Atreyu deliver a memorable night at District Music Hall
District Music Hall has seen its share of mayhem this year, earning its place as one of Connecticut’s go-to rooms for metal and hardcore bands. But tonight’s energy was something else entirely. Even if the show wasn’t technically sold out, it absolutely felt like it. From opener to headliner, the crowd answered every bit of intensity onstage and give it back tenfold. Shows just vibe differently when the crowd arrives ready to headbang, sing, and go all-in.
ZERO 9:36
The night opened hard with Zero 9:36. Not your standard metalcore opener, they lean into a more nu-metal sound: hip-hop–driven vocals fused with heavier metal riffs. The set drew early interest, with the crowd steadily filling the room. At one point they even called for a wall-of-death (or at least as big a one as District can physically allow), and the crowd fully committed. What stood out most was the energy and crowd-work, both crucial skills for any first act.
UNEARTH
Then came Unearth. Hailing from neighboring Massachusetts, the band has been a staple of the metalcore for over two decades. With their blend of death-metal and hardcore influences, they delivered a punishing set. District is well-known for its lack of a barricade, which meant crowd-surfers washed ashore onto the stage only to turn around and launch themselves right back into the sea of hands. Unearth had the crowd firing on all cylinders by the end of their set.
District is one of the few venues where I don’t mind shooting without a photo pit. I can stay in the middle of the action, just outside the chaos of the circle pit, and capture moments that happen long after our typical first-three-songs.
ATREYU
For me, tonight was a full-circle moment. Nineteen years ago, I watched Atreyu on the second stage at Ozzfest on Randall’s Island, the summer before I moved to the East Coast. Tonight, they were headlining in my backyard. After capturing Killswitch Engage earlier this year and now Atreyu, it feels like this year has brought me right back to the bands that shaped a whole chapter of my life.
Because this tour centered around celebrating The Curse, the crowd was mostly elder Millennials, fans who first heard these songs when they came out in 2004 — now sharing Atreyu with their own kids. Even I had brought my oldest daughter, now a senior in college, to the show.Midway through the set, Atreyu paused to open the pit make room for the kids so they could have their own protected mosh.
The band carried a looseness and humor throughout the night. Somewhere off stage-left was a dessert table. Band members were snacking on carrot cake and donuts, handing slices to kids at the edge of the stage and launching half-eaten donuts into the crowd. Including to one very young man actually named Atreyu!
During set, the Kyle Rosa (drums) jumped to bass and Brandon Saller (vocals) took over on drums for a song. And at some point during the evening, both Saller and then Porter McKnight (bass/vocals) made their way into the middle of the pit to sing, exchange high fives, the proceed to give a lap to the room. Later, a fan crowd-surfed all the way to the front, climbed onstage, grabbed the mic, and belted along before diving back into the sea of hands.
Frontman Saller shared that he had been keeping to himself earlier in the night, his voice acting up, clearly not looking forward to powering through the set. But he told the room that the second he stepped onstage, he lost himself in the energy and was lifted through the entire performance. Even the balcony was fully engaged, headbanging and singing. He mentioned that Connecticut wasn’t where they expected to have one of their top crowds on this run, but tonight proved otherwise.
When bands say they haven’t had this much fun at a show, or that the crowd is the best so far on tour, you think, sure, they probably tell every crowd that. But with no barricade, the stage divers, and that extra edge, I’m going to say they meant every word.
After playing through The Curse, Atreyu treated fans to both long-time favorites and some of their newest material. When the show ended and the crowd began to file out of the building, I was glad to see the band make sure those brave kids up front walked away with the setlists and drumsticks. And their parents looked just as proud, knowing tonight would become one of those core memories.
ATREYU SETLIST
District Music Hall, Norwalk, Connecticut (11/22/2025)
Blood Children 2.0
Bleeding Mascara
Right Side of the Bed
This Flesh a Tomb
You Eclipsed by Me
The Crimson
The Remembrance Ballad
The Interlude
Corseting
Demonology and Heartache
My Sanity on the Funeral Pyre
Nevada’s Grace (Kid’s circle pit)
Five Vicodin Chased With a Shot of Clarity
Becoming the Bull (encore)
Ex’s and Oh’s (encore)
Dead (encore)
Blow (encore)
