By: Jenafur Schlangen
Chicago, Illinois
March 8, 2025
Chicago was the place to be on March 8th as Disturbed, Three Days Grace, and Sevendust took over the United Center for a night of pure, adrenaline-fueled rock. This wasn’t just any show—Disturbed was celebrating 25 years of their album, The Sickness, and they made sure the hometown crowd got an unforgettable performance. Also affected were all six Chicago Bulls’ championship banners that hung proudly from the United Center’s rafters due to the heat from the band’s performance which included a vast amount of pyrotechnics. It has been reported that the damage is minor and United Center officials are currently working on repairing the banner fabric. In that, the banners have been removed for the rest of this season but they do anticipate their return for next season.
Aside from the fiery snafu mentioned above, the concert itself was definitely an evening to remember. Atlanta band, Sevendust opened up the night with their signature blend of heavy riffs and raw emotion and did not come to play. After all these years, Lajon Witherspoon’s vocals are just as powerful, and the band brought insane energy to their set. They played classics like Black and Denial while throwing in some newer tracks that proved they still have plenty of fire left. It was the perfect way to get the crowd warmed up.
Next up was the wildly popular and Canadian powerhouse, known as Three Days Grace, and as soon as they kicked into Animal I Have Become, the crowd lost it. Frontman Matt Walst delivered a rock-solid performance but it was the return of Adam Gontier that caused everyone to jump-up and pay attention. I’m not sure how many times I heard in the hallways, “I wondered how they were going to pull that off.” And, pull it off they most definitely did. Their setlist was packed with hits like Pain, Never Too Late, and I Hate Everything About You. They even threw in So Called Life from their more recent album, which got a great response. The mix of old and new kept the energy high, and by the end of their set, the crowd was primed and ready for Disturbed.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for—Disturbed. From the moment David Draiman was wheeled out onto the stage, on a wooden dolly, similar to that of Hannibal Lecter (face mask and all), you could feel how special this show was going to be and how crazy it was going to get. This was their hometown crowd, and they definitely went all out.
To celebrate The Sickness turning 25, they played a stacked setlist, featuring the entire album, including Voices, Stupify, and Down With the Sickness (which had the whole arena screaming along). They balanced the old-school classics with some of their later hits like Inside the Fire, The Vengeful One, and of course, their emotional cover of The Sound of Silence.
One of the coolest moments of the night was Draiman taking a second to reflect on how far the band has come since The Sickness first dropped in 2000. You could tell he was genuinely moved, and the crowd responded with a deafening roar.
The production was top-notch…tons of pyro (as mentioned above), insane lighting, and level of loud that was greatly appreciated and added a whole new level to the experience. It felt like a true celebration of Disturbed’s legacy, and they made sure every fan left the arena knowing they had witnessed something special.
If you get the chance to catch this tour, DO IT. Sevendust set the tone, Three Days Grace brought the nostalgia, and Disturbed absolutely destroyed in the best way possible. The energy, the setlists, and the sheer power of their performances made this a night to remember, especially for those who have been rocking with The Sickness since day one.
As far as the Bulls’ banner damage, we shall see how that plays out so, check back for updates!
Disturbed – OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Three Days Grace – OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Sevendust – OFFICIAL WEBSITE
