ass Friends”, “Hypnotized” and a cover of Linkin Park’s “Points of Authority” were among some of the songs played throughout the set. The band really amped up the crowd as they ended their set, leaving fans wanting more.
As the lights dimmed, fans grew restless for the talented presence of Nothing More. The band exploded into their first song “House of Sand” off their latest album Carnal. With lead singer Jonny Hawkins barefoot, shirtless, and ready to rip the place apart, this was already proving to be a killer show. Nothing More’s sound has easily been a popular outlet for fans over the years. With lyrics influenced from personal life experiences and both film and visual media influences, their highly relatable songs have quite the following. The mix of pop-punk/emo and rock/metal are similar to those of System of a Down mixed in with some Incubus flavor. The Post-screamo balance between pop hooks and kinetic thrills make for a huge part of their song composure and create a truly beautiful blending of catchy lyrics. Throughout the night the crowd was absolutely drawn to Hawkins high energy and raw vocals. A favorite of mine “If It Doesn’t Hurt” was hard to hear as the crowd passionately sang along. During “Ships in the Night” Hawkins brought out drums for a extended drum solo version. The slight change in energy had the crowd glued to the stage and created an almost hypnotic reaction from fans. There was not a moment during their set that fans weren’t either crowd surfing or feeding off the bands intense energy. Seeing Nothing More a couple times before I had expected nothing less than a truly detonating performance.
Nothing More is most definitely a band that you find yourself staying in until the very last song. As the show ended and the buzz of the set died down, fans hit up the merch tables one last time grabbing whatever was left. Fans with souvenirs of the show’s setlist and caught guitar picks could be seen filtering out into the now-crowded parking lot. If you missed the opportunity to see Nothing More on this tour don’t worry! Even though the Carnal Tour has ended, Nothing More hits the stage for some big festivals and some show dates with Godsmack. You can grab tickets for those shows right here! Make sure you are following ConcertHopper on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest concert and festival reviews!!